There are a lot of great online resources to learn about social media, but it’s a good idea to occasionally get together offline with like-minded people and talk about the tools and processes as well. How easy it is to meet people offline depends on where you live, but here are a few resources:
- The Social Media Club has local chapters in many cities around the world. See their list of local chapters and find out of there is one near you. From what I’ve heard, the topics and nature of the groups vary by city. The group nearest to me (Portland) is led by folks with a heavy PR background and the events tend to reflect that.
- See if there’s an active Flickr group in your area that gets together offline. Here in Portland, the pdx group has a monthly social get-together where we’ll chat about photography and such in a very casual way (usually at a local pub).
- If you’re a blogger, attend a local or national conference. The local WordCamp events (see the list of WordCamps) are low-cost, fun one or two-day events that bring together bloggers from a variety of backgrounds. If you’re looking to get really serious about blogging, a national or international event such as the Blog World Expo (in October in Las Vegas) can be a great place to learn and connect.
Where else do you connect offline? Share your tips and ideas in the comments below.
Photo by pinkmoose, used under Creative Commons licensing
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