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Today’s post is dedicated to a project completed by my partner Kithion and I. Targeting teenagers we branch off into a discussion about Netiquette and Personal Branding. Check it out! 

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Kaushik’s blog post: https://www.kaushik.net/avinash/slaying-data-puking-dragon-effective-dashboards/, inspired me to create this infographic! Here are some ways to “Slay the Data Puking Dragon.” Check it out! 

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This week in my Digital Skills course we were given the task of learning how to code. Here are some of the badges I achieved and one of the codes I worked on :) If this sounds interesting to you, check it out at https://www.codecademy.com/learn !

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An Elevator Pitch

Coming up with an elevator pitch was not as easy of a task as I thought it would be. Like most people, for me it is hard to talk about myself and especially the good things about me. Essentially to me, what an elevator pitch is asking is, “how do you provide value?” This had me scratching my head for a bit, so I decided to exhaust some of my resources and tackle the task head-on. After asking my co-workers, friends and family members for their feedback, I got various answers and maybe some bias (as my mom is my number one fan) but I finally had some inspiration.

I also took this as an opportunity to do some self-reflection. I narrowed down moments in the last year that I was proud of and asked myself what character traits of mine helped those moments happen. For instance, my most recent job promotion I’d say was because of my determination and hard work. My degree almost being completed, is thanks to my patience, ambition and faith in God. However, I didn’t necessarily think these were unique traits, sure they’re valuable but not unique.

I then thought about my internal traits and things that make me a good person. As essentially these are what make you unique. I’d like to say I’m empathetic, I have a good heart and I’m determined. I’m a strong believer in a little determination goes a long way.

So here’s my elevator pitch: Sana is a strong, determined individual, with the right amount of brain and just the right amount of heart.

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An Internet Experiment

This week in my Digital Skills: International Innovation class, our professor put us up to an interesting task. We were told to download an internet browser called Firefox, an add-on called Disconnect and then surf the web. The add-on provides insights on what websites are being informed when you visit any page on the internet. So I decided to put it to the test. I watched some YouTube videos, did some online shopping, looked through my timeline on Twitter and went on a popular Toronto blog, called BlogTO. As I was surfing the web most of the websites had about 10-15 trackers but when I clicked on this particular article on BlogTo, all of a sudden the number shot up to 64 which was quite shocking. Websites like Instagram, google tracking, and information searching sites such as Facebook and Adsense all had access to that information. This was definitely an eye-opener because a simple website like blogTO had so many, you can only imagine the information that is being retained every second when the entire world surfs the web. Give it a try and let me know what you find! 

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Check out this project I’m working on with a colleague, here’s an outline of what is yet to come :)

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Everything You Need To Know On How To Google

Do you ever have a question you really want to know the answer to, so you head on over to Google and type your question in but don’t find exactly what you’re looking for? 

source: https://o.aolcdn.com/images/dims?quality=85&image_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fo.aolcdn.com%2Fimages%2Fdims%3Fcrop%3D2529%252C1581%252C0%252C16%26quality%3D85%26format%3Djpg%26resize%3D1600%252C1001%26image_uri%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fs.yimg.com%252Fos%252Fcreatr-images%252F2020-01%252Fb81d0150-3edb-11ea-b73c-fcc09f28d9c1%26client%3Da1acac3e1b3290917d92%26signature%3D1a284ece26c201c7865c1ade9752254b2259917b&client=amp-blogside-v2&signature=6c482c1a8ec775a40a56de1676af616909661dc8

Believe it or not thats probably the worst way to find what you’re looking for. 

Here are some commonly asked questions (when it comes to Google searches) that I've went ahead and answered!

1. How would you search for an exact word or phrase?

To find the exact word or phrase simply add quotations around the word/phrase and you will find results for words or phrases in that exact order. This narrows the results to better find what you are looking for, without excess words tainting the search.

For example: “Audi Q7″

2. How would you search for something on a specific site?

If you're looking for a specific item but don’t want to scroll through 10 pages of a different website, one way you can save time is through the site feature. Simply type “site:” followed by the website, and the thing you’re looking for and you’re set. 

For example: site:thebay.com Nike 

3. How would you correctly search for a definition?

To find out the definition of a word on Google, you can type “DEFINE:” followed by the word you’re looking to define.

For example: DEFINE: subliminal

4. How would you search for a specific product available within a specific price range?

When searching for a product with a specific price range, you type the name of the product followed by “lower price...higher price”

For example: Apple AirPods $100...$300

5. How would you search for a specific filetype?

There are many different filetypes such as .docx, .png, .xlsx so when looking for a document or article in a specific filetype it can be quite frustrating searching the web. To make it a easier you can narrow your search for a specific filetype by typing “filetype:__ + (whatever you are looking for)”

For example: filetype:pdf entrepreneurship 101

6. How would you include or ignore words in your search?

Similar to math, if you want to include/add words in your search we use the + sign. For example, if you're looking for a recipe on Google you can type “lasagna + how” and if you wanted to take away/ignore words in your search we use the - sign. So for example, if you initially wanted to ask Google “how to make lasagna” we can add “-to” to ensure we get the best results possible. 

7. How would you find sites/pages similar to an existing one?

If you really like a page/site you are on and want to see something similar, Google can help you do that. Simple type “Related:” followed by the website and your search results will find you similar pages.

For example: related: thefoodnetwork.com/pasta

8. How would you confirm the exact form of a quote even if you were missing some of the words?

To solve the mystery, simply type the words you do know and in place of the words that are missing use an asterisk (*) and this will help find the exact form of a quote.

For example: I love the way you * me

9. How would search for pages containing two connected words?

To search for pages containing two connected words, simply add a + sign between the two words.

For example: peanut+butter

10.How would you search for social media content containing a specific tag?

To search for social media content containing a specific tag add a hashtag (#) before the word or phrase you are looking for. This will show you everything on that platform that has been tagged the same way. 

For example: #drake

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How To WIN on Social Media

To keep up with current times, it is crucial now more than ever to know some best practices for social media, or what I like to call, WIN on social media. Here are some tips:

1. Keep posts short and to the point - less is REALLY more.

2. Use hashtags! This helps generate more traffic on your page or posts.

3. Engage with your audience. Learn what they like, dislike and what type of content they are looking for. This will help you curate content better catered towards them.

4. Be inclusive and respectful. This is KEY. Social media is UNIVERSAL, and your audience is of all ages, genders, religions, cultures and have thousands of different beliefs. Although, it may be impossible to offend absolutely nobody, be mindful of what you post and how others may interpret what you say.

5. Be yourself! Nobody can be you, better than yourself, so why try to be something you aren’t? It can be easy to get caught up in the social media frenzy but staying true to who you are will not only make you personable but will also help you generate UNIQUE content, which is what everyone is always looking for.

One last thing I wanted to add is, as you start using social media start thinking of what your personal brand is. What do you want people to remember about you, or how would you like to inspire others? What is your purpose on social media? This isn’t an easy process and is a very long work in progress and can also change as you evolve, but if you start thinking and curating posts to your brand now, you will be the ultimate WINNER.

Go ahead and post away, you are now ready to WIN.