Hiking – A Way of Life

Being a student, it’s hard to balance your social, academic, recreational, and personal lives. From having multiple assignments, meetings, work, and a social life, it can be very difficult to fit in activities that interest you. One of the activities that is a great way to relieve stress from these factors and also stay fit, is hiking. It involves a low cost and anyone is able to participate. It is a great activity for the whole family or even just yourself when you need some time alone.

Cataraqui Creek – An Escape Within Nature

One hike that I particularly enjoyed was at Cataraqui Creek which is located in Kingston, On. It was a path that had many different hills, rocks, trees, and bridges. It was one of the less strenuous hikes I have been on which made it nice to take photos of the surrounding area. On this hike, we stumbled upon some unique tree stumps which appeared to have been carved out by someone for a place to rest. There were also lots of different bird species and even a trail that you could feed them on. There were many different trails to go on, all which had a different amount of kilometers. We decided to take the longest one which was nine kilometers and went around the entire creek. It took us about 2 hours and that included some water and snack breaks.

Rock Dunder – A (Rocky) Climb!

Another hike I found interesting was the Rock Dunder hike which is located in Morton, On. This was a more challenging hike as it was very hilly and involved getting on your hands and knees to climb hills and underneath branches. At the halfway point, there was a small abandon cabin, a small fire pit, and benches which was a nice rest spot for a water break. Along the way to the finish, there were multiple spots to view the beautiful Rideau waterway. At the end of the hike, there was large rock plateau which provided the view of the lake and surrounding forests. It was a great spot to catch some pictures and socialize with other hikers who came from far distances. I would highly recommend this hike to anyone who enjoys the great outdoors.

The reason I enjoy hiking is because it gets everything off your mind and you almost enter a whole new world. Being in nature allows your body to rejuvenate and connect with your inner self. Realizing how big the world is, you truly find what is important to you and how much you should show gratitude for what you have.

Are there any activities that you pursue in when you are feeling bogged down with daily commitments? When you are stressed out, what are your coping strategies? Tell me about it in the comment area.

Social Media Posts Promoting Blog:

  There are many different strategies to cope with stress – one of them being hiking. Read more about my two favourite hiking locations in the Kingston and surrounding area: http://bit.ly/2BZVEjP

 It’s easy to become overwhelmed with daily tasks, commitments, and projects. That’s why it’s important to take time for yourself and try and see the bigger picture. Hiking is a great way to immerse yourself in nature and de-stress yourself. Read more about my top locations here: http://bit.ly/2BZVEjP

Interruption Marketing: Is it Worth it?

Picture this: you are watching your favourite Youtube compilation of kittens in boxes and all of a sudden an ad pops up taking away your valuable time from felines. You then experience a range of emotions and thoughts. Frustration. Why do brands have to do this? Annoyance. What does Rimmel mascara have to do with kittens? Questioning. Does anybody even click on these ads at all? This is the basis of interruption marketing, in which people have to stop what they’re doing to pay attention to brands or deal with them in some sort of way. Below are some forms of interruption marketing and some advantages and disadvantages of using each one.

Types of Interruption Marketing

• Telemarketing calls
• Mail campaigns
• Email campaigns
• Online ads that disrupt the user’s selected content
• Pre-roll ads that play before video content
  

Annoyance 

The main reason that interruption marketing may not be the most effective approach is that it causes annoyance. Users do not follow, subscribe, or are aware of the brand so they are less likely to be receptive to their efforts. They are anticipating a video or website and instead get something irrelevant. This causes disappointment and they will probably think less of the brand in the future.

Measurable

Though interruption marketing can cause annoyance, it is easier to measure click-through rates on campaigns. When using a video platform like Youtube, you can see exactly where viewers exited out of the video or if they watched until the end. With this information, you can identify what campaigns were successful/unsuccessful. Another example would be using a pop-up box to subscribe to newsletters when you first land on a website. You can measure how many people put in their info or if they exited out right away.

In conclusion, interruption marketing may not be the most effective strategy when using social media. Unless you are planning to raise brand awareness, there are other methods that can be more effective. An example would be creating shareable content on social media or sending emails to a subscription list. Users are actively asking for promotions and will be more receptive to content.

Do you remember the last brand that interrupted your web browsing experience? If so what was it and do you think it was effective?

Social Media Posts

 Have you ever been interrupted when watching a video? We have too. Learn more about interruption marketing in this blog post: http://bit.ly/2BJII2e

Are you an active user on Youtube and are annoyed by pop-up ads? Learn more about why this may not be the best approach for future campaigns: http://bit.ly/2BJII2e

Snapchat 101: How Brands Use Snapchat

Snapchat as an Advertising Medium

Within the world of social media, there are multiple social sites used by many different populations. Many of the different social sites used by many of the populations include Snapchat, Instagram, Youtube, Twitter, and Tumblr. One of the more popular apps according to the Apple App Store is Snapchat. This social medium allows you to take pictures of your surroundings or of yourself and either apply stickers, emojis, or filters to them. The app also has options for readers to read about products, ads, or stories that others have posted to gain more knowledge on a subject. Snapchat also allows its users to locate their contacts on a map to make it easier to locate one another. Snaps can last up to 10 seconds to infinity and can only be viewed once. Each user’s story lasts 24 hours and is then deleted permanently.  

Below are some key features of this social media app and how they relate to brands.

Discovery

When looking at the picture taking the screen, you are able to swipe left and it brings you to the discovery page. This is a page filled with ads and stories that various companies put up for the enjoyment of its users. Like the medium, the content on each page only lasts for 24 hours. Some of the stories are fact, factual, and opinionated of the creators. One of the main stories that appear most often is called Tastemade. This is an article that mainly focuses on food and how to make new recipes.

Stories

A key feature of using Snapchat is the “story” section. Users can share special moments with friends for up to 24 hours. After the 24 hours is up, the content disappears forever. Companies can create organic reach by showing special behind the scenes content that users can’t get anywhere else. Users will have to follow brand’s Snapchat handles in order to view the content. The fear of missing out on something great or special keeps users engaged and coming back for more. In addition to this, brands can also create sponsored content on stories. These ads will sometimes play in between Snaps. An example of a company who uses this technique is McCafe.

 

Sponsored Filters and Geolocation

Depending on your location, certain businesses and cities have their own snap filters. This is a useful tool in that it allows viewers to learn more about the company or location and understand it’s purpose as a business.

Types of Geofilters:

• Nationwide filters (Different cities)
• Holidays
• New films in theatres
• Big events happening near your location
• Retail Businesses (Sales, promotions)

Types of sponsored filters:

• Create your own with a template
• Large corporate businesses (McDonald’s, Starbucks, Gatorade, Taco Bell)

 

 

Conclusion

In the world of social media, there are many different social communities available for any age, race, background, etc. Most of the media aim to grab the attention of the viewers by adding new features and improving bugs. By improving the media on a daily basis, it keeps the consumers using the product because they will continue to be able to learn new techniques about the tech world. One of the most popular media sites being used by a wide variety of ages is Snapchat. It involves many different picture/video features to engage consumers and to have fun while doing so.

Are you an active Snapchat users? And do you use each of the features it has to offer? Why, or why not?

Social Media Posts Promoting Blog

Facebook: Looking for an app where you can take photos, videos, locate your friends, read fun news articles and more? Check out the content here: http://bit.ly/2k9y68D

Twitter: With so many social media apps to choose from, see why Snapchat could be the choice for you! Quirky filters, behind the scenes content, and a range of articles in the Discovery section- there’s sure to be content for everybody. Learn more here: http://bit.ly/2k9y68D

With This Service, You’ll be Barking for More!

With this Service, You’ll be Barking for More

The product shown in the ad below is called Barkbox. This is a box that owners are able to purchase for their dogs that contain dogs treats, chew toys, treats, and toys. This enables you to gain trust and confidence as a dog owner by showing that you treat your dog once and awhile and are able to connect by playing with the pet themselves. This ad is very effective in that it states the promotion that is currently running and shows the audience what each box contains by providing a visual of the special for this particular month. The ad also allows consumers to personalize their box by having them put in personal information of their dog within a survey. The price averages about $25 per month in a subscription-based model of business.

 

Below are some strengths of the company and their Instagram ad.

 

 

Subscription-Based Business

Subscription-based businesses allow stability and recurring income each month. Once businesses are able to make a sale, customers are usually subscribed for a long time. Some examples of this business model include brands like Netflix, Dropbox, blog websites (Medium, WordPress) and Ipsy. This trend also encourages a hassle-free shopping experience for customers. Consumers enter their purchase information once, forget about it, and receive a “gift” in the mail each month.

 

Clear Incentive

Once you swipe up to “learn more” you are bombarded by an incentive: Get your first box for $5 when you sign up for a 6 or 12-month plan. The message is simple and to the point. As shown in the ad, as a pet owner you know exactly what you are going to purchase if you wish to do so.

Personalization

After clicking the “get started” button on the landing page, you are prompted to take a survey of your dog to ensure the best products for your pet. By doing this, Barkbox lets the consumer feel as if the items in their box are handpicked for their pet. Each of the pet owner’s needs are taken into care in order to choose the right box for the pet. An example of this is when the survey is taken, it will prompt you to chose the approximate weight of your dog.

 

Barkbox effectively uses Instagram to advertise their services. By integrating their ads into user “stories”, the brand encourages engagements by asking users to “swipe up”. The landing page is simple, to the point, and allows consumers to easily make a purchase. With the rise of subscription-based models of business, Barkbox is well on their way to success.

 

Are you a part of any subscription-based services? If so, are you having positive or negative experiences? Tell me about it in the comments!

 

Social Media Posts Promoting Blog

Facebook: Are you a dog lover? Well, you’re in for a treat! We have found the perfect service for you and your pet – Barkbox. Read this blog article to learn more about this quirky monthly subscription: (link blog)

Twitter: Not sure how to treat your dog? Learn more about Barkbox by reading this blog: (link blog)