I Spent 3 Days at Social Fest: Here's What I Learned
My first marketing event!
Two weeks ago, I attended my first ever marketing event. As an introvert going to events is kinda nerve racking but I did it! I went out of my comfort zone and I learned so much.
Social Fest by Social Day, was a jam-packed event full of insights into what’s actually working in social media right now. It wasn’t just another day of buzzwords and charts; it was filled with real, practical takeaways I’m already thinking about applying.
Whether you run your own social channels or you're just figuring out how brands build visibility online, here are the lessons I walked away with and how I think they can shape our strategy moving forward.
1. Social Media Is the New Search Engine
I knew people used TikTok and Instagram to search for things (including me), but this trend is only growing. More users, especially Gen Z, are bypassing Google altogether to find product recommendations, tutorials, or places to visit directly on social platforms.
What this means for you:
You need to optimise your posts not just for engagement, but for search. That means using the right keywords in captions, alt text, and even in video speech (yes, platforms are indexing spoken words now 👀).
2. Engagement Is Going Private
Not all interactions are happening in the comments anymore. A lot of the real conversations are moving to DMs, group chats, and smaller online communities. The amount of reels my fiance sends me, I can’t keep up haha.
Takeaway:
We need to think beyond likes and shares. How are we encouraging deeper, more private forms of engagement? When creating a piece of content think “Would someone share this?”
3. Relevance > Reach
One of my favourite quotes from the event:
“Relevance is how brands win.”
Big follower numbers don’t matter if no one cares about what you’re posting. Instead of chasing trends, we should focus on content that’s actually helpful, relatable, and aligned with what our audience needs.
4. Video Is Still King But With a Twist
Short-form and live video are everywhere. YouTube’s staying power was mentioned, but also the rise of video on more “unexpected” platforms like LinkedIn and BlueSky.
What to do with this:
• Start small with low-lift video (talking head, screen share, behind-the-scenes).
• Repurpose videos across platforms.
• Don’t aim for perfect or too polished, just aim for clear and valuable.
5. Show More Personality (Especially in B2B)
One panelist said: “People buy from people. Even on LinkedIn.”
This especially resonated in a B2B context, where brand content often feels… well, too corporate. As someone that works in B2B and in the education sector (which is niche) this might be a bit tricky to do but NOT impossible.
New direction:
Let’s show the faces behind the work. Whether that’s employees talking about what they do, or using storytelling to communicate our values, we need to humanize our brand.
6. Don’t Be Afraid to Repurpose
The charity social panel was gold. One of their biggest wins? Getting more from the content they already had. They weren’t afraid to repost, reformat, and re-share.
Mental note: we don’t need to reinvent the wheel. A good post can live many lives across platforms, formats, and even audiences.
7. Paid Social on LinkedIn = Smart (if Strategic)
A few things that stood out:
• Uploading customer data into LinkedIn can reduce cost per acquisition (CPA).
• Retargeting warm audiences works well.
• Create 5 different ad creatives for better conversions.
• “Thought leader” ads , you know the ones you see on LinkedIn and at the top of the post under the creators name reads “promoted by (company)”. Those ads can amplify credibility.
Definitely something to explore more if we scale up paid.
8. Rethinking ROI
Did you know that only 5% of your audience is in the market to buy?
Not everything is about clicks and conversions. One phrase that stuck with me:
“Mental availability.”
It’s about staying top-of-mind for that 95% of your audience so that when they are finally ready to buy, you’re the one they will remember.
They also mentioned that “share of voice” is another important metric. If your share of voice is bigger than your market share, your business/brand will grow.
9. Be Clear, Be Known, Be Helpful
If you want to grow on LinkedIn (and we do), you need to be clear on what you want to be known for. Personality + consistency + value = long-term growth.
And one final quote I loved:
“Don’t speak unless you have something to say.”
No more posting for the sake of staying “active.” Every post should serve a purpose.
Final Thoughts
Social Fest reminded me that social media isn’t about doing more, it’s about doing the right things well. That means:
Making content easier to find
Creating deeper conversations
Reusing what works
Showing up with clarity, not clutter
I’ll be testing a few of these takeaways in the next few weeks. If you spot any of them on my LinkedIn, you’ll know where the inspo came from.