Kelly response to Yana - Week 7

Yana

As Patel mentions, “a brand is anything – a symbol, design, name, sound, reputation, emotion, employees, tone, and much more – that separates one thing from another.”

This week’s topic of personal branding is a hot topic for sure. Although for me I am more concerned with branding in relation to the company I work, and not focused on my personal brand. However, the fact that I personally use social media sites I still have to consider the image I am projecting. “Branding on a business-level is common, but today branding is becoming just as important on a personal level. After all, you might work for business that works with other businesses, but its people working with people and that’s what makes business relationships valuable” (Patel, The Complete Guide to Building Your Personal Brand.) As you mentioned future employers etc. can use this as a way to find out more about a potential hire, therefore it is something I still need to be mindful of. People today are very concerned with their online persona, even if just posting for fun, the celebrity image we have discussed over the last few weeks has people believing in their own online brand.

I can also agree with this week’s readings from personal experience on the importance of the statistics and knowing the return on investment with social media. Knowing how to track your success and measuring these numbers allows for the development of future strategic plans, helps with cost effectiveness, and ensures the brand message being presented is effective and enforced. 60 second marketer asks, “Do you know how to calculate the return-on-investment (ROI) of your social media campaigns? Here’s another question — if your CEO or CFO walked into your office tomorrow and asked if your investment in social media was paying for itself, would you be able to provide the answer?” Since taking over my company’s social media this has happened to me several times, and also a topic of discussion during many presentations and meetings. It is an aspect I am still learning, but being able to track the correlation between my social media campaigns and our website sales is very beneficial. This week’s readings have been very relatable for me, and I will be able to use them in my real life situation. I especially like the idea of the Like Alyzer app, I will definitely look into that.

Kelly Apfel

References

Patel, Neil. Quick Sprout: The Complete Guide to Building Your Personal Brand

http://www.quicksprout.com/the-complete-guide-to-building-your-personal-brand/

An In-Depth Guide on How to Calculate the ROI of a Social Media Campaign

http://60secondmarketer.com/blog/2013/11/17/in-depth-guide-calculating-social-media-roi/

Kelly Apfel response back to Yana - Week 6

COMI 610 Blog Group 2: Week 6 - Kelly comments back to Yana

Yana,

Weinstein (2013), how important is our privacy?
We are living in an era where Facebook's Graph Search gives strangers greater
access than ever to our "private" data and Google arbitrarily steals our passwords and emails (during its Street View project).
Did our forefathers misunderstand the demand for privacy as an inalienable
right for law-abiding citizens in democracy? Is privacy dead? Do we care?

Great comparison by Juan Enriquez, “youronline life, as permanent as a tattoo.”  Truly does highlight how long lasting the effects of our social media presence is. Similarly this concept shows the range

in opinion in how far we dive into this online world; for some tattoos are a
great thing and the fact they are permanent is more of a bonus. On the other
hand, for some people tattoos are thought with doubt and regret, also very like
online interaction and postings. Your reference to “real life” also shows that
contrast. Some people prefer the online world as it offers no restrictions and the
ability to be who we want, presenting what we want to others, compared to the reality
of real life where some people may not see themselves as important or
successful. Especially now the celebrity image has grown, and we are all accustomed
to idea that to be famous means you have achieved success. Some people today
hold themselves to this level and use Facebook, Twitter etc. to broadcast
themselves, and it is these people that care less about privacy factors. You make
a good point with regards to updating settings each month and checking how our
profile may actually appear to different users. As Whittaker (2011) mentions “your
account settings are at the heart of your Facebook.” However once it is set up it is easy to forget to
check the privacy or possibly you not consider privacy as a big deal. Hopefully
these people don’t have much to lose if someone did hack their information, or
if a bad post got into the wrong hands of say their boss or mother. The idea is
to present information and pictures that you wouldn’t mind being on the front
of a newspaper. Oliver references that “When
it comes to face-to-face communication, we act differently depending on whether
we are with our family, friends, coworkers, or strangers. We control our
privacy and how these people perceive us by making adjustments to our attitude,
attire, diction, and message. This strategy has worked for thousands of years. Unfortunately,
many people continue to struggle with controlling their online and electronic
communication in a similar manner.” As technology
processes so will the privacy settings, however so will the ability to
dismantle these settings. Hopefully people use some common sense when participating
online, and consider the real life risks associated with social media channels.

Kelly Apfel

 

References

Oliver, John. West Bend, Social Media Best Practices

http://www.cultureofsafety.com/best-practice-guides/social-media-best-practices/

Weinstein, Mark,
2013. The Huffington Post, Is Privacy Dead?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/facebook-privacy-issues/

Whittaker, Zack, 2011. ZD Net, September 2011: The Definitive Facebook
Lockdown Guide

http://www.zdnet.com/article/september-2011-the-definitive-facebook-lockdown-guide/

Week 6 - The Fear Factor

The topic of privacy in relation to our advanced interactive online world is a major factor of me. Although I have personal social media accounts, as well as being responsible for Facebook and Twitter at work I am always bothered by the amount of personal information that is out there, therefore I try to restrict mine within some capacity. The fact that today’s technology opens a portal for people to gather endless consumptions of information on any one person is very unnerving. “Technology has rendered the conventional definition of personally identifiable information obsolete,” said Maneesha Mithal. However some could argue that this is all a choice, we don’t need to create all these accounts, or share our every moment or thought online. But the fear of being left behind or missing out makes it impossible for people to say no. Not to mention that professionally and academically not being a part of the forward movements isn’t really an option. The world is moving fast and technology is the propeller so if we don’t want drowned and left behind we need to jump on board.

Some may believe that the risk factor of having someone steal our personal information in some form or another is relative to how much you have to lose if it occurred. However, I would argue that our identity regardless of what financial or social risk there is attached is a massive cost. Regardless of the purpose of a social media account I think all privacy settings available should be used and the user be mindful at all times of the potential risks. Although if someone really decides to target you and hack your information is there really much we can do to stop them? As Lohr (2010) mentions “the F.T.C. is worried that rules to protect privacy have not kept up with technology” so are we inevitably helpless?

Thankfully there is some support and guidelines out there, Whittaker (2011) provides a basic guide to ensuring privacy measures are enforced as best to our ability for the average tech savvy person. But are they pointless, are the already coded for breakthrough before they are even developed, with every privacy method created, there is always someone out there looking to crack it?

What are your feelings on the privacy risks associated with online forums?

Do you enforce the safety measurements, or take the risk that someone could obtain your information.

Has the growing fear factor discouraged you from using the multiple online tools?

References

Lohr, Steve. 2010 The New York Times, How Privacy Vanishes Online

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/17/technology/17privacy.html?_r=2&

 

Whittaker, Zack, 2011. ZD Net, September 2011: The Definitive Facebook Lockdown Guide

http://www.zdnet.com/article/september-2011-the-definitive-facebook-lockdown-guide/

Social Media – Week 4 Forum Post: MICROSOFT

Response to Catherine Daly, Social Media Plans: Problem Solving vs Product Attributes

I consider Microsoft as a corporation “that is successfully providing solutions and solving problems for buyers.” http://catherinescanlon.blogspot.com/ Described on Wikipedia as “an American multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, that develops, manufactures, licenses, supports and sells computer software, consumer electronics and personal computers and services.” I feel this description undervalues the massive impact Microsoft has had on our growing global community. This company not only leads the way in the development of new technologies but is effective at engaging its target audience in advanced, efficient business and professional processing capabilities. As Kerpen 2011, mentions “social media will help you find your target audience and provide you with further insight about this group.” (p34) As part of Microsoft’s 2011 rebranding their use of social media channels has enabled them to reach more people but more importantly lets the focus group of professionals and businesses learn more about the possibilities offered by Microsoft. Their choice of logo, vibrant colors and online engagement such as their blog http://blogs.microsoft.com/ and news site http://news.microsoft.com/ attracts these audience members who want the high profile, elite system that will benefit them the most. Although they use social media the blog and news section really push forward the fact that Microsoft is a leader in its field and provides the consumer with an informational forum. Microsoft website offers extensive options for contact, interaction and feedback offering a community forum http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us?auth=1 where they state the following as the company mission, “finding answers, sharing ideas, problem solving. Whatever your goals Microsoft Community is here to help you get more out of your technology.” As Scott (2013) highlights a company should aim to “segment buyers and appeal to them based on their needs, not just talk about your product.” (p162) A great point by Microsoft that shows just this is featured in their blog discussing the new Power BI product. “Today is an incredibly exciting day as we unveil the new Power BI – a service we believe will fundamentally transform the “business of business intelligence.” Power BI can help every company adopt a data culture with easy-to-use, accessible tools and innovative technology that lowers the barrier to entry, for all.” Microsoft doesn’t refer to this as a new product, but instead as a service and with a direct focus on the business world as the target audience, with the true aim to make providing solutions to its consumers.

Follow Microsoft on:

https://www.facebook.com/Microsoft

http://news.microsoft.com/

http://blogs.microsoft.com/

https://twitter.com/microsoft

https://www.linkedin.com/company/microsoft

http://instagram.com/microsoft

https://plus.google.com/105221698834684244331/videos

References

Kerpen, D. (2011). Likeable Social Media: How to delight your customers, create an irresistible brand, and be generally amazing on Facebook (and other social networks). 

Microsoft Blog, http://blogs.microsoft.com/

Microsoft Website, http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/default.aspx

Scott, D. M., (2013). The New Rules of Marketing & PR: How to use social media, online video, mobile applications, blogs, news releases, & viral marketing to reach buyers directly. (4th Ed.). Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft

Starbucks

“To say Starbucks purchases and roasts high-quality whole bean coffees is very true. That’s the essence of what we do – but it hardly tells the whole story. Every day, we go to work hoping to do two things: share great coffee with our friends and help make the world a little better. It was true when the first Starbucks opened in 1971, and it’s just as true today.” http://www.starbucks.com/

In reading Kerpen’s discussion on authenticity, honesty and transparency the company that comes to mind for me is Starbucks. http://www.starbucks.com/.  Although this coffee company is related with high prices, and in some people’s minds represents a social ranking I think they have utilized social media channels not only to advertise their products but allow customers an insight into their authentic mission. Starbucks “have been successfully executing their social media marketing plan since the first days of social media and social commerce. For over 5 years, and their strategies have played a significant role in their growth.” (Digital Spark Marketing) Kerpen explains that “many large companies have a hard time being authentic in their interaction with customers. As organizations get larger it becomes difficult to manage higher volumes of staff and clients.” (2011, p96) However, by using platforms such as Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Starbucks, and Twitter https://twitter.com/Starbucks the company is allowing for endless interaction and the mission of the company and its commitment to community to be more visible. These channels also open up the door for communication and feedback, therefore regardless of its growing structure Starbuck can maintain a connection by listening to comments and reacting. As Kerpen mentions by allowing consumers to see “behind the curtain” breeds trust and allows customers to feel comfortable” (2011, p100) and will therefore remain loyal to the brand and recommend to potential consumers. With regards to transparency Starbucks uses its website and social media to show customers where the coffee beans are sourced from, and highlights its responsibility to global, environmental, health, and community issues. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOjL4izOZNQ

The extent of the organizations community mission is very apparent and helps strengthen that factor of trust. As Kerpen explains nowadays “it is virtually impossible to hide the truth.” (2011, p109) Starbucks has over 31 million followers therefore is a proven example of how using social media outlets can ensure positive results for a company’s reputation and growth. Kerpen also emphasizes the need of truly valuing all customers, as Zog Digital shows this is another area that Starbucks works hard at. “They have “super influencers instead of solely focusing efforts on accumulating new customers, they cultivate current relationships. This ensures more fans/followers in the long run, as well as the continued existence of brand advocates. This holds true across the board – in-store experiences are highly valued along with online engagement, further necessitating the importance of customer service."

 “Inspiring and nurturing the human spirit -- one person, one cup, and one neighborhood at a time.” https://www.pinterest.com/starbucks/

Follow Starbucks:

https://www.facebook.com/Starbucks

https://twitter.com/Starbucks

https://www.youtube.com/user/Starbucks

https://www.pinterest.com/starbucks/

http://mystarbucksidea.force.com/ideaHome

References

Digital Spark Marketing

http://www.digitalsparkmarketing.com/creative-marketing/social-media/starbucks-marketing/

Kerpen, D. (2011). Likeable social media: How to delight your customers, create an irresistible brand, and be generally amazing on facebook (and other social networks). 

Starbucks Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/starbucks/

Starbucks Official Website

http://www.starbucks.com/

Starbucks, My Starbucks Idea

http://mystarbucksidea.force.com/ideaHome

Zog Digital

http://blog.zogdigital.com/2013/01/24/6-reasons-starbucks-excels-at-social-media-marketing/

http://newyork.grubstreet.com/2012/10/fast-food-restaurant-social-media-infographic.html