Why You Should Think Twice Before You Post

As a frequent Facebook user, it bothers me that teens and adults do not think twice about what they post online. More and more people need to think twice before they post certain language, pictures, videos, etc... over all social media pages. I have seen some people post some pretty graphic material on their websites; however, they need to realize that what they post could keep them from getting that job they have always wanted. If you think no one besides your friends or family will see what you post.....think again. Employers constantly check your social media sites. If you apply for a job, the employer can look for you on Facebook, Twitter, etc.... and see what kind of person you are before they decide to hire you. If you read the latest journal articles on hiring and social media, you will find that what you post online can have an impact on whether or not you get that dream job. However, do not take my word for it. Please do the research and you will out that what I'm saying is true. So I hope the next time you use social media, you will think twice about what you post. Have a great day!!!

Sources:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/jacquelynsmith/2013/04/16/how-social-media-can-help-or-hurt-your-job-search/

http://www.canadianliving.com/life/work/8_social_media_mistakes_that_could_damage_your_career.php

http://www.nwitimes.com/business/jobs-and-employment/how-social-media-can-help-you-lose-a-job/article_d3880539-75ce-5c2e-bad3-2fdbecc8dd65.html

Must Watch This Movie - Disconnect

Hello Readers,

This will be my last blog for a while. I plan to write again at some point but not on a weekly basis. These last few weeks I hope that you have enjoyed my postings and have learned a lot from them. I hope you learned a lot about media convergence, citizen blogging, crowd-sourcing, branding, and children/teens and using emerging media. One day when I teach communication courses, I hope to use this blog as an example for my students. As I end this chapter of my blog for now, I would like to recommend a movie that I have recently watched with my husband. The movie is called Disconnect. It is a great movie for all communication professionals to watch. The film talks about how we are so connected online; however, we are so disconnected with the people around us. The film follows the lives of several families that are somewhat destroyed via cellphones and computers. This movie is a wonderful film about technology and human relationships. The last blog that I posted concentrated on children and young teen adults and the pros and cons of them using technological devices. The movie Disconnect definitely demonstrates a teenager that has his life turned upside down because of mobile phones and the internet. The movie also shows how teenage bullying can go too far with the help of digital devices. As I have stated previously, technology is not all bad; however, if we become too consumed by it, it can destroy us. Both adults and children need to learn boundaries and establish limits when it comes to using digital devices. As you will see and find out, if you watch the movie, people that are sucked in and become addicted to technology tend to lose control of their own lives. If you want to learn more about the movie before renting or buying, please check out the link below:

http://disconnectthemovie.com/#/trailer

Thank you for reading my blogs. Please check back periodically for new postings. 

Computers & Smartphones: Safe for Children and Young Adults?

My nephew Jay using my Mom's laptop.

We all know that the world we live in today is a world of technology. Each day, more and more children and young adults are using technological devices such as computers, smartphones, laptops, iPads, and other tablets. The usage of technology by children and young adults has its pros and cons. Research suggests that some of the worries and cons to children and young adults that use the internet via computer or mobile device are the following concerns: privacy issues, bullying, pedophiles, spam, chain letters, withdrawal from the real world, and a false sense of security. Some of the pros concerning children and young adults that use electronic devices are the following: sense of keeping in touch with real-life friends, able to talk to and  bring up sensitive topics to their parents that the children/young adults could not do so in a face-to-face setting, cellphones are a quick and easy way to communicate and negotiate plans such as informing parents that the child or teen will be late getting home, and once again a false sense of security so that the child or teen can push the limits on where he or she wishes to go. Sonia Livingstone states the following about children and teens that use social networking sites, “social networking is time-wasting and socially isolating, and at worst it allows pedophiles to groom children in their bedroom or sees teenagers lured into suicide pacts whiles parents think they [the children] are doing their homework. (2008)” Sonia Livingstone has an excellent point. There have been cases where children and teens where solicited online to do sexual favors for pedophiles, weather sending inappropriate pictures or even worse such as meeting them in person. Also, there have been cases where children and young teens have made suicide pacts online. Wolak, Finkhelhor, and Mitchell state the following statistic concerning sex offenders soliciting youths, “Between 2006 and 2006, there was a 21% increase in arrests of offenders who solicited youth online for sex. (2009)” 21 % is a big increase when we are talking about the safety of our children and teenagers. Even if it was just one child or teen that was solicited for sex online by a pedophile, that is still one too many. As far as the suicide pacts go, there have been some occurrences where teens and young adults have gathered online to discuss suicide pacts. Some have even been successful with their mission. Parents have to be more proactive in their child and/or teen’s online endeavors. Kerry Devitt and Debi Roker states the following about the positives and negatives of children and teenagers using mobile phones, “the findings show that young people and parents see mobiles as a key way for families to keep in touch, and to monitor and ensure young people’s safety. However, some participants felt there was a downside to this, in relation to some young people either withdrawing into their own social worlds, or having a false feeling of security as a result of having a mobile. (2009)” Mobile phones do allow teens and young adults to fast and effectively communicate to their parents to let them know where they are at and how late they will stay out at night with a significant other or with friends. However, the participants are accurate in their assumption of teens and children getting addicted to the internet via mobile phones or computers while becoming oblivious to what events are going on around them. For example, young adults such as sixteen year olds that are able to drive have a higher risk in getting into car accidents due to texting while behind the wheel. (www.stopthetextstopthewrecks.org) The young adults become so dependent on their mobile devices that even while driving they think they must be on their phone. When they are on their phones, their attention is no longer on driving; therefore, causing some mistakes. There have been some occurrences where some young adults have died or killed others by texting and driving. Even though the mobile device does allow children and young adults to contact their parents, caregivers, or police in case of an emergency; however, the child or young adult may not be able to get to their phone in time during an emergency situation. As mentioned previously, young teenagers can get into car accidents while using their mobile phones. In a situation like that, the phone is actually the cause of the accident. Also, in Devitt and Roker’s article, they mentioned that mugging was a concern for both the young people and their parents. Both have concerns that people will see the youngsters with their cellphones and come up and rob them of their cellphones. (2009) In a case like this, the cellphone would not help the young adult get out of the bad situation but yet again be the cause. The use of technology by young people is not all bad. With the right boundaries set and proper supervision, the internet can connect a young person to a vast array of learning and positive communication. Students of all ages benefit from the seemingly unending resources that the internet can connect them to. The use of mobile communication by children and young people also has its advantages. In addition to being able reach a child, the parents can also use tracking technologies on most modern phones to keep tabs on their children. Technology can also be a good way to get young children interested in learning. There are games you can download on to your smartphone or tablet and even tablet type devices designed for children that are preloaded with software that is aimed at learning while playing. These devices come with parental controls that limit the amount of time a child can use the device as well as filter content during online activities. Just about anything you put into a child’s hands can be dangerous if it is misused or abused and technology is no different. There will always be threats from online, and young people will always try to get away with something if given the chance. However, with proper supervision threats can be avoided and with the right rules and boundaries set, technology aided misbehavior can be kept to a minimum.

References:

Devitt, K., & Roker, D. (2009). The Role of Mobile Phones in Family Communication. Children & Society, 23(3), 189-202. doi:10.1111/j.1099-0860.2008.00166.x

 Livingstone, S. (2008). Taking risky opportunities in youthful content creation: teenagers' use of social networking sites for intimacy, privacy and self-expression. New Media & Society, 10(3), 393-411.

 Wolak, J., Finkhelhor, D., and Mitchell, K. (2009). Trends in Arrests of Online Predators. Crimes against Children Research Center. http://cola.unh.edu/ccrc/trends-arrests-online-predators

www.stopthetextstopthewrecks.org



 

Image Is Everything

What exactly is someone’s personal brand? Nance Rosen suggests that your personal brand is your image and/or reputation. It is the image that you create for yourself to your family, friends, the internet, and the company and customers that you work with on a daily basis. Your personal brand tells the world what kind of person you are and what kind of personality traits you have. Your personal brand can also tell the public about which hobbies, travels, and projects you might be involved in; however, but they are not limited to such. Also, the public can tell whether or not you are easy-going, artistic, lethargic, egotistical, reliable, inventive, or any other trait that you might possess. (2013) So, did you know what you say and what you do online has consequences to your personal brand? Did you know if you post things that are unethical or immoral you could be putting your company and brand at risk? Nance Rosen states that anything you do on your social media website can have an impact on your brand. For example, whatever pictures, videos, and information that you put out there on the digital web such as on Facebook or Twitter reflects your brand, company you work for, and you. Therefore, if you post things like a half-nude picture of yourself or videos of you partying and drinking with a group of friends, the public and your potential clients will think that you do not take yourself and your job very seriously. People that were interested in your brand may not be so interested once they view your Facebook, Twitter, or other social networking page. However, this is a two-way street, because your Facebook or Twitter page could or might be filled with all sorts of family values and community projects. Therefore, having good morals will show potential clients and the public that you care and are passionate about your family, the community, and that you get involved. Potential customers will probably be more interested and willing to invest in you and your brand. (2013) Let us take a look back at the journalist that was fired for her confessions on her personal blog site.  Shea Allen and other journalists are supposed to uphold a certain type of image to the public so people like you and me will rely on their news coverage. Journalists have a certain code of ethics that they are supposed to uphold. Shea Allen’s blog reflects that she is a person that may not be trusted. She has obviously admitted to sleeping on the job and that she will ignore her clients if she deems them as boring. (Eck, 2013) This sort of behavior will not help her brand or the company that she represents. People that read Shea Allen’s blog will most likely, but not all, have a hard time trusting her. Another example of how someone’s personal brand can destroy their company’s image is the Jerry Sandusky sex scandal case. Criminal charges were filed against Mr. Sandusky for being accused of sexually molesting eight athlete boys from Penn State University. These charges and this case have had a huge impact on Penn State’s reputation. The school has lost donations, sponsors, and students due to the case. Jerry Sandusky’s personal brand has negatively impacted Penn State. Penn State will have to work hard in order to regain and rebuild their reputation. (Carpenter, 2011) Communication professionals need to be able to show the public and their company that they are hard-working, honest individuals that can be trusted. Also, Nance Rosen notes that it is highly important for professionals to stand out above the crowd on their social media websites. If your Facebook or Twitter page is boring, does not reflect your knowledge of your brand, or highlights you in some special way, you could be overlooked by potential employers. (2013) What is a good way to spice up your personal brand? For starters, do not post things that are inappropriate. You need to focus on your personal traits that will attract and appeal to potential customers or prospective employers. Larry Chiagouris and Brant Wansley suggest that your website must capture your viewer’s attention and build awareness of what your company and/or your brand is all about. Once you have the client’s attention, he or she will decide whether or not to do business with your company or you. Therefore, your website or social media site should appeal to the public’s desires and interest. Once a customer, client, or potential employer has become familiar with your website and you, he or she will trust you. When there is trust involved between others and you, the others will invest in your brand. You are more likely to get more job offers or your company that you already work for will increase in customers. Not to mention, if your company website does not look like a company that can be trusted, your customers will question whether or not share their most personal information with you such as their credit card number. The same is true for general brands. Companies like Yahoo and Amazon must keep their reputation shown in a positive light online. It is important for corporations to build a solid relationship with their customers. Organizations can do this by interacting with their customers on their websites and implementing strategies on their website that will continue to attract and appeal to the customer’s needs. In other words, the company must keep the customer engaged and satisfied. (2010) Branding is extremely important, and what you say or do has an impact on your brand. In conclusion, you always need to think about your actions before you do them, because a bad post or so forth can cause your company and you customers. As I have already mentioned earlier, cases like Shea Allen and Jerry Sandusky are perfect examples of personal branding that has gone wrong. In the world of marketing, it is completely true when they say image is everything.

References:

Branding on the Internet
https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:CQD6Zz-_tTMJ:ftp.cleary.edu/MKT/MKT415/MKT_415_M2_Branding_on_the_Internet.doc+branding+site:.edu&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESiT--i13I8OgmAGwZg1uCjVdkj0GLGFRkIU5FC2o_Y5hdPIDPNKRO1CE45GU4zyTcEWYaajY-NMMjCmKNnnncndAcEFBthpztrSBKo8YPK3hzNyEu-a4EW9g8xCXWn8btnm7w3G&sig=AHIEtbRrqOQkAOA4uiitlEtUQbM2JsEhWA

Fundamentals of personal brands
http://www.businessinsider.com/fundamentals-of-personal-branding-2012-10

Penn State Scandal: Image Damaged; What Can University Do? http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/20/penn-state-scandal-image-_n_1103713.html

 

Is Crowdsourcing A Good Thing?

Crowdsourcing is when companies use the public crowd to help the company solve complex problems. Crowdsourcing is an online distributed problem-solving and productive model that has emerged in recent years. Companies can post a problem online and a vast number of individuals can offer solutions to the company’s problem. Once an individual has a winning idea, that individual will be awarded some form of a bounty such as money. One of the many benefits to crowdsourcing is that the company does not have to upfront a huge amount of money to get professionals to help solve their problems. Many small corporations have had some success using crowd sourcing as a way to solve complex problems. In Daren Brabham’s article, he gives several examples of companies that have had success with crowdsourcing. Threadless and iStockphoto are two small corporations that have benefited greatly by the use of crowdsourcing. Threadless does not have to pay professional designers to design their shirts. Anyone that has access to the online world can go to Threadless’s website with a t-shirt design and if the staff like it and the design receives good ratings, then Threadless will adopt the contributor’s design. The individual of the winning design will get a $1,500 check and $500 worth of Threadless t-shirts. IStockphoto uses a very similar strategy. Amateur photographers submit three photos to be judged by the iStockphoto staff. Once the photos are picked, the photographer will receive a 20 cent royalty for every time their photos are downloaded. Each picture on the website cost from a dollar to five dollars. The more extravagant the photograph is the higher the cost of the image will be; for example, the best photos might cost forty dollars. Companies are able to use ordinary people that use the internet to help build their company without having a bunch of professional staff members. This allows the company to save enormous amount of money. (2008) The problem with crowdsourcing is that the crowd could turn on the corporation. When the crowd turns against the organization this is called crowdslapping. Think about it, the crowd that has the winning t-shirt design or winning photograph is not getting paid the same or nearly as much as someone that has professional training in design or photography. Also these freelancers do not have to be provided with health insurance, paid vacations and sick leave. They do not require an office or workspace nor does the company have to provide computers or software for these individuals. If the crowd were to become angry at the fact that their contributions do not match their compensation, such publicity could be damaging to the company. Some might even call it “labor exploitation on the internet (Brabham, 2008).” Also, the new age of crowdsourcing is causing professional photographers to become out-of-date. Brabham states, “Because of the willingness for amateur photographers to ‘dump’ their work on iStockphoto for next to nothing, professional stock photographer are becoming obsolete. The tragic tale in this loss of jobs is the last tail of an increasing obsolescence of the industrial economy as a whole, and the diffusion of technology (like the digital camera) spread of expert knowledge (via the web), and our discovery of value in amateurs can be seen as refreshing and liberating in its own way. (2008)” In other words, professionals are losing their jobs to crowdsourcing, because crowdsourcing allows individuals to connect with companies and be a part of the company’s agenda and product. So what is in it for the crowd? Well, the crowd can sport their own ideas and or photos. For example, an individual that won a t-shirt design could sport his or her own design; therefore, promoting him or herself as an innovator, creator, and designer. A winning iStockphoto photographer could add that to his or her resume or portfolio. The crowd gets to become part of a business or industry that they have not yet been able to break into as a full time employee. Individuals who would love to be a professional photographer can now participate with iStockphoto to reach their goals and dreams. Crowdsourcing is way for the ordinary person to play on the same playing field as professionals without having the proper training or a person who has the training but lacks the experience to land a job in their field. The crowd gets to be creative, and they do get something such as money or so forth for their participation. Not to mention, crowdsourcing participation allows them a chance to advance in their careers. Some of the people have become quite successful after they have dabbled in the world of crowdsourcing. Jeff Howe states that Ed Melcarek has made over $35,000 by solving company’s problems by participating on a website called InnoCentive. Mr. Melcarek helped solve a problem that Colgate-Palmolive was having concerning injecting fluoride powder into tubes without it disappearing into thin air. This particular problem earned him $25,000 for solving the case. Melcarek also received $10,000 for solving the method to purifying silicone-based solvents. InnoCentive is another website that allows the crowd to participate in corporate research and development problems. Just like with iStockphoto and Threadless, individuals can go to the website and submit solutions to several companies’ problems. (Brabham, 2008) Another individual by the name of Lisa Gagne has had huge success from crowdsourcing. She has had over 390,000 of her photos downloaded on iStockphoto. Her and her husband can now live very comfortably. (Brabham, 2008) However, another problem with crowdsourcing is that there is still a digital divide in this world. Not everyone is able to get online and have a fast connection speed. There are many individuals that are unable to get high-speed internet. Also, most people that are using the internet according to Brabham are white, middle to upper class people with higher education. Therefore, the digital divide is causing a lack of diversity in crowdsourcing. (2008) Much like anything else in this fast paced ever evolving digital world, there is going to be ups and downs and pros and cons. Crowdsourcing is no different.

References:

The rise of crowdsourcing
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/14.06/crowds.html

Crowdscourcing as a model for problem solving
https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:FzA8ZJPoDlgJ:citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi%3D10.1.1.175.1623%26rep%3Drep1%26type%3Dpdf+crowdsourcing+communication+site:.edu&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESgygsqMZduSX5CLJmU2wHUnsbcgKJw9fx6vpuga6n-iPHdgxdWukF0Ex3h0X77RfymaUXnxNxgWGUmwKyoD6t1rIy7yO6aQ6UhXb-zhFB7rOFMUhhYvBghNCPBfuJu62WRWYcEg&sig=AHIEtbRAO1nnozPTzolSo-nTgX0NOu0dww

Pros and Cons of Citizen Journalism

I guess the first thing to cover would be to define citizen journalism. According to Luke Goode, citizen journalism is associated with the internet; however, this is not always the case, citizen journalism does not always necessarily stay online. Sometimes professional journalists will use eyewitness accounts, pictures, or video footage as well as information found on the blogs of citizen journalists. Also, print media sometimes have columns written by citizen journalists called soapbox features. However, when the world of both the traditional journalism and citizen journalists collide, the boundaries start to become increasingly indistinct. He goes further to define the citizen journalist as being more than someone who simply comments, reposts, or tags pictures on random websites. A citizen journalist is someone who actually captures news worthy events as it is happening and shares it with the rest of the world. The scope of the citizen journalist is not limited to breaking news events. Investigative journalism is also becoming more prevalent in the world of amateur news. A person researching a company, business, or government agency for any number of reasons may stumble upon some sort of scandal or potential wrong doing relating to that entity. If this person takes this information and brings it to the public’s attention, they have just become a citizen journalist. Mr. Goode goes further to explain that we cannot ignore or dismiss the potential impact that citizen journalism has on traditional journalism. One of the problems with nontraditional journalism is the lack of regulation. A citizen journalist can take a story and rework, change, or alter a story as it is circulating online; therefore, changing the original story. In fact, without anyone to answer to or guidelines to adhere to, they can simply make up their own news and post it online. (2009)
The average American is getting more and more involved in the political process, thanks in part to blogging and citizen journalism. James Surowiecki said in his TED Talk video that, “we are giving people that have never been able to talk before a voice, and we are able to access information that has always been there but has gone essentially untapped.” (2005) Before the world became so utterly and instantly connected, we were unable to discuss things like news, current events, and politics outside of our friends, family, and coworkers. With the communication technologies now available to us, we can talk to virtually anyone, anywhere, at any time. Today, people can go online and create blogs, websites, and profiles to discuss and promote anything and everything. Scattered throughout the seemingly never ending sea of information at our fingertips is citizen journalism. Sometimes you can find it were you least expect it. Mena Trott created a blog with the sole purpose of leaving a legacy of herself for the future generations of her family. She felt it was important to make a record of herself so that they could know who she was, beyond what memories of her that had been passed down. (2006) Though this blog is very personal in nature, it has the potential to be a platform for journalism. For instants, if in one of her daily posts she happened to mention a car crash that she had witnessed then that could be considered citizen journalism. By posting the when, where, and what type of vehicles were involved and so forth, she would be considered a citizen journalist.
Of course there are draw backs to citizen journalism. James Surowieck mentions the following about blogging in general, that people tend to lose their individuality. They jump on a band wagon about a particular topic and begin to lose their own opinion on the issue in favor of the views of the majority within the group. (2005) This behavior could have an impact on citizen journalism. For example, say a person were to post a story based on some information he or she had. Then the person also read another post about the same story, that person is more likely to change their story to match the other story not knowing if the facts in the other story were true or accurate. This is when citizen journalist should always fact-check their information. Chris Measures, who has had 15 years of PR experience, suggests there are three reasons why people should be wary of citizen journalism:

1.      Citizen journalists tend to be bias. Professional journalists are trained professionals that look at both sides of a story and can write from a non-objective point of view. Citizen journalist does not have the type of training; therefore, their stories are not as credible as professionals.

2.      Citizen journalists are not trained on the libel law. Professional journalists do have this knowledge and training. They know what they can and cannot say in a news story. An example of this is when citizen journalists wrongfully accused potential suspects and alleged co-conspirators during and after the Boston marathon bombings. The citizen journalists caused the police to take longer on the investigation. It also caused huge problems for those that were wrongfully accused.

3.      Last but not least, citizen journalists do not realize the copyright issues. Once a citizen submits a story, video, or picture to the press or news site, that news sources has the right to use the material however they choose to use it. (2013)

Even though Chris Measures brings up three good points about why we should be wary of citizen journalism, the fact is they are not going away any time soon. Professional journalists and citizen journalists can learn a lot from each other and work together in creating the news. When citizens see things that are news worthy, they should tell professional journalists the story and details and let the professionals research the story more thoroughly and write the articles. However, there is no way to convince everyone in the world to do that, so for now my advice would be to always fact-check what you read online. Thank you for reading.

References:

Goode, L. (2009). Social news, citizen journalism and democracy. New Media & Society, 11 (8), 1287-1305. Doi:10.1177/1461444809341393

http://socialmediatoday.com/chris-measures/1430031/rise-citizen-journalism

When social media became news
http://www.ted.com/talks/james_surowiecki_on_the_turning_point_for_social_media.html        

Mena Trott on blogs
http://www.ted.com/talks/mena_trott_tours_her_blog_world.html

Social Media? What's The Hype?

Social media websites like Facebook and Twitter are changing the way the world communicates with each other. Social networking sites are also changing the way companies advertise and the way people receive the news. For instance, companies are using Twitter and Facebook to market products to people who have a common interest in their products. For example, I list on my Facebook page that I go to college and that I like certain types of movies. All I see now on my feed page are ads for colleges and movies. Also, people log on to their social networking sites to get the latest news. I know that I have learned about several stories from logging onto my Facebook page. However, I always go to creditable news media sites to research the stories that I see on Facebook to make sure they are true stories. Sarita Yardi and Danah Boyd suggest that there were over 30,000 tweets about the shooting of a late-term abortion doctor, Dr. George Tiller in 2009. People from all over started to dispute the pro-choice/pro-life debate. (2010) Social media has a way of getting people involved with the news. Actually, as I have mentioned before, ordinary people can now distribute the news. We no longer have to wait to watch the news on television. We can see it happening in real-time by using social media and other sites. Clay Shirky mentions in his TED talk that people can upload real-time news as it is happening. He gives a great example of how citizens in China uploaded photos and videos of an earthquake before any news source or government officials had a chance to say anything about the earthquake. Because the Chinese government and the media could not contain the information, the Chinese government placed a firewall so Chinese citizens could not have access to sites such as Twitter. (2009) The Egyptian Government took similar action when political uprisings in that country were being coordinated through social media sites. This is a huge change in the way news is dispersed to the public. Before the internet and social media sites, people watched the news on the television or read the newspaper. Professional journalist were the ones researching and finding out what was going on locally and around the world to tell the public of their stories. People had to wait for the news to come on or go buy a newspaper. The news was not in real-time, and people could not read it instantly at any given time. In today’s society, as long as you have access to the internet, you can watch what is going on around you when something happens.
Social media is changing how companies look at marketing strategies. Some companies are laggards in the use of social media for their business; however, not using social media could harm their business. There are many good reasons why companies should use social media sites. Splash Media states the following on their web-site about the top 5 reasons why companies should use social media sites:

1.      The conversation is already out there, so a company is either in the conversation or left behind.

2.      Facebook has over 618 million daily active users. A company cannot afford to miss all those people.

3.      It is an easy and immediate way to connect to both fans and potential customers.

4.      It is a way for companies to support their traditional marketing ventures.

5.      There is a huge benefit to having access to real-time market feedback and intelligence. (www.splashmedia.com)

Companies should participate and socialize with their customers on social networking sites. This type of interaction allows for organizations to know exactly what customers like or dislike about their products. Todd Wasserman notes that organizations can use the following three strategies to market a brand to consumers:

1.      Passion: When companies connect their brand to the consumer’s passions and/or interests.

2.      Personalities: When companies entertain consumers with their personalities.

3.      Transparency: When companies provide interesting or important information to the consumers about the product/brand.

 

The organizations can use one or all of these strategies at the same time. Companies who use the passion approach can upload pictures or commercials to their social media sites of their brand associated with something their customers like. For example, the Nike Company uses pictures of athletes associated with Nike clothing. Companies that prefer to use the personality strategy use humor or witty comments to appeal and attract consumers. For example, Geico uses a funny gecko lizard and camel to appeal to their customers. The transparency approach informs the consumers on what makes the product the best of the best compared to all other like-minded products.  For example, IBM uploads several blogs informing the public of all the new innovations that IBM has to offer the world. (2013)
However, there are some risks involved in using social media. Communication specialists always need to be professional on their social media web-sites. If communication specialists are not professional, it can cost them their jobs. They also need to be sure their personal sites and blogs are professional as well. Like it or not, what you post online can cost you your job. One journalist, Shea Allen, lost her job with WAAY for posting her top ten confessions on her personal blog. Among some of Shea Allen’s confessions, she admits to sleeping on the job, going bra-less during live broadcasts, and stealing mail and putting it back. (Eck, 2013) Once communication professionals enter the digital world, they are constantly being watched by the public and by their employers. Also, unfriending someone from your social media circle has real-life consequences. David Mielach mentions that social media users who were unfriended had a lower self-esteem, they felt unwanted, and a sense of loss of control. They were actually in a worse mood after a social media break-up. (2013) People need to be considerate of this when using professional or personal sites. Communication specialists should take the same precautions when posting on their company or organization’s web pages. For better or worse, social media has become an inescapable part of most people’s daily lives.    

References:

Dynamic debates: An analysis of group polarization over time on Twitter
http://www.cc.gatech.edu/grads/y/yardi/pubs/Yardi_DynamicDebates.pdf

Facebook unfriending has consequences
http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/3890-unfriend-social-media.html

How social media can make history (This is a TED Talk video)
http://www.ted.com/talks/clay_shirky_how_cellphones_twitter_facebook_can_make_history.html

   
Steal three social marketing tricks from top brands
http://mashable.com/2013/02/22/social-media-marketing-strategy/        

WAAY (Huntsville) reporter fired after posting a list of confessions to her personal blog
http://www.mediabistro.com/tvspy/waay-reporter-fired-after-posting-list-of-confessions-to-personal-blog_b98996

           

Are We Becoming Too Mobile?

My husband playing a game on his mobile device.

Imagine yourself in New York City walking the streets. What do you see? You probably see people walking all around the city talking on their mobile devices or texting on their smartphones. The world as we know it is becoming more dependent on mobile technology. Why is the new advancement in technology so important to strategic communicators and the media? Mobile technology has changed the way the public views the news. More people are going online and using their smartphones to find out what is going on in the world. However, statistics have shown that people still use traditional platforms such as listening to the radio or watching television news. (Blodget, 2012) As mobile users increase, companies are adopting a “mobile first” approach; however, the company should make sure that such a strategic plan is right for their company. The problem with the “mobile first” approach is that companies need to be aware of the digital divide. “The “Digital Divide” is defined as the gap between those with regular, effective access and ability to use digital technologies and those without.” (Boyera, 2004) Some less than fortunate consumers cannot afford cellphones that have all the fancy bells and whistles. Therefore, companies are going to miss those consumers. If companies use both traditional and mobile platforms to market their products then they will reach and meet the needs of all the population. There is no denying that mobile devices have changed our daily lives. We are more connected and accessible than ever before. There is also no denying the impact that mobile devices have had on media and marketing. In fact, mobile devices have become a huge market of their own. I would estimate that atleast one out of four TV ads are an advertisement for a mobile device or mobile service provider. Once you have connected online through your mobile device, you instantly begin to be bombarded with well-placed strategic advertisements. Even if you are not trying to surf the web, but you are simply playing a game you will see ads for other games or an upgraded version of the game that you are playing at the moment. Then you have to decide if you want to try the new latest game or upgrade the game you have. This is the mobile version of free samples much like the free samples you see at the stores and flyers and coupons in your mailbox. Unlike mass advertising through the postal service, mobile marketing can be better targeted at specific consumer groups. When you open your mailbox to find it full of “junk mail,” the inclination is to sift through it for bills and letters then throw the rest away without looking at the rest of it. However, when you open a frequently used app and are prompted to see all the features you can get by upgrading from the free version to the paid version you are more likely to engage in this form of marketing, because it is directed specifically at you. John McDermott states, “Despite having a decidedly negative view of mobile advertising, a significant portion of mobile users were open to mobile ad targeting based upon their personal interests (49%) and current location (43%).” (2012) This means that about half of mobile users are okay with receiving advertisements via their phone as long as it is geared to their personal interest and location.  For example, if you were a restaurant company that was only located in San Diego, California you would not want to send your coupons via mobile to people outside of the San Diego area. That would be a bad marketing strategy. Instead, you would want to send the coupons to San Diego residents that use mobile devices.

            However, there is a downside to all of this mobile usage. Rich Ling states, “The ringing of the device, the perception that one talks too loudly, and the sense that one coerces others to eavesdrop on their conversations are all seen as intrusions on the public sphere. (2004)” All too often we find ourselves in the uncomfortable situation of hearing a total stranger’s conversation, because they either do not realize it or just do not care that everyone around them can hear every word they speak. Even worse, in my opinion, are the people who carelessly use hands-free devices like Bluetooth headsets. These people walk around talking to themselves, and you sometimes mistakenly think they are talking to you. Another aspect of mobile dependency is the tendency to never put the thing away when socializing with friends or family. All too often when I get together with my family there comes a point when we all realize we are sitting in a room with every one of us looking at our phones playing games or even texting one another from across the room. Attachment to our mobile devices can be a social handicap if we allow the use of these devices to replace face-to-face interactions. I have noticed another side effect of the constantly connected world we live in. When getting together with family or friends you have not seen in a while, there is nothing to talk about, because everyone already knows everything that everyone has been doing; therefore, with a lack of conversational material, we revert back to playing with our phones. The same concept exists in the media. There is no need to wait for the six o’clock news when you can get the news in real time by going to any number of news or social media sites. Take the weather channel app for example, instead of waiting to hear it from the meteorologist on your local news cast, you can simply pull out your phone and get everything from a seven day outlook to hour-by-hour forecast with live streaming radar. I guess the key to it all is finding a balance between the real world and the digital world. Mobile technology has made our lives more convenient, but like anything else there can be too much of a good thing.          

References:

http://adage.com/article/digital/mobile-ads-disruptive-television-spots/238730/

http://www.businessinsider.com/survey-mobile-first-bad-strategy-2012-12

http://www.richardling.com/papers/2004_disturbance_of_social_sphere.pdf

http://www.w3.org/2006/12/digital_divide/IST-africa-final.pdf

Media Convergence: From Television to Netflix

What is media convergence? Encyclopedia Britannica states the following definition of media convergence, “phenomenon involving the interconnection of information and communication technologies, computer networks, and media content. It brings together the “three C’s” – computing, communication, and content – and is a direct consequence of the digitization of media content and the popularization of the internet.” (2013) What does this mean exactly? Well, when you use your smartphone or tablet to view or read the news, you are switching from old traditional media platforms to the new media platforms. Therefore, you are still reading the news; however, news companies are merging with the online world to better serve you. This allows you to watch videos and read the news online without having to buy a newspaper or be at home for the 5 o’clock or 10 o’clock news. People from all over the world have access to news 24/7 as long as they have an internet connection. Why is it a big deal? Anyone anywhere can post the news online; therefore, creating a very thin line between ordinary people and journalist. Regular citizens can post the news on their websites, blogs, and social networking sites. For example, say you are riding down the road and you see a car crash into the side of a building. You stop and record the accident with your phone and post it to your Facebook or Twitter account. You have now become what some people call a “citizen journalist.” Citizen journalists completely change how real journalists do their job. Anyone can now create and share content online. Before the digital age, people would buy a newspaper, watch TV, or listen to the radio to know what was going on around them in the world. Today, the audience members have now become the contributors of news. Differences between citizens and skilled journalist have become indistinct because of this media convergence. The problem with this is that regular citizens might be able to show a picture of a car wreck scene and give a brief description about the accident; however, a journalist finds out why this accident occurred in the first place. Therefore, are these “citizen journalist” real reporters? Are they considered credible? Do they ask the following questions like the experts: Was this person drunk? Did this person have a heart attack while driving the car? Or did the driver just lose control of the car? These are the type of things that an expert journalist would research. Media convergence is changing the way people hear and see the news, and media convergence is changing who is delivering the news. Journalist and communication specialist have to adapt to this new change. Communication specialist and journalist can use what regular citizens post online and research the story more to find out additional details and then reiterate the story for general public knowledge. They can contribute to a citizen’s post by giving more facts about an incident or story. Media convergence is also changing the way Nielsen measures television consumption. Traditionally, Nielson would measure what people would watch on television by sending out surveys to every American household; however, now these surveys will include people who watch television programming on their Xbox consoles and through internet websites like Hulu and Netflix. Nielson realized that more and more people were not using traditional media such as television to watch TV shows. More and more people are using the internet from their tablets or smartphones to watch their favorite TV shows. Also, as video gamers are becoming more popular, people are using their Xbox consoles to view television shows. Therefore, the Nielson has to adapt to the new digital platforms. Joe Flint states the following about Nielson’s new evolution: Nielsen's decision to change its measurement of television came as it noticed an increase in the number of homes not using traditional television systems consume television over the last couple of years. People are cutting the cord to their TV providers, younger consumers never sign up for these services. Instead they choose to get content through newer platforms such as Hulu or Netflix. (2013) Young consumers are deciding not to even purchase satellite TV or Dish Network, because they can see the shows online for free or for a cheaper price. If Nielson can get these numbers from the consumers this would change the overall data that will be collected in 2014. However, since people can view movies and television shows online, but they do not have to watch commercials. Yes, websites still have advertisement ads posted; however, the consumer does not have to click on them. Media convergence is also changing the way consumers listen to music. More people are going online to music sites such as YouTube, Project Playlist, and also downloading music aps on their smartphones to hear their favorite songs. Purchasing CDs are becoming the thing of the past, because we can go online for music. Websites like YouTube is a free service that lets users watch music videos or other types of videos from anywhere in the world. Consumers no longer have to go to local music stores to buy albums. Media convergence has completely revolutionized the way consumers handle business. Ever since the digital world became the norm, people can watch TV, download and listen to music, read and share the news, and buy and sell products online with instant gratification. Even sites like EBay and Amazon have changed the way we all do business. Everyday people can go to those websites and sell their belongings to other everyday people. Online communications is basically cutting out the middle man of purchasing products. For example, if my friend is looking for a school textbook, my friend can go online to Amazon and search for the textbook. Chances are my friend will find that textbook for a cheaper price than Barnes and Nobles or Books-A-Million. Another example is my husband is planning to purchase a good work truck. He visits Craigslist every day to find a good, decent work truck for a reasonable price. Before the internet, the only way to search for a nice, used truck was to buy a newspaper or wait until you see a truck for sale in someone’s yard. There is no doubt that media convergence is changing the world of business and communication.

 http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/1425043/media-convergence

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-nielsen-20130221,0,7681633.story

 

Where Have the Newspapers Gone?

Where Have All the Newspapers Gone?

Do you find yourself reading the news more and more online? That is because print media is possibly on its way out the door. More and more newspaper companies and magazines are going online. Mubashir Hassan states, “Daily newspapers in the US have lost 40% of their readership in the last 20 years. In 1991, 70% of people would watch TV for news, but now a 50% drop has been witnessed in their viewership.” (2013) Why such the decrease? Because the younger generation is going to social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Vine to get their daily news. However, there is still the older generation that still prefers to hold their news information in their bare hands. They want to turn the pages and get the ink on their fingers. They probably think it is silly to read the news on something that they see as nothing more than a video game. The average age for newspaper readers in the US was 54. (Hassan, 2013) That means there is a huge gap in the population that read print newspapers as opposed to those that do not read print media. Some say it is because young teens and young adults do not want to carry around a newspaper or have it laying around in their homes. Others say that it is easier for them to check the news on their phones or tablets. One study suggests, “Millennials are more likely to own smartphones and to use them for news, and far less likely to use print newspapers, radio or TV for news.” (Sonderman, 2012) The Millennials and Generation X have grown up playing with computers, smartphones, and tablets unlike the older generation. They are more likely to embrace social media sites compared to the older generation. So what is going to happen to print media? Traditional media will have to reinvent themselves to appeal to the new trend of online social networking sites. They will need to have Facebook and Twitter pages for the younger generation, but also stay true to their older, loyal readers. If the newspaper companies can appeal to both the younger more technology advanced user and still be able to print some newspapers for the older generation, the companies should be able to survive. However, Bill Mitchell states the following about newspaper jobs lost, “In its look at established media, the study found 5, 900 newspaper jobs lost in 2009 (in addition to a similar number in 2008), reducing newsroom employment at newspapers since 2001 by a third.” (2010) That means more and more people in the journalism and communication field are having a hard time keeping their jobs. This is why there is such a huge debate on whether or not print media is dying out. However, there is no denying that print media is declining and will continue to decline while consumers become a custom to using the internet and adjusting to social media sites like Facebook. Print media does not have to completely die out as some would say. Print media just needs to adjust to publishing their news stories online so they are still appealing to all types of personalities in people. There is no doubt that we are a nation of change; however, you will always have the laggards that will grit their teeth and stand their ground when it comes to not using technology. J Ford Huffman, an independent news-media consultant, suggests, “You can read the news on your iPad, but you can't quite snuggle up with your iPad like you can a good magazine. And you can't replace your iPad, in the same ways you can replace a lost newspaper.” (Social Driver, 2012) Huffman has a point. Newspaper prices range from $1.50 -$2.00 a paper, and iPads range from $400 to $1, 100. That is quite a big difference in prices. For example, if you were an iPad user and you lost your iPad, it is a lot more difficult to replace a $400-$1000 iPad in comparison to replacing a $2.00 newspaper. However, it is easier for some users to bookmark their favorite stories with their digital devices instead of relying on a print copy, because the hard copy could be destroyed or misplaced. The bookmark feature on computers or tablets allow users to save and revisit their favorite news sites. Also, digital media such as tablets and computers allow the consumers to make the font size bigger for better visualization. Also, digital platforms allows users to watch videos online and you are able to see the news as it unfolds. Not to mention, people who use online news sources can share the stories faster by copying and pasting the stories to their social media websites or linking the stories to their website. Also, they can e-mail the stories to family and friends. More and more people are going online to stay connected with others; therefore, they have the information at their finger tips at all times if they have a smartphone or tablet. They do not have to leave the comfort of their own homes or work stations to buy a newspaper at the local market. The downside to the digital aspect of newspapers is that it is limited in article material. For example, if a parent has a child that is on the honor roll, this article may be omitted in the digital platform. This is a huge disadvantage to the parents that wish to collect those articles for keepsake or scrap-booking. Another aspect of digital media is the immediate availability of information. As soon as news worthy events happen, they are almost immediately made available to the public. This can be a double-edged sword. It allows news media to get the edge on their competitors, being the first to post; however, this rapid turn around of information does not allow for in depth investigation of what is being reported. Whether or not you prefer print media or new emerging media, there is no denying that media is forever changing to the new world of digital technology.
References:
http://socialdriver.com/2012/12/is-print-media-dead-dying-or-drifting/
http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/international/16-May-2013/is-print-media-dying-in-the-us
http://www.poynter.org/latest-news/business-news/newspay/101368/state-of-news-media-documents-decline-spots-6-trends-for-reinvention/
http://www.poynter.org/latest-news/top-stories/190586/new-data-show-shifting-patterns-as-people-seek-news-across-platforms/

I am back to discuss Strategic Communication!!!

Hello Readers,

I am back and for those who are new to my page, my name is Jenny Nelson. I am currently working towards my Master's degree in Strategic Communication. I received a Bachelor's degree in English in 2010. I am currently taking my 6th class in my Master's program. I have four more to go before I graduate. I am hoping to graduate in July 2014. My blog will consist of topics such as the following: the latest on traditional media, social networking and strategic communication, media convergence, blogging, global impact of emerging media, and the future of emerging media. I will be blogging every week for the next nine weeks. I hope to use my blog as reference and teaching tool for when I start teaching Communication courses. I hope my readers will get a better understanding about strategic communication and emerging media and why it is changing and how it is evolving over the next few years. Please feel free to comment on anything I write. I would love to hear some feedback and would love to start communicating about strategic communications.

You can find my blog my going to my url:http://letstalkaboutstrategiccommunication.blogspot.com/

Reflections and Goodbye for Now

Thank you all for reading my weekly blogs. I have learned a lot about leadership and media in strategic communications these past nine weeks. However, I will not be writing in my blog for the next few weeks. I am hoping to continue with my blog, but I probably will not be posting on a weekly basis. I would like to take a look back at some of the things that my readers and I have learned from my blogs. I started out talking about the diffusion of innovation theory and why it is so important. I learned that the diffusion of innovation theory is a technique used to get people to buy specific products. I learned what early adopters and laggards are and why they are important. Also, the Word-of Mouth Marketing is still the best way to get people to buy products. Social media sites have made WOMM spread more rapidly than ever before. Social media is a great way to advertise products and push sales. I have learned the best ways to become an effective leader in the workplace. Communication can make or break a company’s reputation. Having an open-door policy allows organizations to be efficient and to be better prepared for emergency situations. I learned that vision is the key element of leadership. Without a vision and without the ability to communicate to other about your vision, change cannot take place within the organization. A leader is someone who can look beyond today and tomorrow and see a company in the future. A manager is someone who runs the organization and makes sure that the job gets done. There is a huge difference between leaders and managers. I have also learned about product placement and the best ways to handle a crisis situation. Last but not least, I learned ways to evaluate communication campaigns. I hope that you, the readers, have learned a lot from my blogs. Even though I will not be posting my blogs on a weekly basis, I hope you will still visit my site from time to time to reflect on what we have learned. Thank you. =)

Ways to Evaluate Communication Campaigns

In this week’s blog, I will be discussing how to evaluate and measure strategic communication campaigns. The study of strategic communications is still a relatively new field; therefore, there is no steadfast means of evaluating a communication strategy. There are a few techniques that companies have implemented to try and measure and evaluate strategic communication campaigns. The formative method of evaluation examines the strengths and weaknesses of the material within a campaign before or during the campaign’s implementation. This method asks such questions as: who is the best messenger and what message works best with the target audience. The process method measures effort and output of a campaign. Implementation of the campaign and how well the involved activities worked are examined. How much material was put out there and how far reaching was these campaigns are some of the questions asked by this method. The outcome method measures the effects of a campaign. It examines changes in the target group resulting from the campaign. Also, it measures change to policy. It asks if any change to social norms, beliefs, or attitudes has occurred as a direct result of the campaign. The impact method measures change at the community level. It asks if any wide spread fundamental changes to society have occurred as a result of the campaign. This approach seeks to find long term change to broad behaviors within society such as violence or cancer causing habits. There are other methods of evaluating communication such as the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) method, which I will explain in more detail soon. Strategic communication leaders have a hard time measuring and evaluating a company’s communication strategy. There is a lack of sustainable methods which tends to be part of the problem with measure strategic communication outcomes. (Zarfass, 2005) If companies do not have the sufficient resources and tools, then how will they be able to effectively measure their progress in strategic communication campaigns? Ansgar Zarfass states, “ultimate goals, objectivities, and accomplishments of the company or organization as a whole have been achieved cannot be proved. (2005)” If we cannot prove the achievement of a company, then it would be quite difficult for strategic communication professionals to measure strategic communication campaigns. However, as I have mentioned before, there are some methods that have been successful. There is still no standardized universal method as of today.

Some corporations have used the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) to measure and evaluate business communication strategies. However, the BSC can be restricted by improper application and its format is not presented in great enough detail for some corporate communications. The BSC can be a very versatile tool for evaluating communications; however, if not efficiently applied its versatility can be its draw back. Some corporations that have been using the BSC have narrowed the scope of its application to only one level of their company. Such is the case with the Scorecard used by Fleisher/Mahaffy (1997) which is focused mainly on the company’s operational assets. In contrast, the consultant group of Hering/Schuppener/Sommerhalder uses their scorecard to pay special attention to corporate strategy while failing to direct any concern toward their operational level. (Zarfass, 2005) Companies that have implemented the BSC have seen positive results, such as decrease in cost and an overall improvement in the communication within their company. In order for this tool to work to its full potential, the company must incorporate it into all aspects of the organization. The companies have to look at several different facets such as finance, customer satisfaction, internal business and corporate growth. Specific goals need to be set and coincide with both the business and communication departments. Technicians need to make sure they respond to customer calls in a timely manner. This increases the chances of customer satisfaction and repeat sales. All employees need to concentrate on increase sales and productivity. If an employee is in engaging non-productive task such as texting or game play; this task should be dismissed. It is essential that corporate and communication departments have the same communication goals. This helps with the measuring and evaluation process of strategic communications. Zarfass states this about using scorecards, “setting methods like this into practice strengthens the role of the communications function because it displays how communication contributes to the company’s profitability and helps to optimize relevant processes. (2005)” However, there are three potential problems with the use of scorecards.

·         The increasing use of scorecards can lead to the misuse of them.

·         The improper design of a scorecard causes it not to link with the overall business strategy.

·         The tendency to stick with perceived tried and true methods that are familiar rather than newer more creative methods that could provide a competitive edge.

The use of the Balanced Scorecard is a promising new approach to evaluating strategic communications. Like any new process it has its potential issues and room for improvement, but overall it gives companies a concise means of measuring the efficiency and effectiveness of their communication structure.     

                                                An Adapted Approach

The reason for communication campaigns is to change behavior and attitudes. Also, communication campaigns are used to push the public or decision makers into action. Most of the time the Adapted Approach is used to change or create new laws and policies. Activities, output, outcomes, and impact are all important in evaluating communication campaigns. An example of this is the following chart:

Activities	Output	Outcomes	Impact
Media	Media Coverage	Awareness	Behavior Change
Web	Events	Opinions	Policy Changes
		Attitudes
		Behavior

 

The most effective way to measure communication campaigns is to measure outcomes. One of the questions that need to be asked is the following: Did communication activities result in any opinion attitude, and/or behavior change amongst targeted audience? If the outcome is yes there is a change in behavior and attitude, then one can assume that the communication campaign worked well. Some of the ways to evaluate and measure campaigns are: 1.Web Analytics; 2. Short Poll; 3. Focus Groups; 4. In-Depth Interviews; 5. Panel Studies; 6. Surveys; 7. Control Group Studies; 8. Tracking Mechanisms; and 9. Chronological Monitoring. (Owl RE, 2008)
In conclusion, even though there is not a standardized way of evaluating strategic communication campaigns, the techniques mentioned above have been proven to be useful.

References:

http://www.owlre.com/wordpress/

http://www.bledcom.com/_files/326/ansgar_zerfass.pdf

www.pitt.edu/~super4/36011-37001/36091.ppt‎