August 16, 2016, I packed up all my bags shipped all of my things to Dallas, TX to start my college career. I had been planning this day since I got accepted early decision to Southern Methodist University. I was finally moving to the south to the warm weather and all the country music I could ever want to hear.
Continue readingIt is now more important than ever to understand your personal brand. Starting with what a “personal brand” even is. According to Entrepreneur, personal branding is “the practice of individuals marketing themselves and their careers as brands to promote yourself.” It is imperative to have a strong personal brand to build as it will enhance your life, no matter what you do.
Continue readingIt’s hard to imagine what life was like pre-COVID-19. It has been about a month of social distancing and isolation and the problems just seem to be getting worse, including job security during the quarantine.
Continue readingThese past few weeks have been a trying time for all. College students and professionals in the workplace are having to navigate working from home. The new work-life is all about working from home. That means utilizing Zoom and other video conference platforms to continue working in these unprecedented circumstances.
Continue readingThe year 2020 has brought many more challenges nationwide. No one could have predicted the lasting effects of COVID-19. This pandemic has caused strains physically and emotionally. Social distancing has caused stress in the workplace.
Continue readingYou are told from a young age that you need to dress a certain way. But what about when you enter the “real world,” how do you dress for the job you want? Internship attire is one thing, but what says “I deserve this job” as an Account Coordinator after receiving a B.A. in Communication?
Continue readingJournalism is a writing profession but is also the activity of writing for news, magazine, and online publication. Influencing is when a person has a compelling force of persuasion affecting others’ actions, behaviors, and opinions. Journalists and Influencers alike can both be fashion writers in this digital world.
Continue readingThe advancements in technology and social media that expand every single day have made the world a more connected place, but it has made a major disconnect. People are more and more disconnected every time Apple releases a new iPhone or the next new tech toy. In some ways, communication is kept alive by all of the new technology. It is great for when loved ones and business associates are overseas but technology has made a gap in a personal connection. You may have Wi-Fi and are “connected” but we are not actually listening to one another.
Listening is a concept everyone is taught at a very early age. Instructions are given and people are to do what they are told to do. According to Merriam-Webster, “listening is to hear something with thoughtful attention; give consideration.” The act of listening is not only to physically hear what someone is saying but to understand what they are trying to convey to you. This skill is especially important to communication professionals.
From a business outlook, active listening and effective communication are imperative to success. In advertising, you must listen to your publics to provide a compelling campaign to sell or promote new products or services. Public relations professionals must listen to your client’s publics to understand the perceived notions of your client. In any industry, the power of listening and communicating together provides the most impactful skillset any professional may obtain.
You must use these skills to enhance the power of social media, but you cannot forget about personal, real connections. Those are more important than any likes, retweets, or social connections you could ever receive.
You can still be a content creator even with a full-time job. Use the weekends to shoot your content and then slowly release the content throughout the week. When you run out of material then you will have to do another shoot. When you plan to create the content in advance, you do not have to worry about creating new content daily when there may not be time to.
If you want to become an “influencer” or a specialized “content creator” you need to figure out what you love, what you are skilled at, do you have something niche to focus on and share insights about. Create a small strong community around your niche topic and build from that. Come up with two to three pillars or reasons as to why someone should follow your account and why your account will resonate with your followers. To be a successful content creator you have to be an expert in a specific field and be able to tell your expertise in a thought-provoking and intriguing way
When new followers come to your Instagram page, they see nine to twelve photos in the grid and your bio. Your grid will either intrigue these new followers and make them stay or they will leave. You want to show these new followers a reason to stay and give them a clear picture of what type of content creator you are. When brands look for influencers and content creators to work with or partner with, they need an idea of the type of content you could produce for them. Keeping this “perfect feed” in mind sometimes the most aesthetically pleasing accounts are not always the most engaging. A true content creator understands that aesthetics are important but what you put out needs to stand out and reflect your personal brand.
Read more helpful tips!