An amazing wave has swept this great city on a great lake.
Having spent all of my 56 years in Milwaukee, I’ve always been proud when I hear visitors gush about what residents know all too well: The people of Milwaukee are the nicest folks they’ve ever met. So it’s only natural that a platform that is comprised of interaction and communication would flourish in a town like ours.
Social Media…and more specifically, Twitter and now FourSquare have made significant marks on the landscape of Brew City, including:
- Almost constant media coverage of Social Media as a phenomenon.
- Businesses like Streetza Pizza, AJ Bombers and Blatz Liquor whose successes have been almost entirely fueled by the support of the Social Media community.
- A nearly 400 seat sellout for our Social Media University – Milwaukee, fueled almost exclusively by promotion using Social Media, with virtually no promotion in traditional media.
- 3-4 well-attended, targeted Social Media training/networking events every week, and so many large-scale Social Media events that it’s been hard for us to schedule our next Social Media University Milwaukee without conflicting with one of them. (Note: SMUM2 is currently firming up its date and lineup ).
- Great relationships built between dozens of local media celebrities and average folks (stories of which could easily be an entire blog).
- The amazing new collaborative spirit that has emerged between many of the creative, technology, and new media people and organizations who have co-existed here for years, but have just met and begun to work together in the past twelve months.
- Milwaukee consistently ranks among the top US cities in the Twtvite lists of upcoming social media events.
- A recent Tweetup at AJ Bombers drew so many people that attendees were awarded the first Foursquare “Swarm Badge” in the entire Midwest. An upcoming Tweetup at our own office already has enough interest that it could potentially become the first non bar/restaurant to result in a “Swarm Badge” for its attendees.
As we commemorate the first anniversary of a Tweetup that the Tweetup Girls held at the Iron Horse Hotel that seemed to be a pivotal moment, some with whom I talk are convinced that this is unique to Milwaukee. When I go to Tweetups and other Social Media focused events and feel the Twitter-love, the sentimental part of me is prone to believe it. Other less parochial folks insist that, while it’s big here, this same thing is happening in cities all over the country…and the world. And my logic has to admit that this must be the case.
Your thoughts? Is the Social Media love fest we’re enjoying here in Milwaukee real and unique to us?
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Tom Snyder is Founder, President and CEO of Trivera Interactive, a Midwest New Media firm. Tom is a Web guy, wine snob, music junkie, Ex-Milwaukee Radio Guy, HDTV expert, and political wonk.
Twitter Updates
Tom,
I have traveled far and wide and what you say is true. I talk about the wonderfulness of the social media community in Milwaukee often when I travel and on my blog.
I hadn’t even thought about the developing community of design, technology, and printers (I added that one – selfish bias) that has occurred in Milwaukee because of Social Media.
Great post – keep ‘em coming!
Jim
Thanks for the mention Tom!
It’s definitely been exciting for business and am shocked how many people I’ve meet that I would truly call a friend. Lets keep it rolling!
Joe
Milwaukee rocks! On Milwaukee! Connected, community and creative = Brew City.
Tom, great post. Thanks so much for including us in the SM gang. We’re absolutely proud to be a part of one of the most dynamic SM communities in the world. I think It’s our closeness and the overwhelming supportive nature of the group that makes us so unique. We’re having a ball and making great new friends along the way, IRL.
As a former Milwaukean now living in the Bay Area, it does seem to me that Milwaukee has taken to social media in a bigger way than I see elsewhere. I was sitting in the audience of Digiday Social in LA two weeks ago and was surprised and thrilled when AJ Bombers got referenced as an example of social success. It’s great to see Milwaukee get the well-earned attention.
Tom,
Thanks for the post.
It does appear that for a very select few business owners on Twitter social media has been extremely beneficial.
However, most of those businesses were already making profits before they were leveraging social media.
So… to call Social’s use a “love fest” for Milwaukee or label it a “phenomenon” is simply unfounded.
What is a phenomenon of sorts, is how many users drink the kool-aid of so few. That continues to be head shaker.
However, that being said – it’s pretty cool that new media is able to help communication and be leveraged in new evolutionary ways no matter the location globally.
I’m not quite sure why Milwaukee should be such a social media hotbed, but it really does seem to be more active than most cities its size.
You mention, a a pivotal moment, a tweet-up at Iron Horse Hotel a year ago. I’d respectfully submit that it was the site of a tweet-up six months earlier, in October of 2008. This was a “Twappy Hour” organized by Augie Ray — using a phrase that I think he coined. I met many people there who I’d followed for months, and suddenly my acquaintance with them deepened. I had a blast.
The penny really dropped for me on the utility of social media: The meat space (meet space?) is important.
Here a link to a blog post from back then, recounting my epiphany:
http://bit.ly/blSbLS
While we’re talking about Milwaukee gatherings, I should add one that you were kind enough to speak at late last year. It’s the monthly Milwaukee Likemind.
And guess what? The next one is tomorrow morning! Our speakers are two experts in blending online and offline promotion and journalism. They’re Mary Louise Schumacher and Kathy Flanigan of JSOnline. I cannot wait.
Your readers are cordially invited to join us. It’s a free “tweet-up” that doesn’t even require a Twitter account.
Here’s a link to that:
http://www.digitalsolid.com/likemind/
Hmmm. After all of that self-promotion, I realize I added nothing to the conversation.
Except maybe this: Milwaukee is a hotbed of social media because it’s full of friendly people who enjoy doing decidedly ungeeky things like drink coffee or beer, or even have some communal bratwursts at Austin’s SXSW. They just happen to use digital means to plan events.
Hey Ryan,
I’m intrigued by your response, so I hope it’s okay if I go a little further.
I’d say that there’s way more than a select few of us that have benefitted from the use of SM, however, I do realize that you said “extremely” so that may be true. But to say that most of us we’re making a profit before leveraging SM is simply not the case, we’ll at least not for us at AJ Bombers and I’d venture to say, but don’t want to assume, that there are a more than a handful of us mke small business owners that can say that SM has completely shaped and/or reshaped our businesses and our business model into profitability.
As for the “lovefest” and “phenomenon” that is Milwaukee SM, I think Tom was questioning whether or not our communities passion and commitment to promote each-other was unique to Milwaukee, or found in many other communities.
I’m not sure that there’s any Kool-Aid to drink though, if so, it’s really buried down there deep, in my opinion. I know that we ultimately use SM as an extension of the service style of our businesses and genuinely appreciate our guests business, feedback and interaction. And as far as I can tell, that’s what’s most others in our MKE SM community hold dear at their core as well.
Hey Jeff:
You and I go way back, but Augie is one of those guys that I so appreciated Social Media finally allowing me to meet.
I had heard of Augie’s Twappy hours but hadn’t been to one. The Iron Horse Tweetup was the game changer for us, because it allowed us the opportunity to participate as “Twitter Tutors” at an event that the local media was all over. It gave Social Media…and Trivera…a HUGE spotlight.
http://www.trivera.com/wordpress/local-media-tags-trivera-as-one-of-milwaukees-social-media-authorities
Our phones started ringing right after the media coverage ran… TMJ4′s was that night, Fox 6′s aired during the May ratings sweep.
Tom
Super post. Really had me thinking.
I totally agree with you and all the others. What is really exciting for me to see is that us “older folk non facebook generation people” are starting to be re-energized by this change as well. We need this type of new focus on relationships since that is the way we were designed. Some would say that this stuff is making us “antisocial” and I say “hogwash’! it’s just the opposite. These new relationships we are building are going to fill our lives with more joy and reason for being along with improved productivity on the business side as well.
It’s a blast, thanks for being one of the leaders we all look to.
Wayne
Tom – great point about the 3 MKE establishments making a huge impact on the social media landscape. It’s great to see local business taking to Twitter and Facebook and seeing a worthwhile return. The positive press doesn’t hurt either!
The greatest thing about the social media spotlight that is shining on Milwaukee right now is that it’s focused on practitioners rather than theorists. Open Tweetdeck on a daily basis, and it’s easy to be numbed by the amount of theory that fills up your columns. But here, we’ve got real live success stories happening. How cool is that? It’s absolutely great to see the city earning some cred for innovative use of social that is getting results. Hats off to AJ Bombers and Streetza Pizza for making us look so good. And if you can’t tell, it’s a blast to be part of the ever expanding circle of social that we’re all creating here.
Milwaukee’s unique love for social media seems pretty well established, even traditional media coverage (NYT, Time, etc.) seems to validate that. It may be a fairly small group of relatively unassuming people; but it seems to have inspired a movement here that’s created opportunity I find hard to ignore.
The idea that a few smart local businesses popped-up and started tweeting is hardly news worthy. But the increased growth and continued success marketing exclusively through social marketing platforms provide good case studies of some low cost, high return, long term investments in these brands, their beliefs, and the overall benefit they’re able to bring to the community.
The continued embrace of various forms social media in Milwaukee have begun to reshape the city. Suddenly, many like minded people have begun to converge and discuss all of the possibilities. People have begun to realize that many of our goals aren’t very uncommon at all. We know how easy it is to make Twitter fun, we can’t help but play.
Let’s face it, there’s a growing segment of people spending more time staring at their touch screens while eating. Some places look down on that, others embrace. Those places have emerged, the people have connected, and their ideas are fantastic.
Maybe we’re just behind the curve… maybe San Fran and NYC have already been connected with like this. Maybe they found each other and formed exponential networks of influential, like mined people a long time ago. If so, we really lucked out. We’ve got tools to enable this to happen at incredible velocity.
I’m not suggesting Milwaukee is the best thing ever, but coming back from some great discussions at SXSW, I know that there are smart people around here that understand and embrace the Social Media phenomena as well as anyone. Yes, social media is a viable marketing platform. Yes it can be hugely beneficial, even in a little ol’ market like Milwaukee. Use it wisely, and great thing can happen.
Great post, Tom. We are a business just outside of Milwaukee, and have used social media almost exclusively for our marketing efforts. What’s happening with social media in Milwaukee is an awesome thing, and I think it comes natural to midwesterners because we are naturally helpful people who love to trade info, and this whole new way of marketing fits us like a glove. the things that Joe at AJ’s, Streetza, and Wayne are doing in this area are exciting. I’m really honored to be a part of it.
As the of the organizer of the BIG #milwaukeetweetup at The Iron Horse, (along with Jeanette) I’d like to say that I think the Milwaukee business community has greatly benefited from the use of Twitter and other social media platforms.
I have owned my business for 11 years now and this past year was one of our busiest years yet, even with the down economy.
This is not to say that we are any better than any other social media community around the country or the world, just that what we are doing seems to be working really well for us at this moment.
To that end, we are planning an anniversary party of the first BIG #milwaukeetweetup which will be held at Swig on April 22. Watch your Twitter stream for details!
Hey Michelle (and Jeanette):
You guys, oops, girls were the ones who got that ball rolling. Offering us the opportunity to be “twitter tutors” was huge. We owe ya.. big time!
BTW, need any tutors for the anniversary party?