Millennial (Y) Generation

The Internet has a power to influence, connect, and mobilize the population. Technological advances are no longer shocking but simply expected.  Today’s society has different expectations for all types of relationships. Relationships are now different because the tools used to maintain peer to peer connections have undergone a vast alteration. The primary focus is on the Internet and, with that, the development of social media. Social media are a web-based technology that transforms how people communicate by enhancing interactive conversations.

 Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook, said, 

More than 175 million people use Facebook. If it were a country, it would be the sixth most populated country in the world.

Facebook has the ability to bring people together in a wide variety of ways.  People are now accessing social media from mobile devices and laptops making it a commonality in everyday life. 

Social media platforms as Facebook brings bad habits

Social media is continuing to grow exponentially based on the wants of the people nowadays. Social media users are Generation Y, also referred to as the ‘net generation,’ who have grown up understanding the power of the Internet. Generation Y is unconsciously addicted to social media and as a result they feel constant pressure to be connected with their peers through maintaining a connection with technology such as smartphones, laptops, and tablets. The internet and social media are a new kind of fluency, it’s like an acquired language. Social media has their own language, culture norms, and sensibilities. Those who practice the skill are naturally going to adapt to it and will use it in their daily routine.

It’s sad how we the millennial (birth dates from the early 1980s to the early 2000s) are considered to be apathetic, disinterested, tuned out, and selfish. From the Clinton Global Initiative University, 75% of students are likely addicted to social media. It is said that the millennials are regularly drawn to their cell phone. As mobile natives, it is said that we recognize mobile phones as more than just phone calls because it enables texting between friends or even tweeting. Millennials are viewed as social media obsessed. I mean who isn't ? It’s hard not to be in the world we live in today. Everything is related to social media. But, some do live for their “likes” and status updates.

The new digital age has brought about extraordinary developments in technology have altered the world. Yes, technology does play an important role in our day to day lives which is what makes generation Y’s view of the social world different to others. They haven’t lived in a world without it! Generation Y has the need to stay plugged into social media platforms. Young people may describe their phone as a part of themselves and wouldn't be able to function without it. Technology has become integrated in our culture.

Preparation for a Social Media Disaster

Ever posted anything that you regretted out in front of the whole world on social media? You may need to restrict yourself to robot-like discipline to keep you from making mistakes. In this generation it’s interesting to be authentic, yet it’s so risky!  The things you post on social media can be potentially disastrous. Companies are also at fault for posting something of great embarrassment.  It’s important to think of pre-crisis preparations like setting up social media policies and crisis communications plan.

The following are ways to address regrettable Facebook or Twitter posts:

Don’t have a knee-jerk reaction: don’t act on impulse, instead think of a well thought out response rather than a quick knee-jerk response. Many times businesses are not prepared to handle a social media mistake as there are many. Companies may not respond to the situation quick enough. But, it is essential that a company takes a moment to carefully deliver a message to respond to the community.

Don’t hide the mistake: companies should never act as if they didn’t make a mistake. If you social media manager posted an offensive tweet or post, it’s the responsible thing to accept it. Its damage control to delete the comment or post but it’s essential to react to the post and apologize for it.

Rebuild you image: the brand/image of a company can survive a social media disaster, however, it will take time to rebuild the company’s reputation.

Social media is a valuable resource for marketing your business. Unlike many traditional marketing channels, Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and many others allows you to communicate to your customers in real time. The downside is the instant connection with consumers that creates a greater risk but, with the above mentioned ways you are prepared to damage control your brand.

What brands have done a phenomenal job in rebuilding their brand from a social media setback?

Social Media Campaign Raises Thousands

In regards to my previous post, Social Media Helped Boston Bombing, the suspect was found several days after the attack. He was found hiding in a boat located in a Watertown resident’s backyard.   

During the manhunt in Watertown for the Boston Bombing suspect, Dave Henneberry reported that he found the terror suspect hidden in his beloved boat. The state police raced to the scene as quick as possible and spotted the suspect by using their night vision equipment. The police detected the suspect’s body under the tarp in the boat.

This brave citizen found the suspect crouched in his boat “Slip Away II” and reported it. It was said that Dave just had the boat done and spent so much money on it. The police riddled the boat with many bullet holes.

Dave’s neighbors felt for him because they knew his boat was his baby. The vessel is now damaged. However, he is awarded the $50,000 for tipping the FBI information about the fugitive. The people of Watertown argue that the repairs for the boat shouldn’t be taken out of the reward. The support for an everyday man has been incredibly amazing. This incident has inspired several social media fundraising campaigns. They used Crowdit.com, the world’s largest funding platform for group experiences, activities and more. The page has raised more than $12,000 in just a few days. The power of social media is beyond my understanding.

Social Media Helped Boston Bombing Response

As you may already know there was a tragedy that occurred earlier this month. There was a Boston Marathon bombing that injured over 100 people and killed 3. There was a chaos of people and cell phones weren’t working. People were said to have rushed home to post a Facebook status informing their family and friends that they were OK and there phone was down.

A friend of a victim stated,

I have been following my friend's Facebook [account] who is near the scene and she is updating everyone before it even gets to the news.

As word spread of the blasts on Monday morning, social media seemed to have shaped every aspect of the response from runners giving updates of the race-turned-nightmare on Facebook to authorities using Twitter to give constant updates. Runners were reporting about the incident prior to the news channels releasing any new information. Terrorism experts said that social media helped in Boston to determine their steps after hearing about the explosions.

Bill Braniff, Executive Director of the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Response to Terrorism said

Authorities have recognized that one of the first places people go in events like this is to social media, to see what the crowd is saying about what to do next.

Before Authorities took their steps, they looked to Twitter to search for corroborating information in order to take a corrective action.

Above photo is a screenshot of a Tweet that was sent from the Boston Police Dept. in search for the suspect.

 

It’s amazing how people learned information about the blasts on social media before hearing it on any traditional news outlets. The event became a trending topic on twitter, #BostonMarathon. The information was spreading beyond the affected area and became a trending hashtag within the online community that expanded across national borders. There is a greater sense of unity. Its unfortunate that days like this, brings us together.

Overall, social media is a tremendous help for investigators throughout their evaluation process. Photos and statuses that are posted can be used to help identify the perpetrators of the attack. Just like Sandy, people were documenting the aftermath in posts and pictures of the events.

Interview with David Prince, VP of Marketing at CQ Fluency

David Prince is the VP of Marketing at CQ Fluency. They are a communications company with a difference: cultural fluency that ensures the message is adapted seamlessly for all audiences. He brings a wealth of knowledge in the worlds of brand building, multicultural solutions and team leadership. This interview will give you insight into why social media is essential for a business to be successful. 

What is your experience managing multiple social media accounts?

When I worked for the Center for Disease Control and Prevention we worked on the VERB campaign. It was a social marketing campaign to increase physical activity among youth. The sources of influence were on tweens, teachers, program leaders, and parents. Through this campaign I utilized multiple social media accounts to advertise. Back then MySpace was the hot commodity of social media as well as Facebook.

How do you stay on top of the latest innovations in social media?

I follow key blogs such as Social Media News and Social Media Network/Marketing. In my Twitter and Facebook newsfeed I follow several companies and prominent names. I engage in discussions on several LinkedIn groups. I also utilize Google alerts and receive an e-mail daily in regards to current events and trends in the social media industry.

What different social medium are you experienced in and how effective have you found them?

I am experienced in the Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Foursquare, and Pinterest. These social media tools are effective at brand building. Social media also drives sales for a company. It’s a great way to promote the brand and products. It increases awareness of the brand and image. Social media are a way to strike conversation with your consumers. You are able to see what their interests are and can relate to them through your next product or service.

Now that we covered the bases, here are further questions I asked:

Enhance Awareness/ Improve Perception:

How do you remain fresh and relevant in a constantly changing environment?

It’s very vital for companies to stick with their message and remain persistent in an ever-changing environment. You should stay on the message across all social media platforms. New people are always discovering your brand.

What ways have you helped improve brand loyalty in the past through social media?

While I worked for the U.S. Army I made a push to Twitter. I enhanced their technical abilities and initiated the first tweet from space during one of our projects. Overall, I raised the level of army technical standpoint.

How do you build an engaged social audience?

You must understand how consumers use the many platforms. Understand how they’re using and when they’re using it. I learned that Facebook is primary used  at home, Twitter is an on-the-go platform where Pinterest is used for consumers to "pin" images and objects that they like. All in all, you must know how consumers use different platforms differently.

Educate Your Audience:

Do you feel that social media can be used to educate our audience, if so, how?  If not, why?

Yes! You are allowed to tweet 140 characters depending on the medium you are using. You must repeat your message/motto but repeat it creatively to get the message across.

How do you get users to listen or participate in the discussion you are creating?

Best way to get people to listen is to ask a question! But, provide options to respond to the question such as:

“Have you tried XXX Company’s new feature?”

1. Yes, I like it!
2. Yes, I don’t like it!
3. Not yet
4. Jury’s out

It’s easier to interest people in online conversations when you make it easier for them to respond.

Convert Leads/Drive Sales:

In what ways would you suggest using social media to help drive sales and/or convert leads for our brand/company/product?

Reach out to consumers through TV, radio, and e-mail. You must identify who the core consumers are then it’ll be easier to create personalized online conversations for them to join.

Can you provide an example of a successful campaign you've launched in the past?

"Talk to a U.S. Army Solider" is a campaign I’ve launched. It’s geared towards those interested in joining the army such as recruits and their parents and families. The means of communication included, e-mail, and a discussion board on the goarmy.com site and a Facebook page. I learned that if you want to invite people to participate in your campaign go with the latest social media trend. Facebook is a social media asset that everyone must use to promote their service.

It was such an insightful interview. It was interesting to learn from a social media professional standpoint. Companies cant survive without social media. From building new potential partnership relationships, receiving real time customer feedback, to enhancing your brand image. Social media does it all! You must understand how to use it and when to use it. 

Is Social Media a Crime Fighting Tool?

Traditionally, evidence such as DNA, fingerprints and eyewitness accounts are what helps convicts defendants in criminal cases, but in this case their tool is social media. Who would have imagined that social media can help solve a case?

Three teenage boys were arrested Thursday and are faced with charges of sexual battery. The incident happened at an unsupervised house party in Saratoga, California, in September. Almost a year later, the three teenage boys were arrested.

It’s amazing how evidence can go viral! Similar to another case, where two football players were convicted of raping a girl who had too much to drink and images posted to social media sites. What is this world coming to?

In this case, Audrie Pott had too much to drink as well and eventually passed out.  The three teenage boys took advantage of her and took photos of the attack. They shared them at school, via text and social media networks. After learning that her photos were posted online, 15 year old Audrie posted on Facebook,

“They took pictures of me.

My life is ruined.

This is the worst day ever”.  

 

After this accouchement she hung herself.  

The case shocked many in Silicon Valley, where many of the tech giants, including Facebook are located. It underscored the immoral use of technology by young people in bullying others. Digital technologies can expand the harm that people suffer greatly.

The photos were taken of the assault as it was taking place. They spread like wildfire online. It was obvious who the culprits were by the username that uploaded the photos. 

On the Friday after her death, September 14, all the students at Saratoga High wore teal, Audrie's favorite color



It’s clear that Facebook and Twitter are added to the list of crime fighting tools. Social media has helped police agencies solve cases big and small.

Everyone in the high school knew who was responsible due to the leakage of photos from the assault. Although the images that were posted online were disturbing and upsetting they were useful throughout the investigation. All in all, the pictures assisted in bringing the young men to justice.

Social networking addiction is creating what can ultimately be a vast crime fighting network, by connecting people (witnesses) to the locations, dates, times, and photos that are instrumental in solving crimes.



Social media is helpful during law enforcement investigations

 

We have small clues about our lives all over the internet like fingerprints. In this California case, both the photos and Facebook post served as evidence to help capture Audrie’s offenders.

National Day of Un-plugging!

Do you have multiple technology devices? Do you take your phone out of your pocket every 5 minutes? Do you find it hard to get through a conversation without posting a tweet or post? Is your computer always on?

While researching technology Sabbath and ways to detox from social media, I came across this fascinating website: National Day of Un-plugging. It’s an interesting campaign that encourages people like us to not miss out on important moments of our lives by having our noses buried in iPhones and iPads. It’s a movement that protects you from Facebook and Twitter for a day.

The National Day of Unplugging is a 24 hour period- running from sunset to sunset and starts the first Friday in March. When you join the movement you sign the unplug pledge and start living a different life. You will have the opportunity to finally connect with people in your community, and have an uninterrupted meal or actually pick up a book.

The following is an image of me pledging to unplug to reconnect with family and friends:

The project is an outgrowth of the Sabbath Manifesto, an adaptation of carving out one day a week to unwind, unplug, relax, reflect, get outdoors, and connect with loved ones. The meaning behind this is to simply take a break. Call a timeout. Find some balance. Recharge.

Do you want to join the movement? So, SAVE THE DATE to un-plug from March 7th -8th, 2014. It should be a liberating experience! Maybe after getting through one day you might want to incorporate un-plugging once a week in your daily routine. You never know,  just give it a try!

10 Ways to Utilize Social Media

Have any of you thought on how to really use social media? Most of us just use it to use it. Or we primarily make accounts to keep in contact with friends and family. We’re constantly plugged-in, because we want to always be in the know of things and be the first ones to get the scoop. But there’s more to social media. It can be about relating meaningfully to other people.

          Here’s a list of 10 tips to use social media mindfully:

1. Know your intentions: Think before you post! Ask yourself if you’re posting to be seen or validated by your fellow followers or friends? Is it constructive or is it negative?


2. Be your authentic self: Social media are a way of personal branding. You have your image and reputation to maintain. You should want to post comments and tweets that are related to you. They should communicate the person you are.


3.  Before you tweet or post, always ask: Is it true? Is it kind?: Sometimes we get too caught up in emotions and forget to filter our thoughts. We must be considerate when making posts. You must not forget that potential employers may read your profiles. You want to make a positive impression oppose to a negative one.


4.  Offer posts of kindness: Use social media to extend a helping hand to those in need, without expecting anything in return. You may create a connection that will help you later down the road. A simple tweet might consist of, “Is there anything I can do to help you?”


5.  Experience now, share later: It’s common to take a picture and upload instantly to Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. It defeats the purpose of living in the moment. You shouldn’t want to share everything in real time with your audiences. Enjoy the moment and share later. That’s the beauty of technology today. Photos or videos can be stored and uploaded later.


6.  Be active: I know some of you may have your e-mails and social media accounts linked to your phone, so it's set to give you alerts. You may feel the urge to answer immediately but you have the choice to indulge in that conversation later. You may want to enjoy your free time to truly appreciate it.


7. Respond with your full attention: When your friends or followers share links, it’s good to fully read it and respond. You may not be able to respond to everyone but at least respond to those thoughtfully.


8.  Use mobile social media sparingly: I know many of you may be plugged in at times but it’s up to us to decide how much time we truly dedicate to social media. I know as college students we tend to check into your social media several times a day. You may miss what’s happening online but you won’t miss what’s in front of you (good company).


9.  Let go: It may come off as rude when if you ignore a tweet or post but we need to ensure we have downtime. It’s important to just let go sometimes and relax. Rather than catching up on updates you may want to catch up with an old friend and have lunch.


10.  Last but not least, enjoy it: The above are ways to get the most of social media. Follow your own instincts and have fun with it.

As mentioned, the above tips are just a few ways to utilize social media to its advantage. However, you can feel free to do as you feel. Just remember that it’s okay to be disconnected from technology. Just don’t lose the focus of living in the moment. Don’t get too caught up in uploading every time something happens. Also, remember to respond thoughtfully. You want to establish and maintain relationships you build online.

Social Activism

Social media serve an important role in campaigns whether it’s presidential elections or a gay right movement. Social media can really increase the awareness of the campaign by marketing it to a wide network. The posts, blogs, tweets, likes, or shares will engage audiences and get them involved in the campaign. As I previously mentioned in my earlier blog , Social Media Trends in Presidential Elections, social platforms such as Facebook and Twitter are primary avenues for online campaigning. They have a goal to reach out to millions of users of all demographics. Social campaigns creates a marketplace that encourages consumer engagement. Online buzz makes your campaign more valuable. Social media platforms allows brands and companies to engage in new opportunities but also to create awesome campaigns. Social media tracks how people are enjoying and participating in a campaign. It allows participants to provide feedback which makes it interactive.

 

 

You may ask, “Do viral campaigns on social media make adifference?”. As you may know there has been much deliberation for same-sex marriages. Religious and Republican communities have much to say about this very controversial topic. But, I know you have seen the red equal signs this past week. Whether it was on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. The Human Rights Campaign icon was originally blue and yellow but they altered it to red to represent LOVE. According to the blog the image for marriage equality has been searched more than 1 million times on Google and has been shared more than 100,000 times from its initial Facebook posting on Monday. I think it’s amazing how powerful social media can be. As millions of people from all over shared the new altered logo throughout the World-Wide-Web, I strongly felt that the campaign was successful due to social media. It was impactful.  

 

Did you participate in this viral campaign in support of marriage equality?

Where Social Media Will Take Us

Remember everything I spoke about in my previous post about the power of Facebook, Twitter, and other social media platforms to help develop modern businesses. It’s evident that Facebook creates opportunities for companies. Social media sites continue to increase sales for companies and widen their networks of connections.  The fact that Facebook hit 1 billion users means businesses have more potential users to appeal to. Customers appreciate how easily accessible information can be found online. The benefits of sharing information online are that it’s quick and easy. This generation wants everything at the tip of their fingers. Social networks are becoming a new kind of virtual currency for companies and corporations. You may ask yourself how much social media will evolve over the years? Companies are behind the eight ball when it comes to adapting to the newest technologies and change. Social media provides companies with power and allows them the opportunity to become market leaders and influencers.

Companies should know the following about social media:

1. They know what their consumers are interested in. They know what you’re interested in buying, selling, and seeing. With a simple "like" on Facebook or "follow" on Twitter companies know what their consumers are looking into.


2. Companies know before they know. They do their best to know things before their consumers know. Companies want to know what the customers thinking of. They are sites like Chango with information about what their prospects and consumers are looking at. This benefits the company because it will lure the potential consumer into their services or products.


3. It’s not who you are it’s what you know! The power of networking will benefit you in the long run because the contacts you gain may help you book an interview or meeting with a potential employer. To measure your online influence, visit Klout and login with your social media accounts. The site will generate a score that measures your influence among the media platforms you are active in. It also has a this cool feature, “pulse”, in which you can keep up to date with the world’s top influencers and see where they stand among the rest.

Here you can see how influential Justin Bieber is compared to our President on social media

These many changes continue to shape how companies and well known corporations such as CBS, NBC, and etc., conduct their business. We live in a social media driven world, embracing change is optional but then again so is survival.

Revisited Wiki Post

In my previous post in regards to my Wikipedia edit, I explained how mind boggled I was. It was so easy to edit information on the World Wide Web. It’s fascinating as this site is very “creditable” because many people use it as a source. As I mentioned in my previous post, Wikipedia is used by professors and students to retrieve “valuable” information for their research.

Being that my topic is revolved around the addictions to social media, I looked into theories related to excessive need to be plugged in. “Uses and gratifications theory” , is an approach to understanding why and how people actively seek out specific media to satisfy needs. I wanted to analyze this theory and see how true it holds to my recent research and observations of Generation Y first hand.

The section that I felt needed revising was “New Media Examples of UGT”. I felt this section needed to provide users with real life experiences. I added the personal touch that would relate to the users instantly.

BUT, as I recently visited the page they changed my revision to:

New Media Examples of UGTThe application of New Media to the Uses and Gratifications Theory has been positive.^[20] The introduction of the Internet, social media and technological advances has provided another outlet for people to use and seek gratification through those sources. Based on the models developed by Katz, Blumler, Gurevitch and Lasswell, individuals can choose to seek out media in one outlet, all falling within the proscribed categories of need. The only difference now, is that the audience does not have to go to multiple media outlets to fulfill each of their needs. The Internet has created a digital library, allowing individuals to have access to all content from various mass medium outlets.”

Not only does technology provide an outlet for people who seek the need to fulfill that satisfaction but it also impacted our lives and how we communicate. I feel as though the examples provided aren’t sufficient enough. 

Social Media Developing Role in Business World

Companies do well because they invest in their brand image. Marketers want to humanize their brand. Why do you think about 80% of the top 100 fortune companies are using at least one social media platform to engage with their customers (Twitter, Facebook, Blogs, and YouTube ? The power of social media campaigns is stronger than anyone can imagine. It creates more room for the business to grown and gain prospective clients all across media platforms. Executives believe more that social media engagement leads to increased sales.

Social media plays a large role in the marketing and community functions for a company internally and externally. Companies use social media to communicate to their employees and their customers. All in all, social technologies have improved communications and collaboration within and across enterprises.

Furthermore, social media is used as a recruiting tool. HR departments use social media to connect with job seekers and streamline the application process. While other departments such as sales, operations, and distribution uses social media to track and forecast sales. It’s serious as to how social media is being viewed as a business tool in today’s generation.

The amount of information that social media provides the company is endless. Companies can stay on edge with the latest trends and fashions by maintaining their social sites. They have a direct connection with their customers and prospective customers. Which is why social media is such a asset to companies.

It has become a must have for any business to manage the “big three”, Facebook, Twitter, and Google+. These platforms are playing a vigorous role in the business world. It changed how we interact and work altogether. The possibilities are endless because social media is opened to a large network of people around the world.  Social media has a developing role in the business world.

Interested in knowing which top companies profit off of their social media outreach? 

The following list is the biggest numbers of impressions in clients:

• Kellogg – 1.89 billion impressions
• Comcast – 1.89 billion impressions
• Dell – 1.9 billion impressions
• Fab.com – 1.95 billion impressions
• American express- 1.97 billion

There are many other companies that produce billions of impressions.

But, which media is mostly utilized? Take a wild guess… YES, FACEBOOK! Companies are advertising through their company pages. Facebook gets $1 billion/quarter in advertising revenue. They use this platform for heavy promotion. The likes create clickthroughs to their page and etc. This will expand their customer base. You can meet the 30 biggest advertises on Facebook here.

Moreover, companies that want to enhance their brand image and strengthen their customer relationship will adapt in social media.  As new technologies are changing the world, companies must accept the change and adapt accordingly. 

Are We in Need of a Digital Detox?

Is social media the new addiction? What is it about social media that causes people to spend so much of their time trading information with friends, family and a large network of companies? People are so obsessed with checking their social media circles throughout the day and even the night. This may be troubling to some and may affect their attention span. Media fanatics check their phone constantly throughout the day and may check for more than a half an hour at a time.


View the following video to learn about Social Media Addiction:




“Gemini Adams is a self-confessed addict. Not drugs, not alcohol, but Facebook.” Some people just can’t get enough of friending, tagging, poking, and posting. Facebook addiction is real and unhealthy. It’s to the point that people are spending a lot of time not only on Facebook But, thinking about what they will post on Facebook. It may be used to release the tension of current problems in their lives. Do you suffer when you are prohibited from using Facebook? If so, then you might suffer from Facebook addiction.

FORMER FACEBOOK ADDICT GEMINI ADAMS, SAYING:

"I'd signed up to every aspect of Facebook and was utilizing every sort of part of it. Checking in wherever I went and I remember just feeling really kind of revolting and just, you know, gnarled up inside physically because I hadn't been exercising. And I was just in this position, hunched over a computer and you know my eyesight was worse."

Gemini Adams is now a part of a digital detox. She won’t use Facebook for more than an hour at a time and can go a week without checking it for 24 hours straight. Can you do that? She is working on her sudden temptations to just comment or post something on Facebook. We normally hear about a cleanse detox diet in which someone is cleansing their body of chemical and harmful toxins. But, now there is such a thing as digital detox in which you disconnect you reconnect with yourself again. I find this so interesting because everyone nowadays has that “always on” mentality which can be overwhelming. I found a fascinating website that provides digital detox retreats: The Digital Detox. They host retreats for both private and intimate parties including corporation and employee engagement. Maybe we should take a look at this and see if we are in need of a digital detox ourselves.

 The underlying questions here is, how much is too much? As mentioned in the video, if we are plugged into media and check it excessively throughout the day then we have a problem! We need to treat ourselves and that begins with going cold turkey. But in today's connected world, unplugging may be a lot harder than it sounds.

Unlike Any Other Generation

The Generation Y which is the Millennial Generation consist of those born between 1980-2000. Digital technologies have given rise to a new generation of students and consumers. This generation was spoiled having to grow up with the internet. It definitely shaped their approach to education, work and politics.

Generation Y was born in the digital age unlike other generations who had to relearn everything. The forms of expression have changed immensely, where others may have wrote essays or poems to express themselves to now students creating YouTube videos. For example, have you checked out the new "Harlem Shake" Video Craze? It's the latest craze to sweep the internet that is bringing college students together. Check out the following video made by yours truly, Fairleigh Dickinson University Freshmen: 

We can never underestimate the power of the internet. It’s even evident in the school system! Professors and institutions transformed their learning techniques to cater to the computer-savvy students.  Teachers moved lessons to online discussions to fully engage the new student demographic. The school system designs their lesson plans to cater to the digital generation so they can feel more comfortable as students have radically changed. It’s scary how we're even at this point! Teachers may even feel as though their students are more up to date than they are. The students who are more digitally aware may understand things teachers or professors may not and the professors or teachers will have to play catch up.

As social media changed the way we learn in a classroom it has also changed how students practice activism. Students can freely join a Facebook group supporting a specific political party. According to the Pew Research Center study, 18-24 aged users were the LEAST likely of all ages to e-mail/reach out to a public official or to make a online political donation. But, when it came to using the web to share political news or join political causes, they were the primary age group to do so. They dominated the news feed with political related updates! The digital era isn't genuinely interested in being more politically involved; instead they only wanted to broadcast their “activism” to their fellow “friends” or followers on Facebook, Twitter and etc. The level of involvement we may see on these social media platforms may be deceiving.

Social Media Marketing

Social media plays a huge role in marketing. The several platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Linkined, etc. place such a high value on social media because of the significant role it plays in their business. The top reasons as to why businesses use social media is because: it generates more business exposure, increases traffic for the company, and provides marketplace insight. 

According to a Social Media Marketing Industry Report, the use of social media marketing has increased.

Use of Social Media Marketing

They asked if companies used social media to market their businesses. The overwhelming majority (94%) indicated they were employing social media for marketing purposes.

Social Media takes over!

Social Media is Important for their Business

A significant (83%) of marketers said that social media IS important to their businesses.

There was a drop from 2011 where (90%) thought social media was extremely important where only 62% agreed in 2011.

The solo business owner was more likely to agree with this statement. 

Weekly Time Commitment for Social Media Marketing 

About 59% of marketers are using social media for 6 hours or more and 33% for 11 hours or more weekly. This is such a significant number, don’t you think? Marketers spend so much time on social media it’s even a part of their job description. They must have knowledge on social media platforms and keep up to date with the current trends in their industry.

Social media has become vital in many professions. We can’t even begin to think how we did without it!

Marketers may think they can achieve more benefits by investing more time in social media.

Social Media Trends in Presidential Campaign

Social media is used in our everyday lives! It’s so consuming, wouldn’t you think? Not only is it used for connecting with friends and family but also CEO’s, Executives, and even Politicians. In recent Presidential campaigns social media has played a huge role. In today’s society it’s not enough to just shake some hands and run some TV ads, instead they have to post personable pictures and blogs on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, etc. Nothing is private anymore! It’s all posted online! So why not have the candidate relate to us and post moments at home with their children and family on Instagram as well? This past campaign, both Romney and Obama injected themselves into social media platforms. It’s so accessible and easily done. For instance, on Twitter, Mitt Romney’s bodyguard posted a picture of the candidate’s family playing Jenga before the debate. This picture will appeal to all audiences, all to gain votes.

Twitter and Facebook have been the primary avenues for online campaigning, with their goal to reach millions of users of all demographics. Posting video clips, songs, or images on these mainstream sites will increase interaction with people, potential voters. Social media is a major trend that even the Presidential Campaign couldn't miss out on. The social network (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) consists of an estimate of 1.43 billion users which will continue to massively increase. People spend so much time on these sites that it just seems the most feasible way to reach out them.