# Conference App Chats SXSW Social Media is Booming with the Use of FireChat's New Features By Amelia Roblin | Published 2015-03-17 | Tech Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sxsw-social-media References: [macworld](http://www.macworld.com/article/2893263/firechats-hashtags-help-festival-goers-find-the-hottest-spots-at-sxsw.html) & [play.google](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.opengarden.firechat&hl=en) FireChat has been around long enough to gain some significant user engagement, but some recent updates have enabled it to really boost SXSW social media. Attendees of the music, film and interactive conference can certainly make good use of [Twitter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mozi-private-social-network) and [Facebook](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/facebook-debuts-at-stagecoach) for finding out about particular stalls, demos and events; however, this mass communication texting platform offers a direct advantage. The off-the-grid messaging app can host up to 10,000 people at the same time, receiving tips and comments on everything that's happening in populated places like South by [Southwest](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/Embedded-AI-engineering). Without the need for data or wifi Internet, users can benefit from the added convenience of chat-tags that sift through the noise and organize what's hot at the conference into forums. These FireChat hashtags make SXSW social media more streamlined, encouraging more conversations and heightened sharing to increase the media surrounding the event in general. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 4.9/10 - Popularity: 55% | Activity: 85% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Tech](https://www.trendhunter.com/tech) > [Mobile](https://www.trendhunter.com/mobile) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Off-the-grid Messaging:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop new messaging apps that don't rely on data or wifi Internet, allowing for communication in areas with limited connectivity. - **Chat-tagging:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Create platforms with chat-tagging capabilities to organize discussions and conversations around specific topics or events, increasing engagement and participation. - **Mass Communication Platforms:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Build new platforms that can host large numbers of users simultaneously, enabling real-time communication and information sharing on a massive scale. ### Who This Affects Most - **Mobile Technology:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Utilize mobile technology to develop new messaging apps that can function without the need for data or wifi Internet. - **Social Media:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Integrate chat-tagging capabilities into existing social media platforms to enhance conversation organization and user engagement. - **Event Management:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Create mass communication platforms specifically designed for event management, enabling efficient and streamlined communication between event organizers and attendees. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Group-Centric Social Media Platforms](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/chatter-social.md) - [Interactive Social App Networks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/substack-2.md) - [Connection Platform Experiences](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/facebook-debuts-at-stagecoach.md) - [Local Social Chats](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/local-social-chats.md) - [Community Social Apps](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/beezle-social.md) - [Complementary Social Gaming Apps](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/social-ar-app.md) - [Traveling Tech Enthusiast Chatbots](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/wanna-catchup.md) - [Discussion-Oriented Social Features](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/substack-chat.md) - [Music-Focused Social Media](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/musicboard.md)