OMR - 3 letters electrify an entire city
For two full days, OMR 2024 in Hamburg revolved around digital marketing and technological innovation. Nearly 70,000 tech workers and plenty of celebrities turned the trade fair into a digital happening – and we at sitegeist were thrilled to be part of it. Here’s a personal look back at my highlights from two exciting and wild days on the event grounds.
The staging
The moment you walk into the Conference Hall for the first time in the morning and take in the scale of the stage, you’re simply blown away. That giant screen, the lights, and especially the bass that starts pulsing through every cell in your body during the countdown… Wow, I’ve never experienced anything quite like it.
The goosebumps definitely hit during the intro and the applause of 7,000 enthusiastic fans, followed by the first words from Philipp Westermeyer – and finally, it’s showtime. The tech in the exhibition halls was equally impressive: massive screens in razor-sharp quality, all meticulously planned and set up. Respect!
The range of topics
I made sure to download the OMR app ahead of time – without it, you’re totally lost in the massive sea of keynotes, panels, masterclasses, and events. My OMR experience kicked off with a speech by Robert Habeck on the state of our society, and I’ve never seen anyone break it down so clearly and powerfully!
With such a broad range of topics and genres, there was something for everyone. A quick selfie with Tokio Hotel, Rezo, and even Monte for good measure – perfect content to flex to your kids. I was also super curious about Bryan Johnson, 46, who's taken the pursuit of eternal youth to the next level, taking 111 pills and supplements daily and having his body measured by an expert team. This trend is called "longevity." Very inspiring – cola and chips are now off my menu ;-)
And then there was the buzz around Kim Kardashian, who flew in from the U.S. to promote her businesses – and herself as a brand – on the big stage. Louisa managed to grab a seat in the Conference Hall. I had to settle for the live stream in an equally packed overflow hall.
Professional insights
As a project manager, I’m always on the lookout for topics that directly affect our clients at sitegeist. One masterclass caught my attention: The Future of Corporate Websites in the Age of AI.
We work closely with our clients to optimize websites for peak performance in Google Search. But what happens when users just ask ChatGPT – and the AI answers their question without ever directing them to our website?
The central question: Should we allow AI bots to index our corporate website – or block them?
Technically, it's easy to block the bot, but is that the right move? It depends on the business and the industry. If a marketing executive asks ChatGPT for the best TYPO3 agency in Germany, wouldn’t it be amazing if sitegeist media solutions appeared at the top? For that, the bot needs to understand who we are and what we do.
But if the query is more generic – about the advantages of a custom CMS – then the AI might answer using content from our site without citing us or driving traffic our way. Is that acceptable?
AI as a central theme
There's no tool or solution anymore that doesn’t involve artificial intelligence. But the time for experimenting is over – real-world applications are taking center stage. Content is being produced faster, more efficiently, and in much higher volumes. We’re seeing a flood of content – often at the expense of quality. One of the downsides? Mediocrity.
That makes it even more important to counter with high-quality content. Yes, it takes more time if you let AI handle only 50% of your content generation instead of 80%. But if the result is better, it ultimately strengthens your brand.
The range of platforms for reaching audiences is also expanding. Even LinkedIn has emerged as a major marketing platform, with early influencers making a name for themselves. The reach isn’t the same as Instagram or TikTok, of course – but then again, it’s a different and very attractive target group. Short Reels are expected to launch on LinkedIn in just a few weeks.
My takeaway: OMR 2024 was a hit!
In conclusion, I can only say that OMR 2024 was an incredibly valuable experience for me. It was inspiring, informative and simply mega - a must-visit for anyone who wants to keep their finger on the pulse of digital marketing in these fast-paced times.
Alexa, Karin and Louisa were also impressed. Louisa's conclusion: "The OMR trade fair in Hamburg was a very inspiring platform for me over the past few days, offering insights into the latest developments in the digital sector. The masterclasses in particular provided valuable input and in-depth specialist knowledge from the field, which noticeably enriched my horizons."
Who knows – maybe we’ll be back next year! :-)
