UPMC DigiCon 2023

Welcome to UPMC DigiCon 2023, brought to you by the UPMC Digital Marketing Department. This free virtual digital marketing conference took place Wednesday, April 12 and registration is now closed.

The reach of digital marketing in 2023 is undeniable. Digital marketers use technology to connect their brands to consumers, with the goal of growing their business. They use various channels — websites, search engines, social media, email, text messaging, digital advertising, and more — to communicate with their audience. Content creation — including everything from how-to articles, to vertical video, to imagery — helps brands deliver their message.

Through UPMC DigiCon, we hope to introduce you to the world of digital marketing and some of what it entails. Our sessions will cover a variety of topics that comprise digital marketing, brought to you by speakers who specialize in those fields. If you are interested in pursuing a career in digital marketing, we hope you learn a thing or two about what it entails.

All registrants who complete the virtual conference will receive a UPMC DigiCon 2023 Laurel (a digital badge signifying your UPMC DigiCon attendance to add to your websites, LinkedIn profiles, and resumes). Learn more on our FAQ page.

UPMC DigiCon 2023 Sessions

Paid Social Buying

In a competitive environment, digital marketers need to find the most cost-efficient way to get their message in front of their audience. One way is through paid digital media. Companies can place paid ads on social media, search engines, and other platforms to get the word out. This session will review the details of planning and buying a campaign on social media. It will focus on choosing an objective, identifying the right platform, and building an audience. We will discuss platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok.

Speaker: Megan Woods

Accessible Design

Digital marketing departments want their products to stand out. Designers can create logos, motion graphics, websites, and other visual elements to connect with their audience — but what if the audience has a disability? This session will focus on the importance of accessible design and ways to be more inclusive when designing creative for digital marketing. Topics will include types of disabilities, assistive technology, color contrast, font sizing, and more.

Speaker: Carlo Leo

SEO and Readability

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) focuses on understanding searcher behavior and optimizing content for both search engines and audience engagement. This session will introduce the strategies SEO professionals use to improve organic visibility, drive traffic, and connect with users. We will highlight what makes written material more engaging and less intimidating, which can lead to increased understanding, retention, and engagement.

Speakers: Tony DeFazio, Abby Hamilton and Molly Owens

Website Development & User Experience (UX)

The Internet is constantly changing and so are user expectations. To stay ahead, companies need to develop websites that are both user-friendly and technologically advanced. Digital marketing websites also require an organized approach to quickly deliver web content in a way that's accessible to all users. This session will show how experts in web development, user experience (UX), and project management (PM) collaborate to make a finished product that meets business and marketing needs.

Speakers: Darby Hoffman, Bala Kandasamy and Steve Mihalic

Creating Inclusive Communities: Why Social Media Accessibility is Important

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 2.2 billion people around the world have some form of vision impairment ranging from mild to severe. Roughly 5% of the population has disabling hearing loss. In this session, we’ll discuss why accessibility is important for social media. We also will cover accessibility practices that apply to the digital space and how to implement them, as well as resources for digital marketers who want to learn more.

Speaker: Shannon Shields

A Guide to Content Marketing in 2023

Everything on the Web is content – written copy, video and audio, graphics, and more. But what is content marketing? This session will introduce content marketing, including what differentiates it from other forms of marketing. It will discuss the process of content marketing, its importance to companies, and how brands are using and leveraging content to meet the audience’s needs.

Speaker: Jenna Hanrahan

Personalization on Health Care Websites

We live in an increasingly personalized world. From Netflix, to Spotify, to Starbucks, to social media ads, personalized messaging is nearly everywhere and follows us throughout our digital footprint. In some industries, including health care, personalized messaging can feel particularly invasive. However, when implemented properly and creatively, personalization in health care digital marketing can help health care organizations build stronger relationships with patients. By providing patients with personalized messages and experiences that are relevant to their specific needs, this can help to build trust and loyalty among patients. This can lead to better patient retention and ultimately better health outcomes. This session will cover some of the challenges of personalizing health care messaging and how to overcome those obstacles to deliver digital audiences a nuanced, implicitly personalized web experience.

Speaker: Sean Tubridy

Consumer Journeys

With so many Internet users searching for products, digital marketers are looking to provide them with a personalized experience. Marketers aim to provide individual consumer journeys to meet a person’s wants, needs, and goals. This session will focus on the importance of nurtured consumer journeys and how UPMC speaks to its different audiences. It also will discuss how companies ensure patients and visitors get the right information at the right time.

Speaker: Brittany Smalls