TikTok is Pretty Rad

 I use TikTok pretty regularly and it makes me feel bad sometimes. I hate when I catch myself doom scrolling and I realize how much time I’ve wasted on literally nothing. Although, I’m just like many other people of my generation that find TikTok to be very addicting, which plays into why this platform is so good for marketing online.

 The way TikTok works is very unique and has propelled forth a revolution of content that is seconds long, rather than longer content that must keep audiences invested. As someone keeps scrolling they are exposed to a wide variety of different media. So as I, as a avid TikTok consumer, continue to scroll through my feed it would make complete sense for companies to get in on this short-term content action to make a profit. They do just that. I see ads all the time on TikTok, and they’re in the exact same content structure as regular content. I see this fact as very beneficial because they play into the addictive nature of the app, and even I sometimes see myself getting sucked into the ad because I just see it as regular content. TikTok’s addictive nature plays a key role in advertising on the app, and I definitely see the benefit.

Better Call Saul is Pretty Good Too

 Okay, this is a follow-up to my post expressing how much I loved Breaking Bad. I started binging Better Call Saul about a week ago with my dad after we bonded about how much we loved Breaking Bad. Basically this series is a spin-off of the original series Breaking Bad, but while its set in the same universe it focuses on another character; Saul Goodman. In this universe Saul Goodman is a crooked lawyer in Albuquerque, New Mexico that aids criminals by laundering money, setting up meetings, establishing business connections and of course lending a legal hand if any of his clients end up in jail. Naturally, since I aspire to be a lawyer this character stood out to me.

When I found out he got his own show, one which was deemed to be on-par with Breaking Bad, I nearly lost it. I was so excited to watch, and so far it has not disappointed. I just finished the first season and it’s already got me hooked. The plotline of this is very deep, the production is well done, and the acting is brilliant. Truly this series does not feel like a spinoff in the slightest. I love being able to see this character as a lawyer being able to be so entertaining because lawyers tend to get a bad rap for being very boring people. Saul in this series is energetic, witty, and downright hilarious. I have loved watching this series so far, and cannot wait to see more.

My Experience With Youtube

 

I can’t imagine that anybody has gone to YouTube specifically to watch their top-of-the-line advertisements, and I am definitely part of that “anybody.” I grew up on YouTube, it was the best form of entertainment for me by fair. I was raised in the advent of Markiplier, Jacksepticeye, Pewdiepie, and other gaming YouTube channels that brought joy to my adolescent day-to-day. I loved theses creators, and honestly still do, but never did I truly understand the untouchable wealth they made from the platform until my young adulthood. Markiplier, my favorite YouTuber, has a net worth of thirty-five million dollars as of 2023. That is from making videos on a social media platform of him playing video games. This wealth is largely due to the way YouTube’s advertising works. YouTube allows creators to monetize their videos by allowing ads to play during them, creating a significant revenue stream for large creators. Creators like Markiplier who have an average of 2-3 million viewers per video can make some absolute bank by including just one advertisement per video. When I was young, I never realized it but I contributed to their advertising strategy just by being a devoted fan to their channel. This is a very unique way of advertising using social media, being very similar to watching television. Television shows have commercial breaks just like YouTube videos do. I think it’s very effective and engaging, and I’m excited to learn more about it.

Paper Popper Panic

 

I was bored this past weekend and so were my dogs so I decided I wanted to expose them to some sort of new experience, that way they’re seeing something new and interesting. So I dug through the internet until I found something that caught my eye, and eventually I found what I thought would be perfect. I found a tutorial on how to make a paper popper. Now, if you don’t know what a paper popper is, it’s essentially a piece of origami you can swing that creates a loud noise when you do.

So, I got to work. I spent twenty whole minutes of my life watching a YouTube video on how to create this popper and I did it with relative ease. By the end I had a solid product, the folds looked great and there was only one thing left to do: test the product. So, without any second thought I brought my dogs into the kitchen with me and let it rip. With a thunderous crack, I swung the popper through the air. I expected the dogs to be bewildered, perhaps even a little nervous but I was wrong in that assumption. They went ballistic. It was as if I was holding a live squirrel in my hand after the paper made that noise. They chased me all around the house, barking, begging, doing anything within their power to get the paper away from me. Eventually I ran back to the kitchen table and had my arm over it to prevent the dogs from getting to the paper when Khloe jumped 4 feet into the air onto the table and snatched it from my hand. She then ran away, and I had to chase her down to retrieve the paper.

 I have never seen my dogs so feral for an inanimate object before. I was happy I was able to entertain them, but I did not expect this degree of success in doing so. What is worrisome, however, is that I think I have now conditioned my dogs into having a significant prey drive for paper. I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it I guess.

LinkedIn, more like AWESOME

 I can’t say I have a ton of experience with LinkedIn but I do want to just talk about what little experience I do, because the small experience I had was very positive. So early in this semester we reached out to some successful social media people, and one actually responded to me. His name was Dennis Yu, and he marketed himself as this “business mentor” kind of person. I told him about my aspirations to become a lawyer and he said he could introduce me to some of his colleagues over LinkedIn. So, naturally, I made one. I liked the interface a lot, I found it very accessible, and I enjoyed the direct messaging that came with the platform. Dennis advised me on the proper way to create a profile and I did just that. I never finished it, but I know what to do when I do.

 

I think this kind of interaction is something that LinkedIn is very good for. I’ve never received this kind of information from someone before, and I could definitely appreciate the presence of a business mentor or even friend at some point. I think this is very useful in not just its physical interface and online presence, but in just the idea of a professional networking service. It lets people young into their careers have easy, seamless interaction with veterans in their respective professions, allowing for easy advice and potential connection in real life. I like LinkedIn a lot, and I cannot wait to finish that profile.

I Love Breaking Bad So Much.

 This has nothing to do with my dogs but I need to rant about how great Breaking Bad is. I just finished the series a couple of days ago and this is the first time I have ever been sad to see a television series go. In particular, the sheer amount of literary techniques that went into this show is something that I really appreciate.

 I was in AP Literature in high school so I studied a lot of literary techniques that authors use to demonstrate themes, and I loved doing that. So when I saw Breaking Bad and how much thought went into each scene I was in love. I love the use of symbolism throughout the show to convey different traits of characters becoming more prevalent. Some of my favorites were Walter’s “Heisenberg” hat, Gus’s suits which represented his temperament at any moment, the use of shadows in the show to represent deceit and confliction and my personal favorite: Walter’s pool.

Walter’s pool was possibly my favorite part of this whole series. Any time Walt would contemplate his own actions he would stare into the light blue glow of his pool. I don’t want to spoil this series, but the pool’s color is very important and represents a key component of Walt’s life. Whenever things are going awry Walt stares into his pool and just thinks in silence. I love the tranquility of these scenes which parallel the chaos elsewhere, and I love what these scenes lead to.

Anyway, this was my favorite show of all time. Easily.

Khloe.

 One thing that is a little odd about having a formally abused dog is how they display their affection. It varies from dog to dog and their respective situations, but Khloe in particular displays her affection in a way that is very endearing but at times annoying. She loves kisses. The word “loves” may even be an understatement here. Khloe would love nothing more than to shower our faces in kisses at all times; and when I say “all times,” I mean it.

 There are no limits to when, how, why or where, if she sees a face it is getting licked. Last night was a great example of this phenomenon. I allow my dogs to sleep in my bed with me because they’re good and they also deserve the comfort of my sheets and blankets. I wrangled them into my bedroom and got under my covers when suddenly above me there is the shadow of a dog staring down at me. Not even a second went by before she started licking my face. I pushed her away because I wanted to sleep but there’s one minute detail about Khloe that I have not yet mentioned: she abhors rejection. So, in retaliation to my rejection of her licking, she decided to jump onto my body WWE style and continue her licking. I once again pushed her off and I was victorious as she went to sleep, but I still petted her to ensure that she felt loved. Either way, it just goes to show some of the difficulties of having a formally abused dog, because in my case personal space no longer exists.

Pinterest Has Blown My Mind

 

I’ve used Pinterest before. I like Pinterest. In my time I’ve found it to be a great platform to find memes on, and to find a nice recipe or two to try cooking. Never would I ever consider before this class that there would be legitimate marketing potential on this platform. This is just due to my own experience on the app when I was a kid. I loved memes, and Pinterest was full of them. I downloaded them and showed my friends for a laugh, and never once did I take notice of an ad or go onto the platform for any sort of corporate exchange.

 

So when I say that I was shocked at the statistics in the textbook concerning the spending habits of Pinterest users, I am understating the world-shaking shift in view I undertook. This is just one that I found absolutely crazy, the textbook states that “93% of Pinners use Pinterest to plan purchases.” I have never once viewed Pinterest as a platform that would ever get even remotely close to my wallet, but there is a whole 93% of users of the platform that would heavily disagree with me. This is mind-blowing to me. I think a large part of my shock comes from the fact that I don’t think I’m exactly the target audience. I have little to be interested in on Pinterest anymore, so chances are that they got heavier on marketing over the years, but still that shift is completely unprecedented in my brain. Yet after reflection I guess it does make sense. My mom uses Pinterest for many different clothing purchases and such so I suppose I have experienced a real world example of that marketing working. After all, Pinterest is marketed heavily towards fashion and health and beauty products, so it adds up after all. Regardless, I am just completely flabbergasted at the effectiveness of marketing on Pinterest, and cannot wait to learn more about it.