What I’ve learned from Webstock 2014

From the start, Webstock is not your usual boring conference. It promises a lot of networking, cool presentations and dynamic micro-events, not to mention a series of Awards aimed at bloggers, PR and online marketing agencies. And surely enough it delivered! Webstock 2014 was a great opportunity for me, and other online marketing professionals, to meet and mingle. Here is a short review of the event with highlights on the best stuff.

• Was it big?

Webstock 2014 isn’t the biggest conference out there, but I don’t think it will ever try to be. With 700 participants and 2500 people watching from home, it already has our appreciation. It unites bloggers, pr and marketing firms and many other online passionate. And while each year it grows a bit bigger, I will not like to see it reaching 2000 participants on site.

• Who sponsored what?

As you can imagine, the sponsors weren’t shy in showing their participation. Vodafone and Evensys were everywhere, HP had a lovely corner for faking a sunny vacation, Bitdefender brought a photo-booth for all the selfie lovers, while Nokia presented its Lumia 735.

Staropramen provided networkers with three new type of beers and Raiffeisen sweetened our stay with cake .

Robofun offered a 3D solution to the old question: “What to do if no one wants to raise you a statue?”.

A bit of a surprise was Gerovital, adding in our goodie bags some all-men-targeted grooming products.

 A few social numbers from Zelist

Here are the social sharing numbers – as monitored by zelist

So one thing’s for sure – at least for this kinds of events, Twitter is still alive and kicking. I too was very active on twitter (as you can see by visiting the #webstockro tweet feed), mostly sharing my ideas on the matters discussed, or saving some awesome quotes.

• Some things to remember

1. 1. 1. People NEED to learn how to present themselves when asking the on-stage speaker something.
      2. Speaking / writing proper Romanian (or any other native language you might have) is a MUST!
      3. Most phones have on simple button or click for turning off its sound. USE IT.
      4. Razvan Exarhu must do more shows and presentations. While presenting his latest project – “Taste of Romania” (app) – he offered us a new hashtag for the event #tarhon (tarragon).
      5. Steven van Groningen, President & CEO of Raiffeisen Bank Romania, is another amazing speaker and blogger.
      6. Cătălin Năstăsoiu and his ROnativ project.
      7. Social media job review – by Evensys & Career Advisor.

• Who won?

At the Webstock 2014 Awards Galla the fight was close, but most on my favorite projects won. Here is the compete list:

• Publishing
  1. bucataras.ro
  2. Marketing in Social Media – Alex Negrea si Treizecizero
  3. Locuri faine si PHOTOgrafia
• Visual
  1. Molecule F – A dress to live 4
  2. CreARTiv 3
  3. Dume de mestecat
• Utility
  1. Marketizator
  2. 59sec
  3.Autoeconom.ro
• Social Campaigns in online
  1. Pentru tine doar o moneda, pentru ei un viitor
  2. Doneaza rosu
  3. ShoeBox – Cadoul din cutia de pantofi
• Bloggers Project
  1. Coccolino
  2. ClujX
  3. Turul Burgerilor
• Blogging Campaigns
  1. Cum am supravietuit – Heineken OxygenPR
  2. Iubesc RO – Omv Petrom
  3. #carepecare – Mall Promenada
• Corporate blogs
  1. Blog eSKY.ro
  2. Blog Par Avion.ro
  3. Mobexpert Office Blog
• Video Blogging
  1. Zmenta show
  2. Scurtmetraje creative
  3. DOZA DE HAS Special Edition – powered by INDYGEN
• Facebook Applications
  1. The BILLA social catalogue
  2. Loveville 2014
  3. The Golden Lifestyle by Magnum Gold
• Mobile Applications
  1. Safedrive
  2. BallsHeadspace
  3. Pepsi Pulse
• Special Projects
  1. Luptăm pentru puritate – Testul Purităţii
  2. Ursus Cooler şi Cris-TIM te face superstar
  3. Ia-ţi vacanţa cu Lipton. Gusta o vara pe zi şi Youkids
• Innovation
  1. Bucharest ManHunt
  2. Tintag
  3. Net Cannon şi Air-Mood

All and all it was a very good day for science. You can find more info on the event on the Webstock 2014 page.