New (for me) World of LinkedIn

I think the tool I learned most about in this class was, of course listening, but as far as social media tools, it was LinkedIn. 

I still don't get it about shopping with YouTube.  I am not likely to shop for consumer goods with LinkedIn, but I can look for work. I can grow my network.  I can't believe all the people I already know!

I even had mild success with my poll question.  LinkedIn was the clear "winner."  It might have been biased though.  And I have to agree with some of the comments, Facebook for personal, LinkedIn for professional.  I heard about a new site, CARE2, supporting good causes.  I am not sure I will go there though.

I really enjoyed meeting you all and wish you all the best!

Pitfalls and Worries

Social media has some awesome potential.  It also has some pitfalls.  Because anyone can post nearly anything in some way or another, nobody can be sure of what is true and what is not.  It is up to each individual to verify information.  I really don't like having to take all my reading with a grain, or a beach, of salt.  If I want to do that, I will read a book that I know is fiction.

I worry that not everyone has the opportunity we just had to learn more about social media.  There are rules in place, but I didn't know they went up to the FTC.  People might not know about the different stages of making their social networking sites more successful.

I also worry that people rely too much on social media.  It is great to find out what people are doing, but how about doing things with people?  We already have seen a increase in childhood obesity and that there are addiction issues with video games.  What happens when we spend too much time on social media sites and not doing things.

http://www.everyday-wisdom.com/social-networking.html

 

Social Media What are the Concerns in the Business World?

In recent years the phenomenon known as social media has taken off. No longer is communication on facebook, twitter, Linkedin, or a number of other social networks considered to be a passing fad.

Today these methods of communication have influenced the business is done. Communication seems to be moving at faster and faster rates of speed. Messages are sent in real time and responses to messages are also expected in real time. 

With communication happening at near speed of light paces there are risk. In business the quick response isn't always a well thought out response. If a company has employees who are charged with the responsibility of communicating, and responding to communication from the public on social media, it would be highly advisable that those employees were well trained.

A company who uses facebook and twitter can reach many new prospects. Reaching them is the starting point, and the company would do well to remember that social media can be an excellent tool provided it is used correctly. A few missteps however can have devastating results for company image and the bottom line.

With the public suspicion of corporate motives usually isn't far behind when they feel a company isn't on the level. Companies need to have integrity. If they do a significant amount of interaction with customers, suppliers, and sponsors on-line it is even more important.

If a company responds electronically to a customer concern and the customer perceives the company as been unduly dismissive, the customer might forward it to a news outlet, or friends. If this grows legs so to speak it can be a nightmare for the company to clean up.

So, how can a company avoid the nightmare? Through comprehensive training. A well trained team is far less likely to have mishaps that are painful for the company. When mistakes do happen a company would be well advised to deal with the problem openly because this inspires confidence.

Jeff Arnold

Touchscreens Smartphones & Frictionless Sharing...OH MY!

Touchscreens, Smartphones, and Frictionless sharing....OH MY!

In the film the Wizard of Oz, Dorothy clicked her ruby shoes together three times and miraculously, and instantaneously, was back home surrounded by everything that was of comfort and value to her (her personal belongings, her family/friends). 

Do you see a resemblance?  Our demand for social technology has recreated the scenes from this classic film.  For example, if you were to lose your smartphone, which presumably contains nearly all of your important information, wouldn't you want to click your ruby shoes and have a new phone magically appear?  Your stress would be eliminated instantaneously, and your level of comfort reinstated.

Have we become so dependent upon social technology that our entire life is being held together by plastic and a computer chip?  Would you be able to function without your smart device for one week ? 

There is no doubt that social technologies have made our lives more organized and easier.  I am able to order take out on the way home from late night swim practices via smartphone.  By the time I get to the restaurant, the food is ready, I don't have to cook, and we can all be in bed or, in my case, studying, by a reasonable hour.  We can stream new release movies into our home.  Who can argue against these benefits social technology has provided?

But, all of this modern convenience comes at a price.  As a culture, we have become so technologically involved that we forget that we are human; we still need to interact or have contact with our fellow human beings.  One idea being presented was that we eventually we will be able to program our cars to send a message to the neighbor wishing them a good day as we drive by.  But what about walking over and saying hello; or rolling down the window long enough to bid them a good day?  How do we teach our children about interpersonal skills, when these very skills are being taken over by smart technology?

Technology jeopardizes privacy.  Although the FTC has set clear expectations for businesses, what about privacy and ethics guidelines for interacting a social network channels, such as Facebook or LinkedIn.  Should an employer really have a right to hire you or fire you based on what you do in your private life?  These are issues that still need to be clarified and addressed.   

In my opinion, social media has made my life easier in just about every way imaginable.  I appreciate all of the conveniences.  As long as our culture can find a healthy balance for social technology and human interaction, we will continue to flourish and technology will continue to be welcomed.  As soon as we begin forgetting basic interpersonal skills in lieu of technology, that is where our culture will begin to oppose technology and will yearn for the good ol' days.      

Oh the possibilities.....

A century ago if you wanted to look into the future, you’d find an old gypsy woman and ask her to look into her crystal ball for you. She would read your cards and divine what lay ahead in the days to come. Now? There is an app for that. There is an app for anything under the sun now and more are launched every day. Businesses can track our purchases and with a disturbing accuracy predict what we will need, where we will buy it, and social media to tell us about the coupon. (Target knew about teen pregnancy before family did)

More of our purchases will be made with our smart phones. We can already email funds to one another, so those I owe yous actually get paid now. With Square’s card reader, small companies who can’t afford a full online register can accept payments directly for a small fee. This will let small companies start up for less capital and help the economy start to grow in new ways. And with most users no more than three feet from their phone, someone being out of touch or unreachable is almost obsolete. Checking in as you arrive at a location or liking a business you frequent will become a conversation you have with friends or customers. The lines between what is “real” and “virtual” will blur and social media will be there to keep us informed.

Google and Apple are both racing to create a glass based product for customers to have a full heads up display in their day to day life. The implications there are unending. Being able to manipulate a document the way Tony Stark does in Ironman, by moving your hands through it and talking to your computer? That could soon be real. We could create personal overlays that alter how we look to logged in users. Our friends on Facebook can like our new virtual shirt while following the link to get their own. The new restaurant we eat at will check us in as we come through the door and ping us with a copy of the menu.

The possibilities are only limited by our imaginations now. Social media will keep us in the know for what is coming and it will become the dialog of a generation.

More Videos for a Bad Week

I didn’t have the world’s greatest week, but I did manage to make it through.  I got my assignment on Twitter complete and submitted my case study on sensitivity analysis.  I even got them done before 4:00 PM on Sunday, which is a first this quarter.

I did get some things wrong on the discussion.  I was supposed to create my own ideas for the three videos.  At least I picked some good videos.  Here are three more.

Washington Tribes (I am going to work to become a Jamestown K’lallam member in the near future)

https://www.youtube.com/user/WashingtonTribes?feature=gb_ch_rec

Spread the word to end the word (need I repeat my affinity for this group?)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04Ser5wmPSA

Cat opens door (just because I needed a laugh)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OlTnM89nbg

I still have some learning to do with YouTube.  I need to use it more for my homework for example.  I will have to use my IPad, after I fix the screen I broke recently, to record some videos and post them.  I will probably have some time to do this come May and even more after I graduate, unless I am fortunate enough to find another job in the mean time.

Picture of my that I added to my Google+ account when working on my YouTube account.  I was actually wearing candy cane antlers on Christmas Eve 2011 when this was taken.

The video site that acts like a bunny....

Anytime a group of friends are looking for a clip from last night’s Simpson’s episode a quick search picks up user generated clips of just about anything from the show. Need to see the latest Starbucks SNL skit? It’s there. Why is YouTube so popular and successful? “Possibly the biggest reason why YouTube is so popular is that it is FREE. Yes free for anyone to upload, share and view videos in high definition resolutions.” (http://whyisyoutubesopopular.com/why-is-youtube-so-popular/). By giving the globe a giant wall to post anything on users started flocking in. As the site streamlined the uploading process and started integrating across programs and phones it became the natural way to share everything and anything. Uploading and buffering a video only takes a few moments and at the end of each video you are given recommendations of what else you could enjoy. By watching what users view and sharing that play list, YouTube becomes a perpetual motion machine.

We watched a video of a Blendtec blender turn an iPhone into “iDust” in a matter of moments. What other videos on their page did you watch? The one where they blended up superglue? What about the roses? The video of six Bic lighters being blended really requires several watches to enjoy correctly. Not to mention how many other people you might show it to or talk about it with. Starbucks used Blendtec blenders at one point and I didn’t understand why they were so noisy or expensive. The company (to my knowledge) has switched to a cheaper quieter blender that typically lasts a year before the gear connecting to the pitcher strips out completely. These videos did several things for me. I desperately wanted to get my hands on several blenders to do some of the experiments (after melting a lawn mower a blender sounds like a great next step.) that they recommend you try at home. I saw the blender as a better investment for the company and I share the company’s story. I showed the videos to others. I talked about it at work. I thought about the product. I was a part of the groundswell for Blendtec.

This is what YouTube can do professionally. Personally it’s a great and easy way to share family videos in the blink of an eye. You might not have the time to Skype when someone else is so many time zones away but you can watch videos when it works for your schedule. Homework in my other classes might show up on my YouTube page in the future instead of trying to load the whole video on the Blackboard server because YouTube is so easy to use. YouTube has become a part of the groundswell and helped get attention for things that could have been stuck at a local or private level. Just ask United Airlines. Or Southwest Airlines and Kevin Smith. The examples just keep going, and going, and going....