kristen-cmu-blog

[kristen-cmu-blog]

Bringing It All Together

Over the last 8 weeks we have learned about the many different platforms of social media and how when implemented appropriately, it can cause much success. When a company’s vision, goals, policies, and resources align in regards to social media, this is when they will become a social organization.

The biggest roadblock or reason for failure is when the focus is aimed at the technology itself and not the behaviors. When technology is seen as a task or a threat, this will pose a big threat for a company. Social media should be seen as a tool or a community. Ultimately, implementation and consistency will make social media work FOR YOU.

As this course comes to an end, I must say that this was one of the most enjoyable courses I have taken. The concepts that we learned were so relevant and useful as we move closer to being part of a workforce led by technology and social media. We can now make an influence with the information learned or could potentially become a leader who must influence others. I would recommend this course to all students. 

[kristen-cmu-blog]

Creating Effective Content

This week’s Hootsuite module gave much insight into the many ways that businesses can post content onto their social media accounts. What most companies may not know, is that there is a strategic way of implementing content in order for them to reap a benefit. Posting content that aligns with a company’s goals and objectives is crucial when it comes to receiving a return on investment through social media. An effective plan should also be in place while ensuring the content reflects the unique reflection of the brand.

Type of Content

There are two types of content that the Hootsuite module discussed: created content and curated content. Created content is that in which is produced within the organization from scratch. This could be photos of product, videos with social messages, or blog posts. A key part of created content is to give the consumer a “call to action”. Suggesting they log into your website to check out a new arrival or asking the viewer to take a poll or leave a comment are easy ways to create a call to action. Curated content is content gathered from trusted sources that is relevant to your industry or brand. This type of content requires little resources and is a great way to grow within the industry. When I think of curated content I think of a quote or motivational message. The viewer gets a sense of realness beyond just showing what is being sold. Curated content gives your brand a personality.

Plan for Distribution

Now that we know what type of content we will be creating, a plan to put the content in place is extremely important. Being strategic in what is posted and where it is posted is essential. Your audience on twitter may be completely different than that on facebook, so sharing a blanket post to all social media outlets is probably not effective. Getting the right plan for distribution in place will take trial and error. Posting frequency should be tested, along with the time that posts are done. Do your posts perform better in the morning or the evening? A company should track all posts to determine which perform best. When some tracking is done, creating a content calendar for each week and each month is going to be a great tool. It is important to not plan too far ahead so that when big events arise you can make modifications. A weekly schedule will contain detailed information about posts including the type of posts, while a monthly calendar will show upcoming events and blog posts. Creating the best and most effective content will require some flexibility. 

Effective Content = Social Organization

The creation and execution of content has everything to do with becoming a social organization. Creating consistent, cohesive messages about your brand will lead to engagement and help people feel good about your brand. Anyone can post to social media, but when done strategically and effectively it will lead to being a large part of being a social organization. 

[kristen-cmu-blog]

Building an Online Community

An important aspect of social media marketing is creating and building an online community. This is a place where customers are engaging with your page. As the text stated, community collaboration should be implemented strategically and is not suitable for all businesses. This collaboration becomes appropriate for a business when people independently make contributions to a business’s social media page and the action results in higher performance.

The first step to creating community collaboration is to formulate a strong organizational vision. This will set the stage for the type of content that will aid in creating collaboration. Making the organizational objectives well-known amongst the employees will foster a better chance of creating a strong community. 

The Hootsuite module shared many ways that companies could go about building an online community. First, it was explained that word of mouth recommendations were a great way to start building the community. Offering an incentive for leaving a review on your social media page could help others to see the positive interactions customers have had with your business. Another great way to create community collaboration is through brand influencers. To initially begin the process of gaining brand influencers, following their page and engaging with their content is important. This helps to build an initial relationship. Contacting them through their most used social media page to see if they want to partner is the next step. Finally, once you begin partnering to support one anothers business objectives, rewarding them with early access to or free products will keep them continuing to help in building community collaboration. 

[kristen-cmu-blog]

Big Data - The Legal Side

When it comes to our personal information and the companies that are collecting and storing it, we place a lot of trust in them to keep our information safe. We are giving our information out often and it has become very normal to need to enter some kind of information just to enter some websites. We do not always think about the legalities that come along with the collection of big data from both a consumer and business standpoint. 

Businesses should be very aware of the great responsibility that is collecting big data. Knowing that the information being collected is very sensitive, it is really important to have legal practices in place. If there are not strong contracts in place to protect consumer confidentiality, this could be a huge detriment to a business. The example given in the video was of the Radioshack consumer data and where it went post-bankruptcy. The vendor contracts and customer contracts helped to protect both the customers of Radioshack and the companies in which Radioshack partnered with. The results of the court case ended up being pro-consumer and limited information was sold. This situation is a good learning experience for all businesses who are involved in the collection of customer data. 

As for consumers, we have to be vigilant in making sure that there are privacy laws and pro-consumer contracts in place prior to handing over our information. I can personally say that I am not being as careful as I should be with my personal information as I tend to assume that my information is safe every time I see a “lock” in my web browser. I also do not change my passwords enough and store my card information way too freely just to make my online shopping experience easier. I think that as consumers, we need to take on the mindset that our information is not safe anywhere and that being proactive in protecting it is extremely important. 

[kristen-cmu-blog]

Social Media Loves Junk News

You cannot scroll through any social media site today without having to pass by advertisements and junk news. In fact, it can be a bit scary seeing something you were searching on Amazon in your Facebook feed a few hours later. I read an article called, “Three reasons junk news spreads so quickly across social media”, written by Phillip Howard and Samantha Bradshaw, and they go into detail the reasons why the above scenario is no coincidence. We can contribute this to algorithms, advertising, and exposure.

Algorithms can be very useful as they tailor specific information to the preferences of different individuals. They are also used strategically by advertisers to get the information in front of the individual who will interact with the post. The most important part of what Howard and Bradshaw had to say about algorithms, was that they are making it extremely challenging to find information that is true or from different viewpoints. An algorithm could actually prevent us from seeing certain pieces of information in a google search. I personally would prefer to make the decisions on what I do or do not see. While I do think that algorithms can be helpful, I do find it a bit annoying how frequently and quickly something I previously searched pops up everywhere. 

The second reason that junk news is spreading like wildfire is from advertising. The models being used are causing false news articles to be spread as the more the articles are clicked on, the more they show up. I can admit that I am guilty of clicking on an article in a news feed based on the headline. Watching the Bachelor is one of my guilty pleasures and advertisers know this because the articles are always in my feed. Below you can see one of the click bait articles that recently showed up. The title entices us to read further and the advertiser is rewarded.

The last reason that we are seeing an increase in junk news, is due to our exposure to certain views. As they stated in the article, someone who has an established political preference will likely only see ads that will strengthen that preference as opposed to an ad from the opposite party. Perhaps this is because most people will not sway from the left or right just by seeing a news article. While politics are only one example of exposure, I am not sure I like that this is potentially making us more narrow minded. I think that seeing information opposite of our views can help us be more educated. 

[kristen-cmu-blog]

Kristen, the Social Media Consultant.

Most companies know by now that if they are not using social media or are not using it correctly, then their business will likely not thrive in this time where social media rules. The need for social media consulting ranges from a small start-up business to well established businesses that have been around for years. Their needs will vary, but having a social media consultant tap into their profiles (or begin creating profiles) would greatly benefit their business.

The most important qualities that a social media consultant should possess are knowledge of the social media platforms, organizational skills, and persistence. First, having a strong knowledge of the social media platform being worked on is extremely important. Business accounts on social media are entirely different from individual sites that most are used to. There are many different features on a business account and a consultant should stay up to date on these features. Having good organizational skills will also be important for anyone taking on the role. Eventually, the consultant will leave the business on their own after giving them guidance, and having some type of information organized for the business will be essential for their success after. Lastly, being persistent toward getting to the end goal is critical. It is likely that the client receiving the consulting service will be hesitant to suggestions and be uncomfortable with some of the suggestions given. Having a good explanation for why things should be changed and persistently pushing toward those changes will help the business in the long run.    

As stated in our lecture this week, we will all likely take on the role of a consultant at some point in our professional career. The end goal may be clear, but the process to get to that goal will lack direction and may not be the same for each situation. If I were to consult my own social media presence, I would set up a gradual plan to enhance my profiles. I say gradual because branding yourself through social media is a process. I would try to create a theme on my profile and get them looking more professional by going through old photos and posts. My Facebook profile is pretty old and I can honestly say that I am not positive of all of the content on the page. Adding some more professionalism or positive quote posts could be a positive addition. I have had little to no experience with a blog and something I plan to do is continue using this blog as a professional page.

[kristen-cmu-blog]

Big Data, Big Problem

In today’s world, use and access to the internet is readily available at our fingertips. In last week’s experiment, we proved just how often we are using the internet and social media websites. This week was even more eye opening when I learned that while I am freely browsing the internet, there is someone out there who is freely accessing my personal information. Big Data is the collection, storage, and analysis of large amounts of information. This information is collected by accessing individual browsing history and click screens. In fact, sometimes we are giving our sensitive information to data miners in exchange for a “free” downloaded app on our mobile device. But why do these data miners want all of this information? This information aids in effective advertising, and businesses will pay big money to get to know their customer a little more. For me, I feel a bit violated knowing that my information is being accessed without me knowing who is accessing it and where it is going. Information privacy is extremely important as businesses are built on trust. If consumers are feeling as if that trust is broken, we are able to take our business elsewhere. The issue is that there is an “out of sight, out of mind” factor to data mining. Most of us don’t realize that its happening and if we did, we are not able to access our online profile that is being built. Responsibly and ethically using the internet will help us to have some control in our online profile. We can also be more informed on controls and privacy settings on our devices to limit what information is being leaked. I can personally say that I am not aware of which apps on my phone are tracking my location. This is something I will be more aware of after viewing the 60 minutes data brokers video. 

After our information is gathered, it is assisting new businesses in getting funding to grow their company. The concept of “Investor Storytime” is a model being used to persuade investors that an ad will be worth more than any other business’s ad. In order for these companies to build their case, they must have good, quality data. These companies are basically addicted to the big data because of how effective it can be more their success. In turn, the companies success is at the expense of our personal information. Reading the article, “The Internet’s Original Sin”, opened my eyes to the fact that while companies may have good intentions with our information, all it takes is one individual to have our privacy violated. Our information could be publicly distributed if one person makes one bad decision, regardless of policies put into place. As Maciej Ceglowski stated in the video, “The Internet With a Human Face”, we as individual’s should always be given the option to opt in, or opt out of data mining attempts. This is our personal information, and most of us have information that we do not care for others to have access to. Data mining has just become the norm, and since we aren’t always aware of it happening, not much is being done to protect our privacy. I do hope that efforts are continued to limit what information is being accessed.

[kristen-cmu-blog]

Screen time Slowdown

I would consider myself to be a pretty self-aware person, but I was not aware of just how often I am checking my personal cell phone each day. Most cellular devices now have a feature that does a lot of this tracking for you, which I found helped breakdown exactly which apps and categories I am spending time on. 

On Thursday, January 23, I turned on the screen time setting on my iPhone. I think I avoided ever activating the feature because I knew I was spending more time on my phone than I’d like to admit. My iPhone helped me track my screen time and told me that I had spent 7 hours and 36 minutes on my phone that day. These results were shocking and a bit embarrassing for me to admit! Of those hours on my phone, 4 hours and 14 minutes were devoted to social networking applications. Text messaging, facebook, and Instagram were among the top apps that I used in that day. The first time that I picked up my phone was at 12:08am, and I proceeded to pick my phone up 119 times throughout the day. Overall, I had 176 notifications that came through with text messages being the bulk of the notifications. I currently stay home with my children and my husband and I tend to text message more than we probably need to each day. This was a good eye opener for me and motivated me to do a social media experiment.

Today, I decided to conduct my social media experiment with a goal of cutting my screen time in half from what I had on Thursday. In order to accomplish this, I gave up my phone from 12pm-6pm. My husband helped me to stay accountable to this experiment by being the keeper of my phone for those hours of the day. As I write this post, I was able to keep my screen time to 2 hours and 33 minutes today. This was a huge improvement for me and it honestly felt really refreshing to “disconnect”. This experiment also made me realize that I am guilty of feeling like I have to look at my phone each time that it goes off. It was difficult to hear the notifications and to not be able to ease my curiosity on what was coming through on the phone. 

Overall, I think the social media log and the slowdown of screen time today really helped me see that life does go on when the notifications aren’t instantly cleared. We do not need social media and messaging as much as we think we do. I think I will keep my screen time setting activated on my phone and make a point of decreasing my average daily screen time. 

[kristen-cmu-blog]

Social Media & Relationships

Social media is something that is nearly impossible to avoid in today’s world. I use a laptop computer daily as I complete my college degree online, and my kindergartener uses a tablet almost daily as he learns his letters and numbers in elementary school. While social media is a wonderful tool to aide in learning and growth, it can also be a detriment to our social skills and relationships with others. 

I watched an interview with Sherry Turkle and read the article, “Before the Internet”, by Emma Rathbone (both linked below for reference). The article by Rathbone helps us to see the perspective of an individual(likely a child), before the internet made its debut. The individual appears to be creative and uses her imagination throughout. Her and a friend are debating on the type of stone they are looking at and do not have a way of looking this up. The time was very simple. In the interview with Sherry Turkle, she describes how the internet is effecting us in our socialization today. She describes the term, “Alone Together” as she shows a group of individuals at a table together having lunch and each individual has some sort of device in front of them. This is our reality.

One of the ways that social media effects me most would be the way social media creates an unrealistic world when it comes to parenting. I have four children of my own, and it is easy to beat yourself up as a parent when people are constantly posting about milestones their children have hit or offering unsolicited advice. When I log into my social media accounts, I see others posting photos of their children or statuses about something pertaining to their child. It is in our human nature to instantly compare ourselves to what we see our peers doing. For example, if someone else’s child in my school was student of the month and the parent posted a photo online, it could lead me to feel as if my parenting is lacking in some way. The comparison game amongst mothers(and fathers) is making us question our ourselves. I have to remind myself that most individuals do not post photos or statuses when their child is struggling in school or when they had to have a meeting with the teacher to discuss their child’s behavior. Social media creates a different world where all seems well on the surface. Keeping social media account use to a minimum has helped me to not compare myself to others.

Another way that having social media right at our fingertips has effected me, is how the use of it can interfere with my marriage and my relationships with my children. In the evenings, we really try to unplug and focus on spending time with one another at home, but it is really easy to hear the phone going off and to instantly jump to see what or who requires your attention on the other end. When I see the image below, it breaks my heart to think that social media is becoming a higher priority than building relationships and spending quality time with those you love. I know that I have been guilty of spending quality time with one of my kids but leaving my phone not too far out of sight. Even if I don't respond or answer the notification, I am still drawing my eyes to the screen. This definitely defeats the purpose of spending time with someone if they aren’t getting my full attention. As a parent, I am also responsible for showing my children how social media should be properly used as to not take the place of everyday interpersonal and social skills.

I remember a few years back, my husband and I took a vacation with another couple to Mexico. We stayed at a beautiful resort and it was great to get away and relax! We did not have any service at the resort and the only way we would be able to “connect” was to purchase a wi-fi package. I remember my husband declining that offer and I know that his choice contributed to how wonderful the vacation was. This forced us to spend time in deep conversation with one another and to be fully present with each other. 

Reading the article and viewing Sherry Turkle’s interview definitely helped to renew my thoughts about social media and how it can interfere with so much. Sometimes I feel as though I am missing out on something if I go a few days not scrolling through my facebook feed, but I am truly missing out on so much more when my face is in a screen. 

Before the Internet:

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/06/26/before-the-internet

Sherry Turkle Interview:

https://billmoyers.com/segment/sherry-turkle-on-being-alone-together/

[kristen-cmu-blog]

Psychologist Sherry Turkle talks to Bill about why we expect too much from technology and not enough from each other.

[kristen-cmu-blog]

Introduction:

Hello! My name is Kristen Eavey and I am currently a senior at Central Michigan University. I am working toward a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Applied Business Communication. I made my return to school in August 2019 after many years off getting experience in the workforce. I managed a retail store for 5 years and spent the past 3 years in Commercial Insurance.

I have some big career goals for myself and realized how valuable achieving my Bachelor’s degree would be to meet those goals. My goal after completing my degree is to return to the insurance industry and to have a long, successful career in commercial insurance.

This is my first time using a blog and Tumblr. My hope for this blog is to display not only the learnings of this course, but to create a professional page that I can use in my resume as I head back into the search for my next career move. I believe this blog will allow for me to add professional content beyond what a resume can provide to potential employers.

This week’s reading in “The Social Organization” provided insight into the power of social media and what it can do for an organization when mass collaboration is reached. The strategic methods that must be taken to reach mass collaboration were eye opening to me. A company that I feel uses social media very well to brand themselves and to engage with customers is a small business out of Texas called Ruthie Grace Boutique. This is a newer business that has really taken off quickly. They have a large following on Instagram and the page is extremely active. The boutique is always involving their customer base in product decision-making and capturing ways they can better serve their customer. The community collaboration for this business is very strong. Check out their social media pages below to see how they have strategically used social media to enhance their business.

Website: https://shopruthiegrace.com

Instagram: @shopruthiegrace

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shopruthiegrace

Twitter: @RuthieGraceBtqe

Pinterest: Ruthie Grace Boutique