COM0015 – Blog Post #4 – Out of the Box

I have said it many times throughout the course and used it as an example multiple times throughout my assignment and here I am using the same example. One of the most interested applications in online marketing and social media to me is still the influencer.

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Who would have thought that it would be so simple to just post online and then you can become famous and pay all your bills? While it may not be that easy it’s still something that has totally changed the way that markers look at things. Becoming a social influencer is considered a full-time job now and people look to those with a following to help sell their products and ideas.

This great article I found (which I have listed below) has some incredible facts on how much influencers having really influenced the youth of today. For example – 70% of teens trust influencers more than celebrities. These are huge numbers! When I talk to my 12-year-old nephew about products and music for example he is always telling me about a YouTube blogger, some of them as young as eight years old. I find it incredible that a 12-year-old is even watching videos created by an eight-year-old but that just shows you how much things have changed.

One of my biggest questions about the shift in marketing is how are traditional marketing courses changing?

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Are students learning about this and how to find the next influencer or negotiate a deal with them? I think an entire realm has opened that really needs to be explored in order to give people the edge in this new marketing world!

 

 

Here is that article I mention above!

https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/en-ca/blog/20-influencer-marketing-statistics-that-will-surprise-you

Blog Post #3 – Professional Networking Now and In the Future

When it comes to developing my professional network online and in person my approach is usually research. When I am looking to network in person, I figure out what events are happening around town where the people I am trying to meet will attend.  For example, are their conferences in town or coming up, showcases etc. I usually use social media to help determine these keys events. One way I use social media to help determine this is by looking at people’s profiles that I have already networked with and see what they are doing. Research is my biggest component when it comes to networking. I would use these same techniques for developing my online network. For example, I would say that I am attending an event on LinkedIn and see who else is attending. I use the premium version of LinkedIn so that I can then connect with those who are also attending by sending them a message and attempting to arrange a meetup or to see what they are attending while in town or at a conference.  I think what is really comes down to is a research what is happening so I can place myself at events where like-minded people are in attendance so I can network.

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Activities and Commitments that I am making in the next 6-12 months to continue to development my networks are again using research. Since my husband and I are planning a move within the next year I am starting to look at professionals in that area who I could connect with when we finalize are moving plans.

Since I am having a baby in the next month these activities and commitments are limited as my focus will be somewhere else.

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I think at this time my networking will be more focused on baby and baby activities so more of a personal network. However, I do intend to continue to look at the city we are moving to and working on grants for my husband’s business. With one meeting already have taken place I just need to start doing research and then go back to my contacts. This will be a great way to meet more people within my industry. I guess you could say that a lot of professional items are on a bit of a hold for the next 12 months!

COM0015 – Blog Post #2 – Strong and Wak Organizations

Saje Wellness – Helping you feel better, naturally! I was drawn to Saje as I have always found that I can go to their social accounts to get information on a product that could help an issue I am having. I am not overly “granola” as some call it, but I do always try to use natural products when and where I can. Since this seems to be a new trend, I think that Sage has really pushed their online presence and have become extremely interactive on all their social accounts.

Screenshot via Saje Wellness Facebook

For example, they are consistently engaging with their customers on all platforms. When someone responds to a post about liking their product, they thank them. They are always engaging and offering more information about their current products of trying to help consumers find a product that is right for them. This is extremely convenient as it’s like having a personal shopping experience. They have made it so that you do not have to go to their store to ask questions about their products.

Once joining their mailing list, you receive emails about promos, in-store events and product launches. As an example, during Thanksgiving weekend they had free shipping available on all order. They also make sure to post this on their social media pages.

Screenshot via Twitter

Their blog offers different types of tips that can relate to different types of people. For example, some of their current headlines are – What to expect when expecting, the dirty of cleaning products, and Let’s talk about air quality. Each one of these concerns can hit multiple people which allows their products to access a larger group. Saje has done a great job in covering multiple areas of social media and are always active in communicating with their customers.

A brand that is lacking in social media strategy in my opinion is Snapchat. I personally do not like the app and find it difficult and pointless to use but I might not be the only one. In 2018 Kylee Jenner tweeted “Does anyone open snapchat anymore?” which reportedly cost the company $1.8 million dollars with a bunch of celebrities dropping off the platform shortly after.

An even bigger fail was when they tried to implement a “Would you rather” game and used Chris Brown’s domestic violence against Rihanna as an example – FACE PALM! This brand needs to stop talking about ways their app is great and start showing people. Advertising on other social media platforms even.

Screenshot via Google

Since Instagram stories seem to be one of the biggest things now a partnership between the two might be a good idea to get snapchat back in the daily usage of millennials. Incorporating new and exciting filters and should I even say having the option to save the videos? This brand really needs to develop and evolve with social media instead of staying stuck in the rut. Will they end up being the new Vine?

COMM 0015 -Blog Post #1 – Tools & Sources

When it comes to social media listening and monitoring tools there are many options. Throughout other courses in this program many were discussed in great detail and I had the ability to try different ones out. I probably don’t use the traditional avenues to gather my information and some might say I do not use all the tools available to me.

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A few that I like are:

Hootsuite – I really like how I can track what is happening in multiple places at the same time. The amount of time you can spend tracking what is trending alone is insane so it’s great that there is a platform that can take all of the information I am looking for from multiple platforms and put it all in one nice package for me. While I haven’t used this feature, I also think that’s it’s helpful that you can schedule posts across multiple platforms. Again, I have not yet used this feature, but it does seem to me it would be helpful and save a lot of time.

Microblogs – There is a ton of information out there and only so many hours in a day. I find it you are monitoring multiple items at once it can be very difficult to keep track of everything if you have too much content to read. This is why I love microblogs or the idea at least. I look at it almost like the cliff notes of daily information. If I need more information, I can go ahead a look into it but if I just need the topline information, I have that available to me.

One tool that I know many are a fan of, but I do not like is Google Alerts. I think in a perfect word with very specific tags this platform could be wonderful to use. However, when you are using tags like sports apparel, or concerts the amount of results in endless. Waking up to 200 google alert emails is not my idea of a great start to the day. Again, I totally understand those are very broad and can be narrowed down but I am just not a big fan. Judging by this article I may not be the only one – Why I hate Google Docs 

I also found a great article that discusses other platforms that are up and coming similar to google alerts with some tweaks –   Best Google Alerts Alternatives

The two ways I find myself gathering news and updates of things that interest me are Instagram and Twitter. There might be a few blogs here and there, but I am usually turned onto them by a tweet that shares a link. I find that these two platforms cover a variety of items in little captions which gives me the ability to filter through mass amounts of information in a short amount of time – right up my alley! They also show me what is trending in the world so that I am able to stay in touch but also keep me posted on what is happening in my local community.

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The biggest thing for me is getting the information I need and want without spending hours going through posts about nothing. As social media evolves everyone thinks that their life is the most interesting and you’d just die if you didn’t know what they had for lunch that day. I feel that’s part of the reason Facebook has lost some traction. For my professional development it’s important for me to see what’s trending. Working in entertainment you want to be with what’s cool before anyone even knew it was cool. Trends are coming and going at such a fast rate I need to be able to process information as quickly as possible and that is why these tools work best for me.

So, I am dying to know, am I missing a key platform to help achieve my goal? Please let me know!

COM0014 – Blog #7 – Personal Reflection

I must start off by saying that this course has been very interested and not really what I expected. I was pleasantly surprised though! It covered a lot of areas that I hadn’t given a lot of thought about and now I find myself looking at that things that I never did before.

I think that storytelling is so important when creating digital content so that people know there is an actual human behind the computer and not just a bot. With this digital world that we live in I find it far to often that we are losing a lot of the human touch. Story telling can help make content for relatable to everyday life and give a personal touch to the messages.

Components of a blog

Currently I am not working with social media on a professional level, although I have in the past. The only thing I am really working on is my personal brand. While I have made some tweeks to the way I have presented myself I do not think at this time I will be telling a full story. However, it has made me think more about how I would tell my story and personal brand in person.

For blogging I think I might want to tell more stories about past and present. I guess to use it in a journaling way. I know I have noticed myself checking out more blogs since I have had to create my own and it has peaked an interest within me. I really did enjoy this course and readying everyone else’s blogs and discussions!

COM0014 – Blog #6 – What is my greatest achievement?

What is my greatest achievement? Surviving.

I was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease when I was 17 years old. Crohn’s disease is an inflammatory bowel disease. It causes inflammation of your digestive tract, which can lead to abdominal pain, severe diarrhea, fatigue, weight loss and malnutrition. While the day to day struggle and survival can be wearing not only on the body but the mind, I never expected to be in a situation where I was fighting for my life.

It started in 2008 when I first moved away from home and started college. While everything around me had changed I never expected that my body would betray me and send me into a downward spiral of text, surgeries and near death. I had moved in with a bunch of roommates and was attending college full time. When one day I just wasn’t feeling well. Having Crohn’s, I am use to not feeling well but something was different about this. Over the next several weeks it was getting worse and worse to the point where anytime any sort of food touched my lips my stomach went into a severe case of unbearable pain. This resulted in me barely eating. In addition to that my right foot and slowly started to move more and more outward and I was not able to put it back the way it is supposed to be.

Fast forward a million doctors’ appointment, tons of different medications, moving back home, bad doctors and more needles than I can count. My family had to switch me into a different hospital because of a doctor whose care I was under was making my situation worse and worse. In one instance he had given me so much IV fluid that my body was swelling up because I couldn’t process it.

After moving to the new hospital, the new doctors went into overdrive and put me into immediate emergency surgery.

Lady with Crohn’s Disease and Colostomy via Google

While I do not remember about the next couple months I know it wasn’t good. I was given a colostomy bag and within a day was put into my own room and quarantined with only immediate family being able to visit. The doctors told my parents to prepare themselves for the worse.

I fought, whether I consciously knew it or not I fought, and I fought, and I fought, and I survived. I taught myself how to administer my IV’s through my PIC line, so I could go home. I learned how to live with a colostomy (only for six months thankfully) and take care of its daily needs. I went back to school and graduated even though I had more surgeries. My greatest accomplishment is not allowing a disease to define who I am and what I can do!

COM0014 – Blog #5 – Personal branding – Who are you?

Reflecting on my personal brand seems to be a theme this past term. There are a lot of different qualities and characteristics that come to mind and whether they make me stand out I do not know. The few qualities I think of are hardworking, organized, and thinks outside of the box. While most people define themselves as hardworking I have found few are. I think that thinking outside of the box and being able to accomplish those ideas is what separates me from the pack.

I believe the world is an ever-changing place and going to university and or college and getting a degree isn’t enough anymore. You need to be in the know and always updating your skills. Taking this course as a few others is how I am working on making myself standout.

People inside of a box thinking and one outside with a bright idea via gettingmoneywise.com

I think it’s important to show that you understand that the word is changing and that you are willing to learn and change with it. I have worked at so many places where there are those just not willing to accept change and move with it and as a result are left in the dust.

My colleagues would probably say that my ability to adapt to situations is one of my best qualities. In the world of events things are always moving and in a second everything can change. You can’t have a meltdown although sometimes it would be nice to. You must be able to analyze the issue and figure out exactly what you can do to fix it.

I think so many of us are always looking to improve on ourselves in different ways. What are some other ways that you improving you?!

 

 

Catfish – Filters – Who are you?

False illusions are a major part of social media that I think most of us don’t always think about. “Hi! My name is Amy, I am 23 and love long walks on the beach.” Says a 53-year-old man sitting in North Dakota. Yes, that would be a catfish. We’ve all heard about and read the stories about someone pretending to be someone they aren’t. People stealing other people’s pictures and creating fake profiles. So how safe is that photo you posted? Who is that person who just friended you? What is the motive behind this type of behavior?

There are many reasons why someone might decide to become a catfish. Loveisrespect.org says “The biggest reason someone becomes a catfish is because they don’t feel confident in who they really are, so they pretend to be someone else.”

Side by side picture of a girl before a photo filter and after a photo filter

So, we need to ask ourselves, why are there so many people who aren’t confident in who they are? Meet my friends – Photoshop and Filters! We have all heard about it and even seen scandals where a photo is posted, and someone is missing part of their body. Most people on social media have used one of these tools at least once.

I have a friend who used a filter on her six-month-old baby! This is a little extreme as babies are so cute but the message behind it is that we are always trying to make things around us more appealing. You hear it from people all the time, they complain about something they do not like with themselves and the people listening are shocked that this person thinks there is a problem as no one else sees it. So, before you start photo-shopping and adding filters to your photos, remember that most celebrity photos you see have been altered. Here are some steps provided by Entrepreneur.com to help you build self-confidence:

1 – Visualize yourself as you want to be

2 – Affirm yourself

3 – Do one thing that scares you ever day

4 – Question your inner critic

5 – Take the 100 days of rejection challenge

6 – Set yourself up to win

7 – Help someone else

8 – Care for yourself

There are many other ways to build confidence and a different trick for everyone. So, what do you think about all of the ways to edit a photo? Have you ever been Catfished?

 

Facebook – Who is really in that photo? – https://bit.ly/2JbXG5q

Twitter – Taking the mask off – https://bit.ly/2JbXG5q

When I grow up I want to be a YouTube star!

That exact title terrifies me! When I was young, and people would ask what you wanted to be when you grow up it was things like – A rock star, doctor, firefighter etc. Now when I ask my nephew he says things like – a YouTube star or a social media influencer. Have we failed this up and coming generation?!

Well maybe not! If we look at YouTube as creating content and how much content is out there now, someone starting their own channel must be creative and come up with some unique stuff. They also need to be extremely engaging in order to attract attention. Now, posting online on YouTube will not make you a YouTube star. You will need to use different platforms to promote your channel. You will also need to be engaging with those viewing or commenting on your content. One of the best things about YouTube is that it allows people who participate to feel like they know the person posting. A lot different from the days of teenybopper magazines and writing to fan club

When I really think about it I wonder if I should really worry. In order to be a successful YouTuber, there are a couple of skills one would need to possess. The person would need to be creative, entertaining, have a good understanding of marketing and branding and be tech savvy. All of these skills can be used in many different areas and a person who has all of these skills will likely be successful in many areas of life. Plus, you can make a ton of money. Forbes reported in 2017 that the highest paid YouTuber made $16.5 million. That’s pretty good!

While this landscape is scary and unknown I think we need to encourage the creativity of the younger generation while warning them and guiding them. There are a lot of risks with becoming a YouTube Star but that’s for another post.

So, who do you follow? Do you know anyone that is up and coming? I’d love to check some of them out!

Facebook: Become a Star – On YouTube! https://bit.ly/2RNbyGX

Twitter – Career option – YouTube? – https://bit.ly/2RNbyGX

COM0014 – Blog #4 – B2C Case Study – Saje Wellness

Saje Wellness – Helping you feel better, naturally!

Saje has an amazing online presence which includes at first glace – Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Website and a blog. When you enter their website you are also able to add yourself to their mailing list so they also use email marketing.

Saje has been successful at ticking off all areas of using their social media as a B2C. For

Screenshot via Twitter

example they are consistently engaging with their customers on all platforms. When someone responds to a post about liking their product they thank them. They are always engaging and offering more information about their current products of trying to help consumers find a product that is write for them. This is extremely convenient as it’s like having a personal shopping experience. They has made it so that you do not have to go to their store to ask questions about their products.

Once joining their mailing list you receive emails about promos, in-store events and

Screenshot via Saje Wellness Facebook

product launches. As an example during Thanksgiving weekend they had free shipping available on all order. They also make sure to post this on their social media pages.

Their blog offers different types of tips that can relate to different types of people. For example some of their current headlines are – What to expect then expecting, The dirty of cleaning products, and Let’s talk about air quality. Each one of these concerns can hit multiple people which allows their products to access a larger group.

Saje has done a great job in covering multiple areas of social media and are always active in communicating with their customers. I’ve included the links to all of their pages if you are interested.

I’d love to know if you’ve ever tried their products or engaged on social media with them. What was your experience like?

Twitter – @SajeWellness

Facebook – SajeWellness

Instagram – Sajewellness

Blog – https://www.saje.com/ca/blog/