If you have a speaking opportunity, I’d love to talk with you. Please drop me a note through my speaking contact form. Thank you for your time and consideration.

My name is Patrick O’Keefe and I have been managing online communities for 11 years. Some people call it “social media,” but no matter what label you give it, it’s still about people, building community and harnessing the power of community in a beneficial manner for you or your business.

I founded and own the iFroggy Network, a web publishing network and have been responsible for the launch and cultivation of communities like KarateForums.com and PhotoshopForums.com. I am the author of the book “Managing Online Forums,” a practical guide to managing online communities and social spaces. For more on my background, please see my about page.

I have spoken nationally at events large and small, delivering keynote or solo presentations and participating in panel discussions, via webcast and in person. Through these presentations, I provide practical, actionable solutions rooted in my personal, real world experience managing online communities since 2000.

When I speak at an event, I am dedicated to the success of that event. I don’t want to fly in, do my talk and fly out. I want to help you promote it and offer information that helps your audience. I love talking to people and love answering questions (I would do an entire presentation of Q&A, if you’d let me).

For more on my speaking philosophy, as well as sample speaking topics, testimonials and previous events that I have spoken at, please view the following sections:

What You Can Expect
Sample Speaking Topics
Testimonials
Upcoming and Prior Engagements

What You Can Expect

All speakers have their own style. Here are the tenets of mine:

It’s about people and strategy, not platforms. I’m happy to talk about specific platforms. But, the reality is that it is about people and strategy, far more than it is about specific tools. A good understanding of what this space requires will lead to a certain level of comfort, regardless of what platform you use. My passion is the management, cultivation and people aspects of online community and social media.

Speak from experience. I only speak about that which I have experience with. I’m not here to fake anyone out and I’m not afraid to admit what I don’t know.

Tailor the talk to the audience. The audience I’m speaking in front of plays an important role in the direction of the talk because, at the end of the day, it’s about creating value for that audience – not repeating the same thing to every audience.

Preparation is important. I’m sure that you’ve run across speakers who “wing it.” I don’t do that. I believe that preparation is an important part of delivering a good presentation. If I’m leading a panel, I expect all panelists to prepare and be on the same page.

Love the Q&A. I enjoy the question and answer part of every talk I give. In fact, I think it’s what I enjoy most.

Keep the mood light and have fun. Some people like to argue, some people like intense debate, some people like to get angry. That’s fine for them, but it’s not for me. I want my talks to be light, for everyone in the room to feel comfortable and for us to exchange knowledge with a little humor built in.

Attend the event and be available. I don’t really like to just fly in, do my talk and leave. If at all possible, I much prefer to attend the entire conference and spend time meeting and talking with people, leaving a lasting impression.

Simple slides. My slide presentations are extremely simple. Pictures, some words, that’s about it. I prefer to talk, rather than have a lot of text on the slides. If all I do is ask attendees to read my slides, why am I even there at all? See my SlideShare account for examples.

Promote the event. When I find out I’m speaking at an event, I want people to come! As such, I mention it on my websites and the social spaces that I participate in and I am happy to work with local press, in your city, to generate interest.

Sample Speaking Topics

Here are some sample presentations that I can deliver. This is not a definitive list and is mainly provided to serve as inspiration for other ideas that you feel would serve your audience well. I’m happy to talk about any ideas that you have and to come up with custom idea for your event.

27 (Fun!) Ways to Kill Your Online Community

In this fun and fast-paced session, you’ll learn how to manage an online community backwards. You’ll become an expert in the quickest ways to kill your online community, using tips you can take and use today to kill yours as soon as possible! You can even take these skills and work with clients who want to hire you to kill their community, too. Of course, if you want to attend the session to learn from those bad methods and do the opposite, in order to build a successful and well-run online community, you can. But, I’m not sure why you’d want to do that.

The Business Value of Online Community

Why should businesses care about building an online community? What is the actual value to the bottom line? The power of online community is very real and, if harnessed properly, can lead to dramatic cost savings for some organizations and higher profits for others.

Ethical Social Media Marketing

There are so many companies and individuals offering social media marketing. Some companies do their own social media marketing in house. This is a sensitive form of marketing and a misstep can be costly. In this presentation, we’ll discuss the tenets of ethical social media marketing campaigns and how you can ensure that the companies you hire to market your brand aren’t cutting corners and giving you inflated numbers and false results.

How Marketers Can Engage with Online Communities

An active online community can represent a captive audience that wants to hear more about you and what you do. But, at the same time, each online community is like it’s own country with it’s own set of social norms and guidelines. What you do on one could be spam on another and could do serious damage to your brand.

It’s not as scary as it sounds – with a handful of principles in mind, you will be able to gauge if an online community is receptive to what you want to do and tailor your approach so that you can achieve a level of engagement – if there is any to be had.

Building Community on the Social Web

How do you build community on spaces that you don’t control? Like Twitter, Facebook and other social networks and online communities owned by other people? Your audience is there, but the space is not yours. That takes a special approach and we’ll talk about what you need to know in order to tap into the power of the social web to generate interest and attention to what you’re doing.

What Skills Do I Need to Manage an Online Community?

Though successful community managers, whether the manager of your social media efforts or your online forums, can have many different types of styles, I have noticed a number of common traits that they often share. The role of a community manager is not for everyone. Are you built for it? Let’s find out.

Moderating an Online Forum

Over time, I’ve developed a system of moderation that has proven successful on my online forums. It’s a set process that is relatively easy to pick up and, in this presentation, I’ll dive into it step by step. From recognizing inappropriate content, to removal, to documentation, to contacting the contributor and banning, we’ll cover it all.

How to Deal with Online Community Troublemakers

Managing online communities since 2000, I’ve had to deal with a lot of crazy, abusive individuals. But, I’ve lived to tell the tales and I’m ready to share them with you, with a pinch of humor. From the mundane to the insane, we’ll talk about what happened, how I handled it and what the end result was. The idea is to give you an understanding of the challenges you’ll face so that when they present themselves, you’ll be ready.

Testimonials

“Patrick knows what he’s talking about when it comes to online communities and social media. He’s a clear communicator, has a wealth of experience and is well networked in the space – well worth having speak at your next event.”

- Darren Rowse
Founder and Editor, ProBlogger, Digital Photography School, TwiTip and FeelGooder
Co-Founder, b5media

“I recently spoke on a panel that Patrick organized and can confidently say that he was the most fastidious panel organizer I’ve ever encountered. His preparation, planning and execution were flawless, and the result was a panel that achieved Patrick’s clear goals of drawing the most interesting and relevant insights out of the panelists and adding tangible value to the audience.

As a moderator, he facilitated a structured but natural flow of conversation and created an open, collegial atmosphere. Patrick’s personal expertise compounded the dynamite discussion that he provoked. Any conference could benefit greatly from the level of professionalism and thoughtfulness that Patrick exemplifies!”

- D.A. Wallach
Lead Singer, Chester French

“Anyone can give a presentation. Only a rare few can construct and lead a presentation with impact and panache, and also wrangle co-presenters who are genetically programmed for procrastination. Patrick O’Keefe is that guy. I’d pay him to moderate the reading of my will someday, but he’s probably already booked. He’s that good.”

- Jay Baer
Social Media Strategist, Convince and Convert
Co-Author, “The Now Revolution”

“I don’t care what qualities you look for in a conference or meeting speaker, the one that matters is whether or not they deliver value. Patrick O’Keefe delivers value, and does so with a professional approach and easy to understand style that delivers across the spectrum of technological aptitudes. Hire him.”

- Jason Falls
Principal, Social Media Explorer

“Put simply, Patrick knows what he is talking about. You can count on him for being prepared, professional and using his considerable real-world experience to make sure the audience goes home with practical ideas and advice.”

- Lee LeFever
Principal, Common Craft

“I had the chance to see Patrick speak at BlogWorld Expo on a panel about sock puppets and trolls. The panel was on how to deal with these baddies in community environments. I loved Patrick’s speaking style from the get-go. Somehow he took the sting out of dangerous encounters by humanizing “trolls” and reminding us how we’re all connected.

I liked Patrick’s ability to demystify the community “killers” by reminding us that there is a work-around for every potentially hazardous community situation. It really is possible to turn a negative into a positive – Patrick’s talk left everyone in the room feeling a little more empowered to make the most of any community interaction.”

- Gwen Bell

“I’ve had the opportunity to work with Patrick O’Keefe as a panelist and as a conference organizer. He is one of the most professional and organized individuals you could ever work with. He has the experience to speak authoritatively about online community building, social media, blogging and more.

When it come to being knowledgeable and having the communication skills necessary to share that knowledge, Patrick goes above and beyond to deliver. I highly recommend Patrick for conference speaking.”

- Wayne Sutton
Co-Founder, TriOut

“Patrick is one of my favorite presenters in the world of online marketing and social media marketing. He’s thorough, calm and deliberate and always over-delivers on actionable content. He particularly excels at panel moderating – he seems to have a knack for drawing out the best from each panelist, even when things get heated up! I love his creative, playful slides, too!”

- Mari Smith
Social Media Speaker, Trainer and Author

“Many conference talks seem to be nothing more than a thinly veiled exercise in self-promotion and business development. Patrick is the exact opposite: he takes enormous pride and satisfaction in delivering independent, genuinely fascinating and entertainingly delivered talks that never fail to fill an auditorium.

Looking around at his talks, you see people furiously taking notes, visibly enjoying the content and it’s delivery and nodding furiously in appreciation. He is passionate about the importance of high quality conference talks and his professionalism and efforts are always appreciated by his audience and the conference organizers.”

- Alicia Navarro
CEO and Founder, Skimlinks

“Patrick recently gave the keynote presentation at Podcamp Topeka and did an amazing job. Why was it amazing? Because it was a “package deal.”

Patrick didn’t just give an excellent keynote (though it was excellent – Patrick really connected with the audience and had some great things to say about online communities). He went the extra mile by customizing his presentation to his audience. He used local examples during the talk and even called out attendees during the presentation. He also made contacts with local social media users and traditional media outlets before the event and was able to get them excited and talking about our event!

Patrick really helped make our event a success – I’d highly recommend him as a main speaker for your event!”

- David Lee King
Digital Branch & Services Manager, Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library
Organizer, Podcamp Topeka

“After hearing someone say they’d read Patrick’s book, “Managing Online Forums,” six times, I switched sessions so I could hear Patrick speak. I wasn’t disappointed. Patrick is a community management expert who speaks from a depth of experience very few people have. As the world recognizes the importance of online communities and the topic becomes trendy, Patrick’s the person who wrote the book on how to manage communities and developed the structure and guidelines companies and people need to follow to nurture a thriving community online.

I read Patrick’s book and I have to say that there’s nothing like it – or Patrick – on the market. I’m looking forward to hearing Patrick speak at another event – this time attending his session will be a top priority.”

- Barbara Rozgonyi
Publisher, Wired PR Works

“Patrick is an incredible writer (one of my favorite non-fiction authors), so I made it a point to hear him speak at a recent industry event. I can’t recommend him highly enough – both in print, and in person!”

- Lynn Terry
Author, ClickNewz

“I saw Patrick speak on a panel at BlogWorld Expo and was impressed with his ability to educate the audience about fostering online communities, as well as the impact social mediums are having on the greater communications world. He has a down-to-earth speaking style, a deep knowledge of the subject matter, and would make a great addition to any panel discussion or solo event. Definitely consider booking this guy!”

- Nathan T. Wright
Founder, Lava Row

Upcoming and Prior Engagements

2012

March 13: South by Southwest Interactive (SXSW) – “American Copyright: Will Government Go Too Far?” panel with David Snead, Jonathan Bailey, Katie Sunstrom and Mark Petrolis
February 9: Virtual Community Summit – “Managing Online Communities – The Birdseye View of Online Community Management” panel with Dominic Sparkes, Elisabeth Morgan, Sarah Drinkwater and Tamara Littleton
January 23: Dell’s Community Manager Appreciation Day Google+ Hangout – “Chief Company Pinata & Cat Herder: Beyond a Day in the Life of a Community Manager” panel with Amy Muller, Connie Bensen and Mark Harrison

2011

November 19: indieconf – Building Your Name via the Social Web presentation
November 5: WordCamp Philly – Building Community Around Your WordPress Publication presentation
September: Social Media Masters Los Angeles – “Online Community Building” presentation
August: Social Media Masters Atlanta – “Online Community Building” presentation
May: WordCamp Raleigh – “Comment Moderation 201″ presentation
May: WordCamp Raleigh – Live SitePoint Podcast with Brad Williams and Stephan Segraves
May: Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications at Northwestern University – “Managing Online Communities” presentation for journalism students
March: South by Southwest Interactive (SXSW) – “27 (Fun!) Ways to Kill Your Online Community” presentation

2010

November: indieconf – “Marketing Yourself as a Freelance on an Online Community” presentation
November: Podcamp Topeka – “Moderating an Online Forum” breakout session
November: Podcamp Topeka – “Experimenting in Social Spaces” breakout session
November: Podcamp Topeka – “How to Market Your Stuff to Online Forums and Communities” keynote
October: BlogWorld & New Media Expo – “Building an Irresistible Private Membership Community” panel with Chris Garrett, Jeremy Wright and Lara Kulpa
October: BlogWorld & New Media Expo – “Ethics and Social Media Marketing” panel with Brandon Eley, Jay Baer and Jeremy Wright
October: BlogWorld & New Media Expo – “I’m Nothing Without My Fans” panel with Asher Roth, D.A. Wallach and Wayne Sutton
October: North Carolina State University – “Blogging” panel for MBA Social Media students with Chris Moody, Dan London, Damond Nollan and Ginny Skalski
October: ConvergeSouth – “Personal Branding & How to Break Into Social Media” presentation with Wayne Sutton
September: Modern Media Man Summit – “Jack Bauer’s Guide to Managing Online Communities” presentation
August: FedEx – Private engagement
May: Shift Conference – “Social Media Strategy” panel with Brad Proctor, Derek Brown and Melissa Gibbs
May: WordCamp Raleigh – “Building Community Around Your WordPress Blog” presentation
May: WordCamp Raleigh – Live SitePoint Podcast with Brad Williams and Stephan Segraves
March: South by Southwest Interactive (SXSW) – “Shameless Self Promotion Without Looking Like an @#$%^&!” Core Conversation with Twanna A. Hines

2009

October: Social Media Business Forum – “Building and Managing an Online Community” panel with Laurie Smithwick and Ryan Boyles
October: Social Media Business Forum – “Advertising and the Social Web: Can it Work?” panel with David Millsaps and Gregory Ng
October: BlogWorld & New Media Expo – Skimlinks booth event: “Community Management and Monetization Q&A” with Hannah Keys
October: BlogWorld & New Media Expo – “Social Media: The Bad and the Ugly” panel with Amber Naslund, Robert Scoble and Wayne Sutton (video)
March: South by Southwest Interactive (SXSW) – “The Art of Responding to Feedback From Your Community” presentation (video)

2008

October: Social Media Club Louisville – “The Marketing Value of Online Forums” presentation (video)
October: Independent Blogging Conference at Greensboro – “Promoting Your Blog Through Social Media” presentation
October: Independent Blogging Conference at Greensboro – “The Blogging Revolution” opening panel with Anne Fitten-Glenn, Heather Solos, Jared W. Smith and Kelby Carr (video)
September: BlogWorld & New Media Expo – “Avoiding Disaster: How Not to Use Social Media” panel with Darren Rowse, Jason Falls and Lee LeFever (video)
September: BlogWorld & New Media Expo – “How to Deal with Trolls, Spammers and Sock Puppets” panel with Jeremy Schoemaker, John Chow and Rick Calvert (video)
March: South by Southwest Interactive (SXSW) – “Creating a Positive Environment on Your Forums” presentation (video)