Easy as 1, 2, 3

Well, this is my last blog post for MC495.  I couldn’t think of anything more appropriate than talking about Alabama Football.  In a way.  So, (knock on wood), we might have another National Championship trip coming up soon.  So, I was helping my dad book a room in Miami two nights ago.  I couldn’t help but realize how EASY it was to find out about the area surrounding the hotel he picked, the reviews from the hotel he picked, and the distance from the stadium.

Social Media has changed our lives!!  The iPhone is so new and improved, Dad have everything he needs to know at his fingertips!  How has social media helped you?  In what ways do you use social media and reviews to assist you in booking a trip?  Would you feel comfortable booking a hotel for three nights without having read ANY online reviews?  Think about it.  It is almost expected in this day and age that reviews will be available.  We know what our hotel room will look like before we ever step foot into the door!

Needless to say, I cannot wait until this upcoming weekend for the SEC Championship!!! Let’s beat Georgia!!! ROLL TIDE!!!!

Uh Oh!!

So, your computer crashes….you lose all of your photos and your documents.  What to do?  Do you have social media accounts?  Social Media to the rescue!  It is so important to take advantage of the online storage capabilities provided for you on social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, Shutterfly, and Instagram.  If your computer crashes and you lose all your pictures, you really don’t lose ALL of your pictures.  Only the ones that were not posted on a social media platform.

Take a look at this website, and it will tell you different ways to store photos online.  The plus?  You can access your pictures from anywhere!!  Even from across the world!!  Click here: http://howto.cnet.com/8301-11310_39-57462902-285/comparing-the-best-ways-to-store-your-photos-online/ to read more.

 

So, don’t be that person that loses all of your pictures.  Be responsible.  Use Social Media!!!!

 

RTDNA

I wanted to write this blog to advise all of you to join RTDNA.  RTDNA stands for Radio and Television Digital News Association.  Their website is http://www.rtdna.org.  I joined the group last year, and each day, I get such interesting news emails from them.  Here are a few examples of websites I have been led to in these emails….

http://www.rtdna.org/article/a_site_you_should_investigate

http://rtdna.org/article/would_you_be_able_to_tell_your_general_manager_to_leave_your_newsroom

http://www.rtdna.org/article/from_newsroom_to_classroom_feedback_that_isn_t_from_nielsen

http://rtdna.org/article/cameras_in_the_court_a_state_by_state_guide_updated

http://rtdna.org/article/9_ways_to_get_your_resume_reel_into_the_small_stack

Let me know what you think of these sites!  And if you need any information on how to join RTDNA, let me know!  I’ll be glad to help!!!

Projects galore!!!

So, we are currently working on the Mass Communication 495 Final Project.  We are working on figuring out a social media plan for Mozaik Software.  They are new to the business, so we have to start slow and work our way to the top with this company.  We are creating a video to explain what our plan was for the company.  Update**You can see that video by clicking here.

We will find out in the coming months which of our plans in the class Mozaik has chosen.  Meanwhile, I wanted to provide you with an excerpt from our social media plan.

Think about the last time you purchased a product over the price of $500.  Did you research that product at all before purchasing it?  Did you reason with yourself as to why you were going to make that purchase?  The simple fact is that most people do this.  BusinessNewsDaily recently surveyed 3,000 shoppers who had recently made a purchase of $500 or more.  Here were the most applicable results from this study:  the amount of time spent researching the product to be purchased ranged from 38 days to 115 days.  Most often, the search for the product to be purchased began online, but a vast majority of the time, 89 percent, it ended with a purchase made in a store.  This means a lot to the future of Mozaik.  People want to research their product before purchasing it.  The ultimate goal behind this online marketing strategy is to build an online foundation and to create an image so simple, yet so true, that customers will want to remain with Mozaik Software due to a phenomenon called brand loyalty.

Brand loyalty arises when a company has won over a customer; that customer will remain a loyal customer despite price differences with competitors simply because that customer feels attached to the company in some way.  Brand loyalty comes after earning the trust and respect of clients.  A quick web search revealed a few of the reasons customers might become loyal to one company.  The company should be better than anyone else, and it should do one thing very well.  Mozaik’s “one thing” would be to care for the happiness of its customers.  Others choose to be loyal to one company because it has created a sense of belonging to them.  Mozaik could strive to create this sense of belonging by engaging customers in an online social media platform such as Twitter.  Credibility is another top reason a client will choose to be loyal.  Mozaik Software is an incredibly interactive cabinet-making software that does exactly what it says it will do and more.  This will greatly help in the goal of achieving brand loyalty with clients.  To maintain this credibility, Mozaik must also have regular postings on social media platforms to remain credible in the eyes of consumers.  Accessibility is another key reason behind brand loyalty.  Customers want accessibility to a brand’s customer service team, and they also want to ability to have a voice within the company.  Social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook allow this accessibility to become a reality.

The essential message Mozaik Software needs to portray to consumers is that Mozaik Software cares about involving, getting feedback, and providing for the needs of each client.  This involvement and care for customer satisfaction can be shown primarily through the regular usage of social media platforms.  Moreover, if this essential message is delivered effectively and consistently, it has the potential to achieve for Mozaik Software brand loyalty among clients.

What do you think of this?  And what would you change?

Dry Eyes?

Do you have chronic dry eyes?  Do your eyes ever burn?  You might be suffering from this because of your extreme usage of screens.  Social media is so popular these days that you might spend hours a day staring at a screen.  Listen up!!  I know, I know, this sounds like some kind of commercial.  But I’m not trying to sell you anything!!  It is a matter of becoming educated about the matter.  Here is a website that might can give you some more information on the topic that very few are talking about: http://www.allaboutvision.com/cvs/irritated.htm.

Some of the tips listed on this site are as follows:

1. Get a better screen!  LCD screens are way better on the eyes.  If your job requires you to sit and stare at a screen all day long, this might be an investment worth the money!
2. Adjust your screen settings.  Set your screen to warmer tones.  Cool tones require more eye strain.
3. BLINK!  Blink more often!!!  Close your eyes for more than a few seconds every ten minutes to lubricate them.
4. Exercise your eyes.  Look at something far away every few minutes and focus in on it.
5. Most of all – TAKE A BREAK!!  Avoid looking at a screen during your lunch break.  Your iPhone can wait!!!

It is important that we follow these tips to avoid damaging our eyes in the future.  This is the first generation of avid computer users, so we might find in fifty years that we are all going blind because of it!!!  Be careful, and be sure to listen to the above tips.  Another site I found was this: http://www.wikihow.com/Avoid-Getting-Dry-Eyes-from-the-Computer.  It suggested to back up your screen and enlarge your letters slightly.

Good luck protecting your eyes!!!!

What just happened?

This week was a week of learning for me.  I learned two things: how quickly a video can get views these days and how much social media has changed how we communicate.

It all started with a project I had to do for class.  As mentioned in my About Me section, I am a senior at The University of Alabama originally from Andalusia, Alabama majoring in Telecommunication and Film with a concentration in Broadcast News.  I am minoring in Computing Technology and Applications.  So, with that being said, I had a news package due in one of my TCF classes on Tuesday afternoon.  I had been working on the project since October 6th when I interviewed one of my fellow Andalusia High School graduates and UA’s football player, Nico Johnson, during Alabama’s fall break/bye week.

Nico is an awesome guy.  We graduated together in 2009 from AHS, and he has always been so humble.  So, when I had to text him about interviewing him for a class project, he was more than willing to help out.  Nico lost his mother, Mamie Johnson, about two years ago, and he has done an amazing job coping with that loss.  She was someone that everyone in the entire community knew and loved.  I have truly been amazed with Nico’s strength throughout the past two years, and I felt that it needed to be shared with others…that others might be able to take something from the things this loss has taught him.

So, we met at his home in Andalusia, Alabama on October 6th and filmed everything: the interview and some b-roll.  Then on that Sunday, I shot the rest of the footage in Andalusia.  Throughout the next two weeks, I edited the footage and tried to come up with an angle on the story that would be inspirational and that would highlight Nico’s strength and trust in God.  Finally the story was complete, and the editing was finished.  It was time to send Nico the link.  (Click here to see it.)

I had no idea what was to come after this.  Surprisingly, Nico posted the YouTube link on his Facebook page.  Instantly, viewers from all over were watching the story.  The views jumped from 8 to 42…then from 42 to 76.  Soon, the views were at 451.  I recently checked the views, and we are currently at 508.  Andalusia residents I had not heard from in years were commenting on posts that had been shared numerous times by multiple people.  It has been truly amazing to see what can happen when a single person posts a single link on a page.

I say all this to discuss how interconnected we are in today’s world.  Nico and I both are in Tuscaloosa, yet viewers from all across the nation are coming together to watch this inspiring video about love and loss, family and God.  Have you ever had an experience like this, or have you ever seen something like this happen first-hand?  Through what medium was the link shared?  What do you think contributes to events like this?

That’s questionable.

When you imagine the future, what do you see?  Do you see the Jetsons?  Do you see time traveling?  What do you think is going to have been made possible by the year 2019?  I bet you would have said no if I would have asked you in the year 2001 if it would be possible to talk face-to-face to someone in another country in 2011.  Would you have believed that you can now say, “Wake me up in forty-five minutes,” to your cell phone, and it will respond with something along the lines of “your alarm is set for 4:50 PM.”?

Times are changing, and technology has a lot to do with that.  Microsoft released a video in 2009 that predicted what technology would be like in the year 2019.  Click here to see the video that shows what they predicted.  Do you think that Microsoft was on track when they created this video?  What do you see on the video that you believe will emerge by 2019?  What do you see on the video that you highly doubt will be an option in 2019?

I saw an article about how the late Steve Jobs carried around a prototype of the iPhone before it was actually released.  Here is an excerpt from that article:

In 2007, a little over a month before the iPhone was scheduled to appear in stores, Mr. Jobs beckoned a handful of lieutenants into an office. For weeks, he had been carrying a prototype of the device in his pocket.

Mr. Jobs angrily held up his iPhone, angling it so everyone could see the dozens of tiny scratches marring its plastic screen, according to someone who attended the meeting. He then pulled his keys from his jeans.

People will carry this phone in their pocket, he said. People also carry their keys in their pocket. “I won’t sell a product that gets scratched,” he said tensely. The only solution was using unscratchable glass instead. “I want a glass screen, and I want it perfect in six weeks.”

Who is to say that the next futuristic technology is not in someone’s pocket right now?

Let’s also discuss how this might affect sites such as Facebook or Twitter.  Here is another video about what Microsoft has envisioned for the future of social media.  Do you think this is a bizarre video, or is it a possibility?  We can only imagine what the future holds with technology and social media.  Lastly, I would like to ask this….what company do you see making a large impact on the future of technology and social media?  Windows?  Macintosh?  And why?

I ask a lot of questions because there are currently no definitive answers.  The future?  That’s questionable…

Banana Blog

We have heard it all along.  Be regular.  Be consistent.  Be steady.  Be constant.  Be reliable.  But do we ever put those words into action?  Are you regular?  Are you consistent?  Are you steady?  Are you constant?  Are you reliable?  And, no, I am not asking you if you are consistent in your day to day life.  I do not care if you are or not.  I am asking if you are consistent online.  In other words, are you a “regular blogger?”

If your answer was no, let me try to assist you in understanding why you should become one.

Here is a story:

Jane was a fabulous cook.  She loved to make dishes of all kinds for her grandchildren, and their favorite was banana pudding.  Her grandchildren usually visited on Sundays after church.  So, on Saturdays, Jane would travel to Wal-Mart to get the groceries she needed for Sunday.

The first Saturday of November was here, and Jane drove into town to Wal-Mart to get bananas.  Wal-Mart was out of bananas!  Jane had to drive over to Winn-Dixie to get bananas.

The second Saturday of November was here, and Jane drove into town to Wal-Mart to get bananas.  She knew that last week was just a one-time occurence.  Wal-Mart had a huge selection of bananas this time.  She picked just the right bunch, and headed home with her bananas.

The third Saturday of November was here, and Jane drove into town to Wal-Mart to get bananas.  They had the BEST selection last week.  But Wal-Mart was out of bananas AGAIN!!  How frustrating!  She had to drive over to Winn-Dixie to get bananas.  That day, Jane decided that Winn-Dixie ALWAYS had bananas.  Even though they didn’t have a huge selection, they always had at least a few bunches.  She decided to start going to Winn-Dixie for her bananas each week.

Does this sound familiar?  If someone keeps coming to your blog, they expect to see posts.  If you don’t post regularly, you are going to lose those readers.  This doesn’t mean you have to post a novel on your blog every day.  Just keep your blog recent and regular.  If you don’t do this on a consistent basis, Jane might have to go somewhere else for her bananas.

Social Dugout

Well, it finally got here.  The last day of Chipper Jones’ amazing career was Friday, October 5, 2012.  They say “you will never know the day or the hour,” but fans knew it starting in the 8th inning of the game.  A horrible call served as a game-changer in the bottom of the 8th, and fans rebelled by throwing trash and beer cans all over Turner Field.  You can read more about the play here.  Braves fans of all walks of life threw their hands up in dens across the nation when an ump in the outfield decided to make a call in the infield.  And the decision to not overturn the call did not help the situation at hand.  The game was delayed for 18 minutes in order to clean the debris off the field, yet the umpires stood their ground on what will go down to be one of the worst calls – if not THE WORST call – in Major League Baseball history.

But now that I have ranted just a moment about the call, I feel that I can bring up what I came here to talk about: a new smartphone app that was offered during the game.  It was called Social Dugout.  There were advertisements all over the place for the app before the game, so finally, about 4 minutes before the first pitch, I gave in.  The download bar moved slower than I was willing to wait because I was eager for the game to begin.  My dad was at the game in person, so I felt that if I could just join this “social dugout,” maybe it could simulate me being there….in some form or fashion, at least.  Well, it kind of did.

You can watch a video/advertisement about the app here.  I was able to communicate with Braves and Cardinals fans alike, and I could make predictions about plays throughout the game to earn rewards.  I couldn’t help but think about one of my earlier blogs.  Feel free to glance back at “Football is fun?…Zero fun sir.”

So my question for you today is this: Is Baseball still fun without being able to communicate with other fans about the game?  I would say, “DUH!  Yes, Clara….baseball is always fun.”  But think about it a little bit.  Is it MORE fun when you are able to interact with the game a little more than screaming at the TV in a den by yourself?  Give me your input.  What do you think of the new Social Dugout app?

To bore or not to bore…that is the question

Over the period of the past few weeks I decided that my dad’s company, Bass Agency Real Estate in Andalusia, Alabama, was in need of some online presence.  Bass Agency is a family run company, and it has been going strong since 1946.  But it is also managed the same way it has been managed since 1946.  This means social media has been out of the equation.

The company is primarily a real estate agency, but my dad also handles over 600 storage units located throughout Andalusia.  The uses for these storage units vary, but they are typically rented an average of about six months.  Bass Agency gets new listings every day and also handles the rental homes of many property owners.

With this information, I am trying to develop a Facebook page and a Twitter page with information that visitors would find interesting and applicable to them – even if they do not currently have a storage unit with Bass Agency or even if they are not in the market to buy or rent a home.  All too often real estate companies make the mistake of posting new listings, “NEW HOUSE FOR SALE!” or “NOW ONLY $74,500,” on a daily basis.  This frequent posting does not apply to every person who keeps up with the company, so people soon get burnt out about hearing the same things every day that do not apply to them.  So it is very important to avoid this common mistake when creating a page for a real estate company.  You cannot bore your customers.

The pages are up, but there is little information listed on them.  I thought of “real estate trivia” as an option, but soon realized no one was interested.  What is something that you would include on a real estate company’s social media page?  How far is too far?  To find out more information about Bass Agency, please click here.