I remembered it all started with High School Club in 9th grade, that is what I said at the beginning. A journey is what it has been since then, diving in and out of social media applications like some sort of social Matrix or something. The class has been a true experience that I never would have done with out it.
As I began this class I didn't know what I was getting into. I could not see the full extend of how social media could help businesses from all portions of the market. I thought of social media as a place for friends and fun. Now I notice the ads and small businesses all over my Facebook feed. I see it in the videos and pictures, I see that much of it is content for someones business. Now I can see how Facebook has shifted to business to make the bulk of the content.
I feel like I received a great blueprint for a social media based small business. I think that I would be able to start an actual business and see it grow. I now know that steady content is one of the best ways to gain customers. Engaging new customers on your content is also a good way to sustain relationships with with customers which can keep or drive off customers.
This class introduced me to Twitter which is surprisingly refreshing with it always on news ticker feel although I do not like the pace at which everything goes away. This class also helped me figure out how to sift through and understand content to figure out what everyone's information is trying to lead me to. I thought that Facebook and Googles analytics can be a game changer when it comes to running a business online, having analytic is like having cheat codes for your business.
This class has been a wonderful experience of flying through social media. This class caused me to branch out to places like Twitter, Google+ and Tumbler and start personal pages to learn the platform. I feel confident I could begin working out a small business that has a large presence and use analytics to map out my route. Though to be honest I might take a break from social media due to being overexposed, maybe just a little YouTube.
Thursday, May 25, 2017
Wednesday, May 24, 2017
I enjoyed 16a
I believe that Google+ would work the best for my business because of the communities I can network with and gain clients. I Facebook was the easiest to use because my familiarity with it though I am still unsure of what to post. I believe that Instagram would be the best to use for daily purposes because of its use of pictures as a medium rather than text. Facebook can be used on an infrequent basis because your last post stay as looks like content and also post can be put on a timeline that post it when you feel like it.
Wednesday, May 17, 2017
In the last week my page recieved 2 like between the 10th and 11th, the likes are also follows. My total reach went up from 7 to 15. Four people viewed my page on the 11th. There were zero actions on the page which means I am not producing engaging content. It has been a struggle to figure out engaging content for things like domain controllers and CRM. Surprisingly The people I have reached have a wide variety of origins which is fun to see through analytics. More content on my page would create better statistics, meaning more customers.
Sunday, May 14, 2017
Analytics
I believe that the use of analytics would help me find new customers by seeing what type frequent my page. By finding out who my customers are I can find out what they like and what they want. I think that where I can take advantage of analytics is with the businesses I get to do business with.
One of the ways I could use it to support my businesses. As the features say I can use analytics to support CRM platforms allow them to have detailed information about their customers. I will be able to work with them to sort the demographics and make changes that help them grow and spread across demographics. I can use analytics to help contour menus to either match or go against demographic depending on their aim. Analytics will be the perfect tool for me to use.
Sunday, May 7, 2017
Low Key
I am going to be using ads that are light but similar to my regular posts giving me a kind of consistency. The trouble is finding something that brings new people in. I decided to use vague bright pictures as art to draw the eye of customers.
I can also use pictures that give an idealize version of what I would like to do in an eye catching way.
I believe that using a more low key ad campaign in combination with word of mouth and community participation. My ads and posts would work in tandem to create and sustain awareness of my business. Eventually I will be able to use my successes at individual businesses and showcase them and their advancements.
Wednesday, May 3, 2017
Banner ads
I believe that the method of just creating a post as an advertisement would work for my business. By using a post I can take my plan of using helpful information as content and turn it into an ad. I could use that as soft advertising and use that kind of fade in with my regular traffic. I could bring people in by showing them what I know and advertising how I could do it for them.
I could also use the local ad to actually showcase the the businesses that I work with. That means that I can take the ads that I create for others and use it to advertise my capabilities. By giving potential customers the ability to check to see what I do for other businesses to help them decide if they want to work with me. The use of local ads showcasing a restaurant advertisement with the FutureSolid name on it would work quite well. So I will use the ads that I that I create a way to show what I can do for new customers.
I could also use the local ad to actually showcase the the businesses that I work with. That means that I can take the ads that I create for others and use it to advertise my capabilities. By giving potential customers the ability to check to see what I do for other businesses to help them decide if they want to work with me. The use of local ads showcasing a restaurant advertisement with the FutureSolid name on it would work quite well. So I will use the ads that I that I create a way to show what I can do for new customers.
Monday, May 1, 2017
Ads
Video ads have a way of grabbing you on social media. Maybe it is because they kind of trick you into believing that it is a video and then finding out that it is an ad. Either way it gets or demands that we pay attention to it, which is something that a text ad just does not have. On Facebook ads that are at least somewhat interactive are what really catch my eye.
While traditional advertising such as television commercials and radio adds still have an effect I believe that the interactivity of of social media ads is where they have an advantage. An ad cannot have you turn your TV to see a 360 view of the event being portrayed on a commercial, but you can do that on social media with a phone or tablet.
Friday, April 28, 2017
Coupons?
I do not believe that Yelp or Coupon networks would help my business, but they all would help the businesses I would like to work with greatly. Since I would like to help small restaurants and gyms I do think that all three of the options would be quite helpful. That being said, as of now I'm not giving coupons for consultant work I don't believe I would be taken seriously.
I do believe that the communities on Google+ can help my business. As I searched through the I found the San Diego Business Networking Community which is full of all business professionals sharing information and contacts. I can use this to find not only customers but also people I would like to cooperate with. I believe that my activity in this community can allow my consultant business to pass by word of mouth and give me a place to learn further.
Groupon would really help the restaurants I would like to work with. It is good at showcasing deal that generate interest. Some restaurants could use run a coupon every month or so to boost revenue or even just knowledge.
I would definitely use Yelp for gyms, as it would allow people to write reviews for their experiences. Assuming that people enjoy going to a particular gym they would like to help that gym because Martial Arts Gyms happen to work like communities. Yelp can help people join those communities.
I do believe that the communities on Google+ can help my business. As I searched through the I found the San Diego Business Networking Community which is full of all business professionals sharing information and contacts. I can use this to find not only customers but also people I would like to cooperate with. I believe that my activity in this community can allow my consultant business to pass by word of mouth and give me a place to learn further.
Groupon would really help the restaurants I would like to work with. It is good at showcasing deal that generate interest. Some restaurants could use run a coupon every month or so to boost revenue or even just knowledge.
I would definitely use Yelp for gyms, as it would allow people to write reviews for their experiences. Assuming that people enjoy going to a particular gym they would like to help that gym because Martial Arts Gyms happen to work like communities. Yelp can help people join those communities.
Thursday, April 20, 2017
Networks
Their are so many different kinds of social media platforms that it is so important to figure out the right one for my business. I decided to figure out where my customer base does their business and in places in platforms where their interest lie.
Yelp would be a good place to start because I would like to help small restaurants and gyms, places that survive off of word of mouth and community. Yelp allows for customer reviews which can be good or bad depending on the performance of the business.
I mentioned community early which I think Google+ will be helpful. The use of circles is good for becoming a part of a community and helping it grow. The Hangout app in conjunction with Google+ can give me a specialized hotline for all of my customers, meaning they can get a hold of me via text with little inconvenience. Issues such as them having an iphone and iOS products could become a problem with the inability to run android apps.
I also think that Meet Up will be also be a good fit for local gyms because I know many people use it for physical activity. By hosting meet ups at your gym you can bring in new people and to generate interest.
Last is Instagram which is would be the best for restaurants and also work pretty well for gyms as well. The ability to post a lot of content about from what you do, you could have the pictures of fresh food and good times at your restaurants or videos of an amazing training session.
Yelp would be a good place to start because I would like to help small restaurants and gyms, places that survive off of word of mouth and community. Yelp allows for customer reviews which can be good or bad depending on the performance of the business.
I mentioned community early which I think Google+ will be helpful. The use of circles is good for becoming a part of a community and helping it grow. The Hangout app in conjunction with Google+ can give me a specialized hotline for all of my customers, meaning they can get a hold of me via text with little inconvenience. Issues such as them having an iphone and iOS products could become a problem with the inability to run android apps.
I also think that Meet Up will be also be a good fit for local gyms because I know many people use it for physical activity. By hosting meet ups at your gym you can bring in new people and to generate interest.
Last is Instagram which is would be the best for restaurants and also work pretty well for gyms as well. The ability to post a lot of content about from what you do, you could have the pictures of fresh food and good times at your restaurants or videos of an amazing training session.
Wednesday, April 19, 2017
Sunday, April 16, 2017
Newsletter
Newsletters often show up in my email though unfortunately often in an extra folder. My HBO newsletter lets me know about new movies coming to it. That being said I never notice it and believe that it is because there are so many. I imagine the ease in which you can begin to receive a newsletter is a kind of testament to it as a tactic, but that means that their is a lot of competition and apathy to overcome.
For my business I believe that a bi-weekly newsletter would work be a good place to start. Changes happen very quickly in the tech world and I think that by presenting that and how I can help them attain those things or help them build strategies to move forward. With this newsletter I can keep my customers up-to-date on things such as new CRM platforms and POS systems. I can also use it as an informative platform by sharing information that helps stimulate computer literacy.
Now, back to that HBO newsletter that sits in my promotions box. It is a simple newsletter that first displays a list of shows accompanied by pictures. They allow the content to take up most of the space with minimal words. By doing this their content does the heavy lifting while their newsletter reminds people of their shows. They finished their newsletter with movies then Vice in the same manner as the others.
For my business I believe that a bi-weekly newsletter would work be a good place to start. Changes happen very quickly in the tech world and I think that by presenting that and how I can help them attain those things or help them build strategies to move forward. With this newsletter I can keep my customers up-to-date on things such as new CRM platforms and POS systems. I can also use it as an informative platform by sharing information that helps stimulate computer literacy.
Now, back to that HBO newsletter that sits in my promotions box. It is a simple newsletter that first displays a list of shows accompanied by pictures. They allow the content to take up most of the space with minimal words. By doing this their content does the heavy lifting while their newsletter reminds people of their shows. They finished their newsletter with movies then Vice in the same manner as the others.
Wednesday, April 12, 2017
Personal Touch
I believe human interest can be a very compelling weapon for a blog to use. The ability to make a human connection over a blog post creates an emotional connection that can bring the future customer back to your blog or even your business site.
It makes sense to add a personal touch to a blog for a with you have a personal stock in. A blog that someone makes for their mom's donut shop is going to be a lot more personal than a blog for Krispy Kreme. Adding a personal flair may also alienate some potential customer depending on how personal they get. The last thing a business owner wants is for their business to suffer because of misunderstandings on the internet.
Tuesday, April 4, 2017
Twit Lists
When I started to searching for people or organizations I used a whole myriad of words and phases trying to find a good combination. One of the key phases I used is IT consultant which presented me with a other people on trying to work as consultants on Twitter. I found Ben Shepardson who works at LVS Design, he posts and shares helpful information for his followers. I also found Andre Humphrey also known as Andre the PC Doctor, he uses common sense tips in a way that seems like your friend is telling you how to take care of your computer.
I separated what I found on Twitter into two groups, an IT collabaration group which has individual people I would like to work with. These would be people I would like to work with or at least pay attention to for ideas. The second group I created is my IT industry group which consists of companies I might want to work for or with. I would also pay attention to these pages to follow industry trends to assist me in my future actions.
I believe that the morning is the best time to post on Twitter and most other social media platforms. Posting in the morning catches people who view their social media in the morning. It also means that your post will be up and catch action all day.
I separated what I found on Twitter into two groups, an IT collabaration group which has individual people I would like to work with. These would be people I would like to work with or at least pay attention to for ideas. The second group I created is my IT industry group which consists of companies I might want to work for or with. I would also pay attention to these pages to follow industry trends to assist me in my future actions.
I believe that the morning is the best time to post on Twitter and most other social media platforms. Posting in the morning catches people who view their social media in the morning. It also means that your post will be up and catch action all day.
Monday, March 20, 2017
Not Visual
Yes many businesses do much better using visual social media, especially if they have a product that is very dynamic and visual. Visual media would work well with say a restaurant or a martial arts gym because they have very visual products and coming to work creates content for a visual social media platform. The visuals of IT consultation would not generate the kind of content that brings in new customers, you can only have so many pictures of someone sitting at a computer.
Harrison Technology Consulting
Harrison Tech is a good example of the kind of slow content that can come from this sector. It has a Twitter account filled with shared articles that are tips for potential customers. The page has 5 followers and has not posted since December 6th 2016, they donated to Wikipedia. There are no comments on any of their posts and it has been like that since the beginning.
Open Spark Technology Marketing
Open Spark uses Facebook, Twitter and Google Plus. The Facebook page follows the shared tech news trend and has not been posted on since October 21, 2016. It has 296 followers but usually gets less than 10 like per comment. Their Twitter page uses the same formula as the Facebook page and has not been posted on since October 21st as well. The page also has 474 followers and also appears to lack likes as well. The Google Plus page has 12 followers but no content.
Christo IT Services
Christo IT Services seems to be a lot different than the first two companies. This company has Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Google plus which they keep active. Their Facebook page has 2252 followers but don't net more than a couple likes per post. An interesting thing that they did do was create some of their own tech tips to put in the regular consultant rotation. Their last post was March 15, 2017. On Twitter they have 346 followers but post the same general information as on Facebook with their last post being on March 20, 2017. This page also has very few likes on any of it posts. The best looking and most informative version of this company on social media is on Google Plus. It has written out explanations of services and other company created content. Unfortunately it has 18 followers and had it's last post on January 29, 2016 with no +1's. The YouTube channel consists of two videos from 2011 that combine for 126 views.
All Covered Inc
All Covered has a Twitter and a YouTube that they manage. The Twitter looks vibrant and active boosting 4201 followers with many likes on each post but more importance going to the amount of retweets they receive from each post. I believe that this happens because of a combination of regular shared tech tips and original and frequent content, the last post from this page was on March 20, 2017. Some of that content comes from their fully functioning YouTube page which is filled with everything from testimonials to informational videos about the current computing landscape. They kind of make it work with varying amounts of success ranging from over 5000 views to under 20. Their last video was posted 5 months ago, it has 146 views.
Christo IT Services
Christo IT Services seems to be a lot different than the first two companies. This company has Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Google plus which they keep active. Their Facebook page has 2252 followers but don't net more than a couple likes per post. An interesting thing that they did do was create some of their own tech tips to put in the regular consultant rotation. Their last post was March 15, 2017. On Twitter they have 346 followers but post the same general information as on Facebook with their last post being on March 20, 2017. This page also has very few likes on any of it posts. The best looking and most informative version of this company on social media is on Google Plus. It has written out explanations of services and other company created content. Unfortunately it has 18 followers and had it's last post on January 29, 2016 with no +1's. The YouTube channel consists of two videos from 2011 that combine for 126 views.
All Covered Inc
All Covered has a Twitter and a YouTube that they manage. The Twitter looks vibrant and active boosting 4201 followers with many likes on each post but more importance going to the amount of retweets they receive from each post. I believe that this happens because of a combination of regular shared tech tips and original and frequent content, the last post from this page was on March 20, 2017. Some of that content comes from their fully functioning YouTube page which is filled with everything from testimonials to informational videos about the current computing landscape. They kind of make it work with varying amounts of success ranging from over 5000 views to under 20. Their last video was posted 5 months ago, it has 146 views.
Friday, March 17, 2017
What's the use of Instagram
I am not 100% sure what the best visual network would be for my consultation business. To me Facebook is one of the easier and more fluid platforms for me to work with. I feel like I have more experience using Facebook, that combined with the 1.4 billion users that can possibly see my page make it important for me to have an active page on the platform. Many of the other platforms seem to use a more specific style of presentation to cover their market share.
I believe it would be harder use a platform whose priority is text so Twitter though it now uses video the character limit creates a limitation to my ability to share complex information. Google Plus is more of a copy of Facebook, so using it would not add anything to my business. Tumblr is an interesting platform because I could use it to show the things I do for businesses and release helpful tips and tricks to help individuals.
To me Pinterest is not the place to go when looking from tech information or assistance. Setting up on Pinterest reminds me of when a truck stop has an electronics section where you buy one of those cassette tapes with the audio cord running out of it. I believe that my business would be kind of out of place on Pinterest. I also believe that putting my business on Snapchat would mean that I would have to constantly create or share content so that my page does not become inactive after my content expires.
I don't think that Instagram was the best selection but I do believe that it is a good place to start. With the use of just pictures I can show what it is that I do as well as how the businesses I work with are doing. I can use Instagram as and easily regulated foundation for me to start expanding into other forms of media.
I believe it would be harder use a platform whose priority is text so Twitter though it now uses video the character limit creates a limitation to my ability to share complex information. Google Plus is more of a copy of Facebook, so using it would not add anything to my business. Tumblr is an interesting platform because I could use it to show the things I do for businesses and release helpful tips and tricks to help individuals.
To me Pinterest is not the place to go when looking from tech information or assistance. Setting up on Pinterest reminds me of when a truck stop has an electronics section where you buy one of those cassette tapes with the audio cord running out of it. I believe that my business would be kind of out of place on Pinterest. I also believe that putting my business on Snapchat would mean that I would have to constantly create or share content so that my page does not become inactive after my content expires.
I don't think that Instagram was the best selection but I do believe that it is a good place to start. With the use of just pictures I can show what it is that I do as well as how the businesses I work with are doing. I can use Instagram as and easily regulated foundation for me to start expanding into other forms of media.
Tuesday, March 14, 2017
Scheduled Later
My first post is about the tech talk going on at MiraCosta College, it would appear to be a place potential customers could go to find information about there needs. This is also a place to find young talented professionals that can manage their day to day technological needs. The second is an example of how technology can be observed then exploited by those who have a higher understanding of how to use it. Last is a simple list of things to be aware of, things that can spark ideas of what a patron may want from me. It is also a sort of call to arms for those businesses that are not keeping up with technology.
Friday, March 10, 2017
Likes
Undisputed Downtown
Popular Science
MIT Technology Review
KUSI
TED
Tech San Diego
Constant Contact
In my consultant business I would like to make the capabilities and possibilities of technology at the forefront so that a potential customer knows. I choose Popular Science, MIT Technology Review and Tech San Diego because they display new technologies that could help to advance their businesses. I would also like broadcast things in the local area so that businesses in the local area know whats going on. So for that I decided to use KUSI a local news station and Undisputed Downtown a gym in downtown San Diego where many frequent.
The last two are more interesting, TED is liked because the ideas that are on display can change and open the minds of anyone who sees them. Last is Constant Contact, which is a much larger tech advertising company that I can often use for reference and to give a full expression of what I plan to do. I would be able to use all of these pages to re-purpose content for sharing on my page so that customers frequent my page.
Popular Science
MIT Technology Review
KUSI
TED
Tech San Diego
Constant Contact
In my consultant business I would like to make the capabilities and possibilities of technology at the forefront so that a potential customer knows. I choose Popular Science, MIT Technology Review and Tech San Diego because they display new technologies that could help to advance their businesses. I would also like broadcast things in the local area so that businesses in the local area know whats going on. So for that I decided to use KUSI a local news station and Undisputed Downtown a gym in downtown San Diego where many frequent.
The last two are more interesting, TED is liked because the ideas that are on display can change and open the minds of anyone who sees them. Last is Constant Contact, which is a much larger tech advertising company that I can often use for reference and to give a full expression of what I plan to do. I would be able to use all of these pages to re-purpose content for sharing on my page so that customers frequent my page.
Tuesday, March 7, 2017
Week 6 Reach v. Engagement
Facebook seems pretty straight forward to those of us that have been using for a while but there are many things that will seem extremely new when trying to set up a proper business page. One of the most striking things is the use of analytics to help you excel. A couple of the metrics that are important to take not of are Post Reach and Post Engagement.
Post reach refers to the amount of people who view the content that you post. Post engagement refers to the amount of people that like, comment or share your content as well as the number of people who click on your posts, links, images or has viewed one of your videos.
It is important to know the difference between post reach and post engagement because, post reach is just a metric of all the people who saw your content. This means that post reach has no effect on the amount of people that come to your page because they could have simply viewed the content and then moved on without actually visiting the page. Post engagement tell you how many people actually went a step further and interacted with your content or page.
A business can use this information to find what their customer base prefers. Content that has a high level of post engagement inform the business of what is popular or trending in reference to their products or services. Then using what gets their consumer base engaged they can modify the business to better take advantage of what their customers like. Then they can keep an eye on the post reach to let them know how customers and potential customers see their content. Every view is a potential like so finding out what appeals to your non-follower viewer becomes important in growing your consumer base.
Post reach refers to the amount of people who view the content that you post. Post engagement refers to the amount of people that like, comment or share your content as well as the number of people who click on your posts, links, images or has viewed one of your videos.
It is important to know the difference between post reach and post engagement because, post reach is just a metric of all the people who saw your content. This means that post reach has no effect on the amount of people that come to your page because they could have simply viewed the content and then moved on without actually visiting the page. Post engagement tell you how many people actually went a step further and interacted with your content or page.
A business can use this information to find what their customer base prefers. Content that has a high level of post engagement inform the business of what is popular or trending in reference to their products or services. Then using what gets their consumer base engaged they can modify the business to better take advantage of what their customers like. Then they can keep an eye on the post reach to let them know how customers and potential customers see their content. Every view is a potential like so finding out what appeals to your non-follower viewer becomes important in growing your consumer base.
Monday, February 27, 2017
Week 5 part 2
As a Computer Studies major I have toyed with the idea of something like a "Social Media Consulting" business. That being said I have no idea of how to begin that plan, also I would prefer a low cost small business tech consultation company. That being said, I have to start somewhere I guess.
Introducing, FutureSolid Consulting, a small scale small business tech infrastructure company. With this I would like to provide services such as social media management with website integration as well as Information System implementation from small businesses. I does not currently exist because I am currently gathering the skills to give the idea actual worth.
My target market would be small businesses that are looking to gain a larger digital footprint to bring in new customers through social media and/or a website. In order to succeed I will have to do several analysis of different businesses to find their strengths and weaknesses then improve the digital flow of the business.
Friday, February 24, 2017
Week 5 Target Market
I decided to observe the second set that is made up of restaurants, Chili's and Teri Cafe. The restaurants in the second set are ones that I tend to frequent on a regular basis. From my experience the two businesses are very different, though they appear to be marketing to the same demographic. Interestingly enough these restaurants happen to be at max a couple of blocks away from each other in Oceanside, making them actual competition in a single area.
I believe that the demographic these businesses are looking for is people between the ages of 22 and 55 who are looking for a good place to eat lunch when they have a break from work. This is especially true with Teri Cafe, as they have a rotating $8 special lunch menu from 11am- 3pm Monday- Friday. The difference between the two sites is that Chili's geared to men and dinner because of the massive meat dinner (Steakhouse Combos) selection on their homepage. While both have their menus laid out but only Teri Cafe shows their prices so that their customers can plan. The Chili's website uses many calls to action saying, "Order Now" as they try to direct people to their food pick up service.
Chili's website has the feel of a place that you go to eat and drink during dinner, or order the food and then pick it up. Teri Cafe has a very lunch oriented website that is light but informative. I feel like they both marketing to the same demographic at different times. Both restaurants have marketing for the other time periods but it is not as prominent on their websites.
I believe that the demographic these businesses are looking for is people between the ages of 22 and 55 who are looking for a good place to eat lunch when they have a break from work. This is especially true with Teri Cafe, as they have a rotating $8 special lunch menu from 11am- 3pm Monday- Friday. The difference between the two sites is that Chili's geared to men and dinner because of the massive meat dinner (Steakhouse Combos) selection on their homepage. While both have their menus laid out but only Teri Cafe shows their prices so that their customers can plan. The Chili's website uses many calls to action saying, "Order Now" as they try to direct people to their food pick up service.
Chili's website has the feel of a place that you go to eat and drink during dinner, or order the food and then pick it up. Teri Cafe has a very lunch oriented website that is light but informative. I feel like they both marketing to the same demographic at different times. Both restaurants have marketing for the other time periods but it is not as prominent on their websites.
Monday, February 20, 2017
Week 4 Part 2 "My sites"
bethesda.net
This is a site for a popular video game company I believe that is what carries the site, I personally use it to make modifications to a video game that I play. That being said the website, especially the homepage, displays too much information on one page with no real structure or plan. The only reason I keep coming back is because I HAVE to use this site to make modifications. I believe that simply aligning the images on their homepage would give it some form of uniformity, which would improve the sites ease of use.
miracosta.edu
This site has been made much more streamlined than it was 2 or 3 months ago, unfortunately the new streamlined look cause some confusion with navigation of the site in my using it. The homepage makes good use of hierarchy by using a video of what is happening and what is possible at MiraCosta College. I keep coming back to this site because I have to, though it is a great site for attracting new students. One way to fix the homepage is to find a way to incorporate more content from the different departments on the homepage to try and give it more of a flow that makes you want to click on a section that someone would be interested in.
This is a site for a popular video game company I believe that is what carries the site, I personally use it to make modifications to a video game that I play. That being said the website, especially the homepage, displays too much information on one page with no real structure or plan. The only reason I keep coming back is because I HAVE to use this site to make modifications. I believe that simply aligning the images on their homepage would give it some form of uniformity, which would improve the sites ease of use.
miracosta.edu
This site has been made much more streamlined than it was 2 or 3 months ago, unfortunately the new streamlined look cause some confusion with navigation of the site in my using it. The homepage makes good use of hierarchy by using a video of what is happening and what is possible at MiraCosta College. I keep coming back to this site because I have to, though it is a great site for attracting new students. One way to fix the homepage is to find a way to incorporate more content from the different departments on the homepage to try and give it more of a flow that makes you want to click on a section that someone would be interested in.
Friday, February 17, 2017
Week 4 Websites
www.pennyjuice.com
Penny juice has its first problem is making the you chose between the Java or HTML versions of the website, which assumes you know the difference. Next is the abrasive color scheme that assaults your eyes and confuses your senses. Last but not least is the Penny Juice its self, which their are no pictures of and I cannot really figure out what it is. I was able to find out that my nearest distributor is in San Diego but there is no way to communicate with that distributor.
www.spotmetering.com
The spot metering homepage reminds me of webpages from the early 2000's because it uses the bright colors on a black background color scheme. I also believe that the homepage is much too large when compared to today's conventions, partitioning the information using links to the other pages would work much better. Unfortunately, it also seems that the information was jammed into each page, almost to much information is on each page making it difficult to read and understand. It has a lot of information in a very old school internet style.
www.riversideartcenter.com
I may be because it is an art center but this page is well designed. It could also be because their medium is actual beautiful art, a large painting of a truck backgrounds the headline which transparent at the top. The website is very easy to read and even easier to use it was a joy to look through the gallery and look at all the children's art. It was easy to find the their events calendar, and see what's coming up I suggest Watercolor with Barb Sailor for beginners and intermediates. They also have their Facebook link at the bottom of the homepage and the content is properly aligned.
www.headhunterhairstyling.com
Headhunter Hair Styling has a very solid and well put together website that has links to their Facebook, Twitter and Yelp accounts. The page naturally flows to the right leading you to the sites other features. The services page is very clear and easily read with the prices for each of their vast services as well as images of products they sell. The whole page is very consistent, the text is easy to read and the alignment never strays giving it a very clean look.
The difference between the first two sites and the last two sites I believe is their age. The first two sites appear to be from the early 2000s because of their clunky style. While the last two websites seem to conform to more current conventions.
Penny juice has its first problem is making the you chose between the Java or HTML versions of the website, which assumes you know the difference. Next is the abrasive color scheme that assaults your eyes and confuses your senses. Last but not least is the Penny Juice its self, which their are no pictures of and I cannot really figure out what it is. I was able to find out that my nearest distributor is in San Diego but there is no way to communicate with that distributor.
www.spotmetering.com
The spot metering homepage reminds me of webpages from the early 2000's because it uses the bright colors on a black background color scheme. I also believe that the homepage is much too large when compared to today's conventions, partitioning the information using links to the other pages would work much better. Unfortunately, it also seems that the information was jammed into each page, almost to much information is on each page making it difficult to read and understand. It has a lot of information in a very old school internet style.
www.riversideartcenter.com
I may be because it is an art center but this page is well designed. It could also be because their medium is actual beautiful art, a large painting of a truck backgrounds the headline which transparent at the top. The website is very easy to read and even easier to use it was a joy to look through the gallery and look at all the children's art. It was easy to find the their events calendar, and see what's coming up I suggest Watercolor with Barb Sailor for beginners and intermediates. They also have their Facebook link at the bottom of the homepage and the content is properly aligned.
www.headhunterhairstyling.com
Headhunter Hair Styling has a very solid and well put together website that has links to their Facebook, Twitter and Yelp accounts. The page naturally flows to the right leading you to the sites other features. The services page is very clear and easily read with the prices for each of their vast services as well as images of products they sell. The whole page is very consistent, the text is easy to read and the alignment never strays giving it a very clean look.
The difference between the first two sites and the last two sites I believe is their age. The first two sites appear to be from the early 2000s because of their clunky style. While the last two websites seem to conform to more current conventions.
Monday, February 13, 2017
Week 3 Part 2- Gym Crawl and "Who I commented on"
Undisputed Downtown
http://undisputeddowntown.com/
Facebook and Twitter
The links on the site seem hidden but used.
Facebook last post: Feb 7, 2017
Twitter last post: Feb 10, 2016
After looking at the frequency of post on both accounts I believe they are not using their social media properly. They appear to use Facebook more than they use Twitter possibly because they have more of a following on Facebook.
Rhino's Boxing
http://www.rhinosboxing.com/
Facebook and Instagram
The links to their social media pages are right at the top of their home page and is very effective at being noticed.
Facebook last post: Feb 2, 2017
Instagram last post: Feb 12, 2017
Both of this businesses social media pages are active though their Instagram seems to be used more.
The Compound MMA
http://thecompoundmma.com/
Facebook and Twitter
The links to their social media sites are almost hidden and poorly colored.
Facebook last post: Feb 10, 2017
Twitter last post: Feb 10,2017
This business has an active social media presence though they do not post everyday, but they do have a solid following on both sites.
Soot Yord Palung (Extreme Power) Gym
http://extremepowergym.com/
Facebook, Twitter and Google Plus
The links are deep at the bottom of the home page but are a vividly colored and easily seen.
Facebook last post: Feb 6, 2017
Twitter last post: Oct 19, 2015
Google Plus last post: Oct 1, 2013
Their Facebook is active and they seem to post frequently, but there other two accounts though having many follows are inactive.
Champion Eyes Martial Arts Center
http://www.championeyes.com/
Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube
This business has Facebook and Twitter at the top of its homepage. As you get to the bottom you see the another set of links that also include Instagram and YouTube.
Facebook last post: Feb 4, 2017
Twitter last post: Dec 30, 2016
Instagram last post: Feb 13, 2017
YouTube last post: Nov 2016
When I looked at all of these individual sites they are all very different and the amount they use social media is very different. All of the businesses I looked at are martial arts gyms and I expected to be overwhelmed with a massive amount of very intense videos showcasing what people learn at the different gyms. I believe that social media and martial arts would be a great match together, but I did not see the two integrated very well at all, what I found was a disconnect.
Most of the businesses suffered from a sort of disconnect between what they do in the gym and what gets posted. What this means is that a prospective customer does not get a candid glimpse into the world they are wishing to join. They don't get a chance to see the classes they would hope to join, which means they will not get the excitement of progression or see that even they can do it. That is where these businesses are missing out, their social media pages convey information rather than conveying the passion that they train and fight with.
There were many other things that these businesses have in common and that is inactive social media feeds. There were a few that still had many followers but had not posted in years, the longest of all the social media I checked was five years of inactivity. I believe that at five years a business should either take steps to revamp that social media site or shut it down and remove the link from their website. I think leaving a link to a inactive social media is an unnecessary liability, because it shows a degree of negligence that a prospective customer can easily find.
In order to fix a few of these problems time would have to be taken to integrate the experience of the gym with an immersive social media experience. That means creating content such as fight demonstrations, move explanations, or the ability to get in contact with a coach or maybe even one of the students. Through social media they could set up seminars at the gym or let everyone know who is being promoted or doing well. The best part about using social media is that every time some is in the gym training, there is a chance to to get content for your social media feeds to stay active.
I commented on these posts
Priscila Jourdan
Sonya McArther
Gina Schwendel
http://undisputeddowntown.com/
Facebook and Twitter
The links on the site seem hidden but used.
Facebook last post: Feb 7, 2017
Twitter last post: Feb 10, 2016
After looking at the frequency of post on both accounts I believe they are not using their social media properly. They appear to use Facebook more than they use Twitter possibly because they have more of a following on Facebook.
Rhino's Boxing
http://www.rhinosboxing.com/
Facebook and Instagram
The links to their social media pages are right at the top of their home page and is very effective at being noticed.
Facebook last post: Feb 2, 2017
Instagram last post: Feb 12, 2017
Both of this businesses social media pages are active though their Instagram seems to be used more.
The Compound MMA
http://thecompoundmma.com/
Facebook and Twitter
The links to their social media sites are almost hidden and poorly colored.
Facebook last post: Feb 10, 2017
Twitter last post: Feb 10,2017
This business has an active social media presence though they do not post everyday, but they do have a solid following on both sites.
Soot Yord Palung (Extreme Power) Gym
http://extremepowergym.com/
Facebook, Twitter and Google Plus
The links are deep at the bottom of the home page but are a vividly colored and easily seen.
Facebook last post: Feb 6, 2017
Twitter last post: Oct 19, 2015
Google Plus last post: Oct 1, 2013
Their Facebook is active and they seem to post frequently, but there other two accounts though having many follows are inactive.
Champion Eyes Martial Arts Center
http://www.championeyes.com/
Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube
This business has Facebook and Twitter at the top of its homepage. As you get to the bottom you see the another set of links that also include Instagram and YouTube.
Facebook last post: Feb 4, 2017
Twitter last post: Dec 30, 2016
Instagram last post: Feb 13, 2017
YouTube last post: Nov 2016
When I looked at all of these individual sites they are all very different and the amount they use social media is very different. All of the businesses I looked at are martial arts gyms and I expected to be overwhelmed with a massive amount of very intense videos showcasing what people learn at the different gyms. I believe that social media and martial arts would be a great match together, but I did not see the two integrated very well at all, what I found was a disconnect.
Most of the businesses suffered from a sort of disconnect between what they do in the gym and what gets posted. What this means is that a prospective customer does not get a candid glimpse into the world they are wishing to join. They don't get a chance to see the classes they would hope to join, which means they will not get the excitement of progression or see that even they can do it. That is where these businesses are missing out, their social media pages convey information rather than conveying the passion that they train and fight with.
There were many other things that these businesses have in common and that is inactive social media feeds. There were a few that still had many followers but had not posted in years, the longest of all the social media I checked was five years of inactivity. I believe that at five years a business should either take steps to revamp that social media site or shut it down and remove the link from their website. I think leaving a link to a inactive social media is an unnecessary liability, because it shows a degree of negligence that a prospective customer can easily find.
In order to fix a few of these problems time would have to be taken to integrate the experience of the gym with an immersive social media experience. That means creating content such as fight demonstrations, move explanations, or the ability to get in contact with a coach or maybe even one of the students. Through social media they could set up seminars at the gym or let everyone know who is being promoted or doing well. The best part about using social media is that every time some is in the gym training, there is a chance to to get content for your social media feeds to stay active.
I commented on these posts
Priscila Jourdan
Sonya McArther
Gina Schwendel
Wednesday, February 8, 2017
Business Interaction
My communications with business for a long time was using toll-free numbers that connected to an evil customer service representative that would sometimes help you. I call them evil because in my experiences well results varied, sometimes they would help you and other times you would find yourself on hold for what feels like forever or other times dealing with an overworked customer service representative who can't really help you at their level. So maybe evil is too strong a word, inconvenient may be a better word for it.
As social media has evolved the connection between businesses and their customers has grown. When you leave a comment on a businesses social media feed one of the admins will usually get in contact with you and guide you in the correct direction, most often the webpage of a particular department or providing assistance using the internet. I have also observed different businesses use social media to provide a quick response to menacing customers as well.
I have not had a personal experience communicating with a business on social media but I do know that interactions between business and customers can be observed. It is the ability of potential customers to see your interactions that would effect my decision making when it comes to replying to positive or negative comments. Being responsible and remembering to provide quality customer service even to blatantly negative comment is extremely important because one negative interaction can go "viral". Snarky comments can be used to combat undo negativity, but professionalism should be used when facing constructive criticism and service issues. I believe a certain amount of finesse is needed to handle myriad of interactions a business will have on social media.
As social media has evolved the connection between businesses and their customers has grown. When you leave a comment on a businesses social media feed one of the admins will usually get in contact with you and guide you in the correct direction, most often the webpage of a particular department or providing assistance using the internet. I have also observed different businesses use social media to provide a quick response to menacing customers as well.
I have not had a personal experience communicating with a business on social media but I do know that interactions between business and customers can be observed. It is the ability of potential customers to see your interactions that would effect my decision making when it comes to replying to positive or negative comments. Being responsible and remembering to provide quality customer service even to blatantly negative comment is extremely important because one negative interaction can go "viral". Snarky comments can be used to combat undo negativity, but professionalism should be used when facing constructive criticism and service issues. I believe a certain amount of finesse is needed to handle myriad of interactions a business will have on social media.
Sunday, February 5, 2017
Week 2B
I commented on these posts:
Davina Croft
Nicole Blea
Gina Schwendel
There are so many good idea on the post that I have read.
Davina Croft
Nicole Blea
Gina Schwendel
There are so many good idea on the post that I have read.
Wednesday, February 1, 2017
Which to use?
As I look across the torn and scattered wasteland that is sometimes known as social media I am reminded that much has changed since I joined high school club back in 2001. That was the first personal use social media sites I ever used, it was for people in different high schools to communicate. It blew our minds, though all me and my friends really wanted to do was use it to meet girls. Then in 2005 I joined Myspace after I got out of boot camp to stay in contact with my family and friends.
As far as current social media platforms go, the one of the ones that seem to be for personal use is Twitter which I am not a member of. Twitter's character limit compels me to believe that it is specifically for personal use only, though I assume someone can use this for a personal business. I also believe that Instagram is for personal use as well because of its focus on pictures, though I do believe that there are some professions that could use this to their advantage such as artist, to create good word of mouth.
I believe that Facebook can be used as a sort of hybrid social media platform. By that I mean that you can use pictures, give descriptions, create events and coordinate with your customers. Facebook is full of individuals who if interested can provide input on your product and services, creating a better relationship with your customers. Others such as YouTube and WordPress can be used to communicate directly with your customers and to display your wares to prospective customers. I actually believe that the social media platform that one uses should depend on the kind of business they do.
As far as current social media platforms go, the one of the ones that seem to be for personal use is Twitter which I am not a member of. Twitter's character limit compels me to believe that it is specifically for personal use only, though I assume someone can use this for a personal business. I also believe that Instagram is for personal use as well because of its focus on pictures, though I do believe that there are some professions that could use this to their advantage such as artist, to create good word of mouth.
I believe that Facebook can be used as a sort of hybrid social media platform. By that I mean that you can use pictures, give descriptions, create events and coordinate with your customers. Facebook is full of individuals who if interested can provide input on your product and services, creating a better relationship with your customers. Others such as YouTube and WordPress can be used to communicate directly with your customers and to display your wares to prospective customers. I actually believe that the social media platform that one uses should depend on the kind of business they do.
Saturday, January 28, 2017
I commented on these posts:
Lisa Sydes-Findlay
Gina Schwendel
Micheal Phillips
Melanie Materazzi
Terrell Jones
Alison Carlo
Chuck Coogan
Patrick Conahan
I forgot who I originally commented on because my team changed so as I was clicking names I commented where there were none. I'm not even sure this is all of them, or if I will comment on more.
Wednesday, January 25, 2017
Week 1A: My template
Given that this is my first blog, ever I had no idea what the template should have looked like. What I decided to do instead is use what I like. I choose a background that reminded me of my favorite time of day. The night has a special kind of energy that I really enjoy, whether it is the going out or watching the stars the night is a good time. The mystery of night breeds adventure in the minds of many, so I wanted to bring that enchantment to my blog.
I also decide to have my extra stuff such as my archives to the right so that it flows with the way people read in English. I also like it because every time you reach the end of a line you see my archive. I will continue to refine the template of my blog as I better learn how to use the system. I want my template to reflect my writing style and my preferences, I hope to be able to refine my skills at both writing and designing my blog.
I also decide to have my extra stuff such as my archives to the right so that it flows with the way people read in English. I also like it because every time you reach the end of a line you see my archive. I will continue to refine the template of my blog as I better learn how to use the system. I want my template to reflect my writing style and my preferences, I hope to be able to refine my skills at both writing and designing my blog.
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