UPDATED: Scroll down near the bottom of the page, as I found the link to requesting 20 minute help sessions during RootsTech Connect 2021. This is the virtual version of Coaching, available at previous in-person RootsTech conferences.

There is so much going on at RootsTech Connect 2021 that I’ll be busy working on posts all day!

I’d like to share several tips for getting the most out of the LIVE experience, which ends on Saturday, 27 February 2021.

First, RootsTech hosted a songwriting contest this year and there are some excellent entries. There were a couple of previous rounds that narrowed the entrants to the final groups with four entries each-  Youth, Professional and Amateur.

The judges panel will choose the winner in each category, but YOU can vote for the People’s Choice Award. (There is a vote tab in the top right corner of each of the finalists videos.)

RootsTech attendees – that means YOU – can listen to the finalists and cast your vote. The winners will be announced on Saturday.

There are also short Artist Interviews with the finalists.

When you need a breather and want to relax from genealogy overload, you’ll enjoy listening to the music.

Next, RootsTech has brought back the 2021 version of Innovators Alley, which is the Innovators Portal.

There was no contest, but if you want to learn about the latest genealogical technology offerings, this is the place to do it. From the site description:

Welcome to the Innovators Portal! Here you’ll find all the latest innovative technology in the family history and genealogy industry.

All the Innovators are listed here below. Each Innovator has a video and an external link where you can get hands-on experience with their innovation.

Scroll down past the video and text. Each participating innovator has sessions with the ability to chat.

Last, CONNECT is what we all want to do and RootsTech is giving up a great opportunity through the chat rooms. Not just vendor and exhibitor chats, but through interest group chats set up by participants.

How do you connect with others? Regardless of the RootsTech page that you are on, there is a CONNECT icon in the bottom right corner of the screen:

Click on the button and the box opens. You may search for a topic or click at the top right for Chat Rooms (as opposed to Direct Messages), click the magnifying glass and just scroll down the list. I hit MORE several times and the list kept getting longer so I have no estimate of the number of chats happening right now. Probably hundreds!

It looks like each chat room has a 1,000 person maximum, but that is plenty. None of the chats that I skimmed were close to the max number.

If you have a genealogy question and need help – notice that **Ask Me Anything** is near the top of the list.  That would be an excellent starting place for a general research questions. 20-minute help sessions are available.

There are chat rooms for a wide range of topics from ethnic groups to writing tips, DNA to single locations (e.g. Missouri) to Ashkenazi Jews to vendors.

If you have a topic you’d like to share in a chat room that isn’t already listed, you may start a chat, too.

I hope you are enjoying your RootsTech Connect 2021 experience so far. The team has done an outstanding job getting the conference launched.

DISCLAIMER: I am an official RootsTech Connect 2021 ambassador and have received perks for promoting RootsTech conferences.