Social Media is Everywhere!

Social Media in a Video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVXKI506w-E

No, it's not a Disney character.

A small blue bird entered our lives three years ago whether we liked it or not.
"The working name was just "Status" for a while," said Jack Dorsey, Twitter chairman. "It actually didn’t have a name. We were trying to name it, and mobile was a big aspect of the product early on ... We liked the SMS aspect, and how you could update from anywhere and receive from anywhere. We wanted to capture that in the name — we wanted to capture that feeling: the physical sensation that you’re buzzing your friend’s pocket. It’s like buzzing all over the world. So we did a bunch of name the dictionary for words around it, and we came across the word "twitter," and it was just perfect. The definition was "a short burst of inconsequential information," and "chirps -storming, and we came up with the word "twitch," because the phone kind of vibrates when it moves. But "twitch" is not a good product name because it doesn’t bring up the right imagery. So we looked in from birds. And that’s exactly what the product was."

Twitter has took the world by storm just like other social media such as Myspace and Facebook. However Twitter is unique. Myspace and Facebook allows its users to write text, add many pictures as well as movies. Twitter only allows its users 140 characters which means including spaces there can only be 140. It sounds like a lot but isn't. Here is an example from my Twitter page. "Did anyone know Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day comes out October 30???? It is only showing in select theatres. Not good news for me. :( "= 140 Characters.

*Check out this Youtube video about Twitter
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddO9idmax0o

Ashton Kusher, Hugh Hefner, Oprah, Ellen Degeneres all have one, what about you?

In the past three years you hear about Twitter from celebrities and now companies using social media to gain customers, talk to customers and share new ideas with them. For instance H&R Block uses Facebook to give their customers advice. While some companies try to sell a product through social media, H&R Block gives tax advice. Comcast cable company, is on Twitter giving advice but in a different way then H&R Block. They find tweeters who are talking about Comcast and talk to them offering assistance. I tried an experiment to see if Comcast would answer me back on Twitter, but I never received a response. So what makes them talk to one person over another?

Social Media in Businesses. There are no more pages in the yellow pages. Just watch. It's shocking.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I10UGl15nYU

Today, business leaders are teaching other businesses how to use social media and why they should.

Four steps to social media success:
1. Find interested people
2. Deliver quality content
3. Capture information
4. Stay in touch

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gza8dvN8Hkc&feature=related

Social Media Marketing-"Get direct traffic to your site."

This is another video featuring Vanessa Cooper who talks about using social media in businesses and gain attention. She suggests YouTube, because people love to watch videos. Also, she says most people believe Facebook and Twitter are what most people think of when they hear social media. However, there are other types of social media such as forums, message boards and blogs to get involved and communicate with your customers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyJ1FGWRtQY&feature=related

Are customers responding? A personal opinion.

From my personal opinion I believe if Comcast tweeted to me on Twitter I might have mixed feelings. I don't like that they can find me because I am talking about Comcast, but also, it might be an advantage to me if I am struggling. However, when I have had issues I just pick up the phone and call. I am still trying to "wrap my head around" social media. We are surrounded by advertising on tv, malls, billboards and now even more when we are searching the web. With companies taking over social media I find it over whelming.

If you're working for a company, they will see you using social media.

When Facebook first came out, it was only for college students. In just a few years, my grandfather is on it. In other words, a large majority of people are on social media sites and can see everything you write, pictures and movies you post. Companies have hired employees to find out if other employees are putting the company in a negative light. That is scary. Where does free speech come into play. That is another blog to write.



Social media has come into our lives in a short amount of time, like the first video said it took 50 years to get radio to everyone, well it didn't work that way with social media. Companies and advertisers can find out what you are doing, and create things just for you. Where is it going? Only time will tell.