Nominees: Most Effective Users of Social Media

Who is your nominee for most effective user of social media? Who wields the blogosphere -- or Facebook -- or Twitter -- with the greatest effectiveness? How does this person/organization reach a wide audience and energize their followers? How are they able to create a "brand" identity? How would you describe that identity? How are they able to increase their audience and effectively engage a wide range of people? What makes them a success? How broad is that success -- and what can we learn from them?

Facebook vs. Twitter

Vs.

A few years ago, someone had came out with the new social networking called Myspace. That was the big thing to be a part of and everyone was on myspace, at the time. Then someone made up the social networking for college students only, called Facebook and eventually grew to be available to EVERYONE. You needed a college email college to create a facebook. And finally, now someone came out with the newest version of social networking, called twitter. I used to say to myself that I was never going to create a twitter, because it is the exact same thing as facebook, and I already have a facebook. Until last week, when I finally joined twitter.

There are many differences between facebook and twitter. Twitter is basically ONLY telling the world what you are doing at the specific time. Facebook is really an entirely different type of networking. What do you think the positives and negatives are about Twitter? What are the positives and negatives about Facebook? How do the two differenciate? And do you think that in the future someone will combine them both?

Tweeting Effectively

Twitter is based on a person tweeting about what they are doing. A persons twitter page is only successful if their tweets are good.What makes twitter so popular to people? What determines if a twitter page is good or interesting? What are you favorite twitter pages and why? If you have a twitter page, what do you tweet about that you know people will be interested in? If you don't have a twitter page, what would you tweet about?

Twitter

What can you say in 140 characters or less?

This is the concept behind Twitter, a social networking and micro-blogging site formed in 2007. Users are given 140 characters, the space available in a text message, to share their thoughts with the world, or at least their followers. Twitter is a free service, in which members send messages, known as Tweets, to followers or the community as a whole. These Tweets can be customized with the @ and # tags. One can send a message to another Twitter user by using the @ tag and the # tag groups Tweets of similar subject matter.

The subject of Tweets varies widely, as they are user generated. Anyone can Tweet anything. Tweets can be funny or serious, pointless or informative. One can subscribe to Ashton Kutcher's feed and learn about his latest plane ride. One can also subscribe to Barack Obama's feed and keep up to date on the President's agenda.

So may be your average Tweeter won't get paid for their tweets, but on the bright side, they won't have youtube videos made about their tweets either...

But when does Twitter stop being fun and pithy statements, and start getting a little awkward? Take for instance the Twitter account of the late Billy Mays, which has been kept online and is now operated by his son, Billy Mays Jr. Is it really necessary to see the final Tweets of Billy Mays? Is it an honor, or a little morbid?

So, are you a tweeter? Do you follow certain peoples Twitter accounts? What makes a good tweet, or one that is just too much information?#tmi

Oh, and do you think apologizing via Twitter is a good option?

Creating A Website

In class, we are learning to make websites. In order to make a website, you must come up with a central theme and then have your website appeal to a certain market, when creating it. Creating a website includes time commitment, so the more time you have to invest, the more inclusive all of your information can be. Two other large parts of making a website, are the title and domain name because these are two important aspects that will attract the market of people and make it more easily accessible. You must also make sure your website is easy to use and the layout is clean and effortless to read and scroll through. You must keep your readers interested so they will stay on the site and also come back to visit. You may want to link other pages to your website that pertain to your information or will help your reader get back to your website if they forget the link. Simple titles and relevant pictures will keep people interested in your site and will keep the site easy for you to maintain. If you were to make a website, what would it be about? What would you link to your website? What kinds of pictures would you put up to relate to your information? What website(s) would you look at to get an idea to create you own? What websites do you think work best in relaying information to their market? What is their market that they are trying to spread their information to? Do they have any links connected to their page?

Podcasts :)

People have predicted the death of radio for a very long time. When TV came around, everyone thought that radio would slowly die away. Now, with the internet, TV is slowly decreasing in popularity, but radio is still around in many different forms. One of these is through Podcasts. Do you listen to, or are subscribed to any podcasts? Do you think that the popularity of podcasts is going to decrease because music is so easily available through iTunes and other websites. What might be the reason why radio-type programs such as a podcasts are still as popular as they are today?

YouTube

Everyone has heard of YouTube before. It is a video sharing site where a person can upload and share videos. Formerly owned by Three Paypal employees ,YouTube is now owned by Google. Most people have gone on YouTube and watched videos. These videos are usually sent by a friend or co-worker saying “Hey, watch this it is funny or interesting”. Then there are also people who watch YouTube videos constantly and are actively using it every single day. YouTube is used in positive ways though, Teachers can easily access videos to show to their classes and people can have video blogs. Some may even have accounts on YouTube so they can post their own videos. When reading the (Mis)Conceptions of YouTube reading it brought up a few things that I found interesting.Lange points out that this is a video sharing site but more happens on YouTube then video sharing. Do you think YouTube has become more than a video sharing site? How do you feel about people being able to take a video you posted and link it anywhere on internet? That anyone can comment on your video and say anything like? Do you think it occurs to people that YouTube is transforming into another social networking site, with being able to have your own profile and being able to comment and send messages to people? Do you believe YouTube has proposed another platform for cyber bulling? What does YouTube and its content really mean to you, is it just another website or is it more than a video site?

Wikipedia

When doing a research essay, we have heard many times from many teachers not to use Wikipedia.org. The teachers/professors that put this restriction on the resourses do this because of the lack of accuracy that goes along with Wikipedia. As it says on the homepage Wikipedia is a “free encyclopedia”. It is a website that someone can go to to look up information. This information is a “web-based, collaborative, multilingual encyclopedia project supported by the non-profit Wikimedia Foundation” (Wikipedia.org) . It allows users to edit articles, add articles and read articles for free. Some feel that Wikipedia is a wonderful tool that can and should be used by all, some feel it should be used with caution and some feel that Wikipedia should be avoided at all costs. Robert McHenry, former editor-in-chief of Encyclopaedia Britannica once described Wikipedia as “The user who visits Wikipedia to learn about some subject, to confirm some matter of fact, is rather in the position of a visitor to a public restroom. It may be obviously dirty, so that he knows to exercise great care, or it may seem fairly clean, so that he may be lulled into a false sense of security. What he certainly does not know is who has used the facilities before him. Wikipedia [is a] faith-based encyclopedia.” (Wikipedia.org). What are your thoughts about Wikipedia? Do you use Wikipedia? When is Wikipedia appropriate for use? Have you ever found any incorrect information while on Wikipedia, and if you have what was it (a link would be wonderful!)? Do you feel that people go out of the way to post incorrect information, or do you think that it is unitentional?

Tiffany Bird

Activist Sites

How many activist sites do we encounter in a regular web surfing day? I have to admit, I'm a little out of my comfort zone here, because i have very little experience with these sites. i also have to admit, I get a little guarded when talking about activist sites. Sometimes I feel like these sites are a tad too paranoid, thriving on "Big Brother" conspiracy theories. That being said, there are plenty of great causes that many activists work toward. The question is, how effective are these sites really? Very similar to Social Justice sites, these are often less visited than commercialized sites. Why is that? What makes these sites generally less visited? How can these causes get more attention? Are the people who visit these sites any more likely to contribute to the cause than if the activist group just formed a Facebook Fanpage? Yes, these sites are meant to convince and inform, but how convincing are they really? How can such a site encourage and incite return visits? What makes people visit, and perhaps more importantly, what makes them return to activist websites?

The Electronic Frontier Foundation we were instructed to look at discusses the rights of internet blogger, privacy for readers and a number of other digital/web based legal issues. The internet age has opened this can of worms, but how can you judge, in a world of free information, which of these rights are ones you want to back? This site advocates for many ideas and ranges through a number of rights. A viewer of the site might have various opinions on the many issues. Do you think this is a wise choice, or will some opinions draw in revisits while discouraging others? Opinions go hand in hand with activist sites. Does introducing so many different issues is the site helping or hurting itself? What is effective here and what, if anything, is unsuccessful?

The Rhetoric of Social Justice

I'd hoped to talk about the "look" of social justice sites in class, because here on the blog I'd like you to focus on the rhetoric of social justice. If you recall from our first day of class, rhetoric can be described as "the art or science of using words effectively to influence or persuade." Comparing the site you chose with EFF, how do they convey the importance of their missions in words? What key phrases can you identify as working to persuade the reader -- and how? Explain the effect of specific terms or phrases on the reader. What sort of emotions or realisation are they meant to provoke? What is particularly effective (and what is not)? How do the visual elements (color, images, spacing, relative size, etc.) enhance the message?

Once you're done -- enjoy your spring break!

Social Justice

As young adults that are constantly exposed to Commercial Websites, we are all familiar with what these sites have to offer. Whether it is the latest social networking page or search engine website, most likely everyone knows the main goal the site is trying to portray. What about Social Justice Websites though? Have you ever taken the time to check out the latest news on PETA or the HRC? Have you ever personally contributed to a Social Justice website? Before this assignment, I never have but I am happy that I finally did. After taking the time to check a few out, I discovered the ways that these websites keep in contact with their contributors; add new volunteers and how they do it without seeming like a cheesy advertisement. First off, they are very clear about their organization and how to get involved. These sites all offer information about the social issues the group is fighting against or for, the community they have built throughout the years, how you personally can get involved and updates on the latest news to keep you informed. The site that I took most interest in is the HRC (Human Rights Campaign) website. Not only does the page have informative articles, tools and videos that make you want to get involved but it also gives you ways to stay involved. By adding hyperlinks like their Facebook page, Twitter, YouTube and even a Blog page, this Social Justice Site knows how to keep people’s attention through the media which is important when targeting people via the internet. After looking through a Social Justice Site of your own, how do you feel its importance is shown through a world full of commercialized sites? How do these sites try to differentiate themselves from a Commercialized Web page? Do you think that these sites should be publicized more than a commercialized site or do you think that they already are?

-Caroline

Facebook Fan Pages

All of us who have a Facebook (and don’t) have seen and heard their friends discussing the latest fan pages that have everyone talking. It’s easy to join and become a fan of a group and sometimes some people become fans of too many pages. We all know that one person who shows up in our newsfeed about 5 times a day stating that so and so has become a fan of at least 21 new profiles. With this in mind we begin to think, “why would anyone ever become a fan of this many things?” or maybe “they are really annoying and need to stop joining all the fan pages and taking up my whole newsfeed” whatever your thoughts on Facebook Fan Pages may be, there are others out there who feel the same way as you do. Some questions that have left me confused are why people choose to join and become fans of such random profiles. Do these ‘fan pages’ really describe the type of person they are? By looking at our own ‘fan pages’ could we say that people viewing our profile for the first time may get or may not get a good understanding of the type of person we are? Are these ‘fan pages’ necessary? After looking and grappling with these few questions, I’ve also been thinking about the fact that anyone can create and manage a fan page. In which instance, who establishes the ‘sense of authority’? Could we say that the person in charge of the fan page creates the authority, or the people that become fans of the pages and leave their own comments about the topic on the fan page? And why is it that some fan pages are more popular than others, whether it be because of the ‘eye-catching’ image on the home of the fan page or maybe the description, what is it that catches the viewers attention enough to make them become a fan of that specific ‘fan page’?

Facebook Groups

We all know that we belong to groups that are suggested to us by a friend. Some of them may be completely pointless. Some are made because someone’s phone broke and they lost all of their phone numbers and they need them again, others are made for incoming college kids who got accepted to a college. This is probably beneficial if you want to talk to possible perspective classmates. As far as groups go, what sort of planning do you think is required to start one versus starting a fan page? Do most groups have that careful thought or planning? I am in the group The College of Saint Rose: Class of 2013. This group I joined back in February of 2009 and people from the group added me sporadically throughout the course of the year. I talked to most of the people I added; we discussed majors, interests where we were from and such. I think this is a great way to meet new people. What group on your Facebook page do you think is the most helpful and why? What made you join this group?

"Facebook Ruined my Relationship"

What do you think of this local news story about how Facebook ruins relationships?

Does new media create new problems -- or opportunities for them -- or is this just scapegoating for old problems? Would you say anything online that you wouldn't say in person?

Do you know people who have gotten into difficulties because of the ease of anonymous interaction on the web?

Facebook

Facebook is something we all know quite a bit about. Most of us have one ourselves. It has become such a huge part of our culture and a major part of the internet. Just a few years ago, no one had heard of such a place. Now it's even talked about in everyday life to the point where it's unavoidable.
After reading the articles about founder Mark Zuckerberg, I began to think and reflect a little bit more about Facebook. What do we really know about this site where we spend so much time and share so much with the world? After all, what do we really know about this mysterious computer "genius" who started it all?
Think about what you currently share on your Facebook (if you don't have one, think about what you would put out there if you did). Think of how your Facebook represents you as a person. What would you think if your parents saw your information, photos, etc.? How about a potential employer? Do you represent yourself in a way that is professional? Do you care what your Facebook says about you to those who view it? Are you worried at all about the security of your information?

Sign up for Blog Posts

The topics (though not all the questions pertaining to them) are up for the rest of the semester. Choose the day you want to be responsible for posting a blog entry here. This will require talking a little bit about the topic as well as posing questions for the class to answer prior to class time. Look over the calendar on Blackboard and choose a topic that you find of particular interest. First come, first served.


UPDATE: For Monday blog posts, you will have until midday Tuesday to respond. For Wed blog posts, you have until midday Friday. You do need to post a follow-up to your own post; feel free also to comment as the discussion unfolds.

Non-Profit Blogs

[Yes, your instructor is still ill -- there is a second blog post that will appear at the end of class time: be sure to do both assignments]

For today's assignment, you needed to choose a non-profit site. List your choice and discuss their founding, mission, and give examples of the ways that they engage followers and solicit new ones. How do they seek to appeal to new followers? How is the site different from the commercial sites and news media sites we have looked at? How do they convey their status is verbal and non-verbal ways? What do they have in common with commercial sites, i.e. what do they need to do the same as commercial sites?

Media Sites & Trust

Where do you get your news? Whom do you trust?

Media sites want to draw you to their pages and even more, to get you to return. There are all kinds of methods for this. Using Capital News 9 and the media site you chose, consider the following questions and whether both sources address them in the same way:

How are they set up? What is the balance of images v words? How do they use tabs (if they do)?
What do they think people are looking for?
How would you assess their level of responsiveness to the audience?
How do they establish a sense of "authority"?
Who is Channel 9 (and your other media site)? How are they presented? How complete is the information?
Do they work on your anxieties (e.g. the kind of stories that end with "...or your children may be in danger!"
How do they present themselves as part of the community?
How much user-generated content is there? Does it affect your assessment of the site as a "news" source?

BoingBoing and Google

Respond to your group's questions in the comments here: be sure to include links in your response to the relevant information. Write out your question(s) before you answer, so others will know to what you're responding. Also make sure that YOUR NAMES are included at the end of the comment, as only one person can be tagged as author of the comment.

How Can You Be an Effective Blogger?

This week we have been reading blogs at ProBlogger. Our topic has been how to be an effective blogger. What did we discover about being effective as a blogger?

What makes an effective blog?

DUE: Friday by 5pm

Link to the blog you brought to class today and explain in detail why you chose it. Does it have one author or a team? Is it commercial or personal? Who is the audience? How can you tell? What's appealing about the visual layout? What about color choices? What sort of links do they offer? What brings people back?

Be persuasive.

Plagiarism & Piracy

Where do you draw the line between freely appropriating information and calling it piracy or theft? How much or what kind of information is it okay to use?

Welcome to ENG 252

You will find most of our necessary materials at our Blackboard page. From our course description:

OBJECTIVES:
This course will examine the rapidly expanding field of New Media, an awkward umbrella term usually used to refer to the web, blogs, Facebook, Twitter and other kinds of on-line communities. Much of this course will require engaging in the actual production of writing within these spheres. We will examine how New Media reflects cultural assumptions including sexism, racism and classism. A key issue will be "ownership" in the age of instant digital copying. While analyzing texts within their cultural contexts, we will utilize a variety of approaches to help develop further your critical reading, thinking, and writing skills. You will be expected to write pieces that demonstrate your ability to read closely and analyze carefully, building upon and broadening your writing skills (4 credit hours).