Multifaceted Twitter

Twitter is a social network. It is perhaps the fastest information sharing social network out there. Information is flowing constantly and updated frequently. However, how much of that information is useful? How much of that information is useless? A lot of the information circulating through the site can be absolutely meaningless to the rest of the globe.  What does this mean for Twitter? It means that people are skeptical of its purpose. However, Twitter and its users are about to show skeptics the benefit of such a social network.  

Twitter Stories is a project put in place to show meaningful and positive experiences through Twitter. It involves one following @TwitterStories and following up the story with the hashtag #twitterstories. People share stories of finding jobs, finding their dogs and receiving donor kidneys. What does this mean? It means that social media and Twitter can make a difference. The use of Twitter can impact the lives of oneself and others. It can be used in emergency situations as well as social situations. This alone increases the value of having a Twitter account.

The more uses a site can exhibit will positively affect its overall use. Tying a humanitarian purpose to Twitter makes it one social media site that can be extremely beneficial. This is important to note for anyone trying to promote an idea. Anytime an idea springs, make sure that it is multifaceted. The general idea was social media, but it is also used for greater purposes. Sometimes this occurs on accident, but make sure the opportunity is available. 

Social media is not only used for a social purpose anymore. Twitter has proved that social media can make a difference. It can be the make or break in a person’s life. It not only provides social interaction, but provides opportunity. Joining Twitter almost seems like a must! Those not on Twitter are missing out on opportunity. Conform to the newest form of social media and give Twitter a chance. There is a purpose for Twitter and it is forever growing! Keep in touch with @TwitterStories and become a believer!

Adaptation in the Newspaper

The Newspaper Association of America is embracing social media! The gap between the newspaper industry and social media may soon begin to close. The article entitled “Newspapers use social media to say 'Smart is the NewSexy'” explains that they are encouraging students to receive their information via newspaper instead of Facebook and Twitter. Their slogan “Smart is the New Sexy” implies that the more you read the newspaper, the more attractive you become. What can we learn from this?

Social media has struck gold! The newspaper is realizing that they cannot compete with social media so they must concede defeat or join the enemy. This is how we know that social media has exploded and will continue to rise. It is only a matter of time that everything becomes associated with social media. The phenomenon is still growing! Those who were involved in the old way of doing things are now adapting which is a big step. 

The Newspaper Association of America is using Facebook and Twitter sites to promote their newspapers. Is this smart? Or are they ruining the idea of the newspaper? They have been declining in paper sales over the past few years according to the article so something had to be done. When it isn’t working, one has to fix it. Using social media can be their fix. This allows them to reach a broad audience and interact with newspaper readers all across the globe.  The newspaper is fighting social media with the use of social media. 

The success of the idea is determined by how the idea takes off and is managed. The slogan is catchy and may attract a few people, but that isn’t enough. Constant updates and involvement within each account is a must for success. Whoever is updating the Facebook statuses or Tweets must be prepared to keep the followers interested. If everyone loses interest in the sites or idea, it will only be remembered as a temporary fix. This site explains what Facebook groups and Tweeters need to do to reach students!  With the catchy slogan and the power of social media, the association stands a good chance of improving its situation. Crossing my fingers for the underdog!

.University.Social.Media.

John Hopkins University is using social media to the max. The university has its own site entitle Hopkins Interactive. It is a site where prospective students can learn about the college from current students. Blogs and videos talking about their experiences are released by students who attend the university. Prospective students want to learn about the campus they may attend and gain the information in a down to earth way. Social media provides students this opportunity. All the information below is a summary of the information presented by the article “How colleges use, misuse social media to reach students”. 

Reaching students through brochures and pamphlets should no longer be an option. Students want to receive information in a way that is appealing to them. Students are on sites like Twitter and Facebook a majority of the time, so why not tap into them. Anything can be posted on the site from campus updates to athletic contest information. It is just another way to get information across. However, social media must be used correctly or the idea will fail.

            The university must not leave the Facebook or Twitter account unattended. If they are unattended, people will lose faith in them and forget about them. Information must be constantly flowing through the websites. Students must have an eagerness to check the feed because of all the updates that occur. If only a few posts or tweets occur, students may not even bother. The key is to keep the students or prospective students engaged! 

            Use students to present the information! It shows the personality of the campus and helps prospective students relate. They don’t want to read blogs from the staff because it doesn’t give the college a real feel. Prospective students want to hear from the student body. They want to hear the truth about the campus and get an idea from the students who attend the university. 

            Social media is a powerful tool! Universities need to utilize this tool and change the way they promote themselves. Technology is changing the way people do business and relate ideas. Bring the information to the students and make them feel wanted! Make the students feel like the university cares about them and show the students they are not just a number. Tweeting to students or prospective students can be the first step. Remember, keep the account updated and post frequently!

It Could Be You

Google Plus is struggling. A Google engineer accidentally released info saying that the site was a “study in short-term thinking” and a “knee-jerk reaction”. This has caused a significant drop in Google Plus members and is not good for the site. Google Plus is essentially an attempt to capitalize off of Facebook’s success. However, it has been the exact opposite. The site was released in June and has almost hit rock-bottom. 

What does this mean for social media? It means that others are trying to capitalize off the success of already popular social media. We will always see new sites go up that essentially provide the same service.  The “original” social media sites need to be aware because they need to keep their sites up to date. They need to keep users pleased and give them reasons to stay around. Adaptation is the key word. Sites need to adapt their original ideas and intentions to fit some of the requests of the users. Usually the user has no say in how the site should be adapted, but it would be something to look at. Then again, who am I to say? 

Users need to be aware of this because something better may come along. We must be conscious of the other social media sites being implemented or we might miss out. Let us broaden our horizons and take a look at different Web 2.0. Other sites may be suited to our specific needs. Web 2.0 is an extremely large market and keeps expanding. Don’t be afraid to research other options! Don’t be afraid to browse around! 

This also means that you could be the next innovator. We are all experts in social media and know what we like about it and what we don’t. Don’t be afraid to express your ideas and expand on them. Google Plus tried an idea and it didn’t work, but I’m sure it won’t stop them. Don’t let failure stop you in your tracks.  Anyone of us can be the next Steve Jobs or Mark Zuckerberg. It all starts with an idea! Even just one YouTube video can make someone revenue beyond their wildest beliefs. The use of social media can possibly be used to get ahead. It is an outlet and possible money maker, so don’t be afraid to express yourself!

Monetization - Questions - Facebook

Monetization of Facebook? How timely? Just when we are discussing whether or not the monetization of blogging is capable, word about monetizing Facebook arises. Rumor has it that Facebook will begin charging users for the use of its site. Will this make users disband from the site? How many users will give it up? How many users will buy into it?  Everyone can quit worrying; there is no need to fret! Thankfully, none of these questions need answers. Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook CEO, quickly put this rumor to rest during the Facebook f8 conference. 

However, what would it mean to monetize currently “free” social media? Would it be catastrophic or would it help social media grow? Monetization has pros and cons. With the extra money, social media sites may be able to provide more benefits to their users. The users might also have more say and power since they are buying into the company. All the Facebook changes cause enough controversy, but with monetization, contributors may be able to bring their opinions into reality. Although the pros sound good, there is always a list of cons. 

Those involved with Facebook or other social media would be required to pay membership fees. This will definitely turn a certain group of people away. It also may limit the use of multiple social media. People who use Skype, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube might only allow themselves to use one social media site. This means a drastic drop in numbers. Friends are going to make sure they have the same social media to keep in touch thus making one or two sites the main beneficiaries. 

Social media will hopefully remain free. It is tough to say what will happen even in the next ten years. Are we addicted to social media in that we would pay the prices? Or would social media sites that monetize lose face? The scary thing is that no one will know until it happens. Social media has become engrained in our lives. How far are we willing to go? Social media is a way to interact and express ourselves. Experience it before any monetization occurs. Get involved early and reap the benefits of social media!

Food for Thought

Jet’s linebacker Bart Scott is tired of fans becoming engrossed by social media and technology. However, technology is an extremely useful tool to help supplement one’s absence from actual game day. So what is all the fuss about? Not only are fans using technology to give them the closest game day experience, but they are becoming distracted by it within the stadiums, according to Scott. 

   "We have to challenge the people that [are] in the stadium now to get off their iPads and tweets and represent the stadium and get loud and make it a home-field advantage for us," Scott said Thursday, according to the New York Daily News.

Does this throw up any red flags or is the population just using technology the way it is ought to be used? With Twitter, statues or tweets rather, are updated constantly. One can use it to basically explain their current location, view or feelings on any subject.  One could argue that tweeting during the game helps promote the NFL. It gives the power of promotion to anyone watching the game, not only in the stadium, but to those at home as well. Anything said may draw any one of someone’s followers to watch the game or check out the replay. Is this not a positive thing? 

Should this be a concern? Those who pay for a ticket are there to watch, correct? They would not have paid that money to just sit there and tweet. It doesn’t make sense that social media could disrupt the entire game. Am I going to tweet while I’m at the game, yes! That doesn’t mean that I am completely out of the context of the stadium. Cheering continues and noise will still be generated. It takes only a few seconds to tweet so it doesn’t seem to be much of an issue. The real fans are there to cheer and will not miss out due to a tweet. Those on their iPads could definitely make rise to a different list of concerns, but Twitter is our focus. 

Twitter has blown up the communication network. It is part of the social norm and will continue to grow. There is no shame in utilizing the technology created for us. However, is it changing the way we view professional sports? Is it a bad thing or a good thing? Thoughts anyone?

!CAUTION!

Rick Santorum, yes the former presidential candidate, has a Google headache. When searching his name on the famous search engine, fake definitions of santorum appear. The words depict a result of a rather vulgar sex act. Here is the link to express the severity of the issue, sorry Rick! Santorum wants Google to clean up the search results for his name and one could only side with him. A man’s reputation, livelihood and self-esteem are at hand here.

Scott Rubin, Google’s spokesman, said, “We have a bias toward free expressions. That means that some ugly things will show up.” How scary is that? Yes, the tools provided by the World Wide Web are incredibly useful, but how far is too far? How much is too much and can digital media disintegrate people’s lives. 

Most of the information put forth on this blog has had a positive vibe. However, this is not the case on September 22, 2011. Digital media needs to be used cautiously. One cannot post whatever they want on the internet and expect it to be viewed by a general audience. Anything put on the web can be used against one in a negative way. The way one tweets or updates a status on Facebook can have an entirely different meaning online. F2F interaction seems to be the easiest way to comprehend one’s tone through body language and voice, but those aspects can become lost in cyberspace. 

Every week athletes are being misinterpreted or misrepresented through their tweets on Twitter. Are these so-called role models lashing out and expressing their feelings negatively or is that just how we perceive their comments? Players are being fined for what they say on Twitter and are getting bad reputations for how we comprehend their words. Is that fair to them? No, but digital media can be an evil tool. Everyone needs to examine the pros and cons of the digital world in their own eyes. The pros by far outnumber the cons in many situations, but as with anything, the cons still exist. Be smart about the release of information and monitor your digital output. Embrace digital media, but be careful!