The task is daunting: how can South by Southwest organizers maintain the magic of an experiential event in a remote setting?
The true wonder of SXSW often lies in unexpected encounters — for instance, the time two young entrepreneurs pitched their product to Mark Cuban during a 2019 Q&A session.
Without the typical cacophony of activity in downtown Austin, organizers had to get creative this year to encourage the moments between the moments that make SXSW so special. That means a robust digital presentation that has some unexpected ways to forge business connections.
Here are a few tools we encountered during the first day of the 2021 festival, which began March 16 and runs through this Saturday, March 20. Keep in mind that SXSW has dedicated the 4-5 p.m. hour every day for networking.
Connect with Attendees
At the top of the SXSW Online home page are more than two dozen links that can help you navigate this year's festival. They include links to each of five channels where panels are happening simultaneously, as well as links to the full schedule of events for this year's Music Festival, Comedy Festival, Film Festival and more.
A useful place to start is the "Connect with Attendees" link, which takes you to what appears to be an endless list of SXSW attendees, which can be searched by name or by company. For instance, entering "Dell" in to the search bar yields an easily searchable list of 83 attendees from the company. You can then click on an individual to send a connection request, along with a brief message.
You can also block time to schedule a meeting, though the recipient will still have to confirm in order to lock in the meeting. SXSW will send you a notification when and if a meeting is accepted, complete with a link to open a video chat window. Another feature is the ability to see what events connections have registered for, potentially providing topics of discussion during a networking meetup.
SXSW has even taken the liberty of suggesting automatic matches to facilitate connections, while also curating a scrollable list of attendees who are online.
Discussion Channels
If you're looking for a broader discussion, SXSW has set up four main channels for attendees to engage in: Conference, Film Festival, Music Festival and SXSW AMA.
The main Conference thread was filled March 16 with introductions from attendees from all over the world. And it's easy to follow up on a post and make a connection because the names of those posting are readily displayed — along with links to the unique landing page that SXSW has created for all attendees.
The "Discussion Channels" threads have emerged as a way for attendees to plug their businesses or provide links to panels and events. SXSW Online moderators were also tagging commenters and answering questions for those still trying to wrap their heads around the all-digital experience.
Networking and Special Events
If you're feeling sheepish about connecting to other attendees directly, check in on the "Networking and Special Events" link. From there, you can create your own list of online booths, workout sessions and networking events that you might like to attend over the next several days. Some of these take place during limited windows, such as a Mountain Dew-sponsored morning workout sessions led by fitness influencers. Others are billed as online booths and are open to visitors for the better part of the day.
The search bar at the left makes it simple to search by interests or by company name. For instance, by typing in "basketball," you can sign up to attend a virtual H.O.R.S.E. tournament on Friday, March 19, from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
And here's a bonus nugget: SXSW has created a special Mentor Sessions landing page, where attendees can schedule 15-minute meetings with experts in a specific field.
