A month ago, I got an email from Robin Wauters asking us to help him promote Plugg, a Web 2.0 Conference focusing on Europe.
A social media consultant, Wauters was one of the bloggers of the now-defunct Blognation blog network. As we exchanged some thoughts on the conference, I asked him a series of questions on Europe and decided to publish it below.
HipMojo.com: What’s your background?
Robin Wauters: I’m a graduate in corporate communication with a fascination for the web ever since I got a dial-up internet connection as a teenager. I’ve worked sales, internet marketing and online media jobs before becoming an independent social media consultant / professional blogger. I’m particularly interested in Web 2.0, more specifically the way new web applications combine social elements and technological innovation for something that has impact on internet culture and on society as a whole.
HipMojo.com: How long have you been blogging?
Robin Wauters: I was fairly late to the blogging game. I had been reading blogs since 2003 but set up my own blog about marketing only at the end of 2004. I kind of rolled into professional blogging when I become a consultant in social media (mid-2007) which I was able to combine with my interest in technology, innovation, multimedia and marketing.
HipMojo.com: Describe the Belgian Tech and New Media scene?
Robin Wauters: Answering that question would probably lead me a little too far, but you should check out the SAP Global Survey Shel Israel took with Kris Hoet, Marketing Communications Manager for the MSN/Windows Live European team.
HipMojo.com: Without getting into all the details, how was your experience with BlogNation?
Robin Wauters: Back when I got asked to cover the Belgium web scene for Blognation, I thought it was a phenomenal idea, and I still do. There remains an apparent need for an international blog network covering innovations coming from different countries, particularly Asia and Europe. Most of technology blogs today are very US-centered, and sooner or later someone will fill the hole that’s left. Maybe even Blognation, the sequel?
Apart from that, it was a great team to be a part of, and I got to know a lot of people through Blognation, both in Belgium and abroad. The whole team ended up with a hole in their pockets one way or another, but all in all most people have gotten some good things out of it as well.
HipMojo.com: Tell us about Plugg?
Robin Wauters: Plugg is basically a unique Web 2.0 Conference in the sense that we’re not trying to get as many big names from all around the world for the sake of listing them as speakers or participants. Instead, we focus us on Europe, and the start-ups and investors who are building companies that can compete with similar ventures from say, Silicon Valley. Plugg features a Start-Ups Rally, which is a competition for European start-ups to enter free of charge, next to an array of compelling, European speakers who will bring useful content to the audience.
HipMojo.com: Why should people from outside of Europe attend?
Robin Wauters: To be honest, I doubt many people outside of Europe will be interested in attending, unless they have a clear interest in knowing what’s going on here (e.g. press, internationally focused investors, web companies looking to set up a European office, etc.).
HipMojo.com: Ok. Why should people from within Europe attend?
Robin Wauters: There are plenty of events in Europe where people can go to see interesting speakers from the US or Asia, but I’ve always felt that this doesn’t help the European web industry to take the next step as good as a Europe-focused conference could, and I know I’m not alone with that opinion. If people want to see what Europe has in store when it comes to Web / Mobile 2.0, they should come to Plugg.
HipMojo.com: Europe is seen as being ahead of the US in terms of wireless but behind with regards to the Web. Is that an accurate statement?
Robin Wauters: I think the biggest problem with that comparison is that you’re comparing a country with a continent consisting of dozens of countries. Some European countries have a high mobile penetration rate, others don’t. Some have large percentages of broadband users and intensive internet usage, others don’t. I do agree, however, that mobile is bigger in Europe than it is in the US, although I think it could rapidly change. It’s also true most web innovations come from the US because you benefit from tight ecosystems boasting universities, entrepreneurial incubators, VC’s, etc., something Europe simply doesn’t have.
HipMojo.com: I understand why having a EU works in the context of economy and trade, given how much language is important online, will we ever have a virtual EU on the web?
Robin Wauters: No, and I’d argue we don’t need one either. Dealing with cultural and linguistic differences makes companies more flexible. Understanding these differences makes it easier for European companies to adapt when looking for international roll-outs.
HipMojo.com: Netscape, AOL, Yahoo, Google, MySpace, Facebook… list me equivalent companies emanating out of Europe.
Robin Wauters: There’s no European browser, nor is there one portal. Yahoo, AOL and Google tend to score well in every country they operate, although they always leave enough room for local portals and vertical search engines to gain sufficient market share. When it comes to social networking, MySpace, LinkedIn and Facebook definitely have a degree of popularity throughout Europe which will only increase once they start localizing, but there’s also Netlog (the ‘European MySpace’), Bebo (US company but thriving mainly in Europe), Xing, Viadeo & Ecademy (social business networks), etc. I noticed you left out (Microsoft) Live, which is strange considering the enormous popularity the MSN portals, Live Spaces and Messenger in almost every European country.
HipMojo.com: Good point. What did you think of the Samwer brothers’ investment in Facebook.
Robin Wauters: A smart move by seasoned entrepreneurs / investors, nothing more, nothing less. I think discussions about the fact that European investors should be funding European start-ups instead are irrational and unnecessary.
HipMojo.com: What are some trends to look out for in 2008?
Robin Wauters: I’m quite sure the major web companies like MySpace, Facebook, AOL, etc. will start paying attention abroad again and really start localizing. By ‘really localizing’, I’m not talking about opening up an office in Dublin or London, but an actual presence in every country, with custom content & local partnerships. I think we’ll see less major acquisitions in the web industry but more IPO’s, and I think the budgets for interactive marketing will continue to increase, which also means we’ll keep seeing small yet ambitious web start-ups pop up as they have been doing since 2006.
HipMojo.com: The global markets have been rocked in early 2008… will this continue throughout the year or will be see a return to more bullish outlook?
Robin Wauters: The former, for the above reasons.
HipMojo.com: What can we expect at Plugg?
Robin Wauters: Great speakers, surprisingly interesting start-ups, fantastic good and high-quality networking.
Thanks for your time. Find out more about Plugg here.
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