iStrategy 2010; bridging the gap in Social Media Marketing

We all know that time is money and understand that Social Media Marketing is a real-time, targeted way of communicating with an engaged and active demographic, one that gives as much feedback to the company in question as it provides to the demographic. Hence its usefulness and transcendent ability.

Most companies, both on the business and consumer sides know and try to practice this, however success has not been equally quick for all enterprises. One of the reasons may be the lack of training within today’s companies. The iStrategy Sydney conference, set to take place at the Sheraton Park Hotel on the 24th-25th November, packages this expertise in a way that all marketing and managerial professionals can utilize, no matter the company size, budget, or experience.

The news that Australia is to invest US$10billion in a pan-Australian fibre-optic network will transform its country socially and economically and will set an example for economies throughout Europe. The roll out of broadband across Australia will also open a world of Social Media Marketing yet untapped by the business community within the continent.

For a company, a single tweet, blog post or YouTube video can spread in a matter of hours, naturally finding its way into the attention of potential customers and clients. Even the most traditional CEOs are accepting the power of the tweet.

iStrategy Sydney 2010 is hosted by GDS International; the company has over 15 years in some of the largest international industries in the world, Oil and Gas, Pharmaceuticals, IT and Mining to name but a few. Their C-level business to business summits and clients have given them an innate understanding of how to translate and explain the future of social media in B2B and B2C to executives who know their companies should be aggressive, but do not know how to execute. iStrategy 2010 is bridging the gap the way so many other social media conferences either haven’t, or haven’t bothered to.

Already confirmed are representatives from Disney, HSBC, Pfizer, AMD and Coca-Cola eager to see the B2B and B2C capabilities of the right social media marketing package. They will be working with the leading social media experts from companies such as Adidas, Cisco, MTV, Allblacks.com, Commonwealth Bank and PepsiCo .

The success of these companies is obvious; their brands are synonymous within their relevant sectors; the Pepsi Refresh Project allowing the customer to interactively distribute profits, Evian’s Roller Babies viral spread on YouTube and Cisco’s winning the People's Choice award in the tech company’s category for its myPlanNet campaign - a downloadable simulation game.

Despite the simplicity of a social idea, the impact is incomparable; creating brand awareness money can’t buy. Their relationship with iStrategy Sydney 2010 means that the power of social media marketing is now available to all, from the minds of some of the sectors best innovators and architects.

GDS International moves to Sydney

In the week that The Australian dollar traded nearly at a two-year high against the euro, a world leading media company (GDS International) announced the much anticipated opening of its Sydney Office.

Bolstered by an expanding resource sector and energy-hungry Asian trading partners,

Australia is the only major economy to have avoided a technical recession in 2009 recording only one quarter of contraction in gross domestic product and it is set to continue with a forecast of 3.75% growth in 2010.

With advertising spend down GDS International, (a publishing and media company reliant on marketing spend) is bucking the trend. Maintaining unrivalled ROI to their clients GDS International (parent company of GDS Publishing) has seen double figure growth each year for the last five. “The key has been to diversify and innovate” Harlan Davis VP Product for GDS International, “We have a young and vibrant workforce that have adapted well in new business verticals and geographic markets”. Boasting over forty C-level summits a year, alongside its sixteen year old publishing business that circulates over fifty publication to executives world-wide, 2009 has seen GDS International diversify into New Media. Now championing some of the fastest growing online News services such as Next Gen Online News and online executive Broadcasting Network MeettheBoss is has clearly been the right move.

“Australia has significant potential and resources, such continued success mirrors that of GDS International and we feel that GDS Sydney will be a perfect home for us to hit the Australasia market” Tyron McGurgan - Director GDS Sydney

Australia is currently the world's 14th largest economy and has enjoyed 19 years of uninterrupted growth, aided by growing demand for commodities, robust government policies and with the move of such international organisations to her, 2010 is set to be another big year for the wonder down under.