We want you to represent LA and capture what makes Los Angeles unique to show the rest of the world.

This contest will be taking place across all of September’s host cities, including Barcelona, Berlin, Bogota, Chicago, Doha, Glasgow, Hong Kong, Jeddah, London, Los Angeles, Torino, São Paulo, Seoul and Vancouver.

In the coming weeks, Social Media Week will launch the Instagram Your City website, which will pull together the best photos. One “Best-in-Show” picture will be selected from these. Once selected, the winning contestant will be given the opportunity to travel to any Social Media Week city of their choosing during the September 24th – 28th event.

“As we continue to add new Social Media Week cities and expand to more incredible parts of the world, we are looking to fulfill the adage of ‘a picture is worth a thousand words’,” said Toby Daniels, Founder & Executive Director of Social Media Week. “As a celebration of the uniqueness of all of our local cities, the Instagram Your City competition will provide a way to tell stories that cross cultural and geographic boundaries.”

Now for the details. Submitting is incredibly easy:

1. Take a picture: Using any smartphone device, take a photo that captures the uniqueness and heart of one of the 14 host cities for Social Media Week. (Note: To qualify for the grand prize, photos must be taken with a smartphone and must be of one of the 14 participating cities.)

2. Add a filter: Using Instagram, or other filter apps such as Hipstamatic, StreamZoo, or Lightbox, make your photo stand out. While a filter isn’t necessary to enter, it does make it more fun!

3. Tag & Share: Using #InstagramYourCity, share on Twitter and Facebook with the city you’re capturing. For example, “Just submitted my entry to @SocialMediaWeek’s #InstagramYourCity for LA!”

The deadline for submissions is June 29, so grab your smartphone and show the rest of the world what makes LA unique and beautiful.

For full rules and guidelines, see here.

Want to Get Involved?

If you’d like to know how you can participate, sponsor, advisory board member, speaker, or event partner, visit our Get Involved section of our website and submit your details.

Want to Learn More?

Social Media Week hosts two global conferences each year. Each conference takes place simultaneously in multiple cities around the world, with thousands of individuals and organizations working together to host panels, workshops, talks and industry networking events.

Our first 2012 conference took place February 13-17, with over 35,000 attendees participating in 1,100 events across 12 cities in 9 countries. This past February proved to be our biggest, and boldest, Social Media Week. We saw keynotes like Don Tapscott, Tumblr’s David Karp, Telemundo’s Borja Perez, Fabio Coelho of Google Brasil, and Guilhem Fouetillou of Linkfluence.

If you’re new to Social Media Week and want to learn more or a veteran just hoping to go deeper, we suggest you take a look at our About section where we share our mission and vision and recommend you check out our SMW Feb 2012 Recap Video to see highlights from around the event!

Brady took some time to answer our six questions about her panel! See her answers below:

1) Why did you choose to participate in this particular panel? How did you get involved with this topic specifically? 

“Research” tends to be really overwhelming for people, especially for organizations in the non-profit / social good sector where resources tend to be limited in terms of staff and budget.  There endless amount of information available across dozens of platforms. I developed a process called the 8 Essentials that provides a framework to outline personal / organizational needs before jumping into the research process. I’ve found putting simple (free) systems in place make it easier to leverage social media to track information and navigate towards solutions.

2) How has social media influenced or informed the discussion surrounding your topic?

I have found Twitter & LinkedIn provide a tremendous amount of information for non-profiteers and charities to share information. At times, it’s overwhelming the number of conversations happening. Once you learn how to navigate either space, it gets easier to participate in the conversations and learn more. I’m personally addicted. Social media is how I get my news, network with friends / piers and how I continue to learn about innovations the sector.

3) What social media websites are key players for your topic? (linkedin, foursquare, facebook)
LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube

4) How has your background in other fields shaped your approach to social media?

I’ll admit, I never really explored beyond facebook and my basic bio on LinkedIn until this year. In January, someone told me the flow of information on social media is like being at a dinner party, you can stand back and listen to the group, but you’ll get more out of the experience if you join the conversation. I realized I had never really learned how to leverage these platforms for opportunities and so many robust conversations happening regarding the non-profit and social good sectors.

5) How can social media bring more awareness to your topic? 

Non-profits now have the ability to engage with their supporters in a multitude of ways. Direct mail is no longer the only option, completely changing the way organizations fundraise. There are so many different opportunities out there than before. There are so many opportunities to engage in the conversations happening and charities and their supporters are really speaking up. Now it’s about refining the platforms out there and pushing technology to better support the sectors needs.

6) If you had to describe your panel with three adjectives,  what would they words be?

Equip. Exchange. Empower.

• Register for Panels: Register and attend as many panels as possible. The person who registers for the most panels and attends will be declared the champion.
• Check-in: Be sure to check into venues on Foursquare that you’re at for SMWLA panels and include #SMWLA in your check-in. Get the most check-ins to win.
• Tweet: Get the word out, keep using that #SMWLA hashtag to spread the word about your event or what you’re seeing. Use the hashtag most to claim your victory.
• Snapshot: Take photos and upload them to the SMWLA Flickr group (www.flickr.com/groups/smwla2011). Add the most photos to win!

We’ll likely be adding a few more as the week goes on since this is all about having fun! Have a great week.

ENTERTAINMENT: 15 top picks by the advisors cover the spectrum of Movies and Music, to Social Gaming and Celebrities.  Speakers come from Participant Media, Facebook, Katalyst, EQAL, UTA, Funny or Die, TV Academy, CAA, Disney ABC, What’s Trending, MindJolt, USC, Paramount, Grammy’s, Sony Pictures, 20th Century Fox, plus a famous actor and a LA Laker.  Paley Center for Media is home to most of the Entertainment Track. Go Here

MARKETING:  19 panels full of brands, PR, agencies, and analysts that offer perspective and advice about where social media intersects with consumer behavior.  Ogilvy, SocialVibe, MWW Group,  Highly Relevant, Nokia, Myspace, Facebook, Brightline, AdventureGirl, Experian, Social Bakers, BuzzFeed, Hershey, Samsung, K-Swiss, Frontier Airlines are among the many influential speakers. Most sessions are at The Pit in Ogilvy & Mather’s Culver City facility.  Go Here

SOCIAL MEDIA FOR SOCIAL GOOD:  14 events selected by the advisors for their influence in cause-related concerns from charities and non-profits to brand integrity and healthy living.  Join sessions and parties that include speakers from TakePart, Hub LA, CAA, Nonprofit Effect, The Trevor Project, Causecast, Generosity Water, City Year, GOOD magazine, BumbleBee, WPromote, OneHope Wine and more viewable at Social Good track page.  Hub for this topic is Writers Boot Camp at Bergamot Station in Santa Monica. Go Here

Additional outstanding sessions include: Schmoozd Tech and Startup Job Fair, Restaurants and Social by DineLA, TechmunchLA, Social Advantage for Writers, Sustainability 2.0, Networking 2.0, New Technology Startup Demos, and 500-person Opening Party.

Event tickets ordered via socialmediaweek.org cost nothing, and only a only a few selected events require admission purchased directly with the venue – an example is the Social Media in Sports panel at Dodger Stadium for $20, which includes Loge seating for a game against the Giants. Fast Pass and VIP tickets are available for expedited checkin and guaranteed admission into VIP invitation-only receptions at several events.

For updates all week be sure to follow @SMWLA.

April unofficially began her career in college where she spearheaded The Fifth Humour, Yale University’s first original sketch comedy troupe. Upon graduating college, April began working as a production assistant on the Warner Brothers sitcom “Rewind” and remained in network prime-time TV for several years to come. She had the good fortune of landing a script coordinator job on NBC’s “Scrubs.” After writing the “Scrubs” episode “My Kingdom,” April was staffed onto the ABC sitcom “I’m With Her.” Soon after, April sold a half-hour pilot, “Static,” to Adelstein-Parouse/20th Century Fox Television and sold and developed another pilot, “SexyPrettyPerfect,” for Dawn Parouse Productions/20th/FOX.

In 2007 she crossed paths with Radical Axis and been with the studio ever since, seeking out and developing original animated content.

April took some time to answer our six questions about her topics! Below are her replies that help elaborate on the panel and why it’s important to social media.

1) Why did you chose to participate in this particular panel? How did you get involved with this topic specifically?

I wanted to help organize an event intended to educate writers on the benefits of becoming more entrepreneurial in this new age of social media.  Having worked within the writing community for years, I think now is as good a time as any for writers to learn how to become their own mini-studios.

2) How has social media influenced or informed the discussion surrounding your topic?

Audiences are discovering original content, regardless of platform, thanks to Facebook, Twitter and powerful influencers.  Writers need to understand how this works as well as understand how to utilize crowdfunding resources to raise financing.  I think the writing community needs a better grasp on how to tap into this new energy in the marketplace.

3) What social media websites are key players for your topic? (linkedin, foursquare, facebook)

Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, IndieGoGo, Kickstarter.

4) How has your background in other fields shaped your approach to social media?

Having worked for traditional media conglomerates for years, I’ve come to appreciate how nimble social media companies are in their ability to constantly iterate and do so much faster than their traditional media counterparts.

5) How can social media bring more awareness to your topic?

If writers are well-versed in social media platforms, they can share new tools of the social media trade with each other within the community, thereby educating each other on how to build, maintain, and ultimately earn a profit from an audience.

6)  If you had to describe your panel with three adjectives,  what would they words be?

Ambitious, liberating, and entertaining.

Justin took some time to answer our six questions about his topics! Below are his replies that help elaborate on the panel and why it’s important to social media.

1)   Why did you choose to participate in this particular panel? How did you get involved with this topic specifically?

Since I’m the cofounder of Social Media Breakfast LA, bringing this breakfast meet up to Social Media Week was a no brainer. Our monthly breakfasts give our intimate audience the opportunity to eat, meet, network, and learn about the latest trends in social media marketing. Bringing this topic to the table has always been a goal of mine, especially since so many brands are confused about measurable metrics. I met Dr. Natalie at our August SMBLA and she was incredibly enthusiastic and well versed on the topic, so I figured this was the perfect opportunity.

2)   How has social media influenced or informed the discussion surrounding your topic?

I’ve found that one of the biggest problems brands have with social media is the confusion around monitoring and measurement. Brands want metrics, but many don’t know where to find them online. And once they do, they have no idea how to interpret what they mean or apply the findings to their overall strategy.

My hope is that this breakfast keynote will influence the entire audience by encouraging them to use social media more fully without worry or doubt.

3) What social media websites are key players for your topic? (linkedin, foursquare, facebook)

All social media sites are relevant to this topic, but I’ve found that people have the most concern and confusion surrounding Twitter.

4) How has your background in other fields shaped your approach to social media?

My background in event planning and branding has shaped my approach to social media in a very strong way. With my company, sketchbookLA, I’ve decided to focus on event-centric social media—meaning engagement that affects a users experience both on and offline. Being able to interact with an audience “in the moment” at an event or party and amplify their experience across the web is extremely powerful.

5) How can social media bring more awareness to your topic?

Social media can bring more awareness to the topic of measurement and monitoring by making it easier for brands to see and understand exactly where their dollars are going. I know… this is a tough goal, but I do believe it’s possible.

6)  If you had to describe your panel with three adjectives,  what would they words be? 

Informative, Early, Worth It.

Michael is a serial entrepreneur and Internet pioneer, having founded his first software company at the age of fourteen. In 2001, out of his dorm room at Dartmouth College, Michael founded Wpromote, Inc. where he is currently the President and CEO. Michael is an active member of the online marketing community and was featured by Inc Magazine as one of “30 CEO’s under 30 To Watch” and was the recipient  of the PriceWaterhouseCoopers Entrepreneurial Spirit Award.

Michael took some time to answer our six questions about his topics! Below are his replies that help elaborate on the panel and why it’s important to social media.

1) Why did you chose to participate in this particular panel? How did you get involved with this topic specifically

We came up with the concept of the panel because the fusion of entrepreneurship and social good is such an amazingly exciting trend. To have amazingly sharp business minds apply themselves to bettering the world is a topic that deserves attention.

2) How has social media influenced or informed the discussion surrounding your topic?

Social media is right at the center of the topic of social entrepreneurship; it is at the heart of how the companies featured grow their following, engage with their customers, and even contributes to how they effect positive change on the world.

3) What social media websites are key players for your topic? (linkedin, foursquare, Facebook)

The social media websites and services are going to be the usual suspects: Facebook, Twitter and I think given the virility of the topic of socially responsible entrepreneurship, video plays a key role as well, so YouTube is most definitely in the mix.

4) How has your background in other fields shaped your approach to social media?

I have worked in online marketing — specifically focused on search engine marketing — since it’s inception, so a deep understanding of how people learn, buy, share and collaborate online is very helpful in understanding social media. What we are really seeing in the broadest sense is the “socialization” of so much of our online experience; it is really becoming a layer on top of productivity, commerce, consuming media and making it a far richer experience.

5) How can social media bring more awareness to your topic? 

Truly, social media is our topic. The panelists we have all have incorporated social media deeply into their business models; without social media, these innovative startups very well may not be where they are today.

6) If you had to describe your panel with three adjectives,  what would they words be?

Innovative, fast-paced, and inspiring.