Times have changed. Sending a letter or spinning your finger around a rotary dial phone are no longer the only ways to get in touch with someone. The digital world is growing and consumers are growing with it. People all over the globe are engaged in all kinds of social media outlets which means your business should be too, and there many reasons why social media is important for businesses.
Category Archives: SocialMedia
Fast Facts of LinkedIn
Brush up on why LinkedIn steadily passed some of the most popular forms of social media in popularity with these fast facts. Continue reading
Tumblr for Business: Is it for you?
When discussing social media and its affects on social business, Tumblr is not usually the first medium to enter the conversation. Tumblr is, however, a powerful tool for those organizations that understand how to use it. Before you start to use Tumblr for business, make sure you read these quick tips.
Mark Zuckerberg: Investing in the Future
Mark Zuckerberg, the co-founder and chief executive of Facebook, vowed last Tuesday that he and his family would donate 99 percent of their Facebook shares to charitable purposes. According to the New York Times, the donation is worth $45 billion and will be worth even more if Facebook continues to grow. Continue reading
Why Jeff Gordon is the Best NASCAR Driver
NASCAR is possibly the most underrated sport in America. Driving almost 200 miles an hour, just inches away from another car. It takes an insane amount of talent to be able to do that. The crashes? So fun to watch. The fans that turn up to races? The best people watching of all time. While there are many great drivers out there, Jeff Gordon just rises above the pack. Why? Take a look.
The Top 5 Christmas Movies to Watch This December
December is arguably the best month of year. So bright. So Merry. So many ugly Christmas sweater parties. Nothing says “holiday season” like curling up with a cup of hot chocolate, a fuzzy blanket, and a Christmas movie. But what movie to watch? Here are the top 5 (arguably).
The Theory Behind the 140 Characters – Twitter 101
This semester, we have explored multiple mediums of digital communication and social media. We have been given the opportunity not only to educate ourselves on mediums such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, Pinterest and Parasite, but also actively engage with them through personal posts and interactions. However, when we sat as a class re-capping our experiences, we collectively discussed the distance and unfamiliarity we still felt from Twitter. Despite the fact that its 140-character limit platform appears to be sheepishly simple, there is a great deal of pressure that accompanies the average Tweet. So, I have taken the liberty of doing some research on what qualifies as a strong Twitter account.
Social Times, a sector of Adweek, is an online publication that covers the world of social media. A post titled “10 Habits of Great Tweeters” caught my attention, as it outlines what “the people who do Twitter best have in common.” Providing a concise list of 10 of the best habits, writer Lauren Dugan equipes users ranging from “tech-savvy moms, adverture-loving 20-somethings or political pundits” with habits that will propel your tweeting to the next level.
Despite the fact that a Twitter post consists of only 140-characters, there is much to think about in order to take your tweeting to the next level.
- Consistency: Highlighting users who exhibit a strong use of consistency, such as @KatyPerry, @CNN and @copyblogger, regardless of the range of these users, each maintains consistency in their topic, which is key. Twitter users follow other users for specific reasons, and if “you change up your main topic of conversation regularly, you’ll scare them all away.” To back up this claim with some research, the article states that “the best tweeters typically stick to one or two topics for 80% of their tweets, and sprinkle in their interests in the other 20% or so.”
- Variety: Despite this sounding as though it contradicts the importance of consistency, what variety means in this context is variety of content, rather than variety of topic. For example, posting photos, links from various sources, individual thoughts and opinions, retweets, interactive conversations, podcasts, endorsing brands, asking questions, and so forth are just a few of the ways that individuals can create variety within their posts. This is pivotal in keeping one’s followers interested.
- Being helpful: “Whether you believe in karma or not, there is something to be said about putting positive energy out there, especially on Twitter.” There are accounts dedicated purely to offering helpful tips and advice to their followers, such as @TweetSmarter, who has an incredible platform and 358,000 followers. Whether one is walking someone through a problem or offering strategic advice, “by helping others, you’ll help yourself.”
- Endorsing others: In addition to helping others through advice and inspirational quotes, it is suggested to publicly endorse key members of one’s community. “By promoting a friend’s new book, sharing a colleague’s blog post or advertising an industry leader’s Twitter chat you’ll gain two benefits: one, if your endorsement is well thought out, you’ll be seen as a thought-leader and potential influencer by your followers; and two, you’ll land yourself on that person’s radar and they might return the favor.”
- Constantly checking @mentions: Monitoring Twitter regularly is important not only to stay up to date on what is being shared and discussed, but also to allow yourself to engage in social media conversations. Not only can you check in to see who is mentioning you, but in doing so you will find who wants to start a conversation with you and in turn, who you may want to start a conversation with. It is important not to let a full 24 hours pass from the time someone sends them an @mention to the time that they respond, “whether they’re an individual or a business running a customer service Twitter account.”
- Tweeting on the go: It is important to find a balance between becoming that person who tweets during a “romantic dinner” and knowing the right time and place to tweet. “The best tweets are those who don’t set aside 10 minutes to come up with tweets at their computer and then forget about the network: they have smartphones and the ability to tweet when the inspiration (or a particularly beautiful picture of a flower) strikes.”
- Refreshing their lists regularly: “Lists are a powerful way to build a network on Twitter, but they require maintenance. It’s a good idea to get into the habit of checking your lists every few weeks to clear out the dormant accounts, add new ones, and consider starting a new list or deleting one altogether. The best tweeters have a handful of up-to-date lists that they use to network or learn.”
- Updating who they follow: It is key to pay attention to who you follow, and to ensure that one is not simply following everyone who followed them. Helpful applications such as “Who Unfollowed ME” and “Manage Flitter” allow users to determine if they are losing followers or not and why, and in turn allows you to unfollow those who have unfollowed you. Check your “list” regularly to ensure that your followers are still relevant and that your ratio is balanced.
- Monitoring their links: As mentioned earlier, when maintaining variety on your Twitter account, a key component of that is regularly sharing links. However, one must ensure that the links are effective, and take users directly to where you want them to go. In order to stay within your 140 character count, you can use a service such as bit.ly or HootSuite’s ow.ly to shorten every single link that you send out. They crunch the links down as well as track them. This way, you can utilize these programs to monitor who is sharing your content, how frequently it’s being retweeted, the time of day that your content gets shared most, and more.
- Sparse hashtagging: “Hashtag stuffing is a big no-no.” One should only use a hashtag when it is relevant to the content of your tweet and especially when it will add additional meaning to your tweet, either through the hashtag itself or the tweets the hashtag will be linked to. The rule of thumb is to include only one or two per tweet.
After this helpful 10-step lesson, I myself feel much better equipped to take on the Twitter scene. Watch out Twitter, here I come!
Apps apps apps and more apps!
Apps apps apps and more apps…Now more than ever, apps are starting to take over technological life. You can now find an app for almost everything nowadays. Whether it be a shopping, lifestyle, music, photography, games or anything else you can now almost guarantee that there will be an app for that. What are the most popular apps out there these days? “Afterlight” photo editing app is the most popular photography-editing app in the iTunes app store and it does not even cost any money. Another cool app is the Nike running app. This app allows for you to track where and how far you are running. It also tells you how fast you are running and can link to your iTunes account. This allows the app to sync with you music and choose which songs to play depending on the pace you are running at. There is also an app for almost every popular online shipping website. Revolve clothing has a website and an app in the app store that allows you to make it easier to online shop. There are also apps that allow you to make restaurant reservations at any restaurant at any time. This app is called OpenTable. A new app that just came out is called “Soothe” which is an on call massaging company that allows you to order a masseuse at any time during the day. My personal favorite apps would have to be all photography-editing apps because they give you so much creative freedom in editing your photos. Another favorite of mine are the apps that allow you to make appointments on the go, this gets rid of the hassle of having to call or go on a company’s website to get information or make an appointment or reservations if needed.
Top Ways to Get in the Christmas Spirit NOW
Our good friend Buddy the Elf once said, “The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear.” Well, I obviously can’t compete with an elf himself (considering he works for Santa and everything), but I can come up with a few extra ways to make sure your holiday season is particularly merry and bright. As Buddy says, singing is way on up there on the list, but there are also a few extra things you can do to make sure you and yours are as holly and jolly as ever!
Uber Delivers Puppies Straight To Your Door
In need of a study or work break? Uber is partnering up with various animals shelters in 10 specific cities in order to be able to deliver the most adorable puppies straight to your door. Continue reading
Stay Warm This Winter With Some Delicious Coffee
The 70 degree weather has been forced out by the winter season which means one thing: it is time stay warm with some freshly brewed coffee. We all know that Starbucks has fabulous coffee, however, during the season of the lines can truly be out the door. That’s when boutique-like coffee shops are the perfect substitute. Continue reading
Productive Ways To Procrastinate During Finals
It is the week of Thanksgiving and we students all know what is just around the holiday season bend. Just as your heart starts feeling the warmth and you start to get in that holiday spirit, BAM! Finals hit you in the face. Now, it may just be me, but my inner student tends to really want to hide when it’s time to crack open that text book (for the first time all semester). But, what should one do while their brain decides to take an un-awarded procrastination break? That’s what I am here to tell you. Here is a list of the best “productive” ways to procrastinate during this years finals season: Continue reading
Forks over Knives: The Unexpected Benefits of Being Vegan
For the past two months, I’ve been what I like to call a modified vegan. I’ve had a slice of pizza or two, and still eat fish where there are no other options, but for the most part, I have cut dairy, meat, and eggs out of my diet. What prompted this change was a Netflix binge watching session- how all great epiphanies come to light. I wanted a movie called Forks over Knives (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7ijukNzlUg) which explained the negative effects of animal products on the human body. All of a sudden, something changed. I started to see food as fuel and not as a hobby or time filler. I wasn’t doing it to lose weight, or to reach any specific goal, I simply wanted to know if my body would feel different. And it did! Here are a few of the ways:
- Clear, healthy skin.
- Easier to wake up in the morning.
- Longer hair and nails.
- More energy throughout the day.
- Less muscle soreness and bloating.
Here are some more benefits listed, although many links like this one can be found all over the web! http://www.wildflourveganbakerycafe.com/2011/08/42-health-benefits-of-going-vegan/
I think it’s important to note, I am not a vegan. I still cave once a week or so, and I modify my diet based on where I am and what’s available. When making lifestyle changes, it is important to incorporate the new activity slowly, and not to beat yourself up when you break it. The biggest downfall of all diets is convening yourself that you have failed when you have a small slip up. Instead, embrace these mistakes and come to expect them! They are part of your journey to health. I hope this new information makes you consider your diet choices, and inspires you to experiment to find a diet that works for you!
Work Out Studios in Dallas Area
Yes, there are fabulous work out studios you can burn off those pre and post thanksgiving carbs!
Social Media is Your Best Travel Buddy
This past summer, I had the privilege to study abroad in London, England. While I was there, I experienced people, places, smells, and sites that I would have never in Dallas, Texas. From Paris to Scotland, the travel bug bit me hard. Now, when I can’t sleep, my mind wanders to the next destination my feet will take me and when that excitement will take place. Thanks to our dear friend social media, I can now plan and dream about my next adventures using some pretty cool apps. Check them out!
Snapchat’s Newest Channel
On Monday, Snapchat added a new channel to their discover page. But there have been new channels that have been added since Snapchat launched their discover channels over a year ago, so why is this channel such a big deal?
Make Your Brand Instagram Famous: How & Why
Instagram is becoming the hot place for various brands to advertise their brand’s purpose and various goods. “Okay,” you may be thinking, “but, how do I go about promoting my brand on Instagram correctly, and why should I commit to yet ANOTHER social media platform?” Allow me to explain. Continue reading
The Sound of Music – Empowering Freedom of Expression through Social Media
Pandora and Spotify, two Internet Radio programs, have incorporated social media sharing capabilities to allow for their users to connect and engage on a global scale over the common interest of music.
Digital communication and social media platforms have transformed the way that individuals around the globe converse, share information, and learn more about themselves and one another. Whether it be through Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, Periscope, Tumblr, or Snapchat, communication mediums such as these have allowed for people of all ages, shapes and sizes to express themselves while engaging and sharing with others. Unlike these forums, which allow for a plethora of diverse opinions, expressions, dialogues, and interests to float freely, music platforms, such as Pandora Internet Radio and Spotify, focus solely on one passion that unites millions – music.
As unique as it is for the social media platforms mentioned above to act as unrestricted forums for really anything to be displayed, discussed, or analyzed, music programs such as Pandora bring people together over one common platform that spawns a plethora of variety. It brings people together over a shared passion for music, specifically personal musical taste, while also allowing for that passion to be shared with other like-minded users, both known and unknown. This social media and sharing component of music programs, particularly featured with Spotify and Pandora, is what has given them the competitive advantage needed in order to collaborate with rather than be outshone by their social media competitors.
To give a bit of background, Pandora, started in 2000, is the world’s most powerful music discovery platform with over 80 million active users. Spotify, launched in 2008, also allows its 60 million active users to play music directly from the cloud, and features more than 30 million tracks. One of the key differences between the two is their source of revenue- while Spotify has about 20% of their 60 million users pay for the service, Pandora only has 3.5 million paying customers. This suggests that the benefits of Spotify’s Premium memberships outweigh the cost compared to Pandora’s offerings. The two programs have both joined forces with Facebook, allowing for users to share their playlists and music activity with their Facebook friends. Spotify also features a “Music Chat” component, which provides users with a free space to chat about anything music related. Much like how Pinterest, Tumblr and Instagram allow for individuals to express themselves through design, images and graphics, Spotify and Pandora allow for the same creative expression but through the art of music. In the case of Spotify, it allows for users to use their own creative discretion in creating playlists comprised of whatever musical tracks, artists and genre that they want. When adding in the social media aspect, this provides an outlet for users’ creations to be shared to the world, giving them a way to represent themselves through a collaboration of sounds that they themselves have designed. In the case of Pandora, their use of the Music Genome Project, which is the most comprehensive analysis of music ever undertaken, allows for users to be provided with the most personalized listening experience possible. By utilizing the wealth of musicological information stored in the Music Genome Project, Pandora recognizes and responds to each individual’s tastes. “The result is a much more personalized radio experience – stations that play music you’ll love – and nothing else.” This too allows for users to represent themselves via personalized music playlists.
In a world where reputation is something that takes a lifetime to create and yet can be lost in a matter of seconds, it is important for individuals to have creative outlets to represent themselves in a more personal and less serious manner. There is no right or wrong when it comes to personal taste in music, and with programs such as Spotify and Pandora, creative expression through music is celebrated rather than critiqued. It allows for personal representation that can be shared and result in strong connections made with like-minded users on a global scale. Most importantly, it allows for people to choose how they want to portray themselves through their personal taste in music, empowering individuals to practice freedom of expression in a safe and unrestricted forum.
Facebook Tool Helps People in Paris
In the wake of the Paris terror attacks, the city is a flood of chaos and confusion. In an effort to find out connect to friends, family, and loved ones, people are flocking to a “newish” Facebook tool. The Facebook tool helps users find out if their friends, family, and loved ones are safe. 
Need to get in shape? There’s an app for that!
Skyfit Sports is the next revolutionary app in the work out and media world. This amazing new app allows you to get the experience of a work out class without being in an actual studio. So, do you need to get in shape? Then download the app today and read more to find out how it works and what it can do for you!