Building A Following

Now that we are in an age of vast technological advancements taking place in the computer world every day, it is seemingly becoming very easy to network with people with shared interests throughout the planet. One way to get people to notice your brand, writings, art, music, product, or whatever it is that you are promoting is to build a following of supporters online.
What does it mean to “build a following?” To build a following means to have a number of networks and people who support your cause, whatever that may be. These are usually people who are interested in being part of your online “community”. Sounds easy huh? Well with the genius invention of social networking it can be.
Some of the most popular ways to build a following using social networking include twitter, Facebook, blogs, and YouTube. If you are already among the 7% of the country using twitter than I’m sure that you have already noticed the way twitter works. To get the best twitter experience its best that twitter is used as a marketing, and networking tool instead of just a social network where people just tweet their everyday random thoughts. To build a following on twitter is not as simple as it often looks. For one, you have to be tweeting topics of “substance” to get a solid following. What I mean by substance is unless you are an uber popular celebrity; tweeting boring details of your life will usually not garner too many followers. Tweeting about important issues, funny stuff, or marketing your business or product might just get people’s attention and in return they follow you. Getting a twitter following is about how interesting you are to follow.
Facebook is another tool to use to gain a following and many of us use it already. Facebook can be very easy as a networking tool because half of the time you already are connected to your followers, or “friends.” To get a following on Facebook it doesn’t take any interesting topic statuses, all it takes is to use the site for what it’s for and that’s networking with other people that you meet through the people already on your friends list.
Blogging is another great tool to build a following and network but it will take some work on your part to make sure that you are blogging on news, issues, or topics that people will want to read. Your blog should have all the proper elements to keep people coming back. YouTube has taken the world by storm and has also become a great tool to build a following as well. The thing about YouTube is that if you are going to make videos and want subscribers you have to have videos with elements like humor, important topics, good video quality, and relatable storylines to gain a following of subscribers. When used properly using the internet to build a following can be easy as 1, 2, and 3.

Do you use any of these social networks to gain a following for your cause? If so, which one do you think works best as a networking tool? Do you use twitter? If so, how many followers do you have? Can you think of any other online networks to use to gain followers? How do you feel about the whole idea of having people “follow” you? And finally, can you add any elements to this posting about building a following that I may have missed?

By: Jessica Dames

Networking: Do's and Dont's

Networking can be defined as the exchange of information of services among individuals, groups, or institutions ; specifically : the cultivation of productive relationships for employment or business. For many people networking, is a key resource to the community, to advertising, to business, and to even finding a job. In order to network effectively...you have to know how to connect with people around you. For college students networking is easy and always at our fingertips, with our phones, computers, and tablets. But what we don't realize is how some of things we do now through networking will effect us later.
For a resource here are some do's and dont's.
Do's : stay connected and interact with people, join groups...but be selective, use your profile and such as a tool.
Don't: publish everything you did that one night last summer, badmouth anybody or any employers, just friend random people (because associates can see your friends), or carelessly post things especially personal information (think before you do).

Here lies the questions...do you agree with the do's and dont's? If so, do you personally have any other suggestions you would add to the list? Also in your personal opinion how much information is too much information (such as your address, phone number, your age), and how comfortable are you with random people accessing your personal life?
Finally do you think employers should be allowed to go through your personal pages without notification or release? And do you think that having a facebook, twitter account, or blog is worth it if you cannot really express how you feel due to people watching your every move/statement?

Twitter

Mashable.com offers a shocking statistic. Only 7% of Americans are on twitter; while half of Americans are on Facebook. With the recent protests in Egypt and the unrest in Libya, social media sites including Twitter have gained a lot of global attention. How are the numbers for the up and coming social media site Twitter so low? I found this to be shocking. Why do you think Facebook is a lot more successful than Twitter?


Are you on Twitter? If you are, how would you describe Twitter to someone who doesn't use it? What is your purpose on Twitter? Who do you follow? and How often do you tweet?

If you are not on Twitter, what has kept you from joining? Has the recent media attention made you consider joining Twitter? What do you think the purpose of Twitter is? Or are you confused about the purpose behind it?

image found on google images.
http://mashable.com/2011/02/24/facebook-twitter-number/

Building Your Website

Now that the internet has been in existence for almost two decades, the number of websites currently active and the number of domain names registered is in the millions. So what does one do when they want to create their own addition to the worldwide web? Today, there are many routes one could take to make their dream of creating a website a reality.

There is the standard way of building a site from scratch by using html, C++ or other types of computer programming language. There are various site building programs available for download that require paying a fee each month (some of better quality than others). There are also free web design programs such as Weebly, which might not look as slick or professional as a site designed professionally, but they get the job done. Then there are social networking sites such as Facebook (and previously Myspace) that many organizations, including rock'n'roll groups use as their primary homepage instead of going to the trouble of building or paying someone to build their website.

The possibilities for getting one's self out there on the internet are almost boundless. The question is, which of these options is right for you? Do you want quick'n'easy? Slow and complex but effective? Can you afford to hire a professional web designer or pay fees for a web design program?

Out of the various web design implements you may have come across in your life, which is most effective? Which of these would you choose if you were to design your own webpage (which might actually be inevitable for those studying to become teachers, for example, who may be mandated to integrate an online component into their lesson plans in order to prepare kids to be computer literate in a world becoming increasingly dependent on new media.

Websites that Work

Websites are an interesting and incredibly useful tool in the world of technology. They can be utilized for a large number of things, pertaining to almost any topic imaginable. They can be created to feature news about a local band, to teach people how to cook or repair their car, to follow the life and works of a celebrity, to keep people up to date with the world around them, or even to warn the world of the ever-so-dangerous dihydrogen monoxide. Websites use various types of media to express news, opinions, and facts in a creative and interesting way. Not only do websites present useful (or sometimes pointless) information to the people visiting them, but they often do this in a way that encourages audience interaction and participation. Many websites feature links which visitors can click to view more or different information, videos and images for visitors to view, a place for feedback and comments, and a place for visitors to submit their own content. Some websites even allow for users to edit the content and adjust the look of the website for their own viewing pleasure.

Websites have become increasingly easy to access, and even own, as technology races forward. It is safe to say, in today's world, that we all use and/or view websites on a daily basis. In fact, it is hard not to. From the Saint Rose website and Blackboard to online banking and shopping, much of our daily routine is ingrained into the world wide web, which results in a inevitable connection to the internet. A good portion of our leisure time is often spent on websites as well. Many people spend their free time reading the updates on news websites, listening to music on a band fan page, or checking the scores of the most recent game on the ESPN website. Because of this connection to websites and the internet, most of us probably have a favorite site that we visit on a fairly regular basis. No matter what the topic might be, our favorite websites all have one thing in common: something that keeps us coming back for more.

If possible, please come up with a specific example of a "website that works" and share the link below. What exactly is it about this website that holds your interest and keeps you coming back for more? Is it the content? Are their any key elements, such as pictures, music, links, etc., that make it interesting? Or does the overall success of a website depend on something else entirely? What do you feel are the essential elements that a successful website must have, if any?

By Jenna Herbert and Erin Walsh

New Media Marketing and Examples

The solo use of print media marketing is something of the past and will long be forgotten with the World Wide Web taking over. New media marketing is not only cheaper and reaches a larger and wider audience, but it allows everyday people to become part of the advertising as well. By this, companies who use new media marketing, closely create a community whereas individuals can readily and eagerly interact. Creating this opportunity allows individuals to feel as if they have a bigger public voice and role. New media marketing exists on the notion that everyday consumers will share their views, swap their ideas and advocate for (and sometimes against) products and services within the Internet world. For our generation, this concept of new media marketing is something that we see on an everyday basis and do not think twice about. Most of it can even be viewed as being very obvious. Some examples of new media marketing would be presenting consumers with products and services through the use of Facebook (pages, whereas individuals are able to add pictures, videos, “like” things, post on the wall, start a discussion, even-and most importantly, buy the product), Twitter (short phrases that promotes a product or service, often linking to fellow followers and other people or products-to enable a large amount of people to come across and view), YouTube (videos, both short and long, uploaded buy any individual or company, whereas they can showcase their service or product in a variety of forms. This allows any person with an account to make a comment and offer suggestions, and always keeps count of the amount of views seen), blogging of any sort (whereas any person can openly communicate their thoughts about a particular service or product and be followed by a community of people who ultimately share the same views), and location-based social networks, such as FourSquare (allowing individuals to “check in” to specific places, whereas there may by events advertising a specific product or service).

Examples of new media marketing surround our lives on a daily basis. What are other types of new media marketing that you find readily and easily available for you to see? Do you participate in any type of new media marketing? If so, what? Does new media marketing reach a broader range of individuals as compared to print media? Do you sometimes feel as if you are being overloaded with marketing? Do you feel as if these new media marketing techniques would more likely enable or persuade you to buy a product or service? How do you believe new media marketing will change in the future? Is this all just too much?!

-Alysha Lindmark

Marketing via New Media

Marketing has become easier for companies than ever before. New media, such as social networking sites, collect millions of users around the world. Most people in this generation use the internet religiously, which makes the task of getting information about a new product or company out there simple. People are interacting via the internet, using Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, blogs, podcasts, e-mail and more to share their opinions and read or listen to other people’s opinions. Marketing is still popular amongst newspapers and billboards, but more people are involved in the digital world. Marketing via new media has become more common because it gets the word out there at a lower cost, as well as letting consumers become engaged by voicing their opinion. When the consumers can share their knowledge and opinion on a product or company in a more convenient and efficient way, it will enable marketers to make changes to their marketing techniques and products to satisfy the consumer to ultimately make more money.

Do you think marketing via new media works? If so, why does it work? Are there better ways besides print media or digital media for marketers to advertise or gain public feedback? Are marketers invading the public by using new media as a source of advertising? Should more people use new media as a source of marketing? Will people continue to market via new media in the future?