Social media utilization: weekly round-up 3

This is the third weekly round-up in which I analyze and monitor three Twitter accounts that I have chosen for their use of social media. The full explanation is here: http://iantangblog.blogspot.com/2013/09/explanation-of-semester-blog.html.

Today marks the end of the third week since I have started tracking their utilization, each using Twitter. Again, it was clear that the three entities have very distinct uses of social media, all aiming to contribute to the marketing of The George Washington University.


The George Washington University (@GWTweets)
This weekend was Alumni Weekend at The George Washington University and the official account of the University engaged in the topic throughout the week to prepare for the weekend. It tweeted a lot about its alumni and related it back to current-day. Simultaneously, it tweeted about current events, besides Alumni Weekend, happening on campus as well.

While its tweets for daily events received some favorites and retweets, a lot of the tweets regarding Alumni Weekend had poor audience response. Though some tried to deliberately engage with the audience, some of the problem involved the need for prior knowledge, such as in the tweet below. Many current followers probably do not know the answer or have the incentive to go look, especially when it related to events so far in the past. The tweets did do a good job at branding and showing where some of the graduates go afterwards.

The George Washington University Office of Undergraduate Admissions (@GWAdmissions)
The official account for The George Washington University Office of Undergraduate Admissions continued to be very focused on the purpose they served. Once again, they seemed to tweet significantly less than the other GW accounts. In fact, the account did not even tweet about the current Alumni Weekend that is going on, probably because its audience consists of people who are not even at The George Washington University. That was probably a smart move, as tweets about the Alumni Weekend probably would have been not too relevant or interesting to prospective students.

Peter Konwerski, Senior Associate Provost and Dean of Student Affairs (@GWPeterK)

This week, the Dean of Student Affairs emphasized the occurrence of The George Washington University's Alumni Weekend 2013. A lot of his tweets utilized the hashtag "#GWAW13," along with an update at the event that was currently taking place. He even changed his cover photo to a relevant photo. However, the cover photo is usually not seen unless someone directly visits his profile. Because he did not tweet the photo, not many people probably noticed the change.

Because the photo contains a call to action to use the hashtag and other social media sites where the hashtag can be used (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Google+, etc), and because many people probably did not see it since they didn't click into his profile, not many people may have known about the hashtag until they saw Dr. Konwerski actually using the hashtag. Some may even have wondered what that hashtag was about.

While the tone on some of his tweets are nostalgic, others create a forward-thinking sense that are also filled with optimism, such as the example used in the screenshot above. This was most likely to continue making the tweets relevant to current students, while also addressing the alumni that were visiting campus.

The important use of the word "leaders," instead of just "students" or "graduates," demonstrate the ability for those who attended GW to make a difference in the world, not only establishing the ethos of those alumnae, but also the ethos of the University to produce great people. The last part of the above tweet, "now making an impact beyond campus," gives current students, especially those in the Student Association, hope for the ability to achieve their dreams in the future after graduation. It provides pathos as it connects the students, again, especially those in the Student Association, with the alumni, in the sense that they can see what those before them have achieved. It may also attract current students to join the Student Association because of the positivity shown of those people in this tweet.

Potentially problematic, however, is the "logos." Though the tweet implies the breakfast was just for the past Presidents of the Student Association, it also assumes that all of the previous Presidents are now out there successfully changing the world, when in fact, not 100% of them are making an "impact beyond campus." It may draw people into the Student Association, thinking that just because they are a part of the organization, they will succeed in the future.

While some of his tweets with the #GWAW13 hashtag enjoyed several favorites and a couple Retweets, many did not do that well in those metrics. That's probably because the audience of Twitter is usually younger. Current students probably saw no use in favoriting or retweeting those tweets, since it had very little to do with them, and instead, was aimed towards an older age group, most of which probably do not use Twitter often or in real-time.

This week, the official account of the admissions office at The George Washington University was the most interesting. It continued to serve a highly focused group of people and did not alter its goal just because of major events happening on campus. While almost every other Twitter account had tweets regarding the Alumni Weekend, it did not force itself to tweet about the event, such as a cheesy one that could have said: "Remember when you applied to GW? #GWAW13" If it had, prospective students may have found the account to have been annoying.

A Virtual Tour of GW's Official Twitter Account

FOR UNIVERSITY WRITING: http://screencast.com/t/LhDchh8lsHH.

One of the Twitter accounts I have been monitoring for my University Writing course is The George Washington University's Official Twitter Account, located @GWTweets. They have been using social media pretty well, but do have some positive and negative habits, which I highlight in the video.

You can learn more about what I'm doing here: http://iantangblog.blogspot.com/2013/09/explanation-of-semester-blog.html.

Ballmer, don't be the jealous goat.

Microsoft's CEO, Steve Ballmer, is at it again, complaining about +Google and blaming its dooms on Google's success (http://goo.gl/VMKeJ6 via +ReadWrite). In the past years, Microsoft has gotten so jealous that it has practically forgotten all that's good with itself. And so, a short story...

"A farmer in a village had a goat and a donkey. The farmer used to make the donkey work hard and fed him good food - carrots, radish, corn, etc. The goat was very unhappy since it had to find food on it's own and eat grass. It became very jealous of the donkey.

The goat thought of a plan. The goat thought that if the donkey stopped working, it would get the good food the donkey got from the farmer. So the goat pushed the donkey into a large hole. The donkey was badly hurt and it could not walk.

The farmer became very sad seeing the donkey's bad health condition. He wanted the donkey to recover soon from illness since he had to get work from the donkey. The farmer thought that feeding the donkey with goat's soup might make the donkey recover from illness soon. Hence, the farmer killed the goat and gave the donkey it's soup.

So instead of getting the donkey's food, the goat itself became food for the donkey."

Microsoft is a strong company. With lots of potential. But instead of focusing on how it can fulfill its potential, it has entered an endless cycle, twisting itself into a windsor knot, to try to take out Google. To try and use taxpayer's dollars against a company which individuals choose to use at his or her discretion. To try and get governments to "control" Google, even after the Federal Trade Commission found no wrongdoing.

Ballmer, stop with the fabricated claims Microsoft and +FairSearch.org continually create, especially when Microsoft does the same thing. Stop being a company so jealous of another that you forget all that's good with yourself. Stop getting so hell-bent at destroying Google because you think their success has led to your doom. Stop yourself from deteriorating, caused by your laser focus on Google. Stop being the goat.

Or else one day, Microsoft will vanish into the state of nothing. Don't Scroogle yourself.

Ballmer, you're leaving soon. Stand for something. Leave a legacy of morality at Microsoft. Of instilling values that were lost in the past decade. Of humility. Of innovation. Of truthfulness. Because Microsoft can achieve so much, if it focused on what mattered, itself.

Courtesy of: http://bakesah.blogspot.com/.

Look at +T-Mobile. Look at +Yahoo! These companies were perceived to be doomed. Yet, in the past months, they have refocused on themselves and they're becoming the underdog that people are starting to take seriously again. T-Mobile, whose focus on innovative plans and programs, and not its CEO's harsh criticisms of other carriers, is now a beacon of hope for many people who are fed up with traditional mobile carriers. Yahoo!, whose focus on recreating a gorgeous experience, has attracted back both users and employees.

Microsoft. You can do it. I want a day when I can't wait to get my hands on a Microsoft product. A day when I am excited about Microsoft's releases. But that will not happen when all you do is steer me in the direction of looking at Google.

(short story: http://goo.gl/OKdAAR via Kuttees) 

Social media utilization: weekly round-up 2

This is the second weekly round-up in which I analyze and monitor three Twitter accounts that I have chosen for their use of social media. The full explanation is here: http://iantangblog.blogspot.com/2013/09/explanation-of-semester-blog.html.

Today marks the end of the second week since I have started tracking their utilization, each using Twitter. Again, it was clear that the three entities have very distinct uses of social media, all aiming to contribute to the marketing of The George Washington University.


The George Washington University (@GWTweets)
Once again, the official account of The George Washington University utilized its Twitter account to get the word out about events happening in the community. This week, we saw less tweets coming from the account and, actually, a bit more retweets than usual.

Most of the links had some other form of media attached to it again, whether in the form of photos, videos or external links. However, it should be noted that on the day of the Navy Yard shooting, tweets came to a standstill and the couple tweets that were sent were all related to the shooting and how it would affect the school that day -- road closures, safety information, etc. They did a good job of turning very serious quickly.

The George Washington University Office of Undergraduate Admissions (@GWAdmissions)
The official account for The George Washington University Office of Undergraduate Admissions continued to be very focused on the purpose they served. Once again, they seemed to tweet significantly less than the other GW accounts. Most of their tweets continued to be directed at specific individuals who had made a decision on coming to The George Washington University, were visiting or were in the process of deciding where to go.

The Twitter account probably works best for recruiting individuals, and those that may be looking to come to The George Washington University. Others who may follow the account may be those that work at the Office, but the general public may not be compelled to be a follower.

Peter Konwerski, Senior Associate Provost and Dean of Student Affairs (@GWPeterK)
As I said last week, the Dean of Student Affairs focused on communicating with the community of current students, and those related to the students. Almost all of his tweets were in response to those that had tweeted him about something related to the university. Dr. Konwerski utilizes the power of retweets to make the questions visible to everyone, since many may have similar questions, and attaches his response to each tweet.

To a student, and the broad university community in general, Dr. Konwerski's account was the most relatable. Students could tweet him to try and find solutions to a problem, or see if one has been answered. Of the three accounts, this one uses the most variety of hashtags, which can drive attention to the topics being discussed. On top of that, this Twitter account utilizes pathos more so than the general university account. Instead of tweeting out broadly about events, this Twitter account has the ability to have personal commentary and lend more details and insight from a university administrator. Tweets felt more personable, which is like talking to a live human for customer service instead of a robot.

On top of what I discussed last week, Dr. Konwerski also utilized his Twitter account to reach out to this year's seniors to see who they would like to have for their graduation speaker. He threw questions out there asking the Class of 2014 and received numerous responses, which he then retweeted for the rest of the world to see. This method is much more engaging and allows the school to better gauge who the Class of 2014 would like to see at their graduation.


All three Twitter accounts did, to the best of their ability, fulfill the goals that they created when they joined social media. Each marketed The George Washington University in some way, though each in different amounts and scope. Peter Konwerski, or the Dean of Student Affairs, probably was the standout among the three again this week because he tweeted constantly, both to broadcast a message or to respond, but, his tweets were not deemed annoying because they were useful. He expanded his role this week by really including the voice of students.

Social media utilization: weekly round-up 1

Last week, I chose three entities of which I would analyze and monitor for their use of social media. The full explanation is here: http://iantangblog.blogspot.com/2013/09/explanation-of-semester-blog.html.

Today marks the end of the first week since I have started tracking their utilization, each using Twitter. Even in just the first weeks, it is clear that the three entities have very distinct uses of social media, all aiming to contribute to the marketing of The George Washington University.


The George Washington University (@GWTweets)
This week, the official Twitter account for The George Washington University utilized social media very well to fulfill its goal of communicating with students and the general community regarding events that were taking place. It tweeted and retweeted numerous times about events that were taking place around the campus and those that are upcoming.

What was interesting about the tweets sent from this entity was that almost each tweet utilized some form of attached media, such as a photo, video or an external link. The photos made the tweets more profound and relatable, and I found myself remembering more about the event and specific tweet because of the photo that was attached -- it was not only a boring 140-character tweet. Also, when tickets were needed for an event, the link was attached, so followers didn't have to crawl the web to find that information. Even breaking university information, such as cancelled events, were first announced there, and sometimes not even announced via e-mail. This Twitter account applied ethos, in the way its tweets were composed and because of the reputation of the university. However, pathos and logos were not applied too often, as the tweets were mainly just facts.

Tweets from The George Washington University's Twitter account.

The George Washington University Office of Undergraduate Admissions (@GWAdmissions)
The official account for The George Washington University Office of Undergraduate Admissions covered a much more narrow scope than the official account of the university. Still, it served its purpose. It was interesting to note that the Office of Undergraduate Admissions tweeted significantly less than any of the other entities I monitored. Even when they did tweet, the majority of the tweets were directed at certain individuals, some who wanted to help the Office and others who made, or were in the process of making, their decision regarding The George Washington University.

To the general public, this account may have been pretty boring. Though they did advertise and try to recruit current students to host tours through their Twitter, the Twitter account for the admissions office was not as relatable and useful for a current student. The account works well for the limited audience it is targeted at, and therefore uses a great amount of pathos.

Peter Konwerski, Senior Associate Provost and Dean of Student Affairs (@GWPeterK)
The Dean of Student Affairs focused on communicating with the community of current students, and those related to the students. Almost all of his tweets were in response to those that had tweeted him about something related to the university. Dr. Konwerski utilizes the power of retweets to make the questions visible to everyone, since many may have similar questions, and attaches his response to each tweet.

To a student, and the broad university community in general, Dr. Konwerski's account was the most relatable. Students could tweet him to try and find solutions to a problem, or see if one has been answered. Of the three accounts, this one uses the most variety of hashtags, which can drive attention to the topics being discussed. On top of that, this Twitter account utilizes pathos more so than the general university account. Instead of tweeting out broadly about events, this Twitter account has the ability to have personal commentary and lend more details and insight from a university administrator. Tweets felt more personable, which is like talking to a live human for customer service instead of a robot.


All three Twitter accounts did, to the best of their ability, fulfill the goals that they created when they joined social media. Each marketed The George Washington University in some way, though each in different amounts and scope. Peter Konwerski, or the Dean of Student Affairs, probably was the standout among the three because he tweeted constantly, both to broadcast a message or to respond, but, his tweets were not deemed annoying because they were useful.

Driving traffic through social media

Social media has been an important factor in driving traffic to external websites.

I have elected to use a Google+ page and a Twitter (@iantangpublic) as a tool to link followers to this blog. The reason I chose these venues are because they are more professional and more engaging than other forms of social media.

Utilization
On my Google+ page, I will utilize the visual imagery and preview available on the platform to engage users, while on Twitter, I will utilize popular hashtags to gain attention on my tweets.

My Google+ page.

Tone
On both, my tone will be professional which will reflect the tone of my regular blog posts and my University Writing posts. Sometimes, depending on the topic, I will be a bit more playful and will utilize the three ethos to attract users to click into the links to read more.

Goals
My goals are to gain more followers on both platforms and get drive-through click-rates higher over the course of time. Because of my original number of followers on both my Google+ account and Twitter account, I expect it to be possible.

Dr. King's use of rhetoric to explain his dream

A famous speech that effectively uses the three forms of rhetorical appeals -- ethos, pathos and logos -- is Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have a Dream."

The full transcript of the speech is available at:  http://www.archives.gov/press/exhibits/dream-speech.pdf.

Ethos
This is the "ethical appeal," but not in the exact sense of the modern definition. Instead, it relates to the accountability and credibility of the author or speaker. In King's "I Have a Dream" speech, he establishes himself as a reliable source.

Five score years ago a great American in whose symbolic shadow we stand today signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree is a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice.

Through this quote, the audience of the speech can conclude that Martin Luther King, Jr. is well-educated on the subject of African-American history and has a passionate, well-founded opinion on the topic based on facts and historical evidence. This can again be seen in later incidences where he utilizes quotes from the United States Constitution and other patriotic sayings and songs. But, King also continues:

And that is something that I must say to my people who stand on the worn threshold which leads into the palace of justice. In the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred.

We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protests to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force.

This paragraph continues to reveal the extrinsic ethos of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He establishes his character and morality, one who does not fight a wrong with a wrong. King promotes peaceful means, those permitted by the United States Constitution, to implement change in a society. His extrinsic ethos of character, education, expertise and experience are completely unveiled in his speech.

Further adding to his extrinsic ethos was his existing status in the African-American society at the time. Many people already trusted him, and he was already an established leader of the Civil Rights Movement. His title as a doctor further shows his reliability.

Finally, throughout his speech, he utilizes visual imagery, figurative language and correct use of English grammar, revealing his strong intrinsic ethos.

Martin Luther King, Jr.'s speech at the Lincoln Memorial in 1963.

Pathos
This is the pathetic appeal, or an attempt to appeal to the audience. King immediately uses pathos in the start of his speech:

I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.

King establishes himself as a friend and a peer who is assisting people who have been denied rights. He capitalizes on the audience's self-interest, as well as his own to present a sense of pride in what they are doing at the Lincoln Memorial.

In a sense we've come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects of our Republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise - yes, black men as well as white men - would be guaranteed the unalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, American has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked 'insufficient funds.'

 But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. So we've come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice.

In addition to the great visual imagery used, King instills anger at injustice in the African-American community by creating an analogy of a broken promise and a plan of redemption in the above paragraph. It provokes the audience's emotions to rise up and fight for what is rightfully theirs.

But, perhaps the instance where King's strong pathos is shown most clearly is the paragraph that he and this speech are most famous for.

... Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. Some of you have come from areas where your quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality... 

I say to you today, my friends, though, even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up, live out the true meaning of its creed: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.'

His intentional use of "we" and the various groups that have struggled thus far paints a picture of a segment of society facing difficulties together, thereby appealing to most, if not all, of those gathered at the Lincoln Memorial that day in 1963. It not only shows a struggle, but also a potential for an optimistic outcome, only if this group of African-Americans and Americans united to fight what was unjust. King also utilizes the American dream and Constitution, both which invoke a great sense of pride and unity to those living in the United States. The reminder of the denial of both to many of those gathered at the Lincoln Memorial during the speech serves as a common ground for everyone there.

The phrase "my friends" poses King as a peer and one that will accompany them on the long road ahead to equality, allowing those listening to his speech to trust him and have confidence in following his plan to gain justice.

In closing his speech, King says:

When we allow freedom to ring - when we let it ring from every city and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands...

More than anything, this paragraph shows King as a friend to all and appeals to the general public, regardless of their background. King shows that the journey he is embarking on will create a better world where every group of people is treated equally.

Dr. King in front of the Lincoln Memorial.
Courtesy: http://www.kentcountyartscouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/MLKJ-march-on-washington2.jpg

Logos
Finally, logos is the logical appeal and relates to the speaker's attempt to use logic. King justifies all that he says and successfully uses logos in this speech.

King supports generalizations about discrimination and segregation using specific examples.

We cannot walk alone. And as we walk we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back. There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, 'When will you be satisfied?' We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality.

We can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the city.

We cannot be satisfied as the Negro's basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. We can never be satisfied as long as our children are stripped of their adulthood and robbed of their dignity by signs stating 'For Whites Only.'

We cannot be satisfied as long as the Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and the Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote.

King highlights denied rights of African-Americans that the American Constitution supposedly guaranteed for every person, regardless of their background. He also establishes the demands that must be met, made up of demands that logically come from the list of "inalienable rights."

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is famous for the work he did in helping ignite and advance the Civil Rights Movement. Perhaps the reason he was so successful is because of his ability to combine ethos, pathos and logos whenever he spoke or wrote.

Article also linked from: https://twitter.com/iantangpublic/status/376014356514758657.

Comparing entities using social media

There are two main parts of my University Writing course. First, I'll be taking on "the roles of scholar and critic... examining the rhetoric of social media as they are used for selling and promoting products, organizations, people, and causes." Second, I will play a "Social Media Expert/For-Hire Consultant."

In this role, I will maintain this blog and will "analyze and actively engage with social media writing," but will also "choose a related group of individuals, companies, or organizations that are active in social media and track, analyze, and critique their marketing or promotion efforts over the course of the semester."

The three social media accounts I will be tracking include:

1. The official Twitter account of The George Washington University
   (@GWTweets)
2. The official Twitter account of The George Washington University Office of Undergraduate Admissions (@GWAdmissions)
3. The official Twitter account of the Senior Associate Provost and Dean of Student Affairs, Peter Konwerski (@GWPeterK) 

The profile of the official account of The George Washington University.

Questions	GW Tweets	GW Admissions	GW Peter K
How often do they utilize social media?	Every day	Every couple hours	Every 30 minutes
Which venues do they utilize?	Twitter	Twitter	Twitter
What is the field/work/ cause your group supports/ work towards/ showcases/etc?	Higher education - to inform the public and the study body on what is happening around the GW campus.	High education - to connect and engage with prospective students and market GW as a school that high school seniors should apply to.	Higher education - to reply to students and  engage with the study body of GW.
What kind of work is being done?	Higher education - tweets showcasing life on campus.	Higher education - tweets highlighting the GW experience.	Higher education - answering requests and questions.
What are the important long-standing issues in this field?	College life, value of higher education.	Acceptance rate of colleges and the process to apply.	Student-life.
What are the controversies?	Move-in and Welcome Week questions.	Application and decision processes of colleges.	Living environments, package services, etc.
In what ways will these groups lend themselves to furthering the ongoing dialogue about selling with social media in this field?	This account is trying to portray life on the GW campus and to showcase what goes on around campus. It's social media presence has an effect on the reputation of the school and people's perception of the school. In a way, GW is trying to market itself and highlight things that will positively impact its image.	This account is trying to persuade high school seniors to apply to GW. Again, it is marketing GW to highlight what is good about the school and selling a product to consumers (high school students).	This account is trying to do customer service and, sometimes, damage control. Peter Konwerski is a human connection and face to GW and can, at times, be a spokesperson for GW.

Jing Social Media Comparison

FOR UNIVERSITY WRITING: http://screencast.com/t/9EJnaNatk (more info on posts like these)

In this video, I compare my uses of Google+ and Twitter and answer the following questions:

• What do you see in terms of advertisements or branding?
• On Google+: As you can see, there are no paid advertisements in my Stream. Google believes that while you browse updates from people and companies you care about, it is the wrong time to show you an ad, just as if you saw ads at a party or while you were talking with your friend. Instead, advertisements comes in forms of social recommendations, annotated by my friends with Google’s +1 button, when I am searching for a news article, a product, review or app. There is branding though and many pages have a Google+ page where customers can interact with them. Cadbury UK, the chocolate company, among others such as The White House, also invite customers to be in their Hangouts, a 10-person video call, making a more intimate connection between customers and the company.
• On Twitter: As you can see, advertisements are injected into my feed, whether I like the company or not. I have not followed American Express and it looks exactly like any other tweet in my feed, minus the small yellow promoted symbol.
• Which have you "chosen" (liked, become a fan of, followed, or sought out in some other way)?
• On Google+: I follow a wide-range of people on Google+, including my friends, companies I hear or post about often, companies I like and people at Google. I follow both companies I like and dislike. I can separate every single identity in different Circles, and share different things with different Circles and browse the individual feeds of each Circle, just like how in real life you share different things with different groups of people in your life.
• On Twitter: On this twitter account, my personal one, I strictly follow friends and other such people I know. On my other twitter account, my public account, I mainly just follow important news figures and outlets, and other interesting people and companies. They’re mainly companies I like, and so the “Who To Follow” suggestions are very different. 
• Which have found you?
• On Google+: A lot of people and companies have added me back on Google+, including Newt Gingrich, the American Red Cross, the City of Scottsdale, Cathay Pacific Airways, Samsung Mobile, Blackberry, The Home Depot, TED, T-Mobile, American Airlines, Mashable, YouTube and even Google’s Senior Vice President Vic Gundotra.
• On Twitter: MythBusters, USA Today, HTC USA and Mike Allen follow me on Twitter.
• Are they appealing to you?
• On Google+: Many of those that have found me are appealing to me, especially: The City of Scottsdale because that’s where I lived. T-Mobile, Samsung, Blackberry, Mashable and YouTube because I love posting about technology. Vic Gundotra because I am passionate about Google, both their business and what they stand for. I can get official information about new Google announcements and products and see what his thoughts are on a variety of topics.
• On Twitter: MythBusters is kind of random. But I do post a lot about the news and current events on both Google+ and Twitter, so it makes sense as to why USA Today and Mike Allen follow me. I used to have an HTC USA phone and tweeted about HTC a lot, and so that makes sense too.
• Do you click them?
• On Google+: I find myself clicking on a lot of posts, in part because there is also visual imagery, unlike on Twitter. If people post about music or link to an article, there is a snippet of preview for it.
• On Twitter: On Twitter, I find myself not clicking on anything very much, unless I’m super interested. When I’m trying to catch up on a lot of tweets, I tend to skip a lot, just because each tweet is so similar in nature. It’s also very hard to tell if a link in a tweet is legitimate because there is no preview.
• How are they framed (as information? as an outright ad? as a response to an action you took, like searching for a specific product online?)?
• On Google+: Most of the things on Google+ are information or an ad. Motorola, for example, used social media, and the visual imagery of Google+ to create hype for their newest device. Express has been using the visual imagery, but for ads. Furthermore, their activity can result in an action on Google’s Search engine, unlike how other social networks work.
• On Twitter: Many from news figures and outlets are framed as information, though their priority is to get you to click-through to their website. A lot of other companies frame their tweets as advertisements.
• How do these affect you as a consumer (have you purchased from or supported an organization based on a sidebar advertisements or a Tweet, for example)?
• On Google+: When it comes to social annotations, when I see that my friend or people I trust have +1’ed a YouTube video, a website, an app or a restaurant, I am more likely to choose that over ones that have not been +1’ed. It gives me more confidence. But also, posts from companies on social media makes the company stay in the back of my head.
• On Twitter: They have little effect for me as a consumer. Because I have little interest in clicking through every single link on Twitter and because very little sticks out to me on Twitter, I don’t take the time to find out what the companies are talking about. It’s nice to have updates and it’s nice to be able to tweet the company to compliment or complain, as I usually get faster responses from social media than from calling or mailing. They also take it more seriously because it is public.