What Social Media Day Means To Me

Social Media Day was just this past Saturday (June 30th). If you know nothing about it, it’s a global event hosted by Mashable, put on by local Social Media enthusiasts, professionals and companies in their communities around the world. This was the third annual one and one that I was actually able to participate in and co-organize with Ryan Sullivan. I noticed a Tweet from him roughly two months prior to the actual day that said he would be attending so I immediately headed over to Meetup.com to see the details. That’s where I saw that he was actually organizing. Long story short, I approached Ryan on Facebook and asked if I could get involved.

Immediately I rushed to create the Facebook page, Twitter account and set up the website with my girl/ intern at KiMedia Strategies, Courtney of Tupieta. I was pumped. Ryan and I were on the same page from the first conversation. We wanted to break away from the usual drinks and apps at a bar scene and decided on trying to do a park event. The City of Tampa helped us out tremendously to figure out the exact details. Huge thanks to Kelli and Siobahn as well as Mayor Buckhorn that, as I tell everyone, really gets why Social Media is important and is really working towards moving the City of Tampa forward. Mayor Buckhorn signed the Official Proclamation deeming June 30, 2012 to be Social Media Day in Tampa. How awesome is THAT?!

Our celebration ended up taking place at Cotanchobee Park. We had over 100 people that dropped by during the four hour event including one of the digital marketing guys at 93.3 and some students from USF. Another thing that was so awesome about the day was that people just walking through the park stopped by to see what was going on. Many already used Social Media and were excited to see an event like this in town. There was even a group of 60/ 70 year old ladies, all wearing the same pink shirt that stopped at the Yelp tent to see what was going on.

Food trucks, games, friendly faces, and a lot of sunshine; that is how I would sum up the day.

So why does Social Media Day mean so much to me?

From ‘almost’ day one I fell in love with Social Media and pretty much the entire Internet. Many people that know me already know my story on being very ill and finding Social Media… blah blah blah. Long story short…. I love everything that Social Media allows us to do. I love the technology and yes, I’m an enthusiast that was able to take her addiction and turn it into a business. That’s why Social Media means so much to me.

I was able to find something I enjoy doing and turn it into a job that rarely ever seems like actual work.

What did you do for Social Media Day?