It’s probably a bit early to call the Podcast & Portable Media Expo attendee message board forums a success for the show, but I do have some thoughts on their usefulness so far. On the positive side, it’s been a great tool to help attendees plan side meetings of their own with like-minded attendees. Already attendees have planned to meet for coffee, lunches, dinners and cocktails before, during and after show hours.

Traffic on the boards that allow attendees to post comments and questions about each individual session aren’t as active as I’d like them to be, however. We’re doing things to try and drum up posts, but it’s been slow going. Several speakers have been asked to cover specific topics which is great because I think helps the speaker tailor their presentation to the immediate needs of the attendees. But I wouldn’t call the traffic overwhelming by any stretch.

On the downside, the slow going of those boards in the first several weeks caused one potential exhibitor to think our attendance was going to be low because there were not many posts in the forum. In reality, registrations outpaced last year’s from day one, but perception is reality. In the end I don’t think it was the reason we haven’t been able to ultimately secure that same company as an exhibitor, but it’s interesting to note.

Also on the positive side, it’s also been a great tool for attendee feedback. Several attendees have given us helpful feedback - and in time that we were able to make changes to the show before we have even arrived at the convention center. Feedback that I can use right away instead of waiting for next year’s show - that might be the best part of it all for us and the attendees.