Visitors have more than 120 lectures, panels, cases, workshops and master classes on developments in social media and digitalisation to choose from during SMWHH. “Hamburg is an important media location and is ideal for exploring the possibilities and limits of digital communication. Social Media Week brings together international companies with Hamburg’s mid-sized businesses, start-ups and freelancers with national industry giants or media producers and influencers with users,” said Dr. Carsten Brosda, Senator for Culture and Media, who will open the digital conference in Altonaer Theater.
Wide-ranging programme includes chatbots, Alexa and responsible storytelling
Storytelling plays an increasingly important role in the battle for reach and clicks in both corporate communications and journalism. However, the boundaries between PR and journalism are becoming blurred. And this opacity begs questions about essence. This year’s Social Media Week Hamburg (SMWHH) gets underway from February 27-March 1 under the theme “Stories: With Great Influence Comes Great Responsibility” and highlights the issue from different perspectives i.e. what makes inspiring stories special? Why do we need disruptive storytelling? Storytelling in the wake of the shortage of skilled workers, big data as raw material for storytelling and what possibilities do 360 degree videos offer for clever storytelling? The agenda also focuses on reach and responsibility. Discussions will be held against the backdrop of positive, valuable content, which is likely to have even broader reach in future.
Brosda to open SMWHH
Speakers and visitors from all over the globe
The three-day digital conference is part of an event held in 23 cities across the globe from February 25-March 1, 2019. The founder of the first ever Social Media Week, Toby Daniels, held in New York ten years ago, “is coming to Hamburg for the first time this year as a guest and keynote speaker,” said Sabrina Frahm, Project Manager at Hi-Life Konzerte GmbH, the German agency behind the conference. “Global support and the international exchange of speakers and ideas is getting better and better.” Some events will be held in English “and are suitable for our international audience arriving from Austria and Switzerland, the Netherlands and Denmark. A delegate from South Africa will have the longest journey.”
SMWHH 2019 – even more Altona
Launched at the Altona venue just last year, the 2019 conference is set to be even bigger. Certain events will be held in the University of Applied Sciences Europe (UE) and the Altona Museum as well as in the hall of the Altona Theatre with 500 seats. The Networking and Interactive Areas will be expanded to offer visitors even more opportunities to get to know each other and to try things out. “This year’s new SMWHH blog will boast articles, exciting insights and give tips on upcoming sessions,” said Frahm.
Successful path to monetization
This year, a Standard Ticket with access to all the stages and the Interactive Areas costs EUR 55 while a Premium Pass with additional access to all workshops and master classes, exclusive lounge area as well as special networking events in the hub university costs EUR 275. “After six years of free admission, we decided to monetise the event for the first time last year. That’s important to put the conference on a solid financial footing.” Yet, entrance fees alone are not enough, Frahm stressed. “We would not be able to realize a conference of this quality without partners and sponsors including LinkedIn, Talkwalker, Xing and the Hamburg Media School this year.”
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