strategy and planning, not to mention two keynote speakers.  In total I made notes in excess of 3000 words, plus many tweets, and still didn't capture all the great one liners. With so much content, it's hard to keep a blog short and simple, so I've taken a few of the standout key points which I think we're the most prevalent.... Take risks One of the most re-enforced statements of the day, even from those in the public sector, was that effective social media for any brand or business requires a certain degree of risk. Embed social in everything you do, try out new things, evolve and don't be afraid. You'll never come up with the next big idea or stumble on a unique way of reaching your audiences online if you don't stick your neck out a bit. Yes, it's not always easy to get buy-in from the top, especially with a strategy that's slightly outside the corporate comfort zone, but the team from Defra highlighted a very important point you will need to accept early if you want to succeed in social media- you're not always going to be able to win over the public or create online ambassadors, but you can always ensure the facts being broadcast are correct. Things are getting faster In the past the 'news cycle' could take more than 24 hours to run its course, but in today's age you'll find your issue/ story will be out in the public domain, in the