Looking for Something Special? Try Facebook!

It’s impossible to watch television without seeing a commercial. Well, your favorite social networking site is becoming just like TV. You’ve all noticed the list of ads plastered down the side of the screen as you browse your Facebook page. I was sent an article about this particular aspect the other day and it seemed pretty interesting.

In the article, “Ads Posted on Facebook Strike Some as Off-Key” by Brad Stone, notes that there may be some issues with those advertisements. The social networking site offers a service to those who are marketing some type of good or service. People can design and post their ads, all through Facebook. Those can be can be segmented so that they only appear on users’ pages that list something in relation to what is being marketed. The problem in all of this is that ads that have nothing in common with the user and may be potentially offensive can still appear on someone’s profile. The article notes that Facebook has, and is working to add more, policies to deal with this type of issue. Now a picture on an ad must have something in common with what is being sold. Even with the policy in place, an inappropriate advertisement can still slip through the cracks. Although this is the case, the article notes that Facebook expects the quality of advertisement to increase over time, which they believe will help solve some of the problems.

I think it’s almost crazy that we can’t escape commercials in today’s world. Even if it’s not the standard TV ad, it’s still out there. Now that these new age commercials have come to my attention, they’re almost annoying. What do you think about advertising on Facebook? Should there be a limit?

It Doesn’t Mean Anything If It’s Not on Facebook

Television networks are trying to reach more people on as many levels as possible. They do so through shows, promotions, websites, games, and many other things. Like a lot of other networks, SyFy, is attempting to boost interest through social media.

In the article, “SyFy, Facebook Team Up on Social Gaming” by Mike Shields, talks about how the company is attempting to do this. The network wants its gaming site to reach a similar level of popularity that Facebook games have achieved. So, SyFy has implemented several ideas that they think will help them achieve their goals. The company has made it possible for gamers to challenge friends to games, publish their activity, and receive notification if one of their scores is beaten all through Facebook. SyFy is also tamping into the popularity of Twitter. Fans can now get updates from Twitter directly from the network’s blog.

Twitter and Facebook are taking over, almost literally. They’re in nearly every part of our lives. I can’t remember the last time I watched TV without hearing a promotion for one of the social networking sites. This is just a prime example of how networks are using this new revolution in their favor.

There’s No Such Thing as Too Much of a Good Thing

At this point I’d say it’s easy to tell how much I love TV. Well, I don’t just watch it, sometimes I actually read about it too. I came across this article the other day called “Revolution in a box: it’s not Twitter or Facebook that’s reinventing the planet. Eighty years after the first commercial broadcast crackled to life, television still rules our world. And let’s hear it for the growing legions of couch potatoes: All those soap operas might be the ticket to a better future after all.” Charles Kenny writes about the unbelievable powers of television. Its popularity continues to grow, even in areas that have just received electricity. As the popularity grows, so does its access, and in turn the number of channels available. Kenny talks about the considerable influence of soap operas. In Brazil, for example, some shows are so popular that newborns are now popular stars’ namesakes. Another way television is changing the world is by educating kids. Depending on the type of show children watch, their test scores have gone up and they’re less likely to do drugs. Watching television, in some places, has even lowered birth rates. Kenny mentions that governments would be wise to harness televisions’ considerable power in positive ways. Basically, the article credits television for the good that’s happening in many parts of the world.

A lot of what I’ve come up, while writing this blog, has bashed TV. It’s bad because of this or that. It’s harmful and doesn’t do much for you. I think it’s safe to say that that list could go on forever. This article is really interesting, since it never really attacks TV once. I think there might be something to that idea.

A Little Birdie Told Me You Just Finished Lunch

We’ve all heard of it by now and a lot of us take part in it. Twitter is nothing new and its popularity hasn’t stopped growing yet. Personally, I’ve never given it much credit because I don’t really care what someone had for breakfast or that he or she is hanging out at home. That is until I came across a really interesting article online.

The American Journalism Review published “The Twitter Explosion” by Paul Farhi earlier this year. The article doesn’t just focus on how popular the site has become, but instead looks at how it helps or hurts journalists. The article talks about the fact that popular news shows and reporters can now easily be followed on Twitter. Farhi takes it a step further by noting that journalists are using the site in the field as a reporting tool. They tweet while covering breaking stories and one reporter was even permitted (by the judge) to do the same while covering a very important trial from inside the courtroom. That event was first time anyone had ever been given permission to do so. Farhi notes, though, that using Twitter works best if what is being reported is changing at lightening speeds. The article talks about how journalists are using the site of find facts, new stories, and other sources. Farhi mentions, in the story, that Twitter isn’t just for kids. More people over the age of thirty-five have an account than do their younger counterparts. One major issue involving Twitter and journalists it that they have to be careful about what they tweet. Because if they post something, others will see it, and whether it’s true or not it will spread like a wildfire. All-in-all the article sets out to show how that Twitter has definite benefits to journalists and they are becoming aware of this at a rapidly increasing rate.

The article really made me think about what the site can really do. It’s not just a silly waste of time where people can rant about random things, or give minute by minute updates about their daily activities; it actually has substance to it. I’m actually really impressed that the news world has tapped into Twitter’s capabilities and used them to get the word out.

On the Road Again...So Call Me

Let’s face it, thanks to technology, we can do anything just about anywhere. You can text a friend while working on a paper and, at the same time, instant message another person. I stumbled across a book the other day that talks about technology on the go.

Portable Communites: The Social Dynamics of Online and Mobile Connectedness by Mary Chayko highlights how people are able to stay in touch via the Internet and other high-tech ways. In today’s world, they can do this with very little effort. The book talks about the fact that it’s easier than ever to share a picture, video, message, or a million other things. The book’s main focus is on how technology has made staying connected portably extremely possible. Chayko notes that people are social by nature and things like blogs, social networking, and texting help them to form bonds. They can now stay connected anywhere thanks to smart phones, laptops, and other new high-tech gadgets. Chayko breaks her book up into, what she calls, internal and external dynamics. In the first section she talks about thinking, feeling, emotions, the ability to play and have fun, and the role of social networking in staying connected to our friends. On the external side, things like interactions between people, expressing yourself, and the social landscape all help to strengthen social connections on a portable level.

The book can get a little scientific at times, which makes it a little confusing. Despite that, and the fact that it’s on the thick side, it isn’t difficult to read. I really like that the author puts some focus on social networking, since that’s something I’m very involved with. The whole concept is something I’d never really thought about and it’s kind of interesting.

g2g ttyl if i dont see u l8ter

Sometimes I get really annoyed with my friends when I can’t understand a text message they’ve sent me because of all the abbreviations used. I think it’s safe to assume that I’m not the only one who feels this way. The other day, as I surfed the Internet, I actually came across an article that focused on this particular idea, but it had a very different view than I would have expected.

“Are Digital Media Changing Language” by Naomi Baron featured in an issue of Educational Leadership looks at how new media has changed the way we communicate. She says that kids are occasionally putting acronyms into their papers and regular conversations. There are two points to that, one being that the usage is very limited and two, we use acronyms like ASAP anyway. So, it’s really no big deal to some extent. Baron talks about some of the changes that have occurred in mechanics. For example, the use of apostrophes, or lack thereof, thanks to texting. Kids aren’t worried about spelling anymore. They have spell check, so what’s the issue. The main focus of the article, though, is on how new media has changed attitudes toward communication. Teachers, and people in general, are taking a “whatever” approach to writing. They are more lenient or passive about strictly following grammar rules. Baron also notes the change in control people have over communication. Now, if you don’t want to talk to someone, you can screen your calls or block them from being able to message you through Facebook or instant messaging, among other things. Baron notes that these changes are inevitable and it is up to us on how we except and handle them.

I thought it was kind of strange that the issues you would expect, like text speak in papers and poor writing, would be some of the more prevalent problems coming from new media. I guess if you think about it, the other issues do make sense.

It’s as “In” as Paris Hilton’s Shoes

Social media is everywhere and virtually everyone is connected to it. The way people, myself included, get hooked on Facebook and other sites has always been a point of interest for me. The social media networks have spilled over into television too. Just about every show has a Facebook page or can be followed on Twitter. I stumbled across this book, Celeb 2.0: How Social Media Foster Our Fascination with Popular Culture by Kelli Burns, which seems interesting. It basically breaks down the social media takeover. The chapters highlight the popularity of blogs and the how they have changed everything. Pop culture has become the domain of social media and print is out of style. It’s all about blogs, message boards, and other new media today. Communication is definitely not what it used to be and is never going back. Now, it seems people are logging on to their favorite celebrity gossip blogs instead of grabbing a trashy magazine or watching television. It’s interesting how something can virtually explode in popularity.

From Turning Pages to Scrolling Bars

I have known that blogs exist for a while, but I really didn’t know much about them. The other day I came across a book that looked pretty interesting. Blogging by Jill Walker Rettberg is a fairly short book about the title subject. It doesn’t have any pictures or distractions, though; it’s all reading. Rettberg outlines what a blog is, how it has evolved, the different ways blogs are used (advertising, storytelling, peoples’ versions of online newspaper articles), and its connection to social media. This book isn’t a how to about creating your own blog; it actually talks about the subject in detail. Which, is a change as we all know, considering most information on the topic is geared toward the do-it-yourself crowd. That’s why it stood out to me. I can actually get something from it.

It's a Marketing Revolution

Lately, I’ve been thinking about how much television advertising has been hit by social media. I happened to be messing around on the internet and came across an interesting article. “Retailers Go Nuts for Social Media in Holiday Marketing” by Natalie Zmuda and Kunur Patel makes some unsurprising points. The article touches on the idea that stores are using social media marketing, especially around the holidays, now more than ever. In it, the authors break down five companies that are using these new ways of advertising the right way and five that need work. Best Buy, for example, has a strong application presence on Facebook and keeps up with its various Twitter accounts. Walmart, Toys R Us, JC Penney, and eBay also keep track of things via the major social networking sites. Some of the stores lacking in this department are Abercrombie & Fitch, which has a surprising low involvement in the new media world, even though it is targeted at the younger generations. Kohl’s has made an effort to increase its social media marketing, but not with giants like Facebook and Twitter. Target and Old Navy can be found in the same boat as the previous two and is joined, surprisingly, by Amazon. What this group has in common is its need to make some definite improvements.

It’s both surprising and not so much so that businesses are embracing social media as way to advertise. But, if all of these companies, and more, are increasing money spent on online campaigns, then where does that leave television?