What to Do After RootsTech: Turn Conference Inspiration into Genealogy Progress
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When the RootsTech Conference ends, there’s a moment many genealogists recognize. You leave the conference with pages of notes, screenshots on your phone, and a long list of new websites, tools, and record collections to explore. Your head is full of ideas about brick walls you might finally break through and ancestors you want to learn more about.
Then you get home, open your laptop… and realize you’re not quite sure where to start.
If you attended RootsTech this year, you’re probably feeling inspired, but maybe a little overwhelmed, too.
In my previous post about preparing for RootsTech, I shared tips on how a little planning can help you get the most out of the conference. But the experience doesn’t end when the last session finishes. What you do after RootsTech can make all the difference in how much of that inspiration turns into real progress in your genealogy research.
Here are a few simple ways to turn your RootsTech experience into action.
Get Ready for RootsTech
Planning Ahead for Next Year?
This post is part of my RootsTech series. If you’re planning to attend in the future, start here: How to Prepare for RootsTech: A Practical Guide.
1. Review Your Notes While Everything Is Fresh
After several days of sessions, valuable ideas can easily get buried in your notes. Taking a little time to review them soon after the conference can help reinforce what you learned.
As you go through your notes, highlight the ideas that seem most useful for your own research. You may find strategies you want to try, databases you meant to explore, or records that could help answer a specific research question.
Even a short review can help you identify the insights that are most worth pursuing.
2. Download the Session Syllabi
One of the most valuable resources from genealogy conferences is the session syllabus materials provided by speakers.
Many presenters include outlines that contain additional research tips, examples, and links to helpful resources. These materials often expand on the ideas shared during the presentation and provide guidance you can return to later.
If you haven’t already done so, consider downloading the syllabi for the sessions you attended. You may also want to look at materials from sessions you weren’t able to attend. Over time, these documents can become a helpful reference library for your research.
3. Watch the Recorded Sessions You Missed
RootsTech offers so many sessions that it’s impossible to attend everything that looks interesting. At some point during the conference, every attendee has to choose between two or three presentations happening at the same time.
Fortunately, many RootsTech sessions remain available online after the conference ends. This makes it possible to catch up on presentations you missed or revisit sessions that sparked new ideas.
Setting aside a little time in the weeks following the conference to watch a few additional sessions can extend the learning experience and reinforce what you gained from attending.
Post-Conference Checklist
4. Follow Up with New Connections
RootsTech brings together family historians from around the world, and some of the most valuable moments happen in conversations with other researchers.
If you met someone who shared helpful ideas or resources, consider following up after the conference. A short message or connection on social media can keep the conversation going and strengthen the relationships you began during the event.
Genealogy often benefits from collaboration, and the connections you make at conferences may lead to new insights and discoveries.
5. Try One New Tool or Technique
Conferences often introduce attendees to a wide range of tools, technologies, and research strategies. While it can be exciting to explore them all, trying to implement everything at once can quickly become overwhelming.
Instead, choose one idea that stood out to you and experiment with it first. This might be a new database, a research method mentioned in a session, or a digital tool that could help organize your research.
Starting with one small step makes it easier to incorporate new ideas into your regular workflow. In many cases, these tools can also help you move beyond collecting records and begin sharing your family’s stories in more meaningful ways.
6. Share What You Learned
Another way to reinforce what you learned at RootsTech is to share your experience with others.
Writing about your favorite sessions on social media, discussing new ideas with fellow genealogists, or recommending useful resources can help you process the information you gathered during the conference. Sharing your takeaways can also benefit researchers who were unable to attend.
In many ways, the conversation that begins at RootsTech continues long after the conference ends.
Common Mistakes People Make After RootsTech
RootsTech is exciting and inspiring, but when the conference ends, it’s easy for that momentum to fade. Over the years, I’ve noticed a few common pitfalls that can prevent genealogists from fully benefiting from what they learned.
Trying Too Many New Ideas Right Away
One common mistake is trying to implement every new idea immediately. After several days of sessions, attendees often return home eager to try multiple tools and strategies at once. Unfortunately, that approach usually leads to overwhelm. Focusing on one idea at a time is far more effective.
Not Reviewing Conference Notes
Another challenge is letting conference notes sit untouched. Many genealogists gather a wealth of information during the event but never revisit it afterward. Taking even a little time to review and organize your notes can help ensure those ideas are not forgotten.
Failing to Follow Up With New Contacts
Some people forget to follow up with the new contacts they made during the conference. A simple message or connection request can turn a brief conversation into a lasting professional relationship.
What I’m Working on After RootsTech
After presenting my session on scanning old negatives with your smartphone, I’ve been thinking about how so many family historians still have boxes of unidentified photos tucked away. One thing I plan to do after the conference is revisit some of my own family photos and see what new clues I might notice now that I’m looking at them more carefully.
RootsTech also reminded me how important it is to move beyond collecting records and begin sharing the stories behind them. The expo hall featured several platforms focused on storytelling, such as StoriedBook, MyStories by MyHeritage, and Storii, all of which highlight the growing interest in helping families capture their memories in meaningful ways.
Like most genealogists, I spend a lot of time researching past generations. This year, I’m making a point of writing some of my own stories, as well.
Wrap Up
RootsTech always leaves me with new ideas and renewed enthusiasm for family history research. But I’m always curious what stood out to others. If you attended RootsTech this year, what was your favorite session? Did you discover a new tool or resource you’re excited to try? What’s one thing you’re planning to work on after the conference?
Feel free to share your takeaways in the comments. Your ideas might inspire another researcher to try something new.
RootsTech is an inspiring experience for family historians of all levels. But the real impact of the conference comes from what happens afterward. By reviewing your notes, revisiting sessions, following up with new connections, and taking small research steps, you can turn the excitement of RootsTech into meaningful progress in your genealogy journey.
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As a RootsTech Influencer, I may have received various material and non-material promotional items; however, opinions about the conference are my own.
