Stage Line-Ups

32nd Street & University Avenue

Main Stage
•    11:00am – TBA
•    12:00pm – Rodello’s Machine
•    1:00pm – Craft Mafia Fashion Show
•    1:30pm – The Treaties
•    2:30pm – Maren Parusel
•    3:30pm – Craft Mafia Fashion Show
•    4:00pm – The Black Sands
•    5:00pm – The Beautiful View
Dance Stage
•    10:30am – Alma Latina
•    10:45am – TOPS
•    11:00am – Vernetta
•    11:15am – Vernetta
•    11:30am – Vernetta
•    11:45am – Tangocentric
•    12:00pm – Zazz Productions
•    12:15pm – City Ballet
•    12:30pm – Areito Borincano
•    12:45pm – Flamenco Basics
•    1:00pm – San Diego Ballet
•    1:15pm – Omo Ache
•    1:30pm – Stage 7
•    1:45pm – Jam Time Dance
•    2:00pm – Bonita Vista HS
•    2:15pm – Coronado School of the Arts
•    2:30pm – A Time to Dance
•    2:45pm – Visionary Dance Theatre
•    3:00pm – San Diego Dance Arts
•    3:30pm – Ballet Folklorico en Aztlan Dance Theatre
•    3:45pm – Klika Scholarship Award
•    4:00pm – Axxiom
•    4:15pm – Casa Familiar Folkloric Dance Troupe
•    4:30pm – Stage 7
•    4:45pm – Ballet Folklorico Jalisciense
•    5:00pm – Busso African Drum and Dance Ensemble
•    5:15pm – Flamenco Arana

Beats & Eats Stage
•    10:00am – Billy Anne Crews
•    11:00am – Rick Felan
•    11:55am – Erwin Green
•    12:30pm – Lauren Dulberg
•    1:00pm – Mercedes Moore Band
•    2:30pm – Chris Vannoy
•    3:00pm- Jinx King
•    4:15pm – Vimel & E-Klectik Soul
•    5:00pm – B-Hive
•    5:15pm – Tootie & The Lips Girls

Bar Pink Stage
•    11:20am – Los Loaded Saints
•    12:20pm – Fire Eaters
•    1:20pm – Hello Trouble
•    2:20pm – Hills Like Elephants
•    3:20pm – Rookie Card
•    4:20pm – The Creepy Creeps

Vendor List and Location

Free Bicycle Valet sponsored by San Diego Bike Coalition.
Bike Valet will help decrease parking congestion, and can be found at
-30th Street & University Avenue, in front of Home Mercantile

The Social Skinny shared these statistics with us:

• On average, any given individual, in 2012, will share 415 pieces of content on Facebook, write about 15,795 tweets, will check-in about 563 times on Foursquare, watch about 196 hours of YouTube videos and spend countless amounts of time on any one of these social networking sites discovering what everyone else is doing.
• Social media activity increased from 36% to 59% of all online activity by the end of 2011, showing that social networking is the fastest growing online behavior.
• As of 2012, 2.8 billion social networking profiles exist. This equates to about half of all internet users in the world!
• That being said, 4 out of 5 internet users visit social networking sites and blogs on a daily basis.
• 70 million WordPress blogs exist in the world.
• 39 million Tumblr blogs exist in the world.

Now, here are some business specific social media statistics:

• 36% of posted content is brand-related.
• 50% of social media users follow brands on social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter.
• 75% of companies use some sort of social media marketing in their marketing strategy.
• 40% of all companies admit that they need some sort of social media training to better understand the medium.
• 41% of 2011 college graduates used social media as part of their job search.
• 38% of companies believe that social media should be made high priority, resulting in about 57% of businesses trying to increase their social media budget for 2012.
• In the small business world, 1 in 3 small businesses are using social media.

So, there you have it! These statistics suggest that social media has proven to be a very lucrative marketing strategy, and it is in no way slowing down. Quite the opposite, in fact. If you have yet to jump on the social media train, it is about time to do so. Investing in social media could be one of the best moves for your small business! Hurry, before this train leaves the station in hot pursuit of the future of social media.

Instagram allows people to connect who speak photography fluently, and people who only know the bare basics. Monthly Challenges push users to think outside the box and post a picture everyday that has a theme. Challenges such as money, what you see outside your window, legs, and your outfit are only some of the pictures that users must find and post that day. Instagram integrates aspects of Facebook, Flickr and Twitter by allowing you to respond to pictures that your friends have posted and also hash tagging pictures to make it easier for other people to come across. It is easy to get started and sign up and just like most social networking sites it’s free. It started out as only an application available on the iPhone, but the popularity of the application grew and the demand was strong so they recently released this application to Android.

Taking pictures on our phones is fun, but Instagram takes it to a whole new level. Every time someone posts a picture on Facebook, the more likes and comments it gets, the higher up it is on the recent postings where it will ultimately garner more views. On Instagram, pictures are viewed instantly and the pictures that gather the most popularity make it to the elite popular page. The popular page is meant to post the most viewed and liked pictures for other people to enjoy.

Twitter, Facebook and Flickr all have the ability to post and comment on pictures, but with Instagram the networking through photos is emphasized since it is all based around taking and sharing pictures. Unlike Flickr, Instagram is able to take pictures and share instantly. Uploading your pictures from your phone to Instagram is fast and easy. There are eighteen different filters to choose from and you can transform your color, border and modality of your photos and all of these were produced in house.

By allowing people to add a little glam to their photos they were able to allow people to take dull pictures captured on their phones, and completely transform them. Instagram started out as another interesting application to download onto your phone, then boomed in popularity once people saw what they were able to do with this new tool. Hash tagging is also a tool started by Twitter that can be used across the social media board. Instagram is no exception to this tool. By hash tagging photos, users are able to group together pictures by single word themes such as locations, occasions, and even moods.

Instagram was born quietly into the social media world and quietly gained attention until it has now demanded attention with its loud and creative platform. Instagram is not just for masters of photography, it is a way for people to connect and show off their creativity. Posting pictures, connecting with friends, and adding a little flair to your photos is exactly what Instagram is all about, but it is by no means what Instagram is limited to.

If you are a business that uses video content then YouTube is the perfect place to showcase your material. To successfully create your YouTube channel, you must follow a similar protocol to any other social network.

Step 1: Completely fill out and customize your YouTube Channel. Keep consistent with your company’s brand. Customize with your company’s colors and make sure to include links back to your website or fan pages. Make sure that you have filled in all relevant information, and have given viewers the ability to subscribe to your YouTube Channel.

Step 2: Upload your videos! Upload all videos to your channel. Populate the page before you share it with your fans. Make sure you have at least 3 videos up, so that there is something to actually explore.

Step 3: Optimize your video for YouTube.

-       Title: In the title, integrate popular search terms and phrases. This will ensure that your video appears when people search for specific terms.

-       Description: Always start with a web address in the first line of the description. Next provide a brief description of the video and try to include relevant search terms and phrases.

-       Tags: Add appropriate tags, such as descriptive works and even the city or location of the business. Again, this is to ensure that your video pops up when people search for these terms.

-       Category: Select the appropriate category for your video. If there is not a category that fits, then simply select “People/Blogs.”

-       Privacy: Make sure that your videos are public, unless otherwise stated.

-       License: Leave this set to “Standard YouTube License”.

Step 4: Share your videos! Share your videos on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+, and even your website. You can embed videos onto your website by copying and pasting the code into the back end of your site. Promote your YouTube channel on your social networks weekly, to increase views and your viral reach. The more people you have watching your channel, the more shares and subscribers you are likely to get.

Now that you have created your YouTube Channel and know how to optimize your videos, make sure that your videos are interesting and engaging. They need to be something people WANT to watch and share. In order for your videos to gain traction, they must provide insight and value to your viewer.

Happy filming!

As a social media guru and enthusiast, I truly believe that no online relationship or connection can ever replace human contact, however, I do believe that social media and digital interactions can lead and encourage in a lot of cases, connections outside the digital sphere.

Through social media, I have connected with friends from all over the world, and been able to engage and interact with some of my favorite brands. A recent example of how wonderful the world of social media is, came the other day when I unexpectedly had to purchase 4 new tires. My mechanic recommended Michelin and I happily obliged. After my new tires were mounted and I was on my way, I could feel the difference in the way my car was driving. Once home, I jumped on my iPhone and tweeted about my new tires, mentioning @MichelinMan_USA, naturally. About 45 mins later, I received a notification on my phone. Michelin had not only retweeted my tweet, but had replied to me thanking me for my business.

I will forever be a Michelin customer. That one tweet got me. It was a small gesture that lead to big bucks in their pockets. Even though I do not deal with the CEO of Michelin, the company was able to make my experience with them personal, and I appreciated that. I felt like they were specifically thanking me for buying their tires.

That is what social media is all about. Bringing the personal back into the impersonal. Even though there was no face-to-face connection, a connection had been made, and an intimate one at that.

This is why social media is a MUST. Social media allows businesses to interact and connect with their customers in ways that they have never been able to before.

The average is about 3 hours, but some only last 15 minutes. So what is the determining factor for the lifetime of a post? One word: engagement. The life of a post, according to EdgeRank, is based on the engagement opportunity of the post. If more people are engaging with the post, the longer it will thrive in the never ending labyrinth that we call the News Feed.

What is engagement? Here is a little engagement 101. Engagement consists of comments, like, and shares. The more you can get, the more chance you have to survive. Facebook has turned into Darwin’s “survival of the fittest.” You must be the best, the most intriguing, the most enchanting of all the pages and posts out there.

So how does a brand page accomplish this? I, for one, have found that some of the most engaging posts happen to come from pictures. Just as I have mentioned in my previous blog post, Pinterest, a social network entirely based on photos, is taking off, and, I believe, the trend is trickling over.  Photos, even photos that are semi irrelevant to a company’s mission, can go viral in an instant. You never know what will spark it, but in this stage, it’s all about knowing who your followers are and acting accordingly.

Another surefire way to spark engagement is to simply ask for it. Demand a call to action. Ask questions, request “likes” or comments. You would be surprised how many people will actually acquiesce to your requests.

Essentially, Facebook is now forcing you to become what it has always been, a social network, and a place where people interact with each other. It is no longer enough to just push content out there. You must be creative, innovative and fresh. Think of it as a battle royale. What will make your post last longer than your competitors?

As previously stated, know your followers. Test them. See what they will interact most with. Once you have established that, you will find the perfect equation for success. Math may not be a matter of opinion, but what you post is. Figure out what your followers want, then determine what will constantly intrigue them.

Be creative. Engage. Interact. BE SOCIAL.

I won’t lie, I have a pinning addiction, and let me tell you why. Pinterest is basically an online compilation of lookbooks. The pinner sorts through countless images in every category and then pins their chosen images onto virtual boards that you create. It’s basically the modern day corkboard. The user can also upload images using the URL where the image can be found. Create as many boards as you like, and build an online scrapbook of everything you are obsessed with. I personally have about 8 different boards all in different categories ranging from food and recipes to animals and fitness inspiration.

So what’s the social aspect? It has a little bit of Facebook and a little bit of Twitter. People can follow yours boards like Twitter and can comment on your images like Facebook. Pinterest is different in the way that it is more about collecting content than creating it.

So why should you be interested in Pinterest? For one, it’s addicting, two, great for gathering and managing ideas and inspirations, and three, I think that it will prove to be a powerful social network for businesses. From event planners and florists to sports shops and hotels, Pinterest is going to be a great place to showcase what you are made of. Hotels, for example, may use Pinterest to show highlights or attractions in the city where they are located. Architects may showcase what inspires them.  Florists may showcase their work. The opportunities are endless.

Pinterest has yet to come out with business pages, but I have noticed that many businesses/consultants are on the site and are already gaining followers. Michael Kors is a great example of how a brand can use Pinterest.

All in all, Pinterest is a site to keep an eye on. It is not for everyone, but if your business can make use of visuals and photos then you’re in.

Happy Pinning!

Sneak peak of Casa De Luz. New kid on the block in North Park, San Diego.

The experience My Social Marketing Network had at Casa De Luz was educational along with inspirational.  Casa De Luz is healthy, fresh, thoughtfully planned plant-based food.  Our experience of the salad, self-served soup, vegan food with pure alkaline water definitely captures your attention to what you should be putting into your body.  The color combinations with the careful array of portions takes organic food to an artistic level.

Our many conversations with the owner, creator, and visionary of Casa De Luz, Eduardo Longoria ( “Wayo” ), have inspired a new way of thinking on a natural way to alternative medicine. This may be controversial to many people, but keeping an open mind on the educational aspect of non-processed, fully organic food can truly benefit society as a whole.  To appreciate the integrity of your body with his minimalist, feng shui mythology is something that can only benefit, much less harm.

Casa De Luz has a second floor attached inside the beautifully designed restaurant.  This is where Casa De Luz is going to take it to the next level by offering a variety of cooking classes.  On the wall, right of the class room, is a big chalk board with a quote by Chinese Philosopher Confucius which states “I hear I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.”    The cooking classes will teach us how to bring this healthy way of life back home into our own personal kitchens.

Casa De Luz forever will be “The Food That Loves You Back.”

Some obvious changes to your Facebook profile are the following:

• Cover Photo: You now have the chance to pick a photo, any photo, to display along with your profile picture. This can be changed at any time, and is just another way to further customize your page, and make your Facebook profile, you. Check out some cool cover photos here.
• Two Column Layout: Instead of having one big wall, you now have two columns that display your pictures, status updates, wall posts, check-ins, etc. This function allows for greater visibility and, in my opinion, makes you page look much more appealing. I really like the fact that each post/ activity is in its own box. Great look and super functional.
• New Header Format: The new header format is super cool because it contains all pertinent profile information at the top of your profile, including your friends, photos, maps, Likes, and whatever other apps you have activated on your profile. Instead of having to search through various tabs like the old layout, everything is right there in a dashboard format. Again, very functional and appealing to the eye.
• The Timeline: If you notice on the right hand side of your profile, you see a timeline that you can scroll up and down on. It starts, well, when you were born, and takes you all the way to present. Click on “2009” and you can see all the posts and Facebook activity that went on in that particular time. This can be a good and bad thing. When I looked back at my timeline, I was shocked to learn how much I have changed and grown up. I was frankly embarrassed by some of those status updates I made back in the day. So, what’s the good part? Well the first cool thing is that, one, you can go back that far and really take a look at your life over the past few years since you joined Facebook. The second great part is that you can actually edit or remove posts that, if you are like me, wish were not there anymore!

So what does this new Facebook Timeline really mean, besides having to scour through your past and choose two profile pics instead of one? Well, for one, when Facebook makes a change to personal profiles, it typically means that there is something in the works for business pages as well. It would not be a surprise if business pages took on the same look as the new personal pages. This would be quite beneficial, because I can see the cover photo as well as the timeline layout being great for brand promotion.

All in all, I think the new Timeline is great, and once everyone stops resisting to change and just goes with the flow, they will too.

2012 is going to be another big year, and we want to tell you why:

• Checking in for the cash in. As tablets and smart phones continue to take over the world, checking in and geo-location targeting will become more popular. Retailers can now influence and encourage people to spend by providing discounts and incentives for checking in. Although the “Check-In” is social in theory, it can also be translated into monetary value. If you provide a gaming aspect, or even just savings for checking in, this not only promotes your business socially, but also increases your customer base and potential revenue stream.
• Apps made for tablets. As noted above, tablets are becoming more ubiquitous. Almost everywhere you look, another tablet seems to pop up. It is important to make sure that you are tailoring your emails, messages, etc to fit the tablet format. In 2011, Facebook launched its app for the iPad. Google+ has yet to make their app for the tablet, but we see this as the next step for them. Tablet apps are going to be all the rage this year, and I’m sure we will be seeing many more social networks release their apps for the tablets in the coming months.
• Increased personalization. I know we sound like a broken record when it comes to expressing how important the humanization of a brand is, but it is what makes social media social. Brands are going to move away from self-promotion and move toward personal touches and humanizing messages. Earlier in the decade we were moving away from the personal and everything became digital, but as this industry grew, it became more apparent than ever that it was those personal touches that matter most. People do not enjoy talking or engaging with a computer robot, they want person to person, even if it is through the use of technology.
• Blur between politics, the real world and the online world. Seeing as it is an election year, we think that 2012 is going to see the surge in online political campaigns. Each candidate will be fighting for your attention via social media networks. Debates will be readily available, as well as directly asking questions to the candidates using social channels such as Twitter. This will bring the candidates closer to the masses, allowing for increased engagement and participation. We think.

All in all we think that 2012 is going to be a good one for Social Media, and we are excited to see the innovation and creativity that will emerge. The online world is an ever-changing environment, and it has proved to be quite a rollercoaster. A rollercoaster that we never want to get off of…