CSIT 155: Week2B - Business Communication

There are a number of businesses I’m proud of, and frequent regularly on the internet, however, my whole reason for taking this course is to benefit my father’s budding business, in which I am the digital media manager, in all of its entirety. 

   My father’s business:

1.       Sharon’s Cozy Pets

2.     www.sharonscozypets.com        

3.      They use facebook (actively), Google +, YouTube, Twitter and Pinterest

4.       I know for certain the only activity is currently on facebook, roughly every three days.

5.      

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGemF59ncBENf-LNTQkv3fw

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sharonscozypets/

Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/people/kelsostockwood

Google+: https://plus.google.com/100433778329303047007

Twitter: www.twitter.com/sharonscozypets   

6. I realize there are not enough outlets of social media involved in this particular business, and I also know there are many ways to attract attention to my father’s business, I just fear I don’t know where to begin. I realize the world is constantly on the hunt for something funny, something cute, something clever. Animals are a sure-fire outlet to reach large audiences, and humor can extend that reach more, however I have not attracted the attention I’m looking to on each site, and I realize it is a full-time job to maintain a site as well as several media outlets, and there can be no delay or breaks between posts and activity. I am certain that my active engagement in this businesses’ social media on a constant basis will certainly gather a bit more attention than it currently receives. 

There are many companies that use social media to keep a finger on the pulse of all things interesting on the internet, and they are very successful with this practice. Despite whether or not a company chooses to make a blatant, shameless promotion, or simply comment on a post that has struck the world as interesting, companies that successfully have manipulated and benefited from social media were attentive and constant. I always wondered if there were many people that take shifts to complete such a task, or if there were only one IT person, a social media expert, that did it all in that department. 

I notice success in many sites, as well as political campaigns, and realized the more it is in someone’s mind or in someone’s face the more it will be recalled by audiences when the time comes. You may see a hundred commercials for a slap chop, and never give it a second thought, but when you’re making that dip for the party, you wish to yourself you had one. It’s as simple and as complex as that: ensure everyone knows who you are, what you have to offer, and that you genuinely care about them as people and ultimately individuals.

Here are some websites:

FAIL Blog – a branch off of a wonderful site called “I can haz cheeseburger.” A place of pure entertainment by way of adorable, cute, terrible and wonderful images of cats.

Site: http://failblog.cheezburger.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/failblog

Wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fail_Blog

Twitter: https://twitter.com/failblog?lang=en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FailBlog/

DeviantArt – a place where people can share all forms of art, generally leaning towards something darker than what is normally expected, but can be of all forms, contributed from people all over the world, of all walks of life.

Site: http://www.deviantart.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DeviantArt

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/deviantart/

Wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DeviantArt

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/deviantart/

Tumblr: http://deviantart.tumblr.com/

Instagram: http://instagram.com/deviantart

Linked in: https://www.linkedin.com/company/deviantart-inc.

Google+: https://plus.google.com/+deviantART

CSIT 155: Week2A - Communication

Hello again friends!

Of course, like everyone, I have experienced difficulty communicating with a business. No online user is perfect, no business is perfect, and no communication is perfect, therefore it is inevitable to have communication issues, especially when dealing with a business online.

Absolutely, social media is an incredible tool for even the most shy, conservative, quiet, unnoticed person to make a thumbprint on the world. It can be used to solve problems or create them, depending on the type of information shared and the finesse used to share it.

I have had both positive and negative experiences communicating with a business through social media. Sadly, regardless of intent, words in text form can be misconstrued and tone can be assumed. I believe this is the whole reason emoji’s, emoticons and meme’s were created – to fill in the gaps of emotion and context of textual information. One of the most predominant positive experiences I can remember having with a business through social media was with the MCX Exchange administrators, who were able to address an issues I was having and provide me an “above and beyond” solution to my problem.

Although I do have my own business, I haven’t been keeping up with my social media platforms recently. I have given myself a “little break” to address other issues in my life, such as school. I do, however, maintain my father’s seasonal business, and keep some of the social media platforms active throughout the year. What I have learned from comments is: respond to the positive ones with positivity and gratitude, ignore the negative ones, and if possible, remove them.

Positive and negative experiences in social media come in all forms, there are far too many variables to address why someone would choose to be negative, and quite frankly, I try not to explore those reasons. When someone is positive, I do my best to respond to that, and make a mental note as to what made this experience good, and try to replicate it in the future. If the experience was bad, I try to figure out why and avoid replicating it. Simple.

What it all boils down to is: the internet is a wild, untamed, dangerous and magical place. As long as you interact carefully and treat yourself with respect, you have nothing to really worry about. I’m saddened to hear about those who take the words of strangers to heart – and I remind myself there will always be that dark place in the online world – how I let it affect me, however, is completely my choice.

Cheers!

JennL.