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[prest1bk]

Implementation

I think the biggest struggle for my client implementing my suggestions will be time. My client is a small business operated by one person. Although there were some helpful suggestions not all of them can be implemented at this time, due to their capacity. In the long run as the business continues to grow and they take on additional personnel it might be easier for them to make changes. They were very open to the ideas I provided to help them meet their goals, so I see them overcoming their roadblocks down the line.

[prest1bk]

Word of mouth is vital for the survival of businesses, specifically small businesses. Small businesses rely on the recommendations and reviews of their audience. It is important for them to grow their community in order to grow their business.

Week 7 Blog Post

After completing modules 3 and 4 there are several ways that effective content is developed and shared. Examples given within the module are diverse content, inclusive content, and engaging content. The following article highlights just how important it is to be inclusive in your content that you are releasing as it helps to broaden the customer base, brings life to the company, and can help you earn points with younger generations.

By becoming a social organization you are furthering your companies effective content development as well as sharing. As you interact with those who are commenting, liking, and reviewing your posts, you are building a community around your company or brand. As you build this community, those who regularly interact with your content can start answering commonly asked questions. If they positively review your brand/product online, that could be utilized as curated content that the brand can repost as well as the original post directing viewers to your brand due to the positive word of mouth. As your community grows, you will have more positive word of mouth as well as more content that has already been made to choose from.

[prest1bk]

I agree that it is all about reaching your target audience. If you are not reaching the right people you are not creating effective content. Keeping your audience engaged is key to establishing trust and loyalty.

Week 7 Discussion

The key to effective content is showing the right thing to the right people. You could have the best content ever, but without the appropriate audience, it might as well be useless. These two things go hand in hand. With an audience that is engaged, interested, or curious about your content, you must be able to put out the best stuff you can in order to keep them coming back for more. One example of effective content is Patagonia. Their 2011 Thanksgiving ad called "Don't Buy This Jacket" led to an over 30% increase in sales. The purpose of the ad was to make their audience take into account the cost that the jacket is making to the environment and to consider buying a used jacket. This is basically reverse psychology on the highest level. They know their fan base is very loyal and they share a lot of the same views, but telling them not to buy their product made them want it even more.

[prest1bk]

Effective Content

Effective content is content that engages your target audience and establishes your brand through optimization. It is important to understand who your audience is and how to engage with them in a way that makes them feel like a part of the conversation. A brand that does this well is Coca-Cola. Coca-Cola over the years has relied on their Share a Coke campaign. They encouraged their audience to share images of themselves with their Coke product. Coca-Cola also sold personalized beverages, and to this day you can order a bottle with your name/phrase of choice. This created an atmosphere where the audience was a part of the conversation and were engaged with the product and company.

[prest1bk]

My company also was not looking to utilize influencers at this time as it is not a practical business practice for them. However, utilizing social media to establish contact and personal connections with their customers is key to establishing their community. As they are a small business that will rely on word of mouth and recommendations to survive and thrive in their market.

Growing your online community

After reading this week’s readings in chapters 4 and 5 in our textbook and reading this week’s Hootsuite I have learned the effectiveness of building an online community and how to go about growing that community.  Our textbook it is talked about how when building an online community, you first need to envision your goals and not only what you want from this community but also what this community will look like. This can help a lot when starting because it can help you to plan out your steps to get you where you see yourself in this community you create. Moreover, this week’s Hootsuite it is talked about how your online presence is significant and you should keep this clean, and it should resonate not only with you but with your audience. You can do this by using influencers as it is stated in this week’s chapters. However, it is wiser to use smaller influencers when you first start your online presence because they are cheaper and more trusted on their platform by their followers. Growing your online community can be hard but it is very important when it comes to sales nowadays because social media is how most people find new products nowadays. I believe that businesses need to make a social media presence to grow. For instance, I have attached this article that states 5 big benefits of having social media for your small business. For instance, it is stated that using social media makes it easier for you to invest time into your customers and to learn about them with just a touch of a button and it also helps you to stay on trend that way your company can stay relevant. Although the company I am working with does not look to use influencers right now due to budget. They do plan to use strategies such as using social media to communicate with their customers to find new ways to catch their attention and also stay on trend with their likes and dislikes.

[prest1bk]

Brayden, The client I am working with is also much too small to think about working with influencers. There target audience is their local community and there is not a need for marketable content on that large of a scale. However, I too have taken what we have learned about using different platforms for different content and put that to use.

Online Community Building

The Social Organization chapters 4 and 5 lay out the problems where community collaboration is appropriate. There are problems that will either benefit or be hindered by the use of social media. Specific industries benefit better than others. Retail companies can utilize social media better. I liked reading about the "Six F" Model of Attitudes. It shows six different attitudes that a company forms towards social media. There are some attitudes that impair the company's ability to build an online community because they see social media as either useless or detrimental. The companies need to understand and embrace how social media can be used for good. The book also emphasizes the importance of purpose. There needs to be a common purpose for a group to effectively utilize community collaboration.

Hootsuite step 4 was focused on the growth of an online community. I thought it was super beneficial to hear how to utilize influencers. The company I am consulting is a little small for that but It did give me some ideas on how to use social media. I want to be able to utilize some local faces that are well know in the industry.

[prest1bk]

Social Media Community

What I took away from the discussion this week was the importance of building a social media community. Over the last few weeks while focusing on my client for the client project we have talked about connecting with potential clients and who the target audience is. This is where it is important to develop a social media community. I am working with a small local business that relies heavily on recommendations for their services. For a small business like this their online community is the same as their local community. With access to social media it has made it easier to engage with and reach a larger portion of that audience in a more efficient way. We have made headway utilizing the various platforms in different ways. At this time I would not recommend that my client works with an influencer, as there target audience is local, and they are a one man operation. If their business expands and they bring on additional staff that might be something to look into in the future.

[prest1bk]

I don’t believe a subscription based model is feasible. They will not make as much money as they do with advertising. Their bottom line is more important to them. They will lose users, as not everyone wants to pay for the service. Users will lose access to engaging with news in real time. What this boils down to is the need for better regulations on how are data is used, stored, and sold and the elimination of targeted ads. We wouldn’t need to separate from advertising entirely, but eliminate advertising designed specifically for the user.

Business as always...

It is sad to know that almost an entire persons life of searches or posts are in a data base somewhere. Companies will try and succeed to commercialize anything. With the internet, companies were able to collect and sell our data to advertisers. I do not believe that this is a secret. Everyone has heard that Facebook has been selling user data to advertisers. I just can not find a way to justify this. When advertisers get a hold of your data they are able to advertise specific products and services that one you would be more likely to buy.

If this is the only way that online companies can make their services "free", then they should all just switch to a subscription model or something. I do not believe things will continue on this path forever. There are two outcomes I think will happen. First, something new or probably worse will be introduced. Second, we adapt and create regulations that can stop companies from having a monopoly all the worlds data. I am rooting for the second outcome cause it is probably what we will have to do to protect us from ourselves.

[prest1bk]

I agree that it won’t change. Zuckerman discusses having users pay for the privilege of using platforms, but that’s unrealistic as it will decrease their profits. Likely many of their current users would stop using the platforms all together, but even if they didn’t they wouldn’t generate enough revenue to come close to what they make in advertising. I think the solution to this is regulations on how our data I used and stored and possibly eliminating targeted ads.

Internet Business Models

Websites and social media platforms need to make money to continue operating. They generate revenue through a variety of methods. Mainly, the source of revenue generation that has become most popular is an advertising model. Ethan Zuckerman has a great article about the internet advertising model titled, “The Internet’s Original Sin.” In this article, Ethan describes how intentions were good at first, but the ad-based model eventually took over the internet. This slowly led to internet companies increasing surveillance on its user to better target advertising. For the user, the positive fact about this model is the website is free to use. The negative fact is the user unknowingly is under surveillance and is being recorded. Maciej Ceglowski touches on this topic in his talk, “The Internet With a Human Face.” Maciej describes the internet path that we are on as very dehumanizing. How can we change this current internet business model? I believe this is the question lots of individuals are fighting to find an answer for. The fact that everything we do is recorded and stored in a database is concerning. Until there is another business model for internet revenue generation that’s as profitable as the advertising model, I don’t see this data collection changing.

[prest1bk]

Advertising and Your Data

If a service is free you are the product. The internet is forever. The data that is collected is out there and never really goes away, it exists somewhere.

Zuckerman discusses removing the need for advertising by charging a user fee. Honestly, in my opinion that is an unrealistic solution. I think it is a classist way of thinking to deny access to public platforms in this day and age.

Like it or not social media isn't just used as a platform to engage with friends. It is how people stay engaged with news in real time. They shouldn't be cut off from that because they cannot afford a monthly subscription to social media platforms. I think there are other protections and safeguards that can be put in place to protect data before we change entire models of platforms.

The data usage and storage needs to be regulated. There needs to be checks and balances put in place for how our data is used and stored. Regulations in place for what happens to that data when a company is no longer in operation or is sold. Perhaps the outcome isn't that we eliminate advertising all together, but that we eliminate targeted ads. Or allow people to choose how companies advertise to them.

[prest1bk]

I agree that it is up to individual to be more aware about the content they are sharing on social media. I said something similar in my own post. We need to pay attention to the content we interact with and be careful about what we are consuming. It is important to research the source and fact check information before we share it to others and add to the problem.

Social Media Junk

Over this week, we read the article "Three reasons junk news spreads so quickly across social media". Within this article, many implications are discussed which uncovers why unpopular content or controversial content is shared due to algorithms, advertising, and exposure. In regards to the algorithms that social media uses, many of these algorithms promote content based on impressions, not positive or negatively categorized. Because of this, many content which people interact with the most, are negatively promoting content, or things that draw negative comments out of people. I have experienced this first hand when using twitter, as on twitter, the algorithm is to promote impressions and further reach of the post, however the majority of the time this leads to negative threads of back and forth debate being promoted.

Businesses should be aware of this trend, and foster further impressions with the content that they share on social media. This can in turn allow for the next piece of content to be shared to a further audience. Also, individuals should be aware of this when considering the content that they are receiving on social media. What is the algorithm determining about you due to your search history?

[prest1bk]

I think these are excellent and important qualities for a social media consultant to have. This was a well thought out list of qualities that anyone should be looking for in a consultant. It is important for a company to work with someone that is communicative and effective in supporting their brand.

Constructive Consulting

In my opinion, a skilled social media consultant is someone who has:

Strong understanding of social media platforms, trends and algorithms.

Excellent communication skills to convey insights and recommendations to clients.

Creative thinking and problem-solving skills to develop effective strategies.

Knowledge of digital marketing and advertising.

Good organizational and project management skills.

Ability to work well under pressure and meet deadlines.

If I were to be a social media consultant for myself, in regard to my professional social media platforms, I would suggest a lot of changes, including:

Developing a consistent brand image and voice across all of my social media platforms.

Creating and sharing engaging and relevant content that aligns with my professional goals.

Building a network and engaging with my followers by responding to comments and messages.

Keeping up-to-date with the latest social media trends and best practices.

[prest1bk]

Misinformation

Over the years as social media platforms have expanded we have changed the way we get our news. With the ability to reach millions in seconds news breaks on platforms like Twitter. The issue with this is that in an urgency to break the news first there is a lack of accountability to verify information and sometimes they get it wrong. With the added complication of anyone having the ability to say anything, true or not, with a massive reach. There is also the case of misleading headlines with the knowledge that those who share it are unlikely to read the article, often known as clickbait. It is easy to spread outrage or misunderstanding this way. The spread of misinformation has been rampant online for years largely unchecked. Twitter implemented a fact checker in January 2021 to try and combat the spread of misinformation across the platform. I think it is important for users to be wary about the content they share on their social media and take that extra second to read an article with a misleading headline, or fact check information as to not be a part of the problem.

[prest1bk]

I agree that is not realistic to completely delete our accounts. The internet is forever, our data is already out there. From a mental health perspective if your social media usage is impacting you negatively you should step away. I have in the past temporarily deleted my social media accounts to take breaks from the platforms. Currently, I have my notifications shut off for the platforms, so that I don't receive updates or notices throughout my day unless I am actively using the platforms.

The Social Dilemma

Big data and algorithms are both powerful tools that contribute to the specialization of what is being marketed to us but they come with many dangers. The documentary, The Social Dilemma, on Netflix explained and showcased how dangerous it can all be. They explain how these companies have made it their goal to keep us engaged and active so they can receive the biggest pay out from advertisers as well us only seeing what they want us to see. It had former employees speak on the techniques used to keep us addicted to our screens, such as notifying us when we are tagged in a post or photo and having to click on the notification to see what it is rather than it be on the notification itself. So once we are on, we are on for at least a few minutes if not more. With more and more use, the algorithm gets "smarter" and more in-tune with what we as users want to see. It essentially chooses what we see rather than just what is out there and available. This can close us off from other opinions that help expand our mind, leaving us to fall victim to believing we are "right" because it is all we see.

I feel these problems can be dealt with on the personal level by limiting our use of social media as a whole. Although it is not realistic to completely delete our accounts to everything, perhaps we can limit the ways in which these companies grab our attention. Such as setting time limits of our usage per day or turning off all notifications. On a larger scale, the documentary mentioned that the direction we are heading in is not at all beneficial to us as users but it would take a fundamental change with these social networks to correct it.

[prest1bk]

Hi Naudia, I agree with this statement, "However, nothing is ever free and if it is free then you are the product being sold in the situation", and posted something similar in my own post. When we download these apps and agree to the terms and conditions we allow them to use our data to sell. That is how they make their money. They have a business to run and employees to pay. They sell our data because we sign it over to them and then algorithms are designed based on our interests and usage.

The Social Dilemma

After watching the instructor’s lecture and The Social Dilemma I have concluded that big data and algorithms are compelling tools. Big data and algorithms are very powerful because they can censor your social media world and show you only what they want you to see to get more activity time. This can be very dangerous, especially if the power is in the wrong person's hand because they can abuse the system. For instance, in the Netflix documentary, the example of purchasing a phone is used. Because we spend money to buy a phone, we expect the amenities to be free such as the apps. However, nothing is ever free and if it is free then you are the product being sold in the situation. Social media companies such as Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok have access to all our information to better operate their algorithms’, this could be a big risk if your information falls into the wrong person or company’s hands. These issues can be dealt with on a personal level by slowing down my weekly phone use to rely less on my phone for the information I retain. Moreover, professionally I believe that companies care more about the financial aspect than the ethical aspect of having access to our information. Because of this, I believe that there will not be changed in the professional world anytime soon because their only goal is to be better than the next social media platform. Lastly. I believe society should start taking the time to think and learn for themselves and should stop feeding into social media algorithms by relying less on social media to get our daily news. 

[prest1bk]

Social media algorithms and data



Nothing in this world is free. If you are using a product, but you aren't paying for it, YOU are the product. We allowed the sale of our data the second we agreed to the terms and conditions and downloaded their apps.

I think the thing that is scary about algorithms is how individuals use them. Algorithms are designed based on a users behavior and the content they interact with. There is no shortage of misinformation being spread on social media. Social media has a large reach. Anyone can say anything they want, truth or not, and it can be spread to millions instantly.

I cannot tell you how many times I've seen someone share an article with a puposefully misleading headline use to incite a reaction (typically outrage) without bothering to read the article first. The media that uses these headlines know what they are doing. This is one of the easiest ways misinformation is spread. It if often followed by a comment from someone that bothered to read the article and point out that the headline is misleading, but it is too late, the damage is done.

Unfortunately, social media isn't going anywhere. We can choose not to participate, but to not participate is to close ourselves off from the world. It is how businesses further their reach, how we can expand our networking pools, how we get our breaking news. Even choosing to step back at this point we've already created an internet footprint. Knowing that the algorithm is designed for me I have opted to diversify the content that I interact with. I actively seek out differing perspectives and individuals from different backgrounds, so that I am exposed to larger viewpoints. I know that I am the product and that my data is being used against me. The only thing I can do is try to make it work for me.

[prest1bk]

Parker, I can definitely relate to opening Facebook or Twitter for wind down moments. It is often what I do at the end of my day. I will just scroll through and watch a few videos. I mentioned using social media as a social anxiety avoidance tool in my own post. Moments when you are alone, or there are lulls in conversation. You touch on moments I didn't in your own post. Lines in the store, or walking alone. Even without my phone I don't interact with other people. Just quietly observe what is happening around me. I think I prefer scrolling through my phone in those moments.

Social Media Experiment

I will just say, this was not easy. As I stated in my previous post, a lot of my job entails me working on social media. This means I had to wait for the weekend before attempting this experiment. I did two-twelve hour gaps where I took a break from social media. I structured it this way over the last two days so if I needed to, I could respond to clients and leads. It was extremely difficult to see information and updates come through on both work related topics and personal things and to just ignore them. I will admit, there were a few times that I came close. It was more difficult to not "stumble" on there versus seeing a notification and opening the application. I am someone who very easily will get on a device for something very specific and end up scrolling through Facebook for five minutes before I realize that I did do what I got on that device for in the first place. Trust me, when I say this wasn't easy, it wasn't. When it comes to social media, I am hooked because I get a lot of my news and updates from Twitter and Facebook, as well as a lot of time to wind down at times, or even to avoid situations that I don't want to be in (i.e. walking alone in the grocery store, standing in line at the gas station, waiting for my coffee order, etc). What else am I supposed to do? Interact with people? It's not that I don't enjoy conversation, because I do. The issue is that I love it so much that I can get caught talking with anyone about anything for a long time and then I'm running late for whatever is next. So this is why I default to social media. As a result of this experiment, I did this both times I was out in public during this time. So, yay for social interaction!