cassiesanchezstamublog

[cassiesanchezstamublog]

@BlueApron, get it together.

The recipe and ingredient meal-kit business, Blue Apron was discussed in class in relation to how the social media accounts are managed. It was decided that the company could greatly improve their customer service presence on all social media platforms. The vast majority of the replies coming from Blue Apron’s Twitter are only to negative comments. While it is crucial to respond to online criticism, it’s important to show some love to those who are offering praise to the service Blue Apron provides. This shows supporters that they are appreciated by the brand, which further builds a trusting relationship between the customer and company. This key fact is something quite a few organizations miss out on. Unfortunately, Blue Apron is one of those missing out. 

Additionally, the company’s responses to negative tweets are considerably generic. In the case that a customer has a bad experience with a company, it’s most effective to thoughtfully respond in a timely manner. Customers do not want to feel like they are being fed a formulaic script; it makes them feel unimportant which damages the bond between the brand and client. Most of Blue Apron’s replies are something along the lines of “We’re sorry to hear about that! Please send us a DM so we can get into more details”. This may look like an OK response at first, but after scrolling through countless replies using the same phrase to each customer, it gets old very quick. We can only speculate what actually occurred in the DMs between Blue Apron and its dissatisfied buyers, but according to @elexhobby the brand’s entire customer service department should be totally revamped. Customers expect customized responses because their needs and issues are all unique. 

I’ve recently learned that reviewing a company’s social media accounts, specifically how negative comments are handled should be a key factor when deciding to give them your business or not. This information will likely reflect how you, as a consumer will be treated by this certain company. After seriously considering to purchase a plan by Blue Apron for my father, I have decided against it after taking a look at where the organization’s customer service and social medias intersect. 

https://twitter.com/elexhobby/status/1189722764594143233

[cassiesanchezstamublog]

Macro Influencing but Make it Meaningful

Most of Macro and Micro Influencing is done for the purpose of bringing awareness to and selling a brand’s product or service. But the type of influencing I truly love to see, and would like to see more of is related to advocating for and bringing awareness to taboo subjects. When I say taboo subjects I’m referring to topics such as sexuality, gender roles, and mental illness. 

I am especially passionate about mental health because almost everyone is impacted by a mental illness in their lifetime. As someone who struggles daily with the effects of mental illnesses, I greatly appreciate seeing others discuss their own journey on a social media platform that I use daily. It is particularly helpful seeing Macro Influencers like Chrissy Teigen and Demi Lovato talk about their struggles with depression, anxiety, and eating disorders. It gives all of us a sense that we are not alone on this rollercoaster ride.

When Macro Influencers begin a conversation about mental health, they basically create a community of discussion in the comment section. Whether that comment section is on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook people are bound to join the conversation. These conversations consist of users sharing their own stories and experiences as well as offering support to the influencer who began the conversation. 

Influencing doesn’t stop at the macro level. I consider users with much less of a following influencers as long as they still discuss the matter and bring positive attention to it. I would say I myself could be considered a Micro (micro-micro) Influencer when it comes to mental health. Just today, I voiced how thankful I am that people are much more comfortable discussing mental illness now, compared to several years ago. 

While most of influencing is based around marketing a product to an audience, there is also a small community of influencers bringing awareness to subjects of relevance in today’s society. I think this type of influencing should be wildly encouraged as it creates a sense of trust between those who relate to each other. 

https://twitter.com/chrissyteigen/status/1005113074968289280?lang=en

https://twitter.com/cassieclaireeee/status/1187910744177827840

[cassiesanchezstamublog]

Influencer to Business Mogul

Jeffree Star, the makeup artist turned YouTube influencer turned Business Mogul is a shining example of just how many doors becoming an influencer can open. Class today involved an unusual FaceTime call with Brittany Broski, otherwise known as the Kombucha Girl. One of Brittany’s tiktok videos went viral on Twitter which gave way to her pursuing a career as a social media influencer and content creator in LA. Although Jeffree and Brittany’s stories of becoming influencers began differently, macro influencers such as people like Jeffree Star provide a blueprint to younger and smaller influencers on how to become successful and explore avenues outside of influencing or creating content. 

Brittany told us that there are basically two ways to become an influencer; by consciously working on their personal brand and content, or completely on accident. Regardless of the way, one thing for sure is that an influencer must hire a manager to assist them developing their career, along with a team of people who aid in content development and the like. Once established as a popular influencer, one can pursue other opportunities and interests. Jeffree’s route went from makeup artist, to YouTube influencer, to a cosmetic business owner. 

While the Kombucha Girl is just learning what it takes to be a successful influencer, she will have plenty of opportunities to further boost her influence and overall success as her career grows. She has all the potential and personality to accomplish even greater feats. 

[cassiesanchezstamublog]

Applying Influencer Marketing to Real Life

This week in class we learned about how brands utilize influencers to market their product or service to the public. A lot of thought and money goes into this marketing tactic, but it has been proven to pay off dramatically. Influencer Marketing is even more effective than the traditional marketing used in TV or Radio, which is no simple feat. With the world moving online and more and more social media accounts being created everyday, it seems to me like Influencer Marketing is likely to be the future of marketing in general. 

I find this all very interesting as I myself am a target for influencer marketing. There are always advertisements from prominent influencers and celebrities popping up on my feed promoting the newest and trendiest sunglasses, or Mom Influencers advertising a diaper brand. It’s almost excessive sometimes, but that’s besides the point. 

In an effort to connect the teachings of this class to real life, I began thinking about the company my dad works for. He is a professional fisherman in the south east Texas area and is on the pro staff for Solo Skiff. The Solo Skiff is kind of a cross between a kayak and a small trolling boat. As the brand’s website describes it, “it’s a kayak on steroids!”. I guess that is the most accurate way to describe this unique fishing contraption. My dad’s job is to act as a dealer, selling the watercraft to anyone in the south-east United States. He was the first employee, and right hand man of the inventor of the Solo Skiff.

Solo Skiff’s target audience is predominately male fisherman falling under the age range of 20-55. So far, the brand has done a satisfactory job in gaining recognition and a large following on Facebook with over 84,000 followers on the company page. There is also a public Facebook group dedicated to Solo Skiff and the fishing community with over 1,700 members. I enjoyed looking through the posts and discussions on this page because there were customers connecting with each other, helping others in troubleshooting, and even some arranging fishing trips with each other. It is the definition of what a company strives for in creating a trusting community of its fans. 

Recently Tom, the owner and inventor of Solo Skiff put together a professional video showcasing the vessel which earned over 117,000 views on YouTube, which was a big deal for this small company. My suggestion to my dad was to establish a presence on Instagram in order to reach the younger end of the brand’s target audience, as Facebook users are mainly 30 years or older. Additionally, I proposed the use of Micro Influencers in an effort to maintain authenticity while still broadening the brand’s reach. Micro Influencers would include semi-professional fishermen, or even local businesses in the fishing industry. In a way, my father is a Micro Influencer since he is always advocating for the Solo Skiff, and posting all the fish he catches while using it. I am excited to begin assisting my dad and Tom in developing an official Instagram account in order to build and even larger community and further sales. 

I have included the link to the brand’s most viewed video as well as the company website. This is a shameless plug disguised as me correctly citing Solo Skiff. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awy0Tjfu4AA&feature=youtu.be

https://www.soloskiff.com/fishing-kayak/ 

[cassiesanchezstamublog]

Social Media & the Public Sphere

Today in class we had an intriguing discussion on whether social media, specifically Twitter serves as a public sphere and enables democracy within the United States. I did not have a stance on the subject, so I allowed other classmates to dominate the conversation while I listened in and gathered their differing opinions. It seemed to me that the overall consensus of the class was that Twitter does not necessarily enable a democratic society. This is because discussion is supposed to lead to democracy. Citizens forming and expressing their own opinions gives the power to the people, instead of the government having total power. 

I initially agreed with the findings of the class until I later reflected on democracy in general, and what it’s basic meaning is. In basic terms, democracy is supposed to award the citizens power over the state. I then considered other systems of government worldwide, and came upon China. Communist China is infamously known for stifling public opinion by blocking almost all social medias. It is much harder for China’s citizens to express their own opinions, especially regarding politics. 

Back to the U.S., social media in recent years seems bombarded by political disputes between its users. Instead of patiently discussing political differences, people tend to go straight to arguing whether their view is right or wrong. This online behavior has further polarized the political parties in the U.S. This was a significant point brought up in class. Is arguing about an issue the same as discussing it? No, not really since most of the time no resolution is achieved. That was the main point on why Twitter does not necessarily enable democracy. Although comparing it to countries like China who do not allow the use of social media, and therefore repress the expression of public opinion, one might adjust their viewpoint. Social media is definitely imperfect regarding the public sphere and democracy side of things, but at least it allows individuals the freedom to voice their views and beliefs. Even if an unpopular opinion receives backlash from others, at least we’re not living in China. 

[cassiesanchezstamublog]

Stay in Fashion Nova ‘cause she get it for free   -21 Savage

Founded in the mid 2000s, Fashion Nova is now one of the most popular clothing brands in the United States. Started from humble beginnings, Fashion Nova is now being mentioned in hit rap songs like 21 Savage’s, a&t. Back in 2015, Fashion Nova was still a relatively small brand whose clothes were not necessarily on trend with their target audience. Their target audience is women ranging from 18-25 who are interested in pop culture, designer clothes, and music. In 2017, the company made an outstanding decision to collaborate with the freshly famous female rapper Cardi B. 

This was the moment where the brand took off and gained a significant amount of popularity through Cardi B’s endorsements. By using influencers whose fanbase is similar to the clothing brand’s target audience, Fashion Nova was able to skyrocket their sales into the stratosphere. Fashion Nova took advantage of the combined diffusion of the music and fashion industries to create a desirable image of those who wear the brand’s products. This image can be roughly described as stylish, boujee*, and “hard”. The projection Cardi B gives off is similar to what Fashion Nova strives to transmit.

To bring the world famous rapper, 21 Savage into the mix; the act of mentioning Fashion Nova in one of his songs only furthers the popularity and solidifies the image the brand aims to project. The verse, “[she] Stay in Fashion Nova ‘cause she get it for free” literally depicts the exact marketing tactic carried out by the brand. Fashion Nova pays certain influencers to endorse their clothes on social media outlets such as Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat. This is an exceedingly wise strategy that an increasingly amount of organizations partake in, in order to reach their target audience. 

*boujee defined: https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Boujee

[cassiesanchezstamublog]

TMI: Google

After reading a compelling chapter in Christian Fuch’s book “Social Media: A Critical Introduction”, I learned how much of your personal information Google collects. I figured that the monopoly of a search engine company keeps records of search history and frequently visited websites, but not your name, birthdate, place of residence, interests, and so much more. All of this intimate information is collected for the purpose of providing ads that are relevant to your likes and interests. Upon learning this I was unsettled to say the least. I felt intruded upon by a company I really do not know.

To think of it from Google’s side of things, and not the consumer’s perspective is a rather challenging task. The invaluable services Google provides are mostly free to the consumers. For example, almost everyone searches things using Google instead of smaller search engines such as Yahoo or Bing. I mean, people always say “Let me Google it, to find out”.  That just shows you how dominant Google is in the realm of searching for information. In the eyes of this company, collecting personal data from all of its users is a form of ‘payment’ since the services it provides are monetarily free. Yes, privacy is a right that every U.S. citizen is entitled to, but we sign that right away when we agree to Google’s terms and conditions regarding the provision of relevant ads. 

In my mind privacy is important, but I have nothing malevolent to hide. Other than my odd search history ranging from the lyrics to Fergie’s song “Fergalicious” to festive dog costumes, I’m not embarrassed about the information I knowingly or even unknowingly provide to the company. Personally, I would rather not pay a monthly fee in order to access the vastness of information, cat videos, and everything else offered by Google. If providing this company personal information is the alternative, I’m not necessarily mad about it. The objection I have to all of this though is this:

How secure is all of my personal information stored by Google?

While Google is a multibillion dollar company who undoubtedly places a significant amount of time and money into safeguarding the millions of user’s information, there is always the chance that security can be breeched. This issue is one that each and every person should seriously think about before becoming a user of Google. There is a give and take for every situation and it is up to the individual to decide what level of privacy he or she is comfortable with. 

https://safety.google/privacy/data/

[cassiesanchezstamublog]

Kim Kardashian’s Social Listening Actually Pays Off

Everyone has heard of Kim Kardashian-West and the trail of controversies and drama her and the rest of the Kardashian-Jenner family leave behind. Back in June, Kim revealed her own line of shapewear named Kimono. Backlash immediately occurred with many claiming that the Kardashian was appropriating and disrespecting the Japanese culture. The very first chapter of Dave Kerpen’s book “Likeable Social Media” discusses the importance of organizations actively listening to their audience.

Social listening entails concentrating on how people feel regarding a certain topic, product, or service. It is not to be confused with monitoring which involves simply tracking what people are saying. Ms. Kardashian-West lent her critics an ear and renamed her shapewear line to SKIMS, adopting a suggestion from a Twitter user. By listening and actually utilizing ideas offered by potential customers, Kim displayed an exceptional use of social listening. Everyone likes feeling heard, and building that communicative relationship with potential customers is bound to benefit the Kardashian’s new shapewear business.

https://twitter.com/KimKardashian/status/1166012132711776256

https://twitter.com/yeekylizzle/status/1166012841532514307