the wrap up

Saying that this semester has come and gone in the blink of an eye would be an understatement. I refuse to believe that it is already the end of April because that only means one thing; Social Media class is coming to an end.

I have truly enjoyed taking Social Media this past semester. I walked into class the first day thinking I knew almost everything I needed to know about social media, but let me tell you, I was dead wrong. I have learned more from this class than I expected and am excited to put my knowledge to good use. I think my favorite thing about this class is that I can see how it impacts my everyday life. Before taking this class I never considered the countless opportunities social media presents on a professional level.

After taking this class I am more aware of the content I post on social media. While I still struggle to post meaningful and engaging content on Twitter and Facebook, I am making an effort to improve. Learning how much social media can affect you on a profession level has definitely been one of the best lessons I am taking away from this class. Not only do businesses look at your social media to make judgment calls, but it is also a great way to make connections and build your professional network. Before this semester I never considered LinkedIn as a front-runner in the social media world. However, I am grateful that we were required to create a LinkedIn profile for this class because I have already seen the benefits of having one. In addition to connecting with professionals on LinkedIn, there are so many opportunities to find jobs and connect with businesses on Twitter and Facebook that I didn’t see in the past.

In addition to using social media for personal use, I have learned more than I could have imagined about using social media for a business. I am very intrigued with all of the different analytical tools available to measure the success of your social media. It amazes me how much of an impact social media can have on marketing and promoting a brand.

After taking this class I can say that my love for social media has only grown stronger. I feel confident when it comes to social media and cannot wait to learn more as the current sites change and new ones are added!

Do you follow Channing Tatum on Twitter?

Do you follow Zac Efron, Michelle Obama, Kerry Washington or John Legend? If you answered yes to any of the above, then you have experienced the new Twitter profile. If you answered no, there is a chance you haven’t even heard about the change. Twitter rolled out a new profile earlier this month. The new profile setup is currently available to a small group of users as well as anyone that joins Twitter as a new user.

When I first stumbled upon the new Twitter profile my first reaction was “NOOOOOOO.” Why would Twitter trade its simple design for a layout that looks like a Facebook copycat? Does Twitter really think its users want to learn how to navigate around an entirely new profile? Needless to say, I am not a huge fan of change.

However, after getting over my initial rage, I have to admit that the new layout isn’t all that bad. Although I am not a fan that the new Twitter profile almost identically resembles Facebook, it does offer some cool new features that makes browsing easier.

The new profile provides users with the same freedom to customize their header, with the addition of larger profile and banner photos. Some of the other new features include highlighting your best Tweets, pinning Tweets and filtering Tweets. These main features are best described on the Twitter blog:

• “Best Tweets: Tweets that have received more engagement will appear slightly larger, so your best content is easy to find.
• Pinned Tweet: Pin one of your Tweets to the top of your page, so it’s easy for your followers to see what you’re all about.
• Filtered Tweets: Now you can choose which timeline to view when checking out other profiles. Select from these options: Tweets, Tweets with photos/videos, or Tweets and replies (Twitter).”

The new Twitter profile will be available to everyone in the next few weeks. I am dreading the switch for the mere reason that it is a change, still part of me is excited for the new profile. Visit Channing Tatum’s Twitter profile for a first look at the new layout and decide what you think? Is the new profile a positive change, or will it lead to a social media uproar?

Marketing of the Future

Here is the big question: How does a company successfully advertise and market their brand? One of the biggest advertising challenges today is reaching the target audience. Think about all of the times you have changed channels during commercial breaks, flipped the page of a magazine when you saw an advertisement, or even switched radio stations as soon as the music stopped playing. These advertising strategies might be what we are all used to, but if they continue to be overlooked, it might be time to try something new. And by new, I am referring to content marketing.

What is content marketing you ask? By definition, “Content marketing is the practice of creating relevant and compelling content in a consistent fashion to a targeted buyer, focusing on all stages of the buying process, from brand awareness through to brand evangelism (Content Marketing Institute).” In other words, it is a way to market your brand while sharing quality content that promotes your product.

Content marketing is not a new concept, however it is foreign to many people. Before Creighton alum, Danny Schreiber, came to talk to my class about content marketing, I was one of these people in the dark about content marketing. Danny introduced several new mediums that people are using for marketing including infographics, eBooks, listacles and forums. Through these mediums, companies produce quality content that informs people about their area of work, while also promoting their brand.

According to Danny, if you want to be successful in content marketing you must measure extensively, promote exhaustedly and SEO meticulously. Furthermore, there are seven main steps in the marketing process.

1. Select a topic.
2. Select several different content types.
3. Find ways to weave promotion into the content.
4. Set up a simple editorial cal.
5. Take time to measure (unique page views, conversion of sign ups, social sharing).
6. Promote again.
7. Do more. Guest post on a blog, join in premiere content, etc.

Content marketing can be extremely successful if you follow the steps above and are committed to making new connections. Although traditional advertising and content marketing both work to promote a brand, they are very different. In my opinion, content marketing is the marketing of the future.

promotion and puppies

I must admit, I am not much of an animal person when it comes to anything other than dogs. However, I have always admired and respected those who help rescue animals in abusive situations and those who adopt them. The Nebraska Humane Society plays a huge part in this rescue effort and works very hard to find new homes for these animals.

Last Wednesday my Social Media class visited the Nebraska Humane Society. After being greeted by the adorable (unofficial mascot) Baxter, we got an inside look at how they run their social media and how it has helped get animals adopted. I found the presentation to be very informative and it gave me several ideas that could be applied to other non-profit organizations or companies that are looking to improve their social media.

Elizabeth Hilpipre, a Creighton alum, is the master behind the humane society’s social media. Elizabeth has done an excellent job building a large community of followers and supporters on Facebook and Twitter. I was amazed to hear how much she has grown their social media presence in just 5 years.

Elizabeth has figured out the best ways to use social media. Not only has she figured out what works best for Nebraska Humane Society, but also what works best in general. Here are the main things I learned from Elizabeth.

1. Visual media is key. Images and videos are much more likely to get attention than plain text posts.
2. Facebook success is measured by a combination of likes, shares and comments. All three are important to increase your spot in the news feed.
3. Know your audience. Facebook analytics provide you with information about your followers, including age and gender. Use this information to tailor your content for your target audience.
4. Set goals and standards for yourself. If you aim for a certain amount of views, retweets, likes, etc., you will have a way to measure your success.
5. Tell people what you want them to do. People are much more likely to share or retweet your post if you directly ask them to.

Elizabeth has used Facebook analytics to figure out that Nebraska Humane Society’s main audience is individuals age 25-35. Recognizing that this audience does not consist of big donors, the humane society has come up with an event called Ales for Tails. This event consists of beer, music and dancing; all things that 25-35 year olds enjoy and are willing to pay for. In addition to this event, the humane society also participates in Omaha Gives. Elizabeth originally had a huge social media campaign planned for this day of fundraising, but scaled it back at the last second. However, even with limited social media about the event, the humane society raised a huge sum of money because of its already strong community of followers.

Elizabeth is able to maintain the humane society’s large audience because of her goals and standards. She aims to get 10,000 views on every one of her posts and is committed to answering every question they receive on social media.

The Nebraska Humane Society is an excellent example of how social media can benefit an organization. Through Facebook and Twitter, Elizabeth has been able to connect with thousands and help find new homes for the rescued animals.

The Twitter Network

In a recent study conducted by the Pew Center, six different Twitter conversation archetypes were identified. These archetypes include: Polarized Crowds, Tight Crowds, Brand Clusters, Community Clusters, Broadcast Network and Support Network. Each of these six represent a different networking crowd and produce a unique conversation map.

Mapping Twitter conversations is extremely helpful when it comes to understanding Twitter because it highlights the main contributors, groups and topics being discussed. By analyzing Twitter maps, we can better understand the size and makeup of a particular audience, as well as their opinions and information sources.

As a regular Twitter user, I see examples of these six archetypes all of the time. The most common archetype I see on Twitter is the Polarized Crowd. Although this Twitter network is often political, I see it through KU and K-State Basketball. Being from Kansas City, I follow a lot of KU and K-State fans, all of whom love their basketball. My Twitter feed is full of tweets about both teams and the NCAA Tournament, but they never interact with one another.

Another archetype I often come across is the Tight Crowd. I think the best example of this Twitter network is the community using #RollJays. This hashtag, unique to Creighton, creates a tight community that shares similar ideas and opinions and regularly participates in discussions.

Brand Clusters also appear on my Twitter feed on a regular basis. One of the best examples I see of this archetype is the company Serengetee. Serengetee has retweet contests several times a week that promote their brand, but doesn’t necessarily create discussion between their followers. As a recent contest winner, I believe that Serengetee is successful in the Brand Cluster network because their main concern is spreading the word about their product and not necessarily creating conversation.

The last archetype I experience on Twitter is the Community Cluster. Most recently, I have seen this network reflected by the disappearance of Malaysia Flight 370. I have seen countless tweets from different news organizations about the missing plane. Each of these news organizations has its own group of followers that share ideas and findings and converse with one another.

Each of these archetypes are unique and provide us with valuable information about Twitter and social media in general. Through analysis we learn how different groups communicate and connect with one another. Thanks to the Pew Research Internet Project, we can categorize Twitter into six networks gaining a better understanding of each.

Do you “second screen?”

Social media has been used in a variety of ways, but one of the most prominent ways has been as a “second screen.” This refers to tweeting or Facebooking while watching a television event, whether it be a basketball game, political event, or your favorite series, such as “The Bachelor” or “Pretty Little Liars.”

I must say, that I am an avid “second screen” Twitter user, especially when it comes to sporting events. For example, last night Creighton played for the Big East Championship and my Twitter feed was changing by the second. I could have followed every second of the game without even turning the game on by reading Tweets from my peers, Creighton accounts, and even national accounts such as Sports Center and ESPN. When it comes to basketball games, or any sporting event for that matter, I think a second screen only adds to the viewing experience. If you can’t get to a T.V. you can follow along via Twitter, and if you are watching, you can see others’ reactions, get team updates not available on T.V. and engage with other fans.

 

However, when it comes to weekly television shows, Twitter and Facebook as a second screen can have its drawbacks. If you are watching the show live, tweets and Facebook posts are great, but if you happen to miss your favorite T.V. show one week, these same updates could provide you with information you didn’t want to know. For example, before I ever had a chance to watch the season finale of “The Bachelor,” I found out who won on Twitter. Because I knew the outcome of the show, I know longer had any desire to watch the final episode.

 

In cases such as my own, social media as a “second screen” can cause a show to lose viewers. However, it can also have the exact opposite effect. If a show is getting a lot of attention on social media, it creates curiosity and interest. Maybe it’s just me, but if the people you follow on Twitter and Facebook posted every week about the most recent “Breaking Bad” episode, wouldn’t you want to know what they were talking about?

 

Social media as a second screen has its advantages and drawbacks, but overall it creates major buzz. If used correctly, it can dramatically help promote T.V. shows, sports teams, and even major company events.

#hashtag

Before you read any further let it be known that I am a huge fan of Twitter. However, the hashtag completely frustrates me. Let me tell you why!

I think the concept of the hashtag is rather confusing for most. Before I was on Twitter I would always ask my friends what the “#” before their words was for and they could never really tell me why. I got a range of answers from, “it signifies what mood you are in,” to “you just do it because you feel like it,” to “you can’t understand until you have Twitter and see how it works.” All in all, these answers pretty much prove that most people don’t understand why they use the “#” in their tweets or its true purpose.

Now that I am on Twitter and have learned what the # is really for, I am completely frustrated with those who misuse it. This is not to say that I don’t improperly hashtag something from time to time, but I try to hashtag with a purpose. When people #Useonelonghashtagtodescribetheirentiretweet or #hashtag #every #word #in #their #tweet, I want to pull my hair out! (Watch the video below to see what I mean.)

So, to set the record straight, according to Twitter, “the hashtag symbol # is used before a relevant keyword or phrase (no spaces) in a Tweet to categorize those Tweets and help them show more easily in Twitter Search.” In other words, hashtags are meant to organize similar thoughts or ideas, track conversations and allow for easy participation in discussions. For example, the hashtag #RollJays is commonly used among Creighton fans during basketball games, allowing people to easily search similar tweets.

If used properly, hashtags are wonderful. If used poorly, they are simply annoying. My hope is that  Jimmy, Justin and myself have inspired you to use more meaningful hashtags!

My Confession on Endless Love

Here is my confession: I absolutely love sappy predictable cheesy romantic movies. Now that you all know this little secret of mine, I thought I would share a bit about the last movie I saw (which happens to be a flawless example of my confession) and my not so great choice in movie time.

Let me start out by setting the scene for you. It’s February 14, Valentine’s Day to some, a day to celebrate being single while indulging on chocolate and hanging out with your best friends for others. Seeing that I fall in the latter of the two categories, my friends and I decided to embrace Valentine’s Day and see none other than Endless Love, the newest romance movie. I must admit that I loved the movie, but the theater atmosphere, not so much.

I will come back to the movie, but let me continue with the setting. Thinking that couples would go on their Valentine’s date that night, we decided to hit up the movie theater at noon. We thought, “Who would go to the movies on a Friday before 5:00?” but boy were we wrong. By the time it started, every last seat in the theater was occupied.

If you haven’t been to the theaters lately, let me tell you, there is this new thing they have called assigned seats. Assuming that no one followed the rules, we made the decision to sit where we liked. As you’re probably guessing, we thought wrong once again. One-by-one people trickled in and each time they sat closer and closer until we finally got the boot. By this time the entire theater is packed, the previews had started and it was pitch black, but here we were moving to our lovely assigned seats.

Here is where it gets even better. While moving to our seats the entire theater stared and we realized that we were surrounded by a bunch of happily in love couples. As if this wasn’t enough, we got stuck sitting directly between two couples that were, I kid you not, full on cuddling and making googly eyes at each other. There went our plans of making fun of Valentine’s Day and avoiding all non-single people.

But even amidst the couples that made me cringe, I enjoyed the movie. Endless Love, was the perfect sappy love story that I was looking for. The movie, starring Alex Pettyfer and Gabriella Wilde, tells the story of a privileged and sheltered girl who falls for the charismatic “bad boy.” They instantly connect and fall in love, but her parents attempt to end their relationship in any way possible. Of course, like any romantic movie, their love conquered all and in the end they ended up together despite all complications. Was this movie predictable? Yes. Cheesy? Yes. Will it get horrible reviews? Most likely. But I loved it!

If you share the same secret love for these movies you should absolutely go see Endless Love. If you tend to hate these movies, at least watch the trailer. If anything, the cast is easy on the eyes!

Who’s to decide what’s wasted time?

After reading Alexis Grant‘s blog post “Why ‘Wasting Time Online’ is Absolutely Worth Your Time,” I must say that I love her way of thinking. Grant proposes that what most people might consider “wasting time online,” can actually be the doorway to new thoughts and ideas. I like to think that she is absolutely right.

One of my favorite “time wasters,” along with the usual Google, Facebook, and Twitter, is Pinterest. Although I often get distracted by food and fashion, Pinterest also allows me to explore different design concepts and browse though thousands of examples that fuel my creativity. I can find new layouts, color schemes, and typography ideas with a few simple clicks. As an aspiring graphic designer, I love looking though Pinterest for inspiration.

Besides finding new ideas on Pinterest, I believe that perusing on the web can reveal useful information, spark new interests, and even lead to jobs. Social media sites often serve as great procrastination tools, but, when used for networking, they can help one to discover new opportunities. In my experience, I was able to find several internships that interested me by supposedly “wasting time” surfing the web. Without letting myself get a little distracted I would have never discovered that organizations like Sporting Kansas City or companies such as Nike hired graphic design interns. In this instance, clicking around on Twitter and Facebook was beneficial and worth my time without question.

When taken in moderation, a little distraction on the web can be a good thing. Sometimes the best ideas and most interesting information can only be found by clicking around and letting yourself get off task. As one of my favorite quotes by Bertrand Russell reads, “The time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time.” Although enjoy might not be synonymous with productivity, I believe that every individual has to decide for themselves whether their time is wasted or well spent on a little distraction.

Google Yourself.

Most of us have Googled ourselves at least once, but have we really thought about what we find? Do we like what people find out about us online? Are we embarrassed by anything?

Google is one of the best ways to measure our personal brand. As a college student, I know that creating a brand for myself is extremely important for my professional future. So, to start the branding process I turned to my dear friend Google. When I typed in Molly Grosdidier, Google returned links to my social media accounts and my personal website. At first glance I can say that I had nothing to be embarrassed about, but my online presence doesn’t stop there, so I dug deeper.

First on the list was Facebook. Although Facebook is a popular way to connect with people, it is not my first choice of communication. I will admit, my Facebook page consists of mostly pictures and a few silly comments here and there. I keep my profile private, but also follow the rule that if I wouldn’t want my grandma to see it, it doesn’t need to go on Facebook. After looking over my profile, I would say that I need to improve my presence on Facebook and use it as a more professional tool.

Now onto my favorite way to stay connected, Twitter. My Twitter account is public and although there is nothing on there that I wouldn’t want people to see, I could improve on posting quality content. After reading over my last 50 tweets or so, I realize I post some pretty pointless thoughts. I do think that Twitter should be a way to share what you are thinking at any given moment, however, what kind of cheesecake I ordered at The Cheesecake Factory probably isn’t of any interest to my followers. My goal is to steer away from posting so many pointless tweets and focus more on making professional connections and sharing quality thoughts.

Finally after my Facebook, Twitter and also Pinterest links, my personal website appears on Google. As of now mollygrosdidier.com needs a lot of work, but I am in the process of completely redesigning the site. Ideally, this site will be the heart and soul of my brand. It will capture who I am as a designer, employee, and my overall personality. My hope is to use social media to direct people to my website.

After looking over my Google search I noticed that something was missing, my LinkedIn account. Mostly due to the fact that I just created my profile, my LinkedIn account did not show up on the first search page.I think that LinkedIn is vital in finding a job and making professional connections, so I need to work on making it appear at the top of my Google search.

Overall, I think I am on the right path to creating a solid personal brand. With a Klout score of 56, I do believe that I have a strong online presence. I have nothing to be embarrassed or ashamed of on the web, but I do think that I could create a better professional impression. I want people to look at my social media and personal website and immediately know that they want to hire me. Right now I think my personal brand screams “college student” when it should say something about me as a person and designer.