Your New "Room"

Facebook is creating new social media outlets in the attempt to reach markets which are not going to Facebook as frequently. On October 24, 2014, Facebook released their new app called "Rooms". The app description in the Itunes app store is "Rooms lets you create places for the things you're passionate about. Pick a topic, customize the look and feel, be whoever you want to be and share with others. It's perfect for the things you love and interests that make you unique".  

 What is the goal?

This app is trying to bring back the chat atmosphere we experienced back with AOL chats. Facebook is trying to bring this back but in the mobile realm. The company is encouraging the use of nicknames and keeping the chats anonymous, if you choose. QR codes are also included for each chat room so if you share the code, people just have to take a picture of the code to access. This is the app's form of invitations. More recently we have been seeing an increase of apps which offer anonymous posting and chats. I want to specifically touch on the problems being seen in these upcoming "anonymous" apps. 

http://www.google.com

Secret, Whisper & Yik Yak

A handful of apps, only to name the well-known few, have already hit the "anonymous" app scene. Each of these apps have offered users a seemingly anonymous experience. Another aspect each has in common is the major negative side of offering anonymity. I have recently seen a lot of backlash in the news because of users abusing the apps. Facebook or any company creating a new user experience must consider cons, especially when it is something so prevalent in the news. These apps have created modifications to prevent bullying and app abuse, but my question to all this..is it really worth it to have these apps? Yes it creates the opportunity for open discussion but it also opens the dangerous window in which companies will face the negative publicity for. Could Facebook be next with their Rooms app? 

Anonymous is Never Really Anonymous

https://www.google.com/

The big take away for anyone using social media whether it be a company or an individual, is that nothing is ever really anonymous. Everyone should be conscious of this fact and share this with the younger generations to counter these issues. Posting certain things without thinking can lead to big trouble. This all ties back into my post a couple weeks ago Share with Care. http://jldamouras.blogspot.com/2014/10/share-with-care.html Employees, especially younger ones, (since these apps target the 18-24 demographic) need to be aware of what they are saying. 

Check out more about "Rooms" on CNN: http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/23/tech/mobile/facebook-rooms-app/index.html

Social Media Myth

http://www.google.com

Social Media is Free!

There are numerous people out there who will initially state "oh social media is free" when discussing social media sites. I am here to tell you what to consider if you think social media is 100% free. There are a few things to consider if you or your company are deciding to implement social media use. To start, social media is not free.

Free to Start

Initially, it is free for your company to create a social media account and page, which is great! The expense starts with the cost to maintain these sites you have now created under your company's name. If you do not maintain and update your sites it reflects poorly on the company's image. Your social media sites will not update themselves, and someone will need to take the time to focus their work efforts towards maintaining the sites. There are posts and important interactions with consumers and other brands to be made. When your social sites are just started, it takes a lot of time to build relationships and gain awareness. Social media never has a turn off point, meaning it is a 24/7 job. 

Company Wide Job 

In my Social Media Marketing class, we also discussed how social media is not just the job of the marketing department. Successful social media takes the entire company's push. All employees should be showing support for their company and products. Re-tweeting and sharing posts will show employee loyalty but also spread awareness faster. 

Paid Promotion

In order to have promoted tweets or promoted Facebook posts, a company has to pay. These services increase the reach of your chosen posts and will provide analytic information. Using these posts are also a good way to see how well your social media tactics are working. Knowing your target audience is very important when creating these posts. For example, using a boosted post on Facebook allows you to choose who you are reaching. If you are interested in seeing more on how promoted posts work, check out the link below.

https://fbcdn-dragon-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpa1/t39.2365-6/851565_325469517585050_1513534755_n.pdf

Share With Care

My class this week discussed a variety of scenarios in which companies should have double checked their posts prior to sharing with the world. Those responsible for a company's social media postings need to be extra cautious of their words and aware of what is going on in society. We discussed how a company should never use a natural disaster or event as a way to gain exposure. Using events that are unpredictable is never a good idea. The likelihood of insulting consumers greatly increases with such uses.  

Check Before You Post

http://3.bp.blogspot.com

Companies need to ensure they are precise with their word choices and spelling. Not only can mistakes offend consumers, but basic spelling and grammar errors can hurt the company image. Who trusts a company that appears careless and uneducated? What a company posts is an extension of their brand and what they offer. Consumers are more likely to positively view a company that is attentive and accurate in what they share. This mindset not only applies to a company but also to individuals and their own personal "brands" of themselves. Employees should be thinking before they post because they are an extension of a company, especially when they mess up. I believe companies have a responsibility to remind employees that they need to reflect the company and their values. Everyone makes mistakes, but thinking ahead with care prevents avoidable mishaps.

http://kitchmedia.com

Nothing Is Private

The best way I can stress the importance of thinking before you as a company, employee or individual posts something to the internet is by discussing the recent hacking in society. A hot topic right now has been the hacking of celebrity photos and snap-chat users' photos. Even though companies are not typically using snap-chat, this example shows how easy it can be for somebody to hack with technology today. Your image and brand can be broken so easily and quickly. It is vital people realize that nothing is private anymore. Companies need to be consistent with their values and best demonstrate them to employees. 

Update Your Status: Expert ✔

People Trust Experts

A major factor I have heard and read about in multiple classes is to establish your company as an expert. This means your consumers trust you and view your company as credible. This is another characteristic of success which does not come easily. The best way Mark Schaefer describes establishing expertise in this book, Social Media Explained, is to be helpful and give reasons why you should be seen as an expert. Publishing helpful blog posts and showing your "human side" to consumers gains trust and expertise in your area. Schaefer reiterates throughout his book, "humans buy from humans," meaning consumers want to have a relationship with your company. There are numerous ways in order for a company to establish helpfulness (blogs, videos, posts). There is also a platform called SlideShare which provides another opportunity for expertise.

SlideShare

Mark Schaefer's book (the one I mentioned above), introduced me to a social media platform called SlideShare. This is a straightforward platform; you have a topic, you create slides about it, and then you upload it for sharing. I believe if the company has a niche market that would utilize this platform, it could establish expertise and better its' social media strategy. The company can share knowledge in a visual yet informative way to consumers. In my opinion, a company utilizing this platform would be ahead of the curve, which is not always easy to do in social media. As I mentioned in my past post http://jldamouras.blogspot.com/2014/09/why-you-should-social-media.html, patience is important and will pay off in the long-run. When looking into the platform, I observed that if you sign-up you can "like", share or save posts. The set up kind of reminded me of Pinterest and how you "pin" a post you like. I really found this platform to be interesting and a great opportunity for sharing and learning. 

This is a screenshot from SlideShare.

Knowledge

Another great way in which SlideShare could be utilized by a company, could be learning from other posted expertise. The image above is a screen shot from the platform. This image shows their Social Media posts. If a company is just starting out on planning their social media strategy, what better way to learn than to read other users' tips? Schaefer uses great examples in his book on how no company just starting at social media is going to be perfect. The process requires continual learning and keeping up to date.

Check out or upload your slides: http://www.slideshare.net/