Speaker Spotlight: Alex Wedderburn on Leveraging Social Intelligence
SocialDay 2024 is set to host an array of sessions designed to empower and educate social media professionals. Among these, Alex Wedderburn, Strategic Director at Hootsuite, will lead a compelling session titled "Leveraging Social Intelligence to Unlock the Value of Relationships on Social."
About Alex Wedderburn
Alex brings over 15 years of experience in the digital media, marketing, and social media landscape. His journey began at The Guardian Newspaper, focusing on content marketing partnerships, before moving to Hootsuite in 2016. Alex's tenure at Hootsuite has been marked by significant contributions to digital and social transformation projects across various sectors, including education, healthcare, financial services, and B2B organisations in Europe and North America. His work centers on social media management, insights, employee advocacy, and social customer care, with a passion for empowering organisations to grow through social marketing.
Session Overview
In his keynote, Alex will delve into the importance of relationship-building on social media, demonstrating how to enhance connection value and achieve greater ROI. Attendees will gain insights from Hootsuite's data-driven anecdotes, learning how social listening tools and practices can bridge the gap between brand efforts and audience needs.
Key Takeaways
The significance of relationships in business and their modern existence on social media.
Insights into marketers' lack of audience understanding and strategies for building valuable relationships through social intelligence.
Addressing the consumer perception of brand self-focus and how to add value to earn the right to extract value later.
Alex's Views on Social Media
Alex appreciates SocialDay's role in advancing the social marketing profession through storytelling, inclusivity, and networking. He highlights the rise of AI in social media as a game-changer for efficiency, content inspiration, customer service, and analytics. Looking ahead, Alex sees challenges in the decline of organic reach and engagement, emphasising the need for a multi-pronged social strategy.
Success Stories and Campaign Favourites
Alex cites working with Georgia State University on a social-first strategic campaign as a standout success, transforming brand perception and achieving remarkable results. He also praises Spotify's Wrapped campaign and Hootsuite's innovative marketing efforts for their unique engagement and impact.
Future of Social Media
For the future, Alex advocates for a return to the essence of social media: authentic relationships. He calls for a reassessment of the role of social marketers in achieving business objectives, highlighting the need for fair compensation, adequate resources, and proper recognition of their contribution.
Connect with Alex
Learn more about Alex's work and connect with him on LinkedIn.
Join Us at SocialDay
Alex Wedderburn's session is an invaluable opportunity for anyone looking to deepen their understanding of social intelligence and its impact on building meaningful relationships. Be sure to attend SocialDay 2024 on 8th May to gain from Alex's expertise and other industry leaders.
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