Stephanie Nelson

Social media sites provide different platforms for sharing and receiving information and connecting with others. A few years ago, (post Myspace but pre Twitter) we all just used Facebook for everything and anything we wanted to share- photos, status updates, sharing interests, chatting and finding friends. Recently, however, the socialsphere has given us seemingly unlimited mediums to choose from to share our content. It raises the question: how do I know what to share where? Certain people seem to think you should share everything everywhere but in all honesty that can be painfully annoying for followers. Here is the breakdown of how I try to use some of the major social platforms:

1. Facebook - this is my home base. I have built up my network of friends for years and my personal profile is now literally a timeline of my life over the past 8 years. I use Facebook to share bulks of photos in albums and view and comment on others' photos. I provide some basic personal information and interests in my bio. I try to limit status updates to big announcements or events. I mainly use Facebook to stay connected with extended family/old friends/co workers/classmates. It is a way for people I don't speak with on a regular basis to see what I have been up to lately and stay involved in my life-- and vice versa. 

2. Twitter - Twitter has taken unnecessary status updates on Facebook and made them okay. Although nobody probably cares if "I am eating a sandwich," or "the weather is so nice today," they might want to know about the cool new restaurant I am eating a sandwich at or if I have any exciting plans for outdoor activities. I do not think Twitter is just for constantly telling people what you are up to at all points of the day, but if you have something interesting to share with followers- even if it probably won't change their lives- there is no harm in tweeting it! I try to avoid sharing my opinion on controversial issues, like politics, but I will absolutely tweet about relevant issues. I try to keep my tweets light and funny and representative of my personality and interests. Some of my tweets are commentary of an awards show I am watching, a funny quote or incident, or shout outs about positive/negative experiences as a consumer. I think the general rule for tweeting should be "would you care or be entertained if someone else said this?" Nothing is more annoying than those people who use Twitter as their personal diary/therapist. 

3. Pinterest - I use Pinterest for my own personal benefit. I follow other people/boards to find ideas and pins that appeal to me and I repin them so others can see them too. I do not link my Pinterest to other social sites such as Twitter or Facebook because I do not think anyone cares about the cupcake recipe I may or may not ever actually make. I could probably step up my participation on Pinterest by submitting my own pins.

4. Instagram - I think a lot of people are confused about how to use Instagram. In my personal opinion, it is not for sharing 25 versions of basically the same picture. I aim to capture an event or situation with one or two pics that I share with my followers. I tend to share my Instagram posts on my Twitter (and occasionally Facebook if it is really exciting) timeline for those who don't have Instagram yet, but not every post. The main point here is that Instagram is for creativity, not just selfie-pics or entire photo shoots of the same event. 

5. Linked in- This is for professional use only! I use Linked In to keep my experience information current and detailed, and to connect with people on a professional level. This is not for sharing status updates about your new puppy (hello Facebook!), but rather to expand your network and profile your career. It is a good idea to endorse others of skills and hopefully it will be reciprocated. 

Growing up in the first generation of heavy internet users, I was always warned about being cautious online. Now that the use of social networks has become a worldwide practice for business, news, pop culture, entertainment and its main purpose- socializing- is the threat of online predators still looming around every hyperlink? The answer is most definitely yes, and probably even more so. With the various platforms we use every day for social networking, it is important to know when and how to protect ourselves from revealing too much information that could result in cyberstalking or cybercrime. The problem is how can we be sure how to protect ourselves while still growing our own influence and networks? Here are a few general tips/things to remember for all social platforms:

1. Private-shmivrate: Just because your profile is "private" to other users unless you approve them as a friend/follower/etc, does not mean your information is really a secret. The internet is like one of those sticky mousetraps, anything you post has the potential to be saved, grabbed, reposted, or hacked. However, Privacy settings do help keep your information and postings private from a lot of unwanted visitors and should still be used whenever possible, but the point is that there are always loopholes. Think before you post. 

2.  TMI: Do not post anything on social networks that you would not willingly tell a stranger. Your birthdate, address, phone number, etc are all pieces of information that can help contribute to fraud and identity theft. If a random stranger on a street corner asked where you live or when/where you were born, hopefully you would not feel comfortable sharing the answers. Limit your personal information on social networks. If one of your friends or family members needs to know your exact birth day/month/year, they can ask you themselves. 

  3. Um.. Do I Know You?: Enabling privacy settings only helps when you monitor who you are accepting as a friend/follower. Even though you have to "approve" requests, make sure there is a legitimate and identifiable reason they want to follow you. For most of us social networkers, it is unrealistic to decline friend requests from everyone except your closest friends and family. The safest option is to decline from anyone you do not know, but ALWAYS use your judgement and look for red flags on their accounts. For example, if they are following 209,745,683 on twitter/instagram but only have a few followers/posts, you probably should not accept their request. 

  As we expand our use and knowledge of the cyberworld, cyber predators are doing the same. This DOES NOT mean we need to avoid social networks all together, but we should be informed and intentional with our online activity.

http://mashable.com/2013/04/07/linkme-wrist/

"LinkMe is a Bluetooth-enabled device that lets users view incoming text messages or social-media alerts on their wrist. They send a message with their smartphone via an app, which in turn, will be displayed on LinkMe.

"It's that simple — in meetings, in class or when you have your hands full, you'll be able to receive the messages that matter to you most," according to the device's Kickstarter page. "

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As I was anxiously awaiting the start of the ACM awards last night (yes I am a country music groupie), I decided to check out the social presence for the big show. I was thoroughly impressed to find a well organized and carefully planned social campaign laid out for the event. The main page on the website was a social media goldmine, complete with real time feeds from various social networks. The images below depict the awesome social marketing efforts of the ACM awards. 

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Now I know this can't be the first time this kind of thing has been done to organize the social efforts of a single event or brand into one easy to digest location, but it was the first and most impressive example I have ever seen. So it got me thinking...

http://mashable.com/2013/03/29/red-marriage-equality-facebook/

"It was everyone from senators and public figures to your everyday individual," Khoo said. "I think what that says to the young person who's feeling isolated and alone is that there are people out there that love you. When the Internet is washed with red, it has some significance." 

-The Human Rights Campaign's Director of Marketing, Anastasia Khoo

  I found this article after writing my most recent post regarding social networks and social movements, such as the fight for marriage equality. It was interesting to see it from the perspective of the brains behind the operations (or social campaigns), the people who made it all happen. It was interesting to learn the significance of the red color of the logo. The HRC changed the traditionally blue logo to red to represent love, which is the basis for their movement, to promote an equality of love. 

"That only happens from the act of courage of people saying, 'This is who I am,'" she said. "This is a really great first step for many people who hadn't come out or for straight people who had never shown their support before." -Khoo

We all have those friends on Facebook that share their opinion on every possible subject, whether or not anyone cares to hear it. I really do not need to know the details of your stomach virus or your strong political affiliations. However, I do see the relevance of using social media to promote important social movements and causes. Recognize this? 

The recent campaign for marriage equality got me thinking about when and what is appropriate to share on social networks. While I am no die hard activist for any specific campaign, I do feel strongly about a handful of issues, and I think social media is a great way to simply spread awareness of those issues. 

There are plenty of arguments against using social media to promote social movements, mainly due to the redundancy and viral effect they can create. Additionally, certain people feel it is pointless to promote social causes on these networks because simply sharing a status or link or changing your profile picture isn't actually going to invoke any significant results. I disagree. Social networks can create meaningful changes because it inspires people to get educated, involved and passionate about certain issues.

Here's a decent example: A little over a year ago, there was a massive campaign regarding Joseph Kony. An advocate for the nonprofit Invisible Children directed a short documentary revealing the horrible acts of Kony and the importance of putting an end to his torture. The youtube video went viral in a matter of days and my timelines on twitter and facebook were filled with posts about the issue. The intent of this campaign was not to encourage social network users like myself to go on a man hunt to find and eliminate Kony. Rather, it was a way to create buzz and awareness about an issue that the majority of people had never heard of. The Kony youtube video inspired me to post statuses and tweets and do a little more background research on the issue as well. I recently learned that there was a law created that offered a cash reward to any individual who provides information to the government regarding Kony's whereabouts. Although the law was not necessarily created as a result of the widely viewed youtube video, the viral campaign likely played a significant role. Congress cares about what the people care about. I would like to believe the issues that are most important to the nation often receive the greatest priority on the government to-do list. A controversial issue such as the Kony campaign cannot be swept under the rug after millions of people became aware of it, thanks to social media.

http://socialmediatoday.com/helen-nesterenko/1319696/5-hashtag-mistakes-learn-enhance-your-twitter-strategy

Exactly one week ago today, I was reconnecting with the world after being MIA (on a cruise) for almost 8 full days. Okay okay so it wasn't so bad cruising around the Bahamas for a week. BUT I didn't realize how much social media plays into my connection and awareness of what is going on in the world. We all know how addicting social media is, especially for those of us with smartphones, where Facebook and Twitter are literally at our finger tips 24/7. Not having my phone was nice because I felt very present in situations and conversations with my friends. Everyone paid 100% attention to living in the moment, not distracted by various social timelines and updates. Nevertheless, I learned how social media is pretty much my primary source for getting the latest news. When I turned my phone back on upon docking back in Charleston Sunday morning, I couldnt wait to log in to all my social sites to catch up on what the rest of the world has been up to. 

This break made me realize how important social media is in the news industry over all. As we learned in class, our society has changed from a gather then deliver information system to a deliver then verify information system. People want the news as it is happening, which is where social media comes into play. Social media sites allow instant, real time updates for news stories to unravel. Although the first claims may turn out to be different as more details are uncovered, social media is a great resource for news professionals to use. The example that first comes to mind for me is the AJC twitter account. Followers can actually tweet to the account with tips of information and to inquire about specific situations, such as traffic conditions or newsworthy events. Through these social platforms news has become mobile and instant to a wide audience. 

Although many brands are still getting the hang of the whole "social media thing," some have jumped right in with two feet. Social media marketing is no longer an optional marketing strategy. Through the semester, I have become acutely aware of just how important social media is to literally EVERY industry. I am shocked to discover the variety of brands that are pushing creative social media marketing campaigns. Blah Blah Blah.. so where is this all coming from? 

Yesterday I was taking my adult gummy multivitamins (yes- gummy vitamins) when I noticed something unique on the label. Right next to all the standard company information (their logo, website, location, phone number) was two little well known icons. My vitamins actually used the signature Facebook and Twitter buttons on their label to let consumers know they are on social media! My first thought was - why would anyone want to connect with vitamins on social media? However, I am sure there are individuals out there who saw the icons and ran to their computer. Nevertheless, I respect the brand for being aware and involved in the social media game. I'm sure there are many other brands that have started printing these icons on their labels as well, this is just the first time I have seen it. I think it makes the brand seem relatable and obviously aware of their consumers. Obviously I am an avid user of social media, so I respect, and sometimes prefer, brands that understand the significance of social media as well. 

HOWEVER

I decided to check out their Facebook/Twitter pages since I am giving them so many props. Unfortunately, I had trouble finding the brand's pages on both websites. I think this is a HUGE red flag for all brands to take note of. Do not promote your social media involvement if it is not easily accessible, or existent. If you put a Facebook and Twitter icon on the bottle of your product, I expect at least a decent and entertaining account on each of the websites. The specific username information is not listed on the label with the icons, and simply searching the brand/product name doesn't work. After scanning through pages on the company website, I discovered the links to the Facebook and Twitter accounts. It seems like they are doing a good job on interacting with consumers on these sites, but I had to dig around to find them. They should have made big links to facebook/twitter visible on the HOME PAGE of the website. 

Conclusions: If you want to be a leader in social media marketing- be accessible! 

"Facebook Buzz About 'Best Picture Nominees' Is Way Up This Year"

http://mashable.com/2013/02/24/oscars-facebook-buzz/

Response to mashable article:

http://mashable.com/2013/02/16/facebook-parents-kids/

In light of the most hated/loved holiday last week, I got to thinking about how social media impacts relationships. There are new social media platforms designed specifically to use your existing networks (mainly Facebook and Twitter) to connect you with potential romantic partners. I am specifically referring to two iPhone apps called Tinder and Lulu. On Tinder, you are shown a picture and basic information of candidates and can "pass" or "like" them. Tinder links to your Facebook account and uses your existing network of friends and geographic location to find people in your area and in your extended network of friends. They may be people you already know or friends of friends, but you can see how many shared connections you have with each person. When you "like" a picture of a person that has also "liked" you, its a match! I think app is funny because there is no way to filter the candidates you are shown. It gets really awkward when you have to choose to pass on someone you know well, such as a close male friend. 

Lulu is a little more fun in my opinion, because it is designed specifically for females. The app also links to your Facebook to establish a network of connections, but it is completely anonymous. Lulu is used by girls to give and view ratings to guys they know based on several factors such as looks, hook up, personality, etc. The ratings may provide other information such as the guy's relationship status, age, college, and favorite place to hang out. The app is pretty creepy, especially since many of the guys do not even know about Lulu, but it is fun to see what others have to say about certain people I know. 

Even Facebook is following the social media matchmaking trend. It seems like more and more people are finding relationships in nontraditional ways, particularly, through social media. Although these platforms are not as serious and in depth as the notorious "dating" sites such as match.com, social media platforms allow for users to find and learn about each other. In all honesty, social media is the first step to determining if you want to pursue any kind of relationship with another person. What is the first thing you do when you meet a cute guy and want to make sure he's not a complete weirdo? Look him up on Facebook. Even though you may not be using the social media matchmaking services to seriously find a mate, you are using social media to build relationships and connections with people. 

So what does this have to do with marketing?

Brands know that people use social media to build relationships. The whole point of social media marketing is to build brand awareness and connect with their customers. Using these platforms, brands can help individuals connect with each other, as well. Although the advertisements on Facebook/Twitter can get a little annoying, I do "like/follow" pages that a friend of mine has promoted if it appeals to my interests as well. The pages that an individual follows can reveal a lot about their personality and interests. 

http://mashable.com/2013/02/10/grammys-social-media-2/

After watching the Grammys, I think this posting is so interesting. The article reveals how Grammy nominees in various categories compare on social media sites such as youtube, facebook, twitter, and instagram. I was interested to see how different some of the "stats" for each artist were. Some nominees had an enormous following on Twitter but significantly less on facebook. 

http://www.grammy.com/nominees

I heard a touching story last month and realized it was definitely worth sharing. As an avid follower of country music and a notorious animal lover, this particular story warmed my heart. If you are a fellow Social Media Marketing (Mark 5000) student, this story might sound a little bit familiar to one we heard in class about a socialite and a missing cell phone. 

On a stormy Sunday evening, January 13th to be precise, grammy nominated musician, Dierks Bentely discovered his beloved dog was missing. To make matters worse, the pup was not wearing his usual collar with his owner's information and contact number. The heartbroken singer announced via twitter, "jake has been missing for 5 hours now. jumped the fence during the thunderstorms. praying someone found him. a cold wet white dog. red collar." 

Bentley was shocked to see the outpour of concern from fans, fellow musicians, and Nashville residents. The entire community rallied behind Bentley to help aid in the search for Jake, including other country music stars such as Jake Owen and Jimmy Wayne. Even the president of Dierks's record label pitched in by driving around town in search of the pup. Bentley and friends posted updates via Facebook and Twitter throughout the search process. 

The following morning, Bentley reported (via social media of course) that Jake had been tracked down! A woman found the dog and rescued him from getting hit by a car. She had seen the buzz on Facebook about the missing dog through which she notified Dierks and his wife. The singer and his family were so relieved and thankful. 

Social Media did it again. Between the singer's enormous following and the help of friends and fans in the area, the dog was located by daylight.  This may not have been the same outcome without the successful use of social media platforms to disseminate information and establish a form of communication between Bentley and his community. Traditional media outlets are not designed for such news and events, but social media was the perfect strategy for locating the dog. This story warmed my heart because if my dog went missing, I would hope my friends/followers would help spread the word in the way Bentley's did.

Obviously the musician's celebrity status may have helped his cause, but I believe people would support and help others in similar situations. Social media allows individuals to participate and support things they care about in ways traditional media outlets never allowed. For example, I could share a posting on Facebook to my 2,000 followers in hopes it creates a ripple effect to get the word out. Simply generating buzz can lead to meaningful outcomes.

http://www.briansolis.com/2012/06/inside-look-how-the-boston-celtics-win-in-social-media/

In relation to what I discussed last week about social media's impact on the sports industry, I have been thinking about how it has changed the way we watch television in general. The social media revolution has transformed TV viewing into an interactive experience. My primary basis for this thought occurred when I was watching the Bachelor (I know I know.. Its my guilty pleasure) last week. I probably annoyed the majority of my followers with my scene-by-scene commentary, but I noticed how many of my friends were doing the same thing. Social media has allowed individuals to connect and share with others who have the same interests, in this case being a TV show. I had a blast tweeting and posting my opinions about each of the scenarios and contestants, and seeing what other people on my timeline thought of the situations. 

After this initial realization that I don't simply "watch TV" anymore, I started to notice how widespread this trend has become. There is even a parody twitter account for "Tierra's Eyebrow," based on one of the notorious contestants of this season of The Bachelor. Another example is with the infamous Kardashian empire. Every episode of one of their 25  (ok slight exaggeration) reality shows is accompanied with live tweeting by all of the family members. Singing competition shows such as  American Idol and The Voice have jumped on the bandwagon as well, asking for opinions on the contestants, and promoting their social media accounts as well. 

http://www.briansolis.com/2012/12/twitter-passes-200-million-monthly-active-users-no-longer-a-fad/