I attended the Webmaster World conference last week in Boston. By far it was the best search conference I’ve been to. Malcolm Gladwell (The Tipping Point, Blink, the New Yorker) gave the keynote and was great. I really enjoyed the focus on the social aspects of search, communication and the web; which was kicked off with Gladwell’s keynote and seemed to carry throughout the sessions. I think it’s a nice compliment to the more technical side of this business and gives the technology a context to exist within. I also thought that there were some fresh faces on the panels this time, which was great.

I also enjoyed the blogging session, which included Matt Cutts, Robert Scoble and Jeremy Zawodny. All of these guys have great blogs and it inspired me to re-tool my blog a bit as well. You’ll notice a new look, new subjects and that I’m now using Word Press instead of Blogger.

I had a heck of a time getting home to Minneapolis from Boston though. I had booked a ticket on AirTran because I could get a business class ticket for the same price as coach on Northwest (which I avoid at all costs). I made it to Boston with no problems; I had a quick stop at Midway in Chicago.

Coming home, however, I was connected through Atlanta (I wasn’t paying attention when I booked). Atlanta was having “weather delays” and the plane from Boston to Atlanta was scheduled to leave 2.5 hours late, which would mean that I would miss my connection and be stuck in Atlanta overnight. The AirTran desk was EXTREMELY unfriendly as well, which didn’t help… Then it hit me, I bought a refundable ticket in business class! I can cancel and try to find another flight home.

I visited the Northwest counter and was quoted almost $700 for a one-way back to Mpls. Well, my refund was worth almost $400, if I stayed in Boston another night it would probably be a wash. Then I had my second epiphany! I was the holder of a shiny new Visa Signature card with its own travel concierge service, of which my wife and I were just joking that nobody ever actually uses. I called them up on my new Blackberry 8700g and was able to book a flight home on United for $40 less than my AirTran refund and got home 1.5 hours earlier than originally scheduled!

Wow, I used up some good karma on that trip. I was glad to make it home. Since the conference I’ve started reading Gladwell’s Blink. I read The Tipping Point a couple of years ago as well. I tend to read them from a more sociological point-of-view than with a business perspective (I’m not sure why or if it’s any different than most??). I know both books have great business applications too though. I will write up a review on Blink as soon as I am finished. I also plan to post some notes/tips from Pubcom in the coming days.


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