View the full #Online18 list of impactful social media voices here.

A former PPAI board chair, chief information officer at distributor Geiger and now the president and CEO at PPAI, Dale Denham, MAS+, has a passion for both physical promotional products and digital progress within the industry.

Easing communication throughout the supply chain is one of PPAI’s major initiatives since Denham took over last summer. But for all the work Denham and PPAI are overseeing to simplify inventory and order tracking, plenty of the most important conversations within the promo space are already occurring organically. Across social media every day, long-time pros and rising young leaders are influencing the direction of promotional products, networking and creating communities.

The sixth annual #Online18 list of key social media influencers is entirely Denham’s personal opinion. Unveiled during The PPAI Expo Direct-2-You, a virtual extension of the industry’s largest and most important trade show, it includes both companies and individuals, with an emphasis on engagement and driving value to their followers and the industry as a whole.

“As usual, finalizing this list is difficult and a lot of great content providers are not on this list,” Denham says. “I attempt to include meaningful newcomers to the list to ensure that you are learning new ideas. However, I finalize the list based on who I believe is providing the most value regardless of how long they have been on the list.

“Keeping it fresh is difficult, though. The longer you are on the list, the more difficult it becomes to remain on next year.”

In a major shift since the unveiling of the 2021 #Online18, Denham says TikTok and short engaging videos are driving engagement. “This is something every brand and individual should be building into your 2022 strategy,” Denham says. “LinkedIn is also increasing in value for business branding and engagement, while Facebook posts are reducing in business value based on what I’m seeing across the industry. Facebook remains important but is declining faster than I anticipated.”

The list unveiling is just part of the festivities during next week’s PPAI Expo Direct-2-You.

Expo D2U attendees can look forward to a stellar virtual experience. Distributors can browse any booth on PPAI’s virtual show floor to look at videos, see featured products, request samples, attend educational workshops and seminars and more. And The PPAI Expo’s popular Product Pavilions are only a click away, featuring trending products in the show’s New Products, Green Products, Made In The USA Products and Healthpitality Products pavilions.

The virtual show also delivers value through professional education and development. Expo D2U’s diverse education schedule, taught by industry thought leaders and subject matter experts, features original content produced for Expo D2U and some of the best sessions from The PPAI Expo 2022, Women’s Leadership Summit and Product Responsibility Summit. Additionally, industry practitioners can meet and connect with each other, through video chat and lounge features.

Follow Denham on Twitter and LinkedIn. Follow PPAI on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.