One thing I'll say here that I'll try to elaborate on for Friday's follow-up post is the idea that even with the level of interaction that's possible using social media tools, there's still something about seeing folks face-to-face for a discussion.

I'll definitely be looking forward to the live blog chat on the 23rd!

First, it is absolutely fantastic that the Trust did this, and it is indeed a step in the right direction. That shared, it would have been great if the Virtual Attendee experience would have been one which more closely replicated actual attendance, by allowing viewers to interact with staff, speakers, etc.. If they did so, they might discover that the real power of social networking could free preservation and allow it to speak to a wider audience as you suggest.

Second, I do wonder about the economics of doing this type of event in the future. It is worth noting that the Trust unveiled the Virtual Attendee page after actual, in-person registration had closed – and they may have thought that announcing it before-hand might actually have had an impact on attendance. If have a truly interactive experience would impact attendance, that, in turn, could impact the very nature of the underlying event itself. Or, in the alternative, the Trust might move to a fee-based system for viewers to obtain the live feed, which would again limit its potential impact.

Our statewide has been involved in social media for over 3 ½ years, has the oldest preservation blog in the country, and is extensively involved with both Twitter and Facebook. On October 23, we are hosting the country’s first live blog on social media, preservation and revitalization. The Nashville Virtual Attendee experience is sure to be on the agenda that morning.

One thing I'll say here that I'll try to elaborate on for Friday's follow-up post is the idea that even with the level of interaction that's possible using social media tools, there's still something about seeing folks face-to-face for a discussion.

I'll definitely be looking forward to the live blog chat on the 23rd!

First, it is absolutely fantastic that the Trust did this, and it is indeed a step in the right direction. That shared, it would have been great if the Virtual Attendee experience would have been one which more closely replicated actual attendance, by allowing viewers to interact with staff, speakers, etc.. If they did so, they might discover that the real power of social networking could free preservation and allow it to speak to a wider audience as you suggest.

Second, I do wonder about the economics of doing this type of event in the future. It is worth noting that the Trust unveiled the Virtual Attendee page after actual, in-person registration had closed – and they may have thought that announcing it before-hand might actually have had an impact on attendance. If have a truly interactive experience would impact attendance, that, in turn, could impact the very nature of the underlying event itself. Or, in the alternative, the Trust might move to a fee-based system for viewers to obtain the live feed, which would again limit its potential impact.

Our statewide has been involved in social media for over 3 ½ years, has the oldest preservation blog in the country, and is extensively involved with both Twitter and Facebook. On October 23, we are hosting the country’s first live blog on social media, preservation and revitalization. The Nashville Virtual Attendee experience is sure to be on the agenda that morning.