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Reflecting on social media, PR, and blogging

A reflection on all things social media and PR…..

As a millennial I have grown up with the ever-evolving social media platforms. It seems like an easy task for brands to be able to hire someone to be their social media- savvy manager today. I mean social savviness is a skill most of us possess. However, it my opinion I feel like many people are ignorant to the permanence of their social media presence. many people don’t know how to utilize their presence in social to benefit themselves. I feel like many kids don’t understand the permanence of the internet and the fact that what they grow up posting on Facebook and Youtube will be around to haunt them as college graduates looking for jobs. On the flip side social media is a great way to position yourself in your desired work field, on platforms like Twitter and LinkedIn. Through my recent social media for PR class I learned so many new and effective ways to interact with professionals on Twitter. I had no idea how many successful individuals were fully utilizing Twitter, when it first came out I thought it was just something celebrities did. While I have had a Twitter account before the class, I used it more for friend connections. Now that I have learned how to interact on Twitter and have a better understanding of what to look for and who to look for I have a whole new perspective on my Twitter mission. However, social media is always changing and highly competitive. I am reminded of this when I check my Facebook and notice the constant changes on my newsfeed. Some changes I like, and others I could live without. Yet, I always adjust because in the world of social media that is what we consumers do. While I feel comfortable networking on Twitter and Facebook. The area of blogging I learned this semester is something that is still new to me. As an adult I know very littler bloggers, besides my fellow classmates. While I have met many in the career fields I have interned at, I haven’t found many personal bloggers I know. My blogging preference would be to find a platform that is super user friendly and a topic I could never ever get tired of blogging about. In my opinion the Word Press site we used this semester was pretty straight forward. I believe picking a layout was the most difficult part of the entire process. I think as a student I feel vulnerable blogging and a little insecure. I mean I am only an expert is certain areas and being that I am still in school PR is not one of them. So to really sit back and take note of brand social media efforts this semester taught me a lot about what to look forward to in a career field based on public reputation. Some brands have even reached back out to me this semester and I thought that was amazing! It also reminded me how visible you become as a blogger/tweeter. I feel like there is great potential in this field of blogging. And I am going to take my baby steps and accomplishments this semester in stride. I hope to continue to blog and further understand the process of public reputation online. I hope to continue to learn. And I hope that the information I have learned throughout this class will allow me to further myself online. The world of PR is also an area I am not an expert in…yet. But I have learned a lot of many online do’s and don’ts that would be a PR agencies worst nightmare. All the companies I have looked at have great a great PR presence online and I am sure the social media blogger and PR director work close by in many of these offices. Overall, social media will continue to change on me and I will continue to adjust. Additionally, blogging is a little out of my comfort zone but I am getting the hang of it, and actual like it. Finally, PR can be a difficult job when social media isn’t utilized the right way.

Thanks for reading one last reflection on this class.

Until we meet again…

What I have learned about brand efforts and social media connections

Wow, I can’t believe a semester is about to pass me by already! It has been interesting getting accustomed to managing and posting on a blog for the purposes of school. Through this semester I have learned about bloggers and blogging and must admit I was a little nervous to embark upon this journey of blogging. We also talked a lot about the positive and negative aspects of using the internet for branding purposes such as public relations. The big takeaway I have gained from class is that brands can get in a lot of trouble if they don’t effectively manage their social media sites. I am sure if you are a reader of this blog you have noticed that I keep it pretty positive throughout the majority of my content. This being my first blog and a learning experience, I decided to play it safe on my personal opinion stating. Not to say that the brands I featured had problems I didn’t discus, but more to say that I picked brands who I assumed would have effective content already in place. That being said, I just want everyone to know I am conscious of this and feel like it was an appropriate decision being that I am student with a lot to learn about the world of brand and social still.

However, after taking a semester-long look at various brands and their social-media strategies I have come to gain a better understanding of what it takes to successfully run a company blog, Twitter, Instagram account, and Facebook page. These social media sites, as well as others, like Pinterest and Tumblr, are great sources for creating a reputation amongst large audiences. Audiences that already actively engage in social media on their own time and very valuable when they engage with the brand on their own time as well. And the brands I have looked at this semester have been smart to follow through with these type of connections. From fashion brands like Steve Madden, stores like Nordstrom, and food companies like Lays there has not been one dull brand I have looked through this semester. Each brand brought their own unique style and character to the social space. And each brand has taught me more about what it takes to generate audience interaction.

I have found common ways brands interact on Twitter, tweeting blog links, or company page links. Making sure they tweet during current events, hashtag usage, Facebook and Instagram linked tweets, and unique twitter pics. I also noticed the reoccurring retweets and other twitter accounts being tweeted from the company page. Rotating through these content methods on Twitter can help brands gain an engaging twitter following and hopefully generate follower retweets, favorites, and @replies. Every brand should have a Twitter account, no questions asked!

The commonalities I have found through Facebook pages is that most of the content is similar to Twitter. There is the same concept of posting links and pictures, as well as, posting their tweets. The Facebook page “likes” are unique to the social media site because it allows friends to see what other pages the brand likes, which could be brother or sister companies. For instance there is Dominos UK and Dominos Australia liked on the Dominos Facebook page. Once a Facebook user gains access to a page, like Dominos, they are able to see all the other pages Domino’s likes at the top of the page. I believe that Facebook isn’t as interactive as Twitter for brands, but feel that it is a great platform to inform large audiences with through posting, linking, and pictures.

Instagram is a photo based social media site that is more new to brands. I believe it has proved most effective for fashion brands that have more of an aesthetic appeal to them. However, food-porn is huge right now on Instagram and there is defiantly a place for food brands to begin utilizing here. Since this site is still a little new territory for many brands, it is fair to say that the fashion brands are paving the way amongst Instgram. Pictures are a key factor in advertising and online selling so the potential for brand building through Instagram is huge. Instagram is more limited on brand interactions and allows for posting, liking and commenting. The lack of writing and emphasis on the visual makes IG a fresh option in comparison to Twitter and Facebook.

However, the most unique way for a brand to engage and inform consumers by far is their own blog site. This is the platform that allows brands to create a style from top to bottom with their own discretion and appeal. This is where brands are allowed to be creative again, and create an online style that accents their brand image. Company blogs are by far the most interesting and intriguing to browse through. To name a few Steve Madden, Lays, and Whole Foods all maintain blogs that uniquely complement their brand image. There are also many links to the other social media sites like Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest. Blog posts unique to current events and the brand are great ways to engage the consumer, Steve Madden’s emphasis on concert looks is such a hip way to intertwine this concept.

Overall I have looked through many brands and found many similarities on how to connect. I have learned that every brand has content unique to its own style and maintains a different following. While utilizing every social media medium is essential to gain a decent outreach, there is a necessity for company blogs more personal to their brand. Blogs are a great way to really tie all the pieces together from Facebook, Twitter, and Instgram. I hope to continue to blog after this class and continue to follow the bloggers who I have come to love. I also have a newfound respect for band efforts through social and hope that one day soon I can gain first hand knowledge of this process in my own career. Good luck to my fellow social media for PR bloggers and I hope that brands continue to engage us through social.

Until we meet again!

Nordstrom’s Twitter and Instagram Accounts Engage Followers Through Grade A Posting

Another brand on my favs list is the “fashion specialist” store Nordstrom. Lucky for me, they have tons of brag-worthy content to focus on within their social media space. Today I will analyze their Twitter and Instagram accounts to understand how they are connecting with social audiences through these two outlets.

The Nordstrom Twitter account is home to 55, 870 tweets, 232, 604 followers, and following 42, 653 fellow Twitter accounts. The links to the brands multiple social media pages are immediately visible on the left-hand side of their Twitter page. This tells their large Twitter audience that they can also find Nordstrom accounts on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instgram. It also has the Twitter handles for 3 other Nordstrom accounts including Nordstrom_Rack, @Nordstrombeauty, and @Nordstromwed. Since the company carries multiple brands, their Twitter account is filled with many links and reference to other brand accounts including @Rayban, @adidas, and @Brian_Atwood. These tweets are well thought-out, yet succinct, and filled with a variety of content for all the various consumers the store attracts. There are also multiple links to the Nordstrom shopping blogs, such as The Tread and a Men’s Shopping Blog. I noted, on their tweeted links to their mens shopping blog, a hashtag to #marchmadness and @Frankocean, two highly relevant topics to attract a male audience amongst this blog. I also noted some sick fashion references on the company blog called The Tread, as well as a visual look at the recent activity on the Nordstrom Instgram account in the right-hand side bar. Not all tweets are brand-centric though, and include fun-loving style quotes and holiday references. Recently, the brands “Happy Easter” post was paired with a lovely Twitter pic of white flowers. Overall, the Nordstrom Twitter account offers a variety of Tweets to engage their audience of over 200,000.

The Nordstrom Instagram account is fairly newer than their Twitter page, assuming by the 573 photos posted and the fact that Instagram is more of the new-kid within the social media space. The Nordstrom IG page is home to 91,758 followers and follows 180 fellow IG accounts. Their visual collection of pictures offers a unique and colorful representation of the stores merchandise, along with fun-pictures of things like cupcakes and flowers. The account pictures include Ray Bans displayed by a non-photoshopped girl, sporting some aviator Ray Bans, and paired with a catchy-quote about “weekend essentials under the sun”. I noticed that many of the comments under these IG pictures are from people who are extremely please with their services at Nordstrom. The IG Nordstrom account includes picture posts of jewelry, shoes, clothes, sunglasses, perfume, and nail polishes, to name a few. A unique way for Nordstrom to inform their IG audience about their brand was through a #tbt (Throwback Thursday) picture post of the original store created in 1901. This gave the large Nordstrom IG audience an idea of where Nordstrom came from and pulled them in, by linking it to a relevant IG picture trend. The Nordstrom Instagram page has effectively captured a visual place for IG lovers to track the beauty of the many brands within the company. It also has non-brand centric pictures and relevant picture postings through photo-day picture trends. Through daily picture posts Nordstrom IG has a large IG audience despite having less than 1,000 picture postings.

Overall I really enjoy the activity within both the Twitter and Instgram accounts Nordstrom offers their followers. Their posting is relevant, and not dry. Their pictures are aesthetically pleasing, yet informative. Their tweets link me to the many other social sites the brand actively upholds, such as blogs. Yes, I like Norstrom. And yes, I like to talk about brands I enjoy because I would rather not talk about brands I don’t enjoy. I hope that this post intrigues you to follow Nordstrom and take note of their social outreach through Twitter and Instagram. The company has got a tight grip on the social media space they occupy and are actively pursuing their audiences to further brand engagement. Bravo Nordstrom!!!

Till we meet again.

Steve Madden’s Fashion Blog Stands Out In Cyber Space

This week I received some love from a featured, and favorite brand of mine, Steve Madden who directed me towards their company blog. My recent post on Steve Madden was a description of their social media efforts on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. After taking a look at what Steve Madden was posting on the SM MAG blog I realized that creating a post specifically for their blog would be a great way to continue my social media analysis. Plus, I usually structure my posts around Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram so I thought just looking at the company blog would be refreshing.

My first reaction to the Steve Madden blog was not only the aesthetic beauty, but the unique vibe of the page. In my opinion, the Steve Madden brand has a very vintage, LA, New York style and caters to an audience who can appreciate this specific style. The SM blog is linked directly from the company website under the tab SM MAG and has loads of content. Since the blog is packed with many fabulous ways SM is making audience connections it was hard to figure out where to start my personal analysis. I am going to try to cover as much ground as possible to give my honest opinion on their social creation.

As far as social strategy, the blog is on top of everything the Steve Madden audience is concerned with such as, fashion, music, and staying up to date in each area. The blog has seven sections in their blog including tabs like fashion, music, about, contributors, and shop. Immediately when you enter the home page of SM Mag blog you are greeted by a huge Steve Madden logo and pictures paired with the top three most recent blog posts. The home page is dedicated to a little bit of everything from every section of the SM mag blog. The home page also has links to all the social media platforms Steve Madden utilizes. Under the words “follow us” is a row of icons that links you directly to each page, such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. I also noticed, under the Twitter icon, there was an update saying that Steven Madden recently changed their twitter handle. I thought this was a cute way to update their audience about recent changes within their social media accounts. The company also has several pictures showing their recent activity in the social space. There is a picture from their most recent pin on Pinterest, numerous recent Instagram pictures, and Twitter pictures of Steve Madden shoes with the hash tag #SMOOTD (Steve Madden outfit of the day). Blog posts and a video using the new Vine app for Twitter flow through the middle column of the page and balance everything out.

The Fashion section of the blog is dedicated to all things Steve Madden fashion. The most recent post if a how-to by Kitty Pryde, who decorates her Steve Madden kicks and “puts the twinkle in her toes” and links directly to Kitty Prdye’s blog page. This link to a blogger shows Steve Maddens knowledge of the blog-world and how effectively they have been able to integrate their mission into this social space. The music tab has links to a page about music, rather than shoes. There is an artist that is highlighted on this page with an introduction, music video, photos, and album information. A banner above the music page informs audiences to await new artists of 2013. Following the music page there is an about tab that specifies what the blog offers audiences. The about tab is a clever way to clarify the collection of findings within their blog. I am very impressed with the about section within the blog because it sends the message that SM wants their audience to fully understand their page. Following the description of the blog’s intentions there is a section for the blog contributors. This is a great way to prove authenticity by including the audience with the faces behind the computer.

Overall the SM blog effectively connects to their targeted audience through many different ways in their blog. From their multiple social media outlets like Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest to their blog posts on fashion and music. They have a variety of hashtags used throughout the page like “SMOOTD” (Steve Madden outfit of the day) and #bts (behind the scenes). They have effectively incorporated usage of the new Twitter app Vine onto their page showing they are up-to-speed with the social space and have an account with every major social media platform. The Steven Madden blog is sophisticated and filled with content to connect with a variety of audiences who are all shoe-obsessed. The blog is a great example of how a brand can uniquely and creatively create a page that strays from the specific product but continues to uphold the brand image necessary for the brand.

The beginning of analyzing brand connections in the world of social

Hello all, today I embark upon the journey of blogging specifically for PR and Social Media purposes. Currently, I am an undergraduate student studying about the world of Communications with a specialization of PR. The other aspect of my life that is valuable to this blog is that I am a traditional millennial, which requires me to stay afloat with all things social media. I proactively utilize accounts I have on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Foursquare.

The vision I have for this blog is to analyze the way different companies are using social media to connect with consumers. My future blogs will be similar to case-studies, analyzing the information found. This topic will involve researching other blog posts, articles, and any relevant brand activity via social media. Bare with me through the beginning phases of posting, because I am far from being a seasoned blogger at the moment.

However, I am optimistic about brand efforts towards social media and highly skeptical of any brand who hasn’t taken advantage of the social media audience. Social media sites have created a world of listeners and speakers that are willing to document their thoughts, feelings, and opinions. Accurate insight into the consumer’s mind translates into every aspect of a company. And what is said, and done online, to facilitate connections is crucial to further success.

According to Tom Foremski, in his post titled “Advice To Marketeers And Others Not On Facebook And/Or Twitter” social media websites are a world we must use to learn from. While we may not like to emotionally tweet, or post Facebook rants, we must learn how others are and why? As the internet continues to change so quickly, marketers and PR experts must stay abreast with the changes in the marketplace. His advice to brands is to understand these conversations and outlets for communicating.

My futures reflections will address Tom Foremski’s central idea of his blog post and that is the understanding of communication in the social media world. How well do brands understand social media? How are consumer messages online being interpreted? What are brands doing to engage us online? All of these ideas and questions will be answered throughout this process. I am open to suggestions about what brands seem interesting and anything relevant to the analyzing process. Feel free to nudge me in any certain direction on this topic.

Well I know I am intrigued for this process to begin.

Until next time…