Business Through A Social Media Lense

After watching the video lecture on implementation, I was able to see the value of implementation in a new light. For a consultant is is critical to know the ins and outs of your client in order to effectively utilize what they have built upon to encourage growth and advancement. In the world of business and marketing  today there is only so far you can go without proper implementation and understanding of technology because the competition is already adapting. 

My client Multidimensional Care Experts is apart of generation x which was a generation that got introduced to advanced technology in their adult years. In contrary the generation i belong to (Gen Z) have been adapting to technology since a young age. So the more difficult challenges would arise when the suggested implementation tasks required to be a little more tech savy which shows the divide in resonating with technology in a business sense.

Completing chapters 3 and 4 of the Hootsuite training has not only expanded my knowledge on content sharing but also showed me the importance of creating a strategical content schedule to maximize efficiency. Having a content strategy makes your job much easier by setting up goals to follow and organizing your content distribution. As someone who previously struggled with organization skills the Hootsuite modules have provided me with healthy and efficient tips that overall changed my mindset on how should be organizing my weekly content. The biggest takeaway from my experience with Hootsuite is the organization aids such as the content post timers that controls post for you and posts at the desired time you want and also the weekly content calendar. 

This is an example I found of a content calendar via Hootsuite

Having a content calendar is like having a content checklist that lays out the information being spread. Note that all content shouldn’t be the same across various platforms due to the fact that your audiences as well as the way information is displayed is different from say Instagram to LinkedIn.

Chapters 4 and 5 of the Social Organization helped me to better understand the importance of community collaboration and having purpose also some very key principles that contribute to efficient online community building. Community building will help with a growing businesses overall presence. Building a strong community will help to give people a reason to want to be apart of your online community and be more interactive. A community also has to be aware of the goals that are promised and planned to achieve so something to work FOR is established. This is why the No/go mindset should be adapted in business as explained in chapter 5. My interpretation of this mindset is to keep the bigger picture in mind while also acknowledging where you stand today and how you plan to proceed to grow then actually committing to your project or goals. Change is constant and independent but growth is a process that is dependent on your mindset. Think of a plant, A plant can not grow if you don’t tend to it but it will always change and whittle away if no effort is given to it. Your goals and projects should be seen as a delicate little plant that takes effort to grow.

After finishing Module 4 i have gained a lot of insight that i had not previously had in regards to building a community as well as tips to succeed. These steps can directly apply to my client as they effectively lay out a guide on how to use social media to optimize your community outlook. It is important to pay attention to the engagement that you receive on posts on apps such as twitter and instagram. Also something that stuck with me is finding the right times to post things and how that varies from each social media you decide to use. The time of day matters because you want your post to be seen by as many people as possible and this is helpful to gain more of a presence

Works Cited:

https://www.thecoachingtoolscompany.com/the-grow-model-explained-for-coaches-questions-tips-more/

Bradley, Anthony J., and Mark P. McDonald. The Social Organization: How to Use Social Media to Tap the Collective Genius of Your Customers and Employees, Harvard Business Review, Boston, MA, 2011, pp. 39-76.

After watching “The Legal Side of Big Data,” many concerns have been brought to mind that more people should be aware of involving the exploitation of big data and how businesses need to be more aware. And if they already are aware should make it a goal to limit the risk factors involving this issue. Big companies and well-known businesses like Target and Home Depot have become the targets for big data compromise. We have been witness to many big data compromises that affect everyday users such as what happened with Facebook but it is rare for it to make the news like this incident. There are many big data breaches that go under the radar due to poor management from companies that do not accurately assess and think about the effects it may have on their consumers because it necessarily does not stop their profits but directly affects their consumers. Consumers are not aware of the dangers of big data and how it closely affects them until they are the victim of a cyber-attack caused by a corporation having their personal information online and available. In the case of the internet and its usefulness, t's a dammed if you do, dammed if you do not type of situation 

This graph displays information regarding cyber security breaches and theft reports over the past five years and the trend is linear for the most part

What i’m taking away from Reading “The internet’s Original Sin” and watching Maciej Ceglowski’s talk, has  reinforced the notion that the internet was created for pure intentions but has progressed to be used for mass surveillance. The intention was not to be constantly watched with the internet but greed from companies to do things such as gather big data to optimize their profits led to the internet being the sinful as mentioned by Zuckerman.

LaLone, Doug. “The Legal Side of Big Data.” Panopto, 16 July 2015, https://chipcast.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=4fe95594-73e5-4b1a-8a3c-83896b88b6d9. Lecture recording.

Zuckerman, Ethan. “The Internet's Original Sin.” The Atlantic, Atlantic Media Company, 14 Aug. 2014, https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/08/advertising-is-the-internets-original-sin/376041/.

Three Reasons Junk News Spreads So Quickly Across Social Media by Philip Howard and Samantha Bradshaw was super eye-opening and talked about how junk news is spread throughout social media and the effects it has on the media. There are many different factors that go in to the spread of fake news. One of which that is Algorithm effects social media in a way that is geared to appeal to certain people and people a part of a specific audience or demographic. An example of this is how you may get different ads than your mom or best friend. I usually get ads about cats, astrology, and cooking, while my best-friend only receives adds about sports or cars that I will never receive.

Another reason junk news is spread so quickly in the world of social media talked about is Advertising. Advertising plays a big part in the topic of junk news because it is how the revenue is received. Advertisement is used by influencers as well as artificial intelligence and is designed to appeal to a certain emotion when seen by the right audience. An example of this tactic being used to fuel the spread of junk news is the concept of clickbait. The only purpose of clickbait is to attract attention and encourage listeners and readers to watch or read about a point or stance the creator is trying to get across. This method is used by putting an interesting statement or picture at the thumbnail to gain engagement. 

When I think of a social media consultant there are many factors that make up a good consultant to ensure a client is getting the best possible aid. The first of many requirements to properly consult a specific client would have to be the discipline to make yourself well informed and knowledgeable on the business/service you are trying to endorse. Your knowledge on your client's service/product will help you better understand how to go about relaying information, also where and whom your strategies will be publicized to. The next qualities that are without a doubt a requirement are creativity and optimism. In the world of social media today creativity means more than it ever has. The new theme of all social media platforms is captivation. Without a creative and optimistic mind, a consultant may find it hard to capture the attention of their audience.

Big data and algorithm technology are the worlds greatest psychologists.

The Documentary “The Social Dilemma” has raised the awareness of many people including myself about how social media is designed to manipulate our human weaknesses by using positive intermittent reinforcement. The documentary talks about the negative effects and just how little control we truly have over our screen time. Big Data and Algorithm are such powerful tools in the social lens because it is used to harvest information and tailor it to specific people to keep them engaged and makes suggestions to hold interests based on geolocation, history, and fitted to each personality. The algorithm is so intrusive to the point it can almost read your mind.

One of the first memories I have on the internet was influenced by big data through something we all call the YouTube black hole. I would always wonder how I would fall into a deep video binge as a kid. That is because my recommended videos were geared to catch my attention and built specifically for a certain audience that I fit into. This is also seen on newer generation social media like Tik Tok now so that “for you” page should be taken quite literally as it harvests your data and information to gear videos for you.  

The dangers of this data and algorithm exploitation are so broad that it's hard to comprehend that our personal information is closely monitored and sold anywhere to keep ads displaying that will appeal. The negative aspect of this exploitation is the fact that because of the personal information online there are ways that hackers or predators can also find ways to pick an unsuspecting victim. With all our information being online it just takes the right hacker or virus and your geolocation, address, passwords, and life are in the interest of danger.  

The uses of data harvest and algorithm are one of the main causes of trafficking incidents. Our phones are designed to keep and track everything about us, criminals exploit this flaw in technology and will attack victims with bait emails, text message links, and advertisement viruses that contains software that will locate and track victims. The dangers of big data and algorithm are terrifying and go deeper than what we can already comprehend on its base level.

So...social media had me by the throat

It comes as no surprise that going more than a few hours without my phone leaves me feeling anxious. I genuinely can't recall a situation where my phone was inaccessible to me in all aspects since I was a pre-teen. Our phones have become a necessity for daily life so I decided to do these experiments to test my willpower.

The first method I used to regulate my social media screen time was dedicating the first few hours of my day strictly to productivity and therapeutic me time. I dedicated two hours from the time i woke up to give myself a natural start to my day and to hopefully get some work done, listen to podcasts from my apple watch, or just make coffee and go for a walk without my phone. I put on the Moon Matters podcast on Spotify and began my morning walk with my coffee. I will admit I used my Apple Watch and Air Pods but I feel as if that is a cheat code since I don’t have any social media or entertaining apps downloaded on it. This first experiment made me feel more energetic and awake to start my day off and wake up my mind  

My next plan of action was to utilize the do not disturb feature on my phone for the entire day. This method was useful for me because I find myself glancing at my phone every time it vibrates or makes a notification which shifts my focus and makes me less attentive to whatever I am currently doing. During the first two hours I found myself getting antsy and constantly thinking of what notifications I had which in turn took a toll on my workflow. After about 4 hours I broke and looked at my phone but I told myself it was a reward for the previous hours that i had not and went on Tik Tok. After this, I kept my phone on do not disturb for the entirety of the day and I felt myself gradually lose interest in checking my phone the longer, I went without it as long as i was being productive.

The goal of these experiments were to monitor my social media use. Since doing this experiment I have concluded that in my case my social media use depends on my level of productivity. Meaning that if I am constantly doing stimulating things, I will not feel the urge to spend copious hours on my phone but when my mind grows bored of the said task I will resort to means to stimulate and compensate with social media. I mildly enjoyed this experimentation and i have come to conclude that social media has the world by the throat.

Why is it that we are so compelled by the internet?

Up until recently, I did not personally realize the intense grasp the internet has on my conscience. I say that the internet rules our conscience in a sense that we think about technology from the moment we wake up until we go to sleep at night. I have come to this realization through self-evaluation over my own internet usage. With the internet being the biggest service in the world there is no running from the reality that we all are addicted to it.

The efficiency of the internet is at its peak when it is in its most accessible form which is something that we all always have in at least a five-foot radius from us. Personally, I sleep right next to my phone which is a bad habit because it keeps me up at night as a distraction. When I wake up in the morning, I do not waste any time and immediately pick up my phone and get sucked into something on social media, and it is the most loyal routine my mind knows.  

The most impactful effect the Internet has had on my daily life has been the experience of online learning due to the pandemic. During the pandemic, I and as well as many other college students began to feel burnout from online schooling. Although I had to adapt some students like myself being a stem major were losing crucial parts of learning that I needed to succeed. I also still have effects on my mental health, attention span, as well as absorption of the material.

In Middle School, I used to go out on little camping excursions with my family and friends at a local campground. My mom would insist on me and all my friends that i brought along go without our phone until it was nighttime. This was my mom's way of saying go be a kid and have fun now that I realize. This is when I would do some of the fun things in Emma Rathborne’s article such as drawing, painting, and any creative idea that came to mind. In Emma Rathborne’s article, she goes in-depth inside the mind of a child before the internet. Max Stossels expresses how we have everything we desire in the palms of our hands, makes me wonder are we missing out on aspects of life by being distracted by the internet?

Some things I will like to start intentionally doing regarding technology is first to limit my use of technology at night because of the toxic effects on my health and sleep schedule. I would also like to have purpose when I use technology if its a means to make money or to network. 

Hi Everyone! Nice to meet you all I’m Antonio Strong and i am at a junior status here at CMU studying Information Technology. I am from Detroit, Michigan and i plan on graduating from college with all the knowledge i need to further myself and those surrounded by me to their highest potentials. Social media is the new storefront and technology is the most used good in the world.My major has showed me that there are many ways to advance through technology and becoming more aware of social media is the key to business.With this blog, I intend to communicate ideas, network with classmates and learn together how social media can be applied to the business world. 

A business that i would love the pleasure of working with is -https://www.facebook.com/Multidimensional-Care-Experts-LLC-110580444198941

This Business has minimal social media presence as it is just recently started up. This business was made to be a learning course for nurses to advance their knowledge and be trained under well seasoned Nurse-Practitioners on MDS nurse training as well as MDS Coordinator Training. Multidimensional Care experts is a service that i see potential in for the nursing world as it improves the quality of the healthcare field. This business not only intrigues me because it is up and coming also because it was started up by someone close to me. My intent is to apply what i learn in this course and apply it to helping the business grow. In terms of presence i think this business lacks an abundance. A key that was in Chapter 2 of our textbook is ideas of  “Mass collaboration”  (Bradley, 2011, p.9-11). I have hopes to connect this business through many social media platforms and reach people with the desire to advance their career.

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