For my professional social media presentation, I decided to attend a webinar. Unfortunately, many PR webinars require advanced registration, membership, or a really high fee ($329?? Don't these people know I'm a college student?). Luckily, PRSA has a bunch of free webinars posted on their sites and the beauty of it is that you don't even have to wait for a particular time for it to start, you can watch past ones too. So I watched "Accelerate Your Career In Public Relations: Steps You Can Take Now to Prepare for Your Future" which was originally held on Thursday, April 28 at 3PM EDT.
The webinar was moderated by Jenny Schade, a former therapist that specializes in guiding employees and organizations through changes (such as this awful economy). The Panel of speakers included Robert Hastings, a senior vice president of communications at Bell Helicopter, and Mary Henige, the director of social media & digital communications for GM. It was really interesting and surprising that the moderator for this webinar was not actually a PR professional but a therapist.
I really learned a lot from the webinar, some really surprising things in fact. Apparently, Schade found that through her sessions with different organizations' employees, people are actually thriving in this economy. I guess all it took was a scary downward spiral toward economic depression to light a fire under people's asses. Schade gave a few tips based on what she observed on how to protect your career in a chaotic economy which I will definitely follow....if I can get a job.
This webinar also reinforced the fact that after graduating college and maybe gaining some real world PR experience, I should get accredited in Public Relations. Both panelists discussed how important getting accreditation and how it helped advance both of their careers. Overall, I'm really glad that I attended this webinar and I can hopefully use the advice they've given in real practice.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
The Biggest PR Trends of 2012
I get a lot of PR newsletters sent to my email and generally, while they all seem pretty interesting, I find myself not having the time to read all of them. However, today one headline caught my eye: "The Biggest PR, Marketing, and Communication Trends of 2012"
As I plan on starting my post-grad (please, PLEASE don't make me graduate) job search in December, I find myself frantically reading anything and everything that can tell me how to make myself more attractive to employers and actually succeed in the crazy and competitive world of Public Relations. That means constantly being up-to-date on the newest and best practices in PR, so obviously I read this article.
Trend #2: Decentralize Social Media, really popped out to me because we recently turned in our social media integration project and my paper focused on Best Buy. Best Buy is one of those companies that have completely absorbed the concepts of social media and internalized & integrated it into every aspect of their company. Unfortunately, they're one of the only ones. Too many companies have just a social media department, or worse, a social media intern. I'm really looking forward to seeing how 2012 brings complete structural overhauls in social media policies in companies.
link: http://socialmediatoday.com/mynewsdesk/397789/pr-communication-and-marketing-trends-2012-part-1
As I plan on starting my post-grad (please, PLEASE don't make me graduate) job search in December, I find myself frantically reading anything and everything that can tell me how to make myself more attractive to employers and actually succeed in the crazy and competitive world of Public Relations. That means constantly being up-to-date on the newest and best practices in PR, so obviously I read this article.
Trend #2: Decentralize Social Media, really popped out to me because we recently turned in our social media integration project and my paper focused on Best Buy. Best Buy is one of those companies that have completely absorbed the concepts of social media and internalized & integrated it into every aspect of their company. Unfortunately, they're one of the only ones. Too many companies have just a social media department, or worse, a social media intern. I'm really looking forward to seeing how 2012 brings complete structural overhauls in social media policies in companies.
link: http://socialmediatoday.com/mynewsdesk/397789/pr-communication-and-marketing-trends-2012-part-1
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Do Mobile Apps & Social Media Go Together?
My partner and I presented on mobile apps and how it relates to social media recently. The fact of the matter is that mobile apps are taking over the world....or at least the internet. Soon, our phones will overtake our PCs (& Macs) as the most popular way of accessing the internet. That's kind of cool, yet a little scary at the same time.
With mobile phones, we use the internet for a purpose. Personally, I don't really browse sites when I'm feeling bored on my phone because I'm always doing something. If I use the internet on my phone, I'm always looking to find or do something specific. This can create a problem for a lot of companies. Just when they thought they'd started attracting consumers with enticing websites and other media, now there's the added obstacle of trying to do it on a 2x4 inch screen.
It's also going to be really difficult for companies to attract consumers with their own mobile apps. People download apps for a certain purpose, whether it's a timewasting game such as Angry Birds or a cool feature to edit photos such as Instagram, people use mobile apps for themselves. Many companies have developed apps for their brand so consumers can keep up with their latest news and maybe play some silly game with their brand logo all over it. But despite all the money, time, and effort they put into developing these apps, they're coming to the realization that people aren't downloading it. The memory space on people's phones are important and they're just not going to throw it away on something stupid.
With mobile phones, we use the internet for a purpose. Personally, I don't really browse sites when I'm feeling bored on my phone because I'm always doing something. If I use the internet on my phone, I'm always looking to find or do something specific. This can create a problem for a lot of companies. Just when they thought they'd started attracting consumers with enticing websites and other media, now there's the added obstacle of trying to do it on a 2x4 inch screen.
It's also going to be really difficult for companies to attract consumers with their own mobile apps. People download apps for a certain purpose, whether it's a timewasting game such as Angry Birds or a cool feature to edit photos such as Instagram, people use mobile apps for themselves. Many companies have developed apps for their brand so consumers can keep up with their latest news and maybe play some silly game with their brand logo all over it. But despite all the money, time, and effort they put into developing these apps, they're coming to the realization that people aren't downloading it. The memory space on people's phones are important and they're just not going to throw it away on something stupid.
Friday, November 18, 2011
Making Press Releases Twitter Friendly
Last week, I posted about how a new study by PR Newswire & Crowd Factory found that press releases generate more views and attention when shared on Twitter. As a follow up to that, this week I found an interesting article on PRNewser on "Six Tips For Making Your Press Release Twitter Friendly." As upcoming public relations professionals, I think it's important for us to realize how the press release is changing and internalize these rules for success in the (ugh) real world.
Here's a cliffnotes version of the tips:
1. "It starts with the headline" - headlines are incredibly important just for getting people interested in what you have to say. Even if you have the most exciting news ever, nobody's going to read about it if your headline doesn't attract their attention. With Twitter, the headline is something that should be somewhere around 120 characters.
2. Numbers, numbers, numbers - people like numbers, draw attention to them.
3. Make sub-stores tweetable - allow important points to be easily found and short & sweet to make it easier for people to share.
4. "Hashtag properly" - make sure keywords & search terms are in the release. this is really important for SEO & for letting people know what you're talking about!
5. Make quotes tweetable - if you have quotes in your press release, make it more interesting by including the brand or person's twitter account!
6. Include multimedia - we discussed this in our post last week and it's pretty self explanatory. PR professionals need to be constantly up to date with new trends and methods to get people's attention. If a picture is worth a thousand words, how many do you think a video is worth?
link: http://www.mediabistro.com/prnewser/six-tips-for-making-your-press-release-twitter-friendly_b30368
Here's a cliffnotes version of the tips:
1. "It starts with the headline" - headlines are incredibly important just for getting people interested in what you have to say. Even if you have the most exciting news ever, nobody's going to read about it if your headline doesn't attract their attention. With Twitter, the headline is something that should be somewhere around 120 characters.
2. Numbers, numbers, numbers - people like numbers, draw attention to them.
3. Make sub-stores tweetable - allow important points to be easily found and short & sweet to make it easier for people to share.
4. "Hashtag properly" - make sure keywords & search terms are in the release. this is really important for SEO & for letting people know what you're talking about!
5. Make quotes tweetable - if you have quotes in your press release, make it more interesting by including the brand or person's twitter account!
6. Include multimedia - we discussed this in our post last week and it's pretty self explanatory. PR professionals need to be constantly up to date with new trends and methods to get people's attention. If a picture is worth a thousand words, how many do you think a video is worth?
link: http://www.mediabistro.com/prnewser/six-tips-for-making-your-press-release-twitter-friendly_b30368
Friday, November 11, 2011
Search Engine Optimization - Blurring the Lines of PR Ethics?
Search Engine Optimization is one of those increasingly popular skills that many companies demand their PR agencies have. In fact, many agencies market this aspect of their offerings. With the onset of the Internet Revolution, search engines became increasingly popular. People needed a way to sift through all of the sites and webpages and easily find what they're looking for. Search engines primarily rank sites based on relevancy of what was searched.
Search Engine Optimization is one of those things that PR agencies find their clients demanding, yet may not be the most ethical way of practicing public relations. Basically, Search Engine Optimization is a way for companies to pay to have their website show up higher up or more prominently on search engine results. What ends up happening is that the companies that have more money outranks the sites that may actually be useful to the searcher, which hurts the general public in the long run. Personally, I'm not sure how I feel about SEO ethically, but it's definitely one of those skills that a PR professional needs to have to get ahead in the industry.
Search Engine Optimization is one of those things that PR agencies find their clients demanding, yet may not be the most ethical way of practicing public relations. Basically, Search Engine Optimization is a way for companies to pay to have their website show up higher up or more prominently on search engine results. What ends up happening is that the companies that have more money outranks the sites that may actually be useful to the searcher, which hurts the general public in the long run. Personally, I'm not sure how I feel about SEO ethically, but it's definitely one of those skills that a PR professional needs to have to get ahead in the industry.
Facebook vs. Twitter - The Battle of the Social Media Press Release
A new study by PR Newswire and Crowd Factory looks at the effectiveness of press releases shared on social media and what type of press releases are most effective. Personally, I feel that the study's findings were pretty much common sense if you understand the basics of these social media giants, but I felt that maybe I should share it with you all for future practices.
Something that I thought was really important that I think all PR professionals should recognize is the finding that multimedia press releases generate more engagement than text-only press releases. It's no longer good enough to write a few paragraphs and expect people to read it and take notice, PR practitioners need to engage their audiences with text, photos, video, and audio messages.
Something that I thought was really important that I think all PR professionals should recognize is the finding that multimedia press releases generate more engagement than text-only press releases. It's no longer good enough to write a few paragraphs and expect people to read it and take notice, PR practitioners need to engage their audiences with text, photos, video, and audio messages.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Wikipedia and what it means for corporate image
When you think about social media, Wikipedia is probably not the first thing that comes into mind. Many of us have used Wikipedia for school papers or just plain curiousity, but one thing is for sure, Wikipedia is taking over. With over 20 million articles in 10 different languages, Wikipedia has become social media's answer to the stuffy encyclopedias of old. Wikipedia is different in the sense that it allows anyone to contribute to the articles. While some articles are thoroughly researched with numerous references, others can be short, inaccurate, and most importantly, biased.
This week's reading analyzed corporate image on Wikipedia. Due to the social aspect of Wikipedia, corporations are finding that it's becoming increasingly harder to control what is being said on this popular information resource. While Wikipedia as an organization takes strides to ensure that the information posted on the site is as accurate as possible, it doesn't necessarily mean that companies will be pleased with the results. Many companies are finding that certain information that they don't necessarily want getting out to the general public (such as scandals and past PR disasters) are being posted on this site, and there is nothing that they can do about it. With Wikipedia, a disgruntled employee has just as much say as a top level executive. If a PR professional is not careful and does not monitor these messages carefully and effectively, a simple Google search can lead to a company's biggest fans...or their biggest enemies.
This week's reading analyzed corporate image on Wikipedia. Due to the social aspect of Wikipedia, corporations are finding that it's becoming increasingly harder to control what is being said on this popular information resource. While Wikipedia as an organization takes strides to ensure that the information posted on the site is as accurate as possible, it doesn't necessarily mean that companies will be pleased with the results. Many companies are finding that certain information that they don't necessarily want getting out to the general public (such as scandals and past PR disasters) are being posted on this site, and there is nothing that they can do about it. With Wikipedia, a disgruntled employee has just as much say as a top level executive. If a PR professional is not careful and does not monitor these messages carefully and effectively, a simple Google search can lead to a company's biggest fans...or their biggest enemies.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Facebook: companies speak, but do they listen?
How would you feel if someone only listened to 5% of what you say? Would you keep speaking to them? Would you even still associate with them?
A recent study by Socialbakers found that brands don't respond to 95% of the questions posted on their Facebook walls. As a consumer, how does that make you feel? Many companies are jumping on the social media bandwagon because it's what they're supposed to do. They create a page, generate followers, and before you know it, they're blasting marketing messages to Facebook users - the golden rule of social media of what NOT to do.
Social media's sole purpose is for conversing and connecting with others, hence the SOCIAL aspect of it. If a company is not going to socialize and talk to their fans and audiences, then they should not have entered social media to begin with. Surprisingly enough, the study found that the industry with the lowest percentage of responses is the media industry. How ironic is that?
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Do Virtual Worlds Have a Place in PR?
One of this week's topics is the idea of virtual worlds and their role in social media for companies. Personally, no matter how much you tout virtual worlds, I don't think I'd be convinced that they have a place in true PR practices. Many companies have used virtual worlds like Second Life to promote their brand, they would even make whole islands for their virtual target audiences to visit. However, the question that they should really be asking themselves is, "is it worth the effort?"
Consider how many people you are actually engaging and how you're engaging them when deciding to put the time, energy and resources into building a virtual world presence. How big are the audiences? As of 2011, Second Life has about 1 million active users. But how active is active? I could create a Second Life account and play for 2 days and then log on next month and still be considered active. So when you really look at that 1 million people, you have to consider that a chunk of that number will not really be present. And then, you should think about how many of those 1 million users would actually want to listen to your message on Second Life or visit your island. How many of those users actually fall into your target audiences? How do you even know?
These are questions that I think a lot of companies need to ask themselves before committing to a presence in a virtual world because I really think that there are much better and more efficient ways to reach those same audiences. Having an appearance in Second Life may have helped the Obama campaign, but considering what you're sacrificing, will it really help your company?
Consider how many people you are actually engaging and how you're engaging them when deciding to put the time, energy and resources into building a virtual world presence. How big are the audiences? As of 2011, Second Life has about 1 million active users. But how active is active? I could create a Second Life account and play for 2 days and then log on next month and still be considered active. So when you really look at that 1 million people, you have to consider that a chunk of that number will not really be present. And then, you should think about how many of those 1 million users would actually want to listen to your message on Second Life or visit your island. How many of those users actually fall into your target audiences? How do you even know?
These are questions that I think a lot of companies need to ask themselves before committing to a presence in a virtual world because I really think that there are much better and more efficient ways to reach those same audiences. Having an appearance in Second Life may have helped the Obama campaign, but considering what you're sacrificing, will it really help your company?
Thursday, October 20, 2011
What NOT to do in Social Media
So we all know that Social Media is incredibly important in a current PR professional's life, but as with all things, there are things that one should NEVER do when using social media. An article in PR Daily titled "The Worst-ever Advice about Social Media" outlines certain things that companies find themselves doing in Social Media and failing miserably.
When I first read this article, I was struck by how accurate all of these are. They're not your typical social media common sense advice either. For example, number 2: Put in the intern in charge of social media. Social media has proved to be an integral and essential part of a company's relationships to their audiences. Why would you jeopardize that by putting a kid in charge? Yet, I can't even count how many times I've seen job postings for a "Social Media Intern."
There are other gems in this article too, such as Number 6: Avoid anything personal in your social media presence. Many companies figure that since it's their company Twitter, all tweets should be about the company. But that's not only incredibly boring, but also defeats the purpose of Twitter. People use Twitter to find the humanity in people. It's a little reassuring to find that your favorite celebrity loves Swedish Fish just as much as you do. People use Twitter to connect with you so you should too.
While none of us are heading the PR departments of major coporations (yet), it's interesting to read what many so-called professionals are doing wrong and take note of it.
link: http://www.prdaily.com/Main/Articles/9801.aspx
When I first read this article, I was struck by how accurate all of these are. They're not your typical social media common sense advice either. For example, number 2: Put in the intern in charge of social media. Social media has proved to be an integral and essential part of a company's relationships to their audiences. Why would you jeopardize that by putting a kid in charge? Yet, I can't even count how many times I've seen job postings for a "Social Media Intern."
There are other gems in this article too, such as Number 6: Avoid anything personal in your social media presence. Many companies figure that since it's their company Twitter, all tweets should be about the company. But that's not only incredibly boring, but also defeats the purpose of Twitter. People use Twitter to find the humanity in people. It's a little reassuring to find that your favorite celebrity loves Swedish Fish just as much as you do. People use Twitter to connect with you so you should too.
While none of us are heading the PR departments of major coporations (yet), it's interesting to read what many so-called professionals are doing wrong and take note of it.
link: http://www.prdaily.com/Main/Articles/9801.aspx
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Video Killed the Radio Star...
So now that I have your attention (& that increasingly irritating song stuck in your head), let's talk about using video in social media. Let's face it, videos aren't just for movies, TV shows, and MTV anymore, they're in our everyday life. They are our new pop culture. Do you know what "Charlie Bit My Finger" is? If you don't, have you been living under a rock for the past 4 years? A silly one minute home video created by a British mother gained instant fame and currently has over 390 million hits on Youtube.
Youtube has changed the way that people use video. They're no longer for home movies shared just within the family, they're a way for anyone in the world to express a message or pull a stupid stunt and gain instant popularity around the globe. Justin Beiber was discovered on Youtube. I think that should be enough said.
So how can a PR practitioner use this incredibly powerful tool effectively? The first step is to take advantage of it. There are many ways that companies can use video and podcasting to improve their social media presence. Want to keep your loyal followers updated on your company's news? Create a podcast. Want to demonstrate how a new product works? Create a video and post it on your website - Apple has successfully used this strategy for years. There are even Video News Releases (VNR) for the technologically advanced PR professional. Send out your message with images and sound - a picture is worth a thousand words after all.
Video has blown up in the past few decades, especially with the onset of the Youtube Revolution. Now, it's up to the PR industry to ditch the pen and paper and start filming.
Youtube has changed the way that people use video. They're no longer for home movies shared just within the family, they're a way for anyone in the world to express a message or pull a stupid stunt and gain instant popularity around the globe. Justin Beiber was discovered on Youtube. I think that should be enough said.
So how can a PR practitioner use this incredibly powerful tool effectively? The first step is to take advantage of it. There are many ways that companies can use video and podcasting to improve their social media presence. Want to keep your loyal followers updated on your company's news? Create a podcast. Want to demonstrate how a new product works? Create a video and post it on your website - Apple has successfully used this strategy for years. There are even Video News Releases (VNR) for the technologically advanced PR professional. Send out your message with images and sound - a picture is worth a thousand words after all.
Video has blown up in the past few decades, especially with the onset of the Youtube Revolution. Now, it's up to the PR industry to ditch the pen and paper and start filming.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
One of the Most ESSENTIAL Tools for a PR Professional
I get a lot of my original blog post topics from PR Daily. It's a really useful site by Ragan Communications with all things Public Relations related. These are articles about PR by successful PR professionals. The site has many really useful sections such as Media Relations, Crisis, Marketing, Writing & Editing, and there's even a Social Media section. You can even sign up for their daily newsletter where they send you the newest and most useful new articles on their sites.
This PR Daily news site definitely helped me immensely with navigating the everchanging and confusing world of PR. One of the most crucial aspects that a PR practitioner must understand is that the world and the news is constantly changing and it's our job more than almost anyone else's to keep up with it on a constant basis. Because of this site, not only do I find lots of new and interesting topics to talk about in this social media blog, but I also find incredible resources that will help me when I start my job search this December. For example, I just read articles on the skills that employers look most for in today's PR professional and 9 job-hunting tips for millennials in the PR market. These are things that us PR students that are about to enter the real world as DYING to know, yet we're not actively looking for the answers.
So if you're reading this and you actually want to become a successful PR professional, I urge you to type as fast as you possibly can and sign up for the PR Daily Newsletter. It'll only help you in the long run.
link: http://www.prdaily.com/Main/Home.aspx
This PR Daily news site definitely helped me immensely with navigating the everchanging and confusing world of PR. One of the most crucial aspects that a PR practitioner must understand is that the world and the news is constantly changing and it's our job more than almost anyone else's to keep up with it on a constant basis. Because of this site, not only do I find lots of new and interesting topics to talk about in this social media blog, but I also find incredible resources that will help me when I start my job search this December. For example, I just read articles on the skills that employers look most for in today's PR professional and 9 job-hunting tips for millennials in the PR market. These are things that us PR students that are about to enter the real world as DYING to know, yet we're not actively looking for the answers.
So if you're reading this and you actually want to become a successful PR professional, I urge you to type as fast as you possibly can and sign up for the PR Daily Newsletter. It'll only help you in the long run.
link: http://www.prdaily.com/Main/Home.aspx
Monday, October 10, 2011
del.icio.us - a reporter's wet dream
Excuse the slightly inappropriate title, I think I'm really funny. But actually, I fully stand behind this post's heading - if I were a reporter, I would dream about a story where all of my links and resources were in one handy place.
In previous posts, I discussed the importance of having good relationships with reporters, especially if you're a PR practitioner. Today, after reading a PR Squared blog entry titled "Using del.icio.us for Thought Leadership," I'm convinced that del.icio.us is one of those perfect tools to help anyone in a PR role to create smooth and happy relationships with desired reporters.
I have to admit, the idea of del.icio.us was still very strange to me before this blog post. I understood the basics of it but I really didn't understand how useful it could be. Basically, del.icio.us accounts allow PR professionals to expand on typical press releases by providing reporters with valuable background information as well. For example, if I wanted to promote a new product launch for a company, I would have the link to the press release in the del.icio.us account, some more links to background information about the company and its past product launches, maybe some more links to blogs that have tested the product and liked it, etc. I could label every link and send it all to reporters in a pretty package. If that doesn't make them want to write a story on your product, then they probably wouldn't have in the first place.
This blog entry definitely convinced me that del.icio.us is one of those social media tools that all PR practitioners should learn how to use as soon as possible.
In previous posts, I discussed the importance of having good relationships with reporters, especially if you're a PR practitioner. Today, after reading a PR Squared blog entry titled "Using del.icio.us for Thought Leadership," I'm convinced that del.icio.us is one of those perfect tools to help anyone in a PR role to create smooth and happy relationships with desired reporters.
I have to admit, the idea of del.icio.us was still very strange to me before this blog post. I understood the basics of it but I really didn't understand how useful it could be. Basically, del.icio.us accounts allow PR professionals to expand on typical press releases by providing reporters with valuable background information as well. For example, if I wanted to promote a new product launch for a company, I would have the link to the press release in the del.icio.us account, some more links to background information about the company and its past product launches, maybe some more links to blogs that have tested the product and liked it, etc. I could label every link and send it all to reporters in a pretty package. If that doesn't make them want to write a story on your product, then they probably wouldn't have in the first place.
This blog entry definitely convinced me that del.icio.us is one of those social media tools that all PR practitioners should learn how to use as soon as possible.
Friday, October 7, 2011
Social Media Newsrooms - not just a cool fad
Every PR practitioner knows that one of the most important relationships to have and keep intact are the relationships with reporters. While this class focuses a lot on how social media allows companies to communicate directly with their consumers and target audiences, traditional media still reigns supreme. People are still reading newspapers and magazines....just on their Kindle or iPad. Reporters are the interpretors for the public. Whatever message you put out there, reporters interpret the tone, the word choice, the spin, and they create a point of view for the mass public to read and consume.
In an article on PR Daily, the writer discusses the stagnation of companies' online newsrooms/press rooms. Most companies currently lack the social media aspect of their newsrooms because they perceive it as a fad, something cool that is currently getting everyone's attention. However, social media newsrooms aren't important because they give your company a "hip" image, they're important because they give reporters more information and a better feel for your company. The author highlighted 6 essential elements that should be in every company's newsroom:
1. Include your social content - let reporters see your blog posts and tweets!
2. Make it sharable - the easier your content can be shared, the more likely it is that they will be.
3. Let conversations happen - commenting should be enabled on every press release & any other information. It's the most basic concept of social media.
4. Make it navigable - make it easy for reporters to find what their looking for through tags & search engines.
5. Make it easy for people to connect with you - One of the most essential rules of PR: contact information on your PR materials.
6. Make it easy for people to stay connected - You WANT people to get your company news so deliver it to them through RSS feeds, email updates & SMS subscriptions.
These 6 rules are crucial for every PR practitioner to recognize and remember because dealing with the media is one of the most important aspects of our industry. The more accessible we make information for reporters, the better our relationship with them will be.
Article: http://www.prdaily.com/socialmedia/Articles/9698.aspx
In an article on PR Daily, the writer discusses the stagnation of companies' online newsrooms/press rooms. Most companies currently lack the social media aspect of their newsrooms because they perceive it as a fad, something cool that is currently getting everyone's attention. However, social media newsrooms aren't important because they give your company a "hip" image, they're important because they give reporters more information and a better feel for your company. The author highlighted 6 essential elements that should be in every company's newsroom:
1. Include your social content - let reporters see your blog posts and tweets!
2. Make it sharable - the easier your content can be shared, the more likely it is that they will be.
3. Let conversations happen - commenting should be enabled on every press release & any other information. It's the most basic concept of social media.
4. Make it navigable - make it easy for reporters to find what their looking for through tags & search engines.
5. Make it easy for people to connect with you - One of the most essential rules of PR: contact information on your PR materials.
6. Make it easy for people to stay connected - You WANT people to get your company news so deliver it to them through RSS feeds, email updates & SMS subscriptions.
These 6 rules are crucial for every PR practitioner to recognize and remember because dealing with the media is one of the most important aspects of our industry. The more accessible we make information for reporters, the better our relationship with them will be.
Article: http://www.prdaily.com/socialmedia/Articles/9698.aspx
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Social Media - A [Not So] New Concept
In this week's readings of PR 2.0, Chapter 8 really caught my attention. The chapter discusses the concept of social networking - as the chapter's titled " Social Networking: A Revolution Has Begun." When I first started reading this chapter, I thought the content seemed pretty repetitive and self explanatory. Companies need to use social media to build relationships, social media can help your brand, etc. etc. etc.... all of the stuff that I feel like everyone in this class already know.
But as I kept reading, something else in this chapter really caught my attention. Although the first social networking site, Classmates.com, was launched in 1995, the science of social network analysis has been around since the 1930s. A science that focused on certain factors of social networks such as influence, trust, centrality, and network density. At first, this didn't make sense to me at all. How could there be a science for measuring social networks over 60 years before the first social network existed? But then I really thought about it. Back when the Internet didn't exist, people got their information through their social circles, those were their social networks. In fact, we still do that today but just in an electronic form. Instead of hearing about news from our neighbors and family through verbal conversations, we hear about news from our neighbors, family and friends through Facebook or Twitter. Our Facebook and Twitter profiles ARE our social circles. This realization definitely impressed me and terrified me at the same time, are our lives defined by our virtual realities? When do those two aspects separate?...do they ever?
But as I kept reading, something else in this chapter really caught my attention. Although the first social networking site, Classmates.com, was launched in 1995, the science of social network analysis has been around since the 1930s. A science that focused on certain factors of social networks such as influence, trust, centrality, and network density. At first, this didn't make sense to me at all. How could there be a science for measuring social networks over 60 years before the first social network existed? But then I really thought about it. Back when the Internet didn't exist, people got their information through their social circles, those were their social networks. In fact, we still do that today but just in an electronic form. Instead of hearing about news from our neighbors and family through verbal conversations, we hear about news from our neighbors, family and friends through Facebook or Twitter. Our Facebook and Twitter profiles ARE our social circles. This realization definitely impressed me and terrified me at the same time, are our lives defined by our virtual realities? When do those two aspects separate?...do they ever?
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Twitter is the NEW Complaint Department & Companies NEED to Keep Up!
In this class, we often discuss how companies can and should use social media to communicate with their customers and target audiences. However, maybe this class is being taught to the wrong generation of people. As Generation Y PR students, we use social media on a daily basis. We grew up with Myspace and Facebook, and therefore recognize the importance of these new communication channels and how they could best be utilized in PR practices. These are concepts that innately make sense to us. But we are not yet in the workforce. Instead, the people running most corporations and companies are from earlier generations, ones that do not fully understand the importance of social media in PR and still see Facebook as a waste of time. While social media has gotten huge amounts of attention in the past few years, many companies still have a long way to go in terms of learning how to communicate with these channels.
A new study by Maritz Research Company has shown that most companies still have not fully grasped the importance of Twitter, social media's newest fad. Twitter is the new method that consumers use to complain about a product or service, and most companies are just not listening. The study surveyed an online panel of 1,300 consumers who use twitter regularly and have complained about a product, service, brand or company. The findings showed that only about 1/3 of the complaints received a response from the company.
Of the tweeters that received responses:
83% liked or loved hearing from the company
4% didn't like or hated hearing from the company
3 out of 4 were very or somewhat satisfied with the company's response.
Of the tweeters who did not receive responses:
86% would have liked or loved hearing from the company
1% would not have liked hearing from the company
63% would not like it or hate it if the company contacted them about something other than their complaint tweet
The numbers don't lie. Today's consumers want to be heard and know they are being heard. The technology is there, corporate America just needs to take hold.
Article: http://www.prdaily.com/Main/Articles/9758.aspx
A new study by Maritz Research Company has shown that most companies still have not fully grasped the importance of Twitter, social media's newest fad. Twitter is the new method that consumers use to complain about a product or service, and most companies are just not listening. The study surveyed an online panel of 1,300 consumers who use twitter regularly and have complained about a product, service, brand or company. The findings showed that only about 1/3 of the complaints received a response from the company.
Of the tweeters that received responses:
83% liked or loved hearing from the company
4% didn't like or hated hearing from the company
3 out of 4 were very or somewhat satisfied with the company's response.
Of the tweeters who did not receive responses:
86% would have liked or loved hearing from the company
1% would not have liked hearing from the company
63% would not like it or hate it if the company contacted them about something other than their complaint tweet
The numbers don't lie. Today's consumers want to be heard and know they are being heard. The technology is there, corporate America just needs to take hold.
Article: http://www.prdaily.com/Main/Articles/9758.aspx
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Blogs: The 21st Century Journalist
This week's reading is focused on the field of Public Relations expanding into the phenomenon of blogging. When I first think of a blog, I think of individuals with a little too much time on their hands ranting about anything and everything they can think of. In my mind, blogs are similar to the old online journal site, Xanga, where middle schoolers like myself would write about whatever excitement entered our preteen lives. But this is not the case at all. Blogs are taking over the way the public receives news and completely overturning the process. Instead of companies pitching to journalists to write about a new product or service, a company can now create a blog and communicate that information directly to interested publics themselves. Microblogs like Twitter provide real-time updates of any news that a company deems shareable, whether it's about a last minute sale or a new shipment of products.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Taking down corruption, one tweet at a time
Thought social media was just for fun and games? Well yes, but it's also for other things, such as talking to your favorite celebrities, finding your next job, and preventing corruption. Did that last one confuse you? Well I recently came across this really interesting article about how Zambians were using a monitoring campaign called "Bantu Watch" to report possible irregularities in the recent presidential election. Bantu Watch uses crowdsourcing to deliver reports from multiple users to monitor any problems and concerns regarding the poll.
I thought this was really cool because you can see social media being used for more than just talking to Ashton Kutcher. To us, we see social media as something to do while we're procrastinating or just bored. However, to Zambians, they see social media as a way to communicate with people throughout their country and ensure that their next leader is elected fairly. It's really eye-opening to see something like Twitter be put to such amazing use.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/09/20/us-zambia-election-internet-idUSTRE78J3TW20110920
I thought this was really cool because you can see social media being used for more than just talking to Ashton Kutcher. To us, we see social media as something to do while we're procrastinating or just bored. However, to Zambians, they see social media as a way to communicate with people throughout their country and ensure that their next leader is elected fairly. It's really eye-opening to see something like Twitter be put to such amazing use.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/09/20/us-zambia-election-internet-idUSTRE78J3TW20110920
Friday, September 16, 2011
Social Media: A Modern Love Story
While looking for a social media video to post, I stumbled upon a variety of gems that were decidedly too inappropriate to seriously post. One of these is a youtube video titled "a social network for two a modern love song":
While this video is hysterical, it's also a commentary on our society and how the modern world is finding love. Things like friend requesting and lying about your age is funny to laugh about in this video but things like this happen on a regular basis. Sites like eHarmony and Match.com are more popular than ever and it's almost replacing dating in real life. While I grew up in the world of social media, it still blows my mind that people go online to find their love matches. The concept to me is completely unreal and kind of ridiculous, but the television commercials prove it, people actually end up getting married to strangers that they meet through their computer.
It kind of makes me worried about the future of dating in general. Am I ever going to find myself on one of those sites? I really hope not. But who knows 10 years into the future?
It kind of makes me worried about the future of dating in general. Am I ever going to find myself on one of those sites? I really hope not. But who knows 10 years into the future?
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Twitter is influencing the way you buy
I recently read an article about how Kantar Media Complete found in their quarterly Online Shopper Intelligence Study, that consumers say that Twitter influences their buying decisions more than Facebook does. This is something that absolutely does not surprise me. However, this articles seems to attribute this to Twitter's promoted tweets, which I don't, in fact, agree with. I mean, while I do not go on Twitter on a regular basis, I don't just follow my friends and favorite celebrities, I also follow my favorite clothing brands and magazines. And while I do see the promoted tweets on my homepage, I tend to ignore them, recognizing them as promotions. However, when I see one of my favorite clothing brands tweeting about a huge blowout sale or a recent discount on a cute skirt with a picture and link, I might find myself making an impulse buy. Same thing goes for magazines. Magazines are great at promoting their advertised products, stating their benefits and how much that particular magazine loves it. This would make me more likely to click their included link and check it out.
I mean, maybe I'm alone on this whole promoted tweet business, but personally if I see something I know is advertisement, I tend to tune it out.
article link: http://www.mediabistro.com/alltwitter/twitter-influences-more-consumer-purchases-than-facebook_b13718
I mean, maybe I'm alone on this whole promoted tweet business, but personally if I see something I know is advertisement, I tend to tune it out.
article link: http://www.mediabistro.com/alltwitter/twitter-influences-more-consumer-purchases-than-facebook_b13718
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Kaplan Response
In "Users of the world, unite! The challenges and opportunities of Social Media" by Andreas M. Kaplan and Michael Haenlein, they discuss what social media is, the challenges and opportunities of social media, and advice for companies attempting to utilize social media. When reading this article, I felt that it was really stiff, especially when discussing such an informal topic. Social media is supposed to be fun and casual, but this article makes it sound just as stiff as what the author is writing.
I also believe that there was a crucial piece of advice missing from the "ten pieces of advice for companies deciding to use social media," specifically under the social section. I think that since this article is trying to be so exhaustive, it should've mentioned that companies should try to maintain their contact with their social media followers to a respectable and non-annoying level. This is a problem that most companies using social media faces and is something that they should seriously consider before jumping in and harassing all of their followers, which ultimately ends up damaging them more than just not choosing to use social media.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Receives Anonymous $5 Billion Donation
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St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Receives Anonymous $5 Billion Donation
A check for $5 Billion was dropped off in an unmarked envelope at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital this Monday. The generous donation will go towards saving the lives of thousands of children with pediatric cancer through treatments and research. St. Jude urges anyone with information about the donor's identity to come forward so they can be commemorated.
Memphis, TN - September 7, 2011
- On Monday morning at around 10AM, an unmarked envelope was dropped off by courier to the front desk at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital headquarters.
- The envelope contained a check for $5 billion and a typed note that read "No child should die in the dawn of life"
- The note quoted famous St. Jude founder Danny Thomas and contained no identifying marks
- The funds will go directly toward pediatic cancer treatment and research
- St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is the leading pediatric cancer center and treats children with this horrible ailment without ever giving families a bill
- The daily operating cost for the hospital is $1.5 million, which is primarily covered by public contributions
- This is the largest donation that St. Jude has ever received from any individual or corporation.
- The hospital is urging anyone with information regarding the donor's identity to come forward so they can be properly recognized and commemorated.
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Website
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital's General Website
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital's General Website
MULTIMEDIA ELEMENTS:
QUOTES
"I would like to thank this person on behalf of all of us at St. Jude. From the bottom of our hearts, God bless you." - John Doe, Fundraising Executive
About St. Jude Children's Research Hospital - St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is the leading pediatric cancer center in the world. Founded in 1962 by famous entertainer Danny Thomas, its unique mission is to treat children with cancer regardless of race, religion or ability to pay.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Tell me what you want, what you really really want
Ok, don't get too excited, this post is not about the Spice Girls (no matter how much I may want it to be). It's about what social media users want from companies using social media. Like with any form of PR, so many companies do social media completely wrong. Whether it's overposting or underposting, there's a very thin line of effectiveness in this practice.
I recently read an article on PR News titled "Q&A: What Do Facebook Users Really Want?" In this article, PR News interviews Huma Gruaz, president and CEO of Alpaytac Inc., a full service PR agency in Chicago, about how to best use Facebook and Twitter for your business. Overall, I agree with her advice. However, she did say to not use Facebook to respond to customer service issues. While I haven't seen this in practice on Facebook, I recall learning in one of my PR classes about how Zappos used Twitter to promote their company and their customer service. Apparently, one day a twitterer tweeted that the shoes she got from Zappos were damaged. Almost immediately, the CEO of Zappos tweeted her back saying that they would replace them. While I'm not usually a fan of companies intercepting with my personal life, I still think that's pretty cool.
I honestly feel that only 1 out of 100 companies doing social media are doing it right. Maybe even less than that. But eventually, you're going to have to give in to the fact that they're doing it. Good or bad, they're out there and they're trying to reach you.
link: http://www.prnewsonline.com/free/PR-News-Q-and-A-What-Do-Facebook-Users-Really-Want_15250.html
I recently read an article on PR News titled "Q&A: What Do Facebook Users Really Want?" In this article, PR News interviews Huma Gruaz, president and CEO of Alpaytac Inc., a full service PR agency in Chicago, about how to best use Facebook and Twitter for your business. Overall, I agree with her advice. However, she did say to not use Facebook to respond to customer service issues. While I haven't seen this in practice on Facebook, I recall learning in one of my PR classes about how Zappos used Twitter to promote their company and their customer service. Apparently, one day a twitterer tweeted that the shoes she got from Zappos were damaged. Almost immediately, the CEO of Zappos tweeted her back saying that they would replace them. While I'm not usually a fan of companies intercepting with my personal life, I still think that's pretty cool.
I honestly feel that only 1 out of 100 companies doing social media are doing it right. Maybe even less than that. But eventually, you're going to have to give in to the fact that they're doing it. Good or bad, they're out there and they're trying to reach you.
link: http://www.prnewsonline.com/free/PR-News-Q-and-A-What-Do-Facebook-Users-Really-Want_15250.html
Sunday, September 4, 2011
The Reinvention of the Press Release
In our PR classes at UMiami, the proper way to write a press release is drilled into our heads. However, in PR 2.0, Chapter 7 discusses how the news release is due a facelift and needs to be catapulted into the world of social media. I was really surprised at how heavily the chapter discussed social bookmarking and RSS because when I think of social media for Public Relations, I think of Facebook and Twitter reaching out to the general public. The idea of offering tags in a media release so journalists can bookmark information is something that I've never heard of before.
Considering the book was published in 2008, I feel like it's still well ahead of its time. Before this class, I considered myself a relatively knowledgable social media user and I thought sites like delicious and digg to be unpopular and not very useful. To read about all these ways that journalists are using these resources is a very eye-opening realization and makes me want to take a closer look at the way social media is changing industries, outside of the usual Facebook and Twitter methods.
Considering the book was published in 2008, I feel like it's still well ahead of its time. Before this class, I considered myself a relatively knowledgable social media user and I thought sites like delicious and digg to be unpopular and not very useful. To read about all these ways that journalists are using these resources is a very eye-opening realization and makes me want to take a closer look at the way social media is changing industries, outside of the usual Facebook and Twitter methods.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Terrifying But True - An Intern Horror Story
Ever since taking my first PR class and learning about the different occupations of the Public Relations industry, I've pretty much had a lot of my life mapped out. I was going to spend the better part of my twenties expanding my skill set by diving into the chaotic and cut-throat world of a public relations agency. Then, with these years of experience & hundreds of satisfied clients (hey, dream big right?), I would land a corporate PR job at a company I love where I can steadily move up the ladder and have a comfortable and fulfilling position. Not exactly a detailed plan but a plan nonetheless. However, this summer I worked at a boutique PR firm in Manhattan and it definitely gave me a ride on a long and emotional roller coaster.
In the world of Public Relations, "boutique" is the equivalent of small. Yet, they have their advantages, such as full service and complete attention to detail (or so it is advertised). This boutique PR firm in particular specialized in the luxury industry - their clients are salons, clothing designers, high-end restaurants, and yes, personalities. Since it was the summer season, many of the clients that the firm was working with were in the Hamptons - the playground for the rich and famous from Memorial Day to Labor Day - and I was told that we would be covering events in the Hamptons almost every weekend and I could not be more excited. This kind of hands-on experience is just what I was craving and I was ready to dedicate every minute of my summer absorbing everything I could.
The minute I stepped through the door, I noticed the cluttered office. It was probably the size of my living room at my house in Miami. There was one window facing a concrete wall in the very corner which completely deserted the purpose of a window to begin with. Everyone working in the office (other than the president & founder of the firm & her sister who works with the beauty clients) were under the age of 25, and they were all doing a million things at once.
At first, I was intimidated. These girls are a year out of school and handling every aspect of Public Relations for these high-profile clients. But then after a few weeks at the job, I quickly realized that this was probably the worst and most unhealthy work environment I could ever be in.
Following is a cliffnotes version of my summer in no particular order:
In the world of Public Relations, "boutique" is the equivalent of small. Yet, they have their advantages, such as full service and complete attention to detail (or so it is advertised). This boutique PR firm in particular specialized in the luxury industry - their clients are salons, clothing designers, high-end restaurants, and yes, personalities. Since it was the summer season, many of the clients that the firm was working with were in the Hamptons - the playground for the rich and famous from Memorial Day to Labor Day - and I was told that we would be covering events in the Hamptons almost every weekend and I could not be more excited. This kind of hands-on experience is just what I was craving and I was ready to dedicate every minute of my summer absorbing everything I could.
The minute I stepped through the door, I noticed the cluttered office. It was probably the size of my living room at my house in Miami. There was one window facing a concrete wall in the very corner which completely deserted the purpose of a window to begin with. Everyone working in the office (other than the president & founder of the firm & her sister who works with the beauty clients) were under the age of 25, and they were all doing a million things at once.
At first, I was intimidated. These girls are a year out of school and handling every aspect of Public Relations for these high-profile clients. But then after a few weeks at the job, I quickly realized that this was probably the worst and most unhealthy work environment I could ever be in.
Following is a cliffnotes version of my summer in no particular order:
- Over the course of the summer, our boss has made 6 people quit, hired 7 different unpaid interns (for a firm that totals at 13 people - over half of the employees are UNPAID interns!), and has made people cry on numerous occasions.
- The employee that has been there the longest has been there for 6 months and is frantically sending out her resume.
- I was the only person in the entire office that knows how to use Adobe. And my boss took advantage of that.
- The firm's use of social media (if any) were outdated and poor.
- On my first Friday at work, I stayed in the office from 9AM-9PM doing a send-out, while most of the office (including the boss) left.
- For events in the Hamptons, my boss refused to provide us with lodging, instead making us drive back at 1AM after working from 5AM in the morning all the way to 10PM.
- None of the employees got paid for working late or working events on weekends
- You were constantly verbally abused and NEVER appreciated.
- My boss administered a grammar test & found that I was the one with the best editing skills, so she made me, an unpaid intern without even a travel allowance, read and edit every single piece of writing that was sent out
- I read and edited an article she wrote on the Cannes Film Festival and found over 30 mistakes.
- Starting salary is $25,000
- Interns were assigned articles, and our boss would put her name on them.
- I once had to chase a paparazzo through the woods at an event.
- Our boss frowned on any and all friendships in the office. If you and another employee/intern left the office at the same time, she sensed a conspiracy theory.
- Our boss took any and all credit. You were penalized if a client praised you.
- You had no lunch break. Every employee would buy their lunch and eat it in the cramped little office. If you were gone for more than 20 minutes, you would get phone calls asking where you were.
- It was not uncommon for unpaid interns to work from 9AM-8PM on any given weekday.
I'm sure I could think of more if I really wanted to but I think you get the gist of it. It was not only an unprofessional atmosphere, it was downright unhealthy and absolutely illegal. And this wasn't some unknown public relations firm either, it has been around for 11 years. The founder/boss has been featured in numerous news articles, such as The New York Times as a power publicist. In fact, she has become a socialite herself, with invitations to every red carpet event you could imagine and her wedding extensively covered in the internet and print media. The clients themselves are nothing to laugh at either. They are restaurants that are regularly visited by well-known celebrities, personalities that are constantly photographed, and designers that have dressed dozens of bold faced names and movie wardrobes. And not even a tenth of the clients' fame should be accredited to the firm's founder.
But alas, it was a learning experience that I don't think I would give up. Although the internship physically generated nothing more than a lukewarm recommendation letter with absolutely no feeling written by the founder's husband (despite working 60 hour unpaid weeks and doing tasks of a paid account manager), I gained invaluable experience and knowledge. I learned that I can survive the agency world because no agency could ever be as bad as the one that I've already worked for. I learned that the next PR job I take, it will absolutely not be with a boutique firm. I learned to never judge the professionalism of a firm based on its clients. And finally, I learned that your coworkers are your best friends, no matter how much your employer may discourage it. Because in the end, they will be the ones that will have your back.
In our PR classes at Miami, I remember professors trying to convey the insanity and chaos of public relations agencies. Even in countless books and movies, the world of Public Relations is painted as evil, cut-throat, and downright cruel. But it's firms like the one I worked for this summer that truly epitomize and reinforce this stereotype. So I consider this post a commentary on that negative PR stereotype and would like to say that although the head of the firm was the most unprofessional and useless publicist I could ever dream of finding, the people that she employed were some of the most hardworking and genuine professionals I've ever met. Under that dark and scary stereotype, there are true people doing good work - that is what I think defines PR.
In our PR classes at Miami, I remember professors trying to convey the insanity and chaos of public relations agencies. Even in countless books and movies, the world of Public Relations is painted as evil, cut-throat, and downright cruel. But it's firms like the one I worked for this summer that truly epitomize and reinforce this stereotype. So I consider this post a commentary on that negative PR stereotype and would like to say that although the head of the firm was the most unprofessional and useless publicist I could ever dream of finding, the people that she employed were some of the most hardworking and genuine professionals I've ever met. Under that dark and scary stereotype, there are true people doing good work - that is what I think defines PR.
So to all future employers, bring it on. Hit me with your best shot & I will surprise you.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
The Most Popular Man in the World?
If the name Tom Anderson doesn't ring a bell, his picture probably would. Guy with brown hair and a white T-shirt sitting in front of a whiteboard of miscellaneous writing? Unless you're over the age of 35 or under the age of 16, then you definitely know what I'm talking about. It's Myspace Tom.
Yeah, remember Myspace? That thing that everyone used before Facebook? Although its 15 minutes of fame didn't last very long, it burned bright. And if you've ever had an account, even if you never used it, you were friends with Tom - your default friend. Tom Anderson and Chris DeWolfe co-founded Myspace in August of 2003 and enjoyed a fast ride to fame. By 2005, Myspace was reportedly getting more hits than Google. The site held that position until about 2008, when Facebook overtook it as the most popular social media site and nearly everyone made the transition. However, in those years of popularity, the forgotten social media giant hit some major milestones. In July 2005, at their peak of popularity, the infamous News Corporation (Rupert Murdoch's empire) bought Myspace and its parent company that no one hears about, eUniverse, for $580 million. And in August of 2006, Myspace's 100 millionth account was created somewhere in the Netherlands.
But faster than Myspace's rise to fame was its downfall. In the span of three short years, Facebook took hold of the public's obsession with themselves and their friends and is holding strong. Myspace went from having over 106 million users to just over 11 million today. Not that Myspace Tom is worrying too much over it, because while he still seems to be the face of Myspace through the years, he took part of the $580 million and let the site take Murdoch for a ride -- something that I'm sure keeps Murdoch up at night (other than dodging pies that is).
Since then, Anderson has been flying under the radar (I would too if I walked away with the money he did). In fact, his Google+ profile lists his occupation as "Enjoying being retired :)" with a measly 120,108 friends.
Something else I stumbled upon on Myspace Tom was an article about his past as a hacker. Apparently, in 1985 when he was just a 14-year-old high school freshman, Tom hacked into
a Chase Manhattan Bank computer system and and showed about 40 of his friends to do it too. This led to one of the biggest FBI raids in California history, with the FBI simultaneously raiding 23 homes, finding not-even-past-puberty teenagers, and seizing 25 computers. I guess Myspace Tom was always destined for greatness.
Yeah, remember Myspace? That thing that everyone used before Facebook? Although its 15 minutes of fame didn't last very long, it burned bright. And if you've ever had an account, even if you never used it, you were friends with Tom - your default friend. Tom Anderson and Chris DeWolfe co-founded Myspace in August of 2003 and enjoyed a fast ride to fame. By 2005, Myspace was reportedly getting more hits than Google. The site held that position until about 2008, when Facebook overtook it as the most popular social media site and nearly everyone made the transition. However, in those years of popularity, the forgotten social media giant hit some major milestones. In July 2005, at their peak of popularity, the infamous News Corporation (Rupert Murdoch's empire) bought Myspace and its parent company that no one hears about, eUniverse, for $580 million. And in August of 2006, Myspace's 100 millionth account was created somewhere in the Netherlands.
But faster than Myspace's rise to fame was its downfall. In the span of three short years, Facebook took hold of the public's obsession with themselves and their friends and is holding strong. Myspace went from having over 106 million users to just over 11 million today. Not that Myspace Tom is worrying too much over it, because while he still seems to be the face of Myspace through the years, he took part of the $580 million and let the site take Murdoch for a ride -- something that I'm sure keeps Murdoch up at night (other than dodging pies that is).
Since then, Anderson has been flying under the radar (I would too if I walked away with the money he did). In fact, his Google+ profile lists his occupation as "Enjoying being retired :)" with a measly 120,108 friends.
Something else I stumbled upon on Myspace Tom was an article about his past as a hacker. Apparently, in 1985 when he was just a 14-year-old high school freshman, Tom hacked into
a Chase Manhattan Bank computer system and and showed about 40 of his friends to do it too. This led to one of the biggest FBI raids in California history, with the FBI simultaneously raiding 23 homes, finding not-even-past-puberty teenagers, and seizing 25 computers. I guess Myspace Tom was always destined for greatness.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
You want to know about me?
Name: Vivian C Chao (& don't ask what the C means, I'll never tell)
Age: 20 (21 can't come soon enough)
Hometown: Forest Hills, New York (yes, Queens is still New York City)
School: UMiami
Major: PR & Psychology w/ a minor in Marketing
I guess that covers the basics right? It's funny how when you sit down to write these things, you never feel like you're interesting (or at least I never do). Just statistics that make up who you are & your life. I could tell you that I like movies & music, but so does the rest of the world. So I guess everyone is looking for what makes them unique. Right now, I don't think I can tell you exactly what that is & if you ask people that know me, you'll get an assortment of completely different and contradictory answers because everyone is something different to everyone else.
It's funny how you first come to college as a freshman, pretty much every conversation with a stranger begins the same. Where are you from? What year are you? What are you majoring in? Where do you live? & from there, you play the name game like "Oh, you're from New York? Do you know so&so?" like we all truly believe that in the entire state or city of New York, this stranger would just happen to know the one person we do. & these answers define who we are to this stranger. Like when they talk about you, they'll know you as "the senior PR major from New York who knows so&so" & that's how you're defined.
Anyway, I guess after two paragraphs of nonsense, if you're still reading this, you really do want to know about me. So I guess one thing I'd say I am is spontaneous. Or at least I really like to be. I love just dropping everything & going away, like taking a road trip on a Wednesday just because. One of the biggest things I'm afraid of is graduating because then I would have to be a real person with a real job & bills & taxes & all the other things that comes along with being real, which I guess I synonymize with boring.
I'm obsessed with Andy Warhol. Granted, he wasn't the most admirable person by far but I just love everything he's quoted saying. If I didn't live in this decade, I would love to be alive in the 60s, I think I would fit in perfectly.
I also have a dog that I bought spur of the moment in South Beach. His name is Jack & he's probably the cutest dog you will ever meet. I can honestly say that it wasn't the smartest thing I've done but I don't regret it, even though he's not entirely potty trained & hides behind his cuteness to do evil things. Currently, he's having a fight with the pillow on my couch (the pillow is winning).
I'm Chinese. My dad is from Shanghai and my mom is from a tiny village in the mountains somewhere. Being the only child of two Asian immigrants means a few things, I learned how to speak Chinese before I learned English (which meant I almost failed kindergarten & had to take a crash course in the language), I have a deeply ingrained desire to be successful & I'm not a picky eater. When you're dealing with traditional Chinese food, it's better to not ask questions and just enjoy it. Either way, it's not going to kill you. But the funny thing is, that my parents and I kind of defy the stereotypes that everyone hears about. I never get the Asian glow when I drink, my parents & i have never been in a car accident due to "terrible driving skills", I'm awful at math & science, & my parents are not even the slightest strict. In fact, they're probably the most lenient parents I know.
Anyway, I think that's enough random things for one post. If you really want to know me, just ask.
Age: 20 (21 can't come soon enough)
Hometown: Forest Hills, New York (yes, Queens is still New York City)
School: UMiami
Major: PR & Psychology w/ a minor in Marketing
I guess that covers the basics right? It's funny how when you sit down to write these things, you never feel like you're interesting (or at least I never do). Just statistics that make up who you are & your life. I could tell you that I like movies & music, but so does the rest of the world. So I guess everyone is looking for what makes them unique. Right now, I don't think I can tell you exactly what that is & if you ask people that know me, you'll get an assortment of completely different and contradictory answers because everyone is something different to everyone else.
It's funny how you first come to college as a freshman, pretty much every conversation with a stranger begins the same. Where are you from? What year are you? What are you majoring in? Where do you live? & from there, you play the name game like "Oh, you're from New York? Do you know so&so?" like we all truly believe that in the entire state or city of New York, this stranger would just happen to know the one person we do. & these answers define who we are to this stranger. Like when they talk about you, they'll know you as "the senior PR major from New York who knows so&so" & that's how you're defined.
Anyway, I guess after two paragraphs of nonsense, if you're still reading this, you really do want to know about me. So I guess one thing I'd say I am is spontaneous. Or at least I really like to be. I love just dropping everything & going away, like taking a road trip on a Wednesday just because. One of the biggest things I'm afraid of is graduating because then I would have to be a real person with a real job & bills & taxes & all the other things that comes along with being real, which I guess I synonymize with boring.
I'm obsessed with Andy Warhol. Granted, he wasn't the most admirable person by far but I just love everything he's quoted saying. If I didn't live in this decade, I would love to be alive in the 60s, I think I would fit in perfectly.
I also have a dog that I bought spur of the moment in South Beach. His name is Jack & he's probably the cutest dog you will ever meet. I can honestly say that it wasn't the smartest thing I've done but I don't regret it, even though he's not entirely potty trained & hides behind his cuteness to do evil things. Currently, he's having a fight with the pillow on my couch (the pillow is winning).
I'm Chinese. My dad is from Shanghai and my mom is from a tiny village in the mountains somewhere. Being the only child of two Asian immigrants means a few things, I learned how to speak Chinese before I learned English (which meant I almost failed kindergarten & had to take a crash course in the language), I have a deeply ingrained desire to be successful & I'm not a picky eater. When you're dealing with traditional Chinese food, it's better to not ask questions and just enjoy it. Either way, it's not going to kill you. But the funny thing is, that my parents and I kind of defy the stereotypes that everyone hears about. I never get the Asian glow when I drink, my parents & i have never been in a car accident due to "terrible driving skills", I'm awful at math & science, & my parents are not even the slightest strict. In fact, they're probably the most lenient parents I know.
Anyway, I think that's enough random things for one post. If you really want to know me, just ask.
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