Phineas and Ferb

 I was thinking about this earlier on my car ride to school, the old Disney television show Phineas and Ferb was criminally underrated. That show was one of the cornerstones of my childhood, with my favorite character being Heinz Doofenschmirtz. I just feel like the show did a lot in terms of making me as a child realize how awesome it is to be creative. The whole show revolved around that concept really. Phineas and Ferb used their creativity to produce all sorts of mind-boggling inventions, which inspired kids all around the country to use their brains, including me. I feel like I drew a lot of my motivation to do well academically from this show in particular.

 Not only this but the soundtrack to the show as absolutely fire. I still listen to the soundtrack on a daily basis, because it’s honestly just so well made. I love how many genres of music the show showcases within its time running, because it’s a very diverse pallette. Just one episode can have 3 songs all ranging from prison blues, to pop, to even pretend Bollywood productions. They’re all bops and have allowed me as a musician to actually be able to practice some vocal techniques that I struggle with because they’re in the songs. One song titled “Chains on Me,” is a prison blues song that is sang using just rasp. I’ve always struggled with rasp so this song allowed me to practice it and eventually become much better at it. I like Phineas and Ferb and will continue to watch it until I am senile enough to not understand it.

I was thinking about this earlier on my car ride to school, the old Disney television show Phineas and Ferb was criminally underrated. That show was one of the cornerstones of my childhood, with my favorite character being Heinz Doofenschmirtz. I just feel like the show did a lot in terms of making me as a child realize how awesome it is to be creative. The whole show revolved around that concept really. Phineas and Ferb used their creativity to produce all sorts of mind-boggling inventions, which inspired kids all around the country to use their brains, including me. I feel like I drew a lot of my motivation to do well academically from this show in particular.

 

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.

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.

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.

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.

A More Chaotic Walk

 Walks with my dogs have been going well as of late. They’ve kept their composure and I’ve not had to discipline them much on our walks as a result. Honestly it’s been relaxing and makes me feel better as a dog owner knowing they can have this privilege that seems rudimentary to owning a dog. It has all been going increasingly well and it came to a head on yesterday’s walk.

 For starters, the reason I am so nervous about them going on walks is because they were attacked by another dog once while we were on a walk and they fought back and their owner called the warden on us. If we had another “incident,” they would assuredly be put down, despite it not being our faults the first time. My family has been stressed out about this for a long time, and I’ve been always of the opinion that regardless of what happened we should still let them do dog things and enjoy standard luxuries of pets.

 So yesterday I took them on yet another walk up and down our block, when suddenly a labradoodle came storming down the street at my dogs. This has always been what my family has been scared of. So naturally, I tighten down on my dogs’ leashes to keep them near me and away from the dog. The ‘doodle approached and sniffed my dogs and they sniffed back, but nothing aggressive happened. My dogs were scared at first, but they quickly realized there were no ill intentions by this lil’ guy. So what was once a gigantic fear ended up being a gigantic opportunity yesterday, and I think my dogs may be becoming less temperamental.

Workshop Time

Last week I had the opportunity to attend PRSSA’s 2023 Social Media Workshop! I’ll be honest, going into this I was not in the least bit excited. I’m a commuter so this workshop equated to being at school longer than I had to be, without me even thinking of the opportunity that was ahead of me. I couldn’t have been more wrong of my initial impressions that this would be some sort of “waste of time.”

 

I arrived late. It was very embarrassing. It had completely slipped my mind that I had a quiz for another one of my classes at ten in the morning, so before going to the workshop I took the quiz as fast as I possibly could. After that, I rushed over to Mac, ran up into the ballroom and got to the sign-in desk. Dr. Aggie was there, and she seemed happy to see me. She gave me my materials for the day, and I then was left to finding a seat in the packed room which was already listening intently to the seminar that I was late to. Naturally, I went to the nearest table which was full of women I didn’t know, asked if I could sit, and sat after being greeted kindly. The speaker was phenomenal. He was a big PR guy at Disney and explained to us what his journey had consisted of to get to where he was. He had many wise words, so many that I actually took notes on what he had to say. After this, I went downstairs to attend two more seminars, one being on podcasting and the other being on social media audits. Both of these were incredibly informative and really showcased the speakers’ expertise of their subject matters. This is where I did my live tweet assignment for my Social Media class, which actually served well in helping me remember the information that I had been listening to. Unfortunately, I couldn’t stay for long because I had work in the afternoon, but I was very happy that I had went and I learned a lot in my time there.

Snapchat: A Secret Treasure

To the younger generations, many social media platforms of old have grown stale. They’re unused, undervalued, and are on their way to a grave that is dug by new generations. Snapchat is not one of these. Snapchat, though viewed as a platform that is unprofessional, is one of the most effective marketing tools on the internet.

I was at one point unaware of the success that digital marketers have had on Snapchat. I always have used the app as more of a chatroom of sorts, only to answer DM’s and text with people I’m not comfortable enough with to give my number to. Never did I bat an eye at the multitude of ads that are quite literally sneaked into my viewing. My mind is seriously boggled at the statistics I saw on the successes of Snapchat marketing. Ads are 2x more viewed than that of Facebook, they have an astronomically low cost, and they’re extremely effective in sales due to the fast-paced nature of the network.

 Not only this, but marketing with Snapchat plays into the role that I personally have lent it. I don’t like giving out my phone number, but Snapchat is a more comfortable medium for communication. The same goes for marketing. Snapchat is a very accessible, comforting platform for one on one interaction with a potential customer. This can make advertising much more personal, and can provide for blossoming relationships that are not seen on other social networking platforms. I’ve been a big fan of Snapchat for a long time, and this adds onto that respect. Snapchat is a fantastic network for advertising and their statistics shocked me to say the least.

Instagram RULES!

 In this post in particular, I want to talk about something that Meta is doing on all of their platforms (for the most part.) This is providing a shopping feature on their social media, such as Facebook and what I want to touch more on in particular: Instagram. Instagram Shopping is a very intuitive way of marketing products and partaking in social e-commerce.

 This concept is just as it sounds: it’s a place where you can shop on the actual Instagram platform. What makes this so effective, however, is the interface on which they provide it. Each line of products is able to create their own “storefront,” on Instagram in which they can put different pages of items that include the details that a customer would see on a more complicated website. It can be very personalized to be able to fit the branding for particular products, even to the point of producing themes and seasonal trends to help boost sales concerning seasonal morale. It’s convenient to both the consumer and the producer, allowing for a smooth feel on both sides of the transaction.

What is most interesting to me about this concept is the convenience of being able to purchase items directly from the social media platform, rather than having to go to a website or different address to fulfill a purchase. This is taking social media marketing to the next level. Not only are products being advertised on Meta platforms, but they are also readily available to purchase with minimal effort involved. There is no seeking anything out, being able to purchase advertised goods on Instagram is about as bare-bones as it gets. A customer sees, clicks, buys. It’s that simple, and with this simplicity comes the obvious effectiveness that comes with providing convenience to the consumer. I am absolutely in love with the way that Meta is tackling online marketing and e-commerce, particularly on Instagram.

Fun Ride in the Car WOOHOO!

 My dogs are very big fans of car rides. They always have been and always will be. Hearing the words "bye-bye in the car” immediately triggers a state of upmost bliss in them, and Sunday was no different. My day started off very lazily, I woke up and watched a couple episodes of Breaking Bad while cuddling the dogs and then began to clean the house. The process of cleaning my house is one that takes several hours as well as vacuuming expertise. So while I was cleaning the dogs took advantage of the two hours of sleep that were readily available to them. After I was done, I woke them up and that is when the fun began.

 My dad and I wanted pizza Sunday, but not just any pizza. We wanted Cassano’s Pizza in Sidney, Ohio. This is my family’s favorite pizza and the margin of likability between this pizza and the next is not close. This is a treasure to behold, and whenever we bring home one of these pies it’s cause for celebration. So, before me and my dad embarked on our pizza pilgrimage, I had the idea of taking the dogs with us so they could go for a fun ride. Begrudgingly, he agreed and I got the opportunity to tell the dogs and watch literal smiles grow on their faces. They hopped in the car and we hit the road.

 Being honest, the ride wasn’t anything special but seeing Apollo happy was. I turned
around in my seat about halfway to Sidney and I sincerely do not think I have ever seen Apollo as happy as I saw him in that moment. I even took a picture, which is in this post. It was the brightest smile I have ever seen on that little guy’s face. It made my day. After about an hour we arrived home with the pizza and feasted, and the dogs had their share was well.

A Riveting Chapter Three

 Marketing on social media platforms is one of the most effective ways of spreading a business’s message today, and this chapter of Essentials of Social Media Marketing explained that remarkably well. I feel much more well informed about not only why social media is a fantastic marketing platform, but how it can become utilized to its maximum potential via targeting markets and optimizing social media platforms in order to coordinate a good social media marketing plan.

 Establishing a target market is crucial to marketing effectively on social media. This concept is all about identifying demographics of people that would be most interested in your good or service. These could include age, gender, behaviors, spending habits, and many other identifiable characteristics online. After this, one can make a company persona of the top traits of their target market and market from there. This is so important because it sets a foundation for the rest of a marketing strategy to set upon. Without identifying the target market, marketing would be unfocused, uncoordinated, and most importantly ineffective.

 Different social media platforms have different strengths and weaknesses. We see this by the demographics that use them. A common example is that younger people tend to lean towards Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok, while older people tend to stick to Facebook. We, as marketers, can use this information to optimize the way we market on different platforms. The book did an excellent job of showing which networks are good at marketing for certain industries based upon how they present information on their specific platforms. For example, Pinterest is a great platform for the Health and Beauty industry due to its prominent visual components, but it is lacking in the Finance industry due to its lack of textual focus. Finding what social media platform is the correct one to market for your specific industry is crucial to a good marketing plan.

 Overall, it’s not the social media networks themselves that provide marketing opportunity, but rather the way we use them that provides that opportunity. By making the correct choices and being selective in matching our target demographics with the appropriate social media platform, we as marketers can establish an effective plan to bring our product to the people most likely to engage in it. I have learned a lot about social media marketing this chapter.