Author Archives: jonathan@sms

Social Media Solutions, LLC: An Intern’s Perspective

The world of social media has fascinated me since the days of Xanga and Myspace—back when Myspace was cool. In 2004, my fascination only grew stronger with the launch of the platform of all platforms—Facebook. In the years since, grandparents began tweeting; Jesse Eisenberg’s portrayal of Mark Zuckerberg earned him an Oscar nomination; and Rebecca Black became famous on YouTube with a song glorifying one day of the week.

Three months ago, I stepped through the doors of Social Media Solutions, LLC to begin my graduate internship. After years of undergraduate and graduate coursework in business and technology, I knew there would be more than blogging, commenting, and retweeting; however, at that time, I did not realize just how much an internship with Social Media Solutions, LLC would benefit me.

Digital and social media marketing could once be perceived as something only beneficial when marketing to the younger and more technologically advanced demographics; however, that is no longer even debatable. The rapid growth of internet, and more specifically social media, use with American adults is a testament to the fact that online marketing is no longer an option, but a requirement. During my time at Social Media Solutions, LLC, I have watched the development of a social media platform; the completion of an industry book; and helped maintain the online presence of various clients.

Lauren Candito and Michelle Wilson took time out of their busy days to introduce me to the latest online brand management and analytical software—strengthening my skills in search engine optimization and market analysis. Working with them, I have developed a deeper understanding of social media marketing, and marketing in general.

As my graduation day approaches and I depart central Florida, I will leave knowing that this internship has made me stronger in all areas of technology and brand development. I wish Social Media Solutions, LLC the very best and encourage all business owners and managers to network with this company—take advantage of social media’s ability to enhance your brand.

– Jonathan Casella

 

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To Mention or Not to Mention: Name-dropping Within Social Media

Social media gives us a number of options when it comes to posting. Users can post comments, links, pictures, videos, etc. With Twitter, Facebook, and Google+, users can even mention other users with the @ character; however, do you really want to tag the person you are talking about?

When a user tags another user to a post, the mentioned user receives an alert with a link that directs others to his or her profile. Why do people use this feature? Two reasons. One, the user wishes for the individual to comment back; or two, the user wants anyone reading the post to know exactly who is being referred to in the comment.

When deciding if a mention is appropriate, consider a few things. First, is the Twitter username understandable to readers? Often, Twitter users have handles that are not easily identifiable. For instance, Facebook CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, tweets from the handle @finkd—a name most followers won’t associate with the social media tycoon; however, if you mentioned @BritneySpears, people would immediately identify that as the pop star.

Do not use the mention or tag features if you do not want the mentioned party to be alerted. All mentioned users receive a notification that they were tagged in a tweet or post—if you tag them, they will know.

Social media is based on networking and conversation. There is nothing wrong with utilizing the mention features to engage with others; in fact, you never know when your favorite celebrity will mention you back. The important thing is to understand the features, so you are able to decide when it’s use is appropriate.

Source: Poynter

 

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Twitter Developers’ New Social Media Platform

The company behind Twitter has announced a new social media project in development. What do we know about it? Well, we don’t know very much. We do know the new platform is titled Lift.

Lift was founded by Tony Stubblebine and Jon Crosby, and is being funded by The Obvious Corporation—a company started by Twitter founders, Evan Williams and Biz Stone. The development team has released very little information about the new endeavor; however they describe the social media project as being “new technology that helps unlock human potential through positive reinforcement.”

We have no reason to believe the platform will be ready anytime soon; however, The Obvious Corporation did launch Lift’s landing page—a sleek website with branding items, an e-mail sign-up (to receive information about Lift as it becomes available), and the words “achieve anything.”

There is skepticism about the new platform—mainly due to the vague details meant to build interest and anticipation. Social media experts are unsure if the project will live up to the hype or if there is even a market for whatever type of social media platform Lift intends to be; however, it is too early to make any judgment on the website’s success potential.

Source: ZD Net

 

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[Recent Study Indicates] Social Media is Necessary for Colleges & Universities

Over the past few years, social media has been an option for higher education institutions. Facebook pages and Twitter accounts helped colleges and universities reach a bigger audience; it was more practical than sending out a mass e-mail message. As time progressed, schools began to realize that if they wanted to reach their target market, they needed to be present in the popular hangouts—the hangouts being Facebook and Twitter. Now, according to a recent study conducted by the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, higher education now considers social media as necessary for student recruitment.

In 2007, 456 colleges & universities, of varying sizes, were interviewed regarding their social media use. At that time, 61% of the polled institutions claimed to have some type of presence on social media. Now, in 2011, those same schools were interviewed and the results indicate100% are using social media. The question then becomes—are they using it effectively?

The majority of colleges and universities indicate that they believe social media to be crucial for recruiting purposes. The study indicated 98% used Facebook; 84% used Twitter; 86% used YouTube; 47% used LinkedIn; and 8% used Myspace (an 8% decrease from the following year). Schools have also indicated social media has provided a new channel to communicate with students.

Source: BostInnovation

 

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Mobile Apps Track Hurricane Irene

As Hurricane Irene tears through Puerto Rico and heads towards the United States, residents in Florida and the Carolinas eagerly await updates on the storm’s projected path. Fortunately, technology has provided us with a number of ways to stay current with hurricane developments.

The Hurricane HD app displays video updates of current and developing storms. The app tracks hurricanes around the world. The mobile app was featured by ABC News and is said to cost $2.99.

The iMap Weather Radio app utilizes a phone’s GPS to alert the user when they are entering an area under some type of storm watch or warning. After a review of the app, some users are very satisfied with its performance, while other users say the app is flawed—one user asserting the alerts are delayed by about thirty minutes. The app is currently available for $9.99.

The Weather Channel app is a free option that provides users with weather maps, animated radar maps, forecasts, and weather warnings; however, some users prefer The Weather Channel’s mobile site.

Social media is also providing users with current information regarding the storm. For the most up-to-date tweets about Hurricane Irene, Twitter users can follow The Weather Channel (@weatherchannel), Accu Weather (@breakingweather), and MyWeather.com (@MyWeather).

Source: Alaska Dispatch

 

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