johnsbusinessblog

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Client Implementation & Challenges

After watching this week’s lecture video, I can think of one challenge my client will face when implementing my recommendations. Specifically, the challenge of “…executives and managers lack the confidence to assign compelling purposes to communities and then allow the communities to find a way to fulfill their purposes.” My client understands the fundamental principles of mass collaboration and their focus is not on the technologies.

My client is limited on time and resources which makes it difficult to give their communities a compelling purpose. They don’t have a large budget for social media management and do not have a dedicated person who focuses on that aspect of their business. Developing the leadership qualities and building confidence in those abilities requires time and dedication, regardless of what field it is. Experience builds confidence in your leadership abilities.

Since my client (and I) lack experience with building social communities, it is hard for me to say whether they can overcome this challenge. My client has great leadership in place; their business wouldn’t have made it 70 years otherwise. Overcoming this challenge will require applying and focusing their leadership efforts into forming a compelling purpose for their online communities.

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Effective Content & Social Organizations

Developing and sharing effective content is not as simple and straightforward as I thought coming into the class. It is, but it isn’t. A strategy that works for one company doesn’t mean it’s going to work for another company. Hootsuite breaks it down into four lessons, but there is so much that goes into each step. It starts with identifying goals and aligning them with your companies values and image. You build your strategy around these goals by determining who your target audience is, the type of curated and created content that will fit with your values, and setting a schedule for sharing content. It’s simple in thought, not so much in practice. Being effective means the content you share reaches your target audience and adds value to your business. To truly be effective requires an investment of time and resources. To be an effective Social Organization, learning to manage your communities is just as important as managing any other aspect of your business.

When sharing content and engaging with your communities, it’s important to understand the platforms you are using and align the content you share with your values. This was one of the biggest obstacles with my client. They are located in my hometown and have been family owned and operated for almost 70 years. They wanted their social media to represent the ideas of a small, tight-knit community that takes care of family. While reviewing their content and metrics, we discovered that message wasn’t being conveyed through their social media. We worked on a plan that has those values at the center. It’s too soon to tell, but they have gotten a bit more engagement from their community. It’s not much, maybe a few more shares, comments, or likes on each post, but it was enough to get them started. It was enough for both of us to see that investing more of our time and effort into learning and building off that little bit of success could turn into something more.

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The Social Organization and Hootsuite

After reading Chapters four and five in The Social Organization, there are two primary steps to building an online community, each one having their own sets of effective principles. First, you must form a vision for you Community Collaboration. Then, you develop a strategy for Community Collaboration based on your vision.

When you form a vision, it’s important to understand when Community Collaboration is more suitable and when it is less suitable. It is more suitable for broad observations and gathering perceptions, but less suitable for deep analysis and gathering facts. Another effective principle is applying the concepts of your organization’s goals and culture. When forming your vision for Community Collaboration, the strategies that you implement should lead back to your organizations goals and fit in to the company culture you are creating.

A Community Collaboration strategy clearly identifies which communities your organization will monitor and support, how your company supports them, how they will collaborate, and you can expect to gain from it. It starts with selecting the community collaboration approach to pursue, and then determining when and where to invest resources.

 After completing the Hootsuite modules one thing I learned about growing an online community is curated content versus created content. The general rule of thumb given in Module 3 is 40% created and 60% curated content. I found this rather surprising because I assumed it would be the opposite, with most of the content being created internally. Of course, the numbers can change based on your organization or industry. However, I always assumed there was a lot more pressure on companies to continue creating content. The client I am working with creates 80% or more of the content on social media. We are working on increasing the amount of content posted to their platforms, but it hasn’t been easy. By focusing on curating more content (and balancing that ratio) we can increase the content shared, page views, engagement, and the size of their online community.

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Big Data, Security, and Surveillance

After watching Doug Lalone’s Chipcast, “The Legal Side of Big Data,” businesses should be aware of the social responsibility of storing and using big data. The data gathered from customers and users is a valuable resource. Security breaches from hackers can cause damage to the business’s customers and the business itself. I think of it like a bank. I put my money in a bank account and trust the bank will keep it safe for me. Businesses should treat big data in the same way. Consumers should be aware of the same thing. Be cautious of what information you are sharing and what businesses you share it with. Take extra steps to safeguard your data.

The best way to balance the opportunities and threats presented by the development of big data is strong privacy policies that are explicit and transparent on how your data is stored. There should be mutual consent and agreement between the customer and business. There could even be legal consequences or insurance plans in the event of a data breach.

 After reading “The Internet’s Original Sin” and watching Maciej Ceglowski’s talk, I have a different perspective on internet business models. Many of these companies started out with good intentions, they weren’t trying to create business models that rewarded surveillance. They evolved over time. Companies such as Facebook grew to billions of users. Their advertisement plans changed over time as they collected more data from their users. Now, we are to a point where some companies are tracking nearly everything we do online, and there is no real way to stop it or opt out. Your history online is still out there, stored on a server. It’s reasonable to expect companies to want to make money and carve out their own niche on the internet. But how far is too far? Where do we draw the lines and set the boundaries for what information is ok to collect, store and for how long?  

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Junk News - Algorithms, Advertising, and Exposure

Algorithms

When it comes to algorithms, I believe they have their benefits, but I also have concerns. In terms of benefits, I appreciate the personalized content. About a month ago I upgraded my phone, and I had some issues transferring my data and information to my new phone. Two-factor authentication is great until you realize the old phone is needed to verify your identity. It took me about three days to get my new phone set up. In those few days my Google feed was filled with links, articles, stories, videos, and more content I had no interest in. I missed my personalized feed that gave me the latest news on my favorite sports teams, DIY project ideas, dinner recipes, or the latest Marvel movie trailer. The algorithms can be a major time saver when browsing the internet.

On the other hand, the article has a point when it comes to “junk news.” If a person isn’t careful, they can get trapped in a thought bubble or echo chamber. My uncle is one of those people. I watched my uncle go from a kind, thoughtful, and intelligent individual to a radicalized conspiracy theorist during the 2016 and 2020 election cycles. He frequently shares content that can be found here.

Both businesses and individuals should be aware of what these algorithms actually do. I believe businesses have a responsibility to use these algorithms carefully. Many businesses have large followings which make it easy to spread misinformation quickly. I also think businesses need to conduct themselves in a way that does not restrict the freedom of speech, such as this. On the flip side, individuals need to use caution when surfing the internet. I no longer go to one singular news source for information. I look for the same news stories from three to four different sources in order to reduce my own confirmation bias.

Advertising

Advertising and Targeted Ads contribute to the same issues I pointed out with algorithms. Someone like my uncle most likely started out with clickbait. Paid advertisements from political campaigns which were designed to get an emotional response from users just like him. I view clickbait as a cancer on social media and the internet in general because of this. There can be some benefit to targeted ads. It just depends on the content of what is being advertised. I found the company I talked about in my introduction post through targeted ads. 

For businesses, advertising is a potential ethical issue in my opinion. I personally feel it is wrong for companies to pay to manipulate, deceive, and misinform users. But it’s hard to say what consequence there should be without restricting speech.

Exposure

I’ve already discussed exposure in the previous sections a bit, but it is something we all need to be conscious of. As the article explains, we all have a tendency to limit our own exposure to ideas and opinions that we support. I think it’s human nature. We have a desire to be around people that we agree with, people who share the same beliefs. 

Out of the three points, algorithms, advertising, and exposure, exposure poses the biggest danger. We don’t control how the algorithms are programmed or who can pay to have their advertisements show up. We do have some control over our exposure. It is what we choose to expose ourselves to online that determine how the algorithms personalize the content we see. It is what we choose to expose ourselves to that can change the targeted ads and clickbait that pop into our news feeds. It is all of our responsibility to choose wisely.

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Week 4 - Social Media Consultation

There are several qualities that I believe are important for a social media consultant to have. Personally, I feel these are the same qualities that a consultant in any field should have. First, a social media consultant should have experience. I think it’s important, if you are giving advice and direction to others, to have experience in what you are talking about. The amount of experience is not as important, but you have to know the playing field. The second important quality is relevance. Experience is great but means nothing if it is not relevant. Five years of social media experience with platforms such as Google Plus, MySpace, or Friendster does not count for much in the current landscape. Finally, you need to have had success building communities of followers who are engaged. Communities as in plural. This shows that you have both relevant experience and have the ability to duplicate your results.

If I were advising myself, as a consultant, the first thing I would say is to get started.. Post or share something and do it consistently. I am not active on social media, and haven’t made a meaningful post in almost five years... I am a spectator in the social media game and you have to be a player if you want to win. The next strategy I would advise is to decide who you want your followers to see you as and tailor your content to support that persona. In addition, your online persona has to be authentic. The internet is great at exposing people who are fake and disingenuous. 

Like I said, I haven’t made a meaningful post in almost five years outside of this blog, so I haven’t done very much to build a social media presence. I also turned off all notifications from social media to limit my time spent on the sites. I’m honestly still a little creeped out by the documentary we watched. The time I have saved myself in the last week has been spent learning more about best practiced. It’s a start. My plan is to update all of my current social media accounts and create new accounts on the platforms I don’t use. From there, I’ll be taking my own advice by starting to post and share content. I need to take the leap, get back in the game, and be authentic in the way I play it. 

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Week 3 - The Social Dilemma

After watching the lecture video and the documentary The Social Dilemma, I was shocked by some of the information. Last week for the social media experiment, I came to the conclusion that social media (and technology in general) are a big distraction in my life. The videos confirmed my opinions and added some extra layers to them. Social media is a large distraction in my life and the companies that created these platforms are actively trying to distract me and are getting better at doing it.

Big data and algorithms are such powerful tools because they have the ability to shape human behavior. Not only online behavior, but actual, real-world behavior. There are many different reasons why their use and/or abuse can be dangerous, and there are two that really stuck out to me. The first danger I see is the use of big data and algorithms as a means to distract large amounts of people from a potential global crisis. If companies continue to get better at buying our time, there is less time to focus on serious issues such as climate change and global pandemics. The second danger is a lack of regulations for large companies who are gathering our data, and then turning around and selling this data to the top bidder. The documentary references Russia and the 2016 election and also how fake news and conspiracy theories are able to spread and capture more attention.

On a personal level I can deal with these problems by not giving more of my own data for these companies to use against me. As a start, I removed all notifications from my phone outside of the most important, need-to-know information. Next, I will be more intentional about my use by setting limits on phone usage, removing apps that create the biggest distraction, and working with my wife to set some house rules for our family.

On a professional and societal level, I think some of these problems can be dealt with through regulation. I am not a fan of government interference and regulation. However, one of the government's primary responsibilities is to protect the people they govern from any threat, foreign or domestic. Since big data and algorithms do pose a threat to society, I would be ok with regulations of some kind. What those regulations are specifically, I don't know. It's our responsibility as a society to work together and figure that part out.

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Social Media Experiment: Part 2

For this experiment, I cut outmost technology for 24 hours. That includes cell phones, computers, TVs, and gaming consoles. I had to give myself two exceptions. The first was for phone calls and text messages. I did let my close family and friends know of the experiment, but in case there was an emergency, I still needed my phone available. The second exception was for the Pearson+ app on my phone. I'm taking another course, and the textbook is only available as an e-text. I would still need to read and study for my other course. I am not very active on social media in terms of posts, comments, or shares, so cutting out extra items such as TV and gaming consoles made this experiment a better fit for me.

This was a difficult experiment for me because of how much I rely on technology. I knew prior to part one of the experiment that I used technology a lot. However, after learning half my day is spent looking at a screen, I was nervous about part two. I have to admit, I slipped up three times throughout the day. The first time was when I woke up and shut my alarm off. I instinctively opened my social media before realizing moments later that "today was the day." The second time was around lunch time. I was reading my book, received a notification, and instinctually opened it before realizing shortly after. The last time was after dinner when I was taking care of laundry. I usually put on YouTube when folding clothes, and did it out of habit. I honestly don't remember turning it on, I just remember realizing 5 minutes into a video and turning it off.

My biggest lesson learned was how much time I actually waste on technology. I don't use it for long stretches, usually just to fill gaps in time. But that time adds up quickly. I finally took down Christmas decorations, completed two other projects around the house, and finished all of the school work I had planned for the day. It was the first day in a few years that I was able to check off all the items on the to-do list. My second lesson learned was from technology interrupting face-to-face communication. During part one, I learned I let tech interrupt this communication a lot. Without the technology, I was more engaged with my family without the added distraction. These two lessons had such a profound affect on me, I will be incorporating "tech-free" days into my weekly schedule from now on!

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Week 2 - Post 1

My biggest takeaway from the Max Stossel video is “You aren’t the customer for these tech companies, you are the product.” The large tech companies that create internet content are selling their viewers time, information, web traffic, and digital footprint in exchange for advertisers money. When viewed this way, it gives me a different perspective on how I spend my time online. I have been more conscious about what I’m doing on the internet, where I am going when I’m online, and what information I am putting out there. One of the tips Stossel puts out there is to eliminate any non-person/communication notifications. This is something I have already started doing with my phone and home computer.

After reading the “Before the Internet” article, I was filled with a lot of nostalgia from my childhood. I turned 30 this year, and although the internet was around during my childhood, it was not as vast and widespread as it is today. I was around 7 or 8 when my family got internet access, and within a year, almost everyone I knew had a family computer with dial up internet. One thing I was reminded of is how useful search engines such as Google are in our day-to-day lives. Growing up, if a nearby adult didn’t know the answer to a question, my parents would make me search through the encyclopedia. It would take hours and sometimes days to figure out an answer. Today, I have an answer within a few minutes. As a kid, I would ride my bike over to a friends house and hope they were home when I got there. Today, I can send a message to a friend and usually get a response within a few minutes. There are also apps such as Life360 which are very useful when it comes to location tracking. My wife and I have it set up as an added safety measure when we are on the road, but it has come in handy for other reasons. The app has saved me from several forgotten lunches and also added items to grocery lists.

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Introduction

My name is John Kocsis and I am a Business Administration major at Central Michigan University. I am currently in my second year at CMU. I attended GVSU after graduating high school for two years and put school on hold for about 10 years. I thought that I wanted to go into the medical field, but I realized quickly that field would not be for me. I hit the pause button on school so I could figure out what I wanted my life to look like before re-committing. After working a few years I discovered a passion for business management and leadership. I climbed the corporate ladder as high as I could, but ran into road blocks that wouldn’t allow me to progress any further. I returned to school so I could overcome these roadblocks and continue down my career path.

 I live a busy life. I am a full-time husband and parent, student, and employee. Between all three, I have just about every minute of every day accounted for. Time management is a skill that has become very important to me (and also caffeine). I work for Coca-Cola full-time as a logistics support lead. In this role, I direct the work force at our warehouse, manage our inventory system, and dispatch truck drivers for inbound and outbound deliveries. In addition, I cover the warehouse facilitator role which handles the warehouse’ schedule and compiles data for the reports sent to upper management. I also have a developmental role where I work with the logistics leadership team to further develop and refine my management skills. My goals are to finish my degree, continue to learn and grow, and start my own business. 

With this blog, I hope to gain more experience with social media. I currently do not have a social media presence. I have accounts so I can stay up to date with friends, family, and news. I understand that social media will be an important tool in my future career, so I would like to learn how best to leverage it.

One company that I believe does a great job with social media presence is Dr. Squatch. They produce all-natural, handcrafted soap for men, but they do have a full line of men’s hygiene products. I was introduced to the company through targeted ads. I enjoyed their advertisements and social media posts so much I decided to purchase their products. Their products are the best I have ever purchased. They do a great job of knowing their target audience, tailoring their business to their target audience, and connecting with them with creative advertisements through social media.

 https://www.facebook.com/drsquatch/

@DrSquatchSoapCo