Twice a year, WordStream invites customers from locations far and wide to join us at a Google office in a major US city to participate in a day of insights, learnings, and deep dives with presentations from WordStreamers, Googlers, and this time, Microsoft Advertising (cue the shock!).
For our fall 2019 iteration of WordStream live, we headed to our nation’s capital to host this landmark event. And, just like last year, I’m here to give you the rundown of the day and take you through everything that happened.
So, let’s dive in.
Presentations from WordStream’s industry experts
WordStream guests arrived at the Google D.C. office for early morning registration and a nice breakfast assortment of pastry and fruit. Like all Google offices, the space is immaculately decorated with different themes in each office area and floor, and with full kitchens, a library space, a mess hall, and a roof deck—ALL in the space we used for WordStream live.
After breakfast, we started the day with a greeting from WordStream CEO Howard Kogan. Then, SVP of Product Kristen Yerardi talked through the product roadmap and what customers can expect to see in the platform in the coming months. She introduced the entire product team, and we even had a select number of product managers on-site at the event to talk through suggestions, feedback, and do product walkthroughs of the WordStream software.
Our morning keynote speaker was Francine Rodriguez, a manager on WordStream’s Customer Success team, to discuss the importance of using customer insights and adopting a startup mentality to be successful in your PPC efforts.
Francine Rodriguez giving her keynote presentation, with a slide representing long-time WordStream customer Bob Ong.
After the keynote, the majority of the remaining sessions were breakout style. Breaking into two groups, people could choose to attend talks or workshops about metrics, ecommerce insights, ad creative, and more. Experts in each of these fields from different departments around WordStream led the talks and activities, providing valuable insights and pointers to those in the audience. (Plus, I live-tweeted for anyone who wasn’t in the audience! Do you follow us on Twitter?)
In the middle of these breakout sessions was lunch—I know I always talk about the food, but this was truly something special. Roast chicken, beef tenderloin, and delicious veggies. Google’s catering team never fails to make my mouth water. But the best part? We got to enjoy lunch on the roof deck, just a few steps away from our designated event space. Pics or it didn’t happen:
Lunch with a view atop Google’s DC roof deck.
Google AND Microsoft Advertising together at WordStream Live
Imagine this: We’re at a Google event, at the Google office, held by a Google premier partner (that’s us). Yet it wasn’t just WordStream with a slew of Google representatives. WordStream’s Director of Strategic Partnerships Mark Irvine, voted #1 PPC Expert and Microsoft Advertising Influencer of the Year, spoke with BOTH Google and Microsoft Advertising.
The panel, including Mark Irvine (L), Mariel Reiss (C), and Austin Belcak (R ).
Please pick your jaw up from the floor.
Mariel Reiss of Google and Austin Belcak of Microsoft Advertising spoke with Mark about how important it is to pair the platforms together for search marketing success. With the vast spread of devices available to consumers, and the inherent tendency for users to be active across a multitude of platforms, it’s increasingly important for advertisers to be present across the major platforms. These experts discussed the future of search marketing and digital marketing in general, highlighting the fact that a lot of search strategy is audience-driven and speculating on the role that automation will take in a marketer’s job as we step increasingly towards an automated world.
At the end of the panel, Austin from Microsoft Advertising thanked Mariel from Google profusely for not throwing him out of the building, which was pretty nice of her!
Back to the roof deck for the wrap party!
After the panel, the group retired up to the roof deck for an evening of networking, drinks, and ceviche—you truly won’t get me to stop talking about food! The views were amazing as the sun set over the D.C. skyline, outlining iconic government buildings in warm sunlight as we sipped our beer and wine and bonded over what we had learned that day. The views were incredible, but the conversations and friendships that were forming around me were truly something special to hear.
The full WordStream crew and our partners from Google and Microsoft!
We hope you consider joining us at our next WordStream Live—make sure to ask your WordStream representative for all of the details for our spring 2020 event!