6. Deviate from your plan, map and schedule.
Some of the best moments of my own social media road trips were completely unplanned. Get curious, pull over now and then, make a few extra stops and definitely get in touch with new people. Although it’s vital to have a timeline for your travels, don’t forget to smell the roses; great opportunities will present themselves when you allow for serendipity.
7. Make content creation your job.
The biggest difference between a social media road trip and a non-geek vacation is the work you’ll put into creating and publishing content. You’ll be pumping out pics, videos, tweets, blog posts, live video chats and every kind of app update imaginable while you’re on the road. You need to do this well and consistently. Make sure you’ve got the hardware and software for the job, and since your time on the road is limited, prioritize posting content over lame stuff like eating and sleeping, which isn’t really bloggable, anyhow. (Just kidding – but you know what we mean.)
8. Make sure your network works.
This section isn’t (only) an AT&T slam. Almost any network can let a user down in the uninhabited wilds of Iowa. If you’re traveling with buddies, it can help to have a diverse representation of networks in case one person’s cell reception fails in a critical moment. Also, not all WiFi devices will work all over the country; for example, Cricket’s wireless Internet connection devices only work in certain major metro areas. Check with your provider to make sure your network is going to be reliable for your entire route.
9. Plan for mobile site and server maintenance.
If you are the kind of geek who runs one or several websites or your own servers, you’ll want to keep an eye on your babies while away from home. For this item, it’s all about the SSH. Get a client that jives with your mobile, and as with every other tech solution we’ve recommended so far, test it before you drive off into the sunset.
10. Use an aggregator to push mobile updates all over the place.
Whether you’re using a service like PixelPipe or something more like FriendFeed, you’re going to want your content to get all over the tubes without your having to duplicate your efforts. Test out some solutions for one-click, cross-site publishing of pics, posts and videos, and be sure it’ll be quick and simple from your mobile device.
Those are the words of wisdom I can offer right now, and probably what I’ll be sharing at SxSW in a few months. If you’ve got more helpful hints from your own journeys, please let us know in the comments!
As an eleventh bonus tip, be prepared for failure. Your car will get a flat tire, you’ll argue with your road buddies, you’ll miss a meetup due to weather or oversleeping – things will go horrifically wrong. And in the end, it’ll be just fine anyhow.