SOCIAL MEDIA An amazing feat by Web 2.0Brittany LewisAmerican Military University

INTRODUCTION Why use Social Media?

TO BEGIN Social media is a component of Web 2.0 that continues to be simple to use while it improves communication, fuels new ways to market, and changes the internet on a daily basis. In fact, according to a study from January of 2014, nearly 74 percent of online individuals use social networking sites (Social Networking Fact Sheets, 2014), and it is easy to see why. Social media is a necessity for everyone in our ever-expanding technology-driven world.

(Social Media Services, 2013, retrieved from https://www.duckdiverllc.com/services/social-media-services/).

USER FRIENDLY AND IMPROVED

COMMUNICATIONSocial Media is easy to access and use for conversing

EASE OF USE One reason social media has taken over the internet by storm, is because the web is used as the platform and there are no software purchases required for the popular Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. These sites are easily accessed by any web browser and require only a valid email address to get started.

(Sign up for Instagram, retrieved from http://techcricklets.blogspot.com/2012/08/sign-up-for-instagram-on-pccomputer-how.html).

BETTER COMMUNICATION Whether one uses social media sites for either personal or professional reasons, the lines of communication open and new opportunities become present. LinkedIn, for example, is a professional networking page that allows its users to expand their associations and “connect” with others in their career fields. “LinkedIn can, has and does open doors and connections” (Shane, D., 2012). These benefits can possibly advance oneself within the working community from reaching out to others through the website.

(Farmer, A., 2012, retrieved from http://thesocialu101.com/linkedin-dos-donts-college-students/).

BETTER COMMUNICATION (CONTINUED…)

Social media is wonderful for professional aspects, but is also equally great for keeping in touch with family and friends. Facebook, for instance, is useful to share photos, videos, and private messages with personal relations even at a distance, all in the same place for anyone to view. It’s so easy to maintain associations through Facebook from across the country or even the world.

(Yarnall, G., 2014, retrieved from http://www.nelowvision.com/2014/08/25/to-facebook-or-not-question-for-blind-visuallyimpaired/).

SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING A whole new way to

Advertise

ADVERTISING BY TWEETS Another interesting feat with social media through Web 2.0, is the added aspect of marketing, and the importance it has added to both the consumer and the company. The website, Twitter, is accessed by 284 million people and continues to fuel a new side of virtual marketing. “Any deal or discount a follower will share with a friend is an excellent way to extend the reach. To get their followers’ friends on board, Starbucks makes offers available to them too. In Starbucks’ holiday drink promotion, they encouraged followers to bring a friend for a free holiday drink” (Smith, C., 2014).

(Starbucks, 2014, retrieved from http://wp.foodbeast.com/2014/11/12/starbucks-offers-a-buy-one-get-one-free-on-holiday-drinks/).

ADVERTISING BY TWEETS (CONTINUED…)

Many companies are taking advantage of social media platforms for advertising, just as they used to buy into commercial times on television. It also expands the amount of people reached as friends of friends are also able to view the statuses and updates; therefore, successfully preserving old consumers while gaining new ones. This way of marketing is valuable to the consumer as well, because the deals and coupons promoted through these websites are usually different from those in a newspaper or email and are exclusive to those who view their page.

(Saha, S., 2014, retrieved from http://www.techgyd.com/advertise-online/12233/).

ADVERTISING BY TWEETS (CONTINUED…)

Another added dimension to marketing through social media is the ability to quickly interact with the page’s users. On Twitter, every instance that the business replies to the original poster, their page is linked back, exponentially expanding their views. “Over a two-week period, Starbucks sent 31 tweets, but didn’t stop there. Their community managers replied to followers 3,806 times, mentioned them 4,229 times and retweeted messages 14 times” (Hemley, D., 2014).

ADVERTISING BY TWEETS (CONTINUED…)

While “Retweets” additional publicity is great for the said business, the consumer benefits from fast customer service and direct responses for their feedback via Twitter. Social media has attained leaps and bounds by means of bridging the gap between both parties in a way that cannot be accomplished by an old-fashioned letter. New doors open for the consumer when they connect through Twitter (and other similar websites) and only further the importance of social media in Web 2.0. (Wakefield, K., 2014, retrieved from

http://contently.com/strategist/2012/04/06/mcdonalds-twitter-strategy/).

USING COLLECTIVE INTELLIGENCE Social media adapts to

YOUR needs

EVER-CHANGING FOR YOU Moreover, social media is valuable because of its ability to harness collective intelligence and tailor itself to better suit the user. Another popular website is YouTube, which tracks your views and discovers new videos that “match” previously viewed clips in the subscriber’s history. The site gathers the user’s internal info based on recommended videos and commonly searched for key words to build upon the unique experience. This act simultaneously builds YouTube communities since the website also matches the user to others on the site who share common interests. Collective intelligence is a staple feature for a Web 2.0 program as it enables many customizable options and enhances the user experience. One may use YouTube to simply view a humorous video, and suddenly, the site has compiled a list of recommended clips that you may also enjoy.

EVER-CHANGING FOR YOU (CONTINUED…)

(History of YouTube, retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_YouTube).

EVER-CHANGING FOR YOU (CONTINUED…)

It is easy to see why YouTube is a favorite for light-hearted personal entertainment, but there are benefits to those who upload videos as well. “It is a cheap, easily accessible outlet for people to express their own creativity, whether by making videos or doing `mashups’ of other people’s videos that may be parodies of earlier videos or form a comment of their own” (Why YouTube is so Popular, 2012). YouTube appeals to many as it presents a casual, peer to peer environment, and many create an entirely new social group by connecting with people who share the same opinions and hobbies. The page constantly changes and adapts based on these video uploads, and add value for each individual.

WRAP UP Why, again, should we use Social Media?

IN A NUTSHELL To conclude, social media is vital in keeping up in the world, whether it be professionally or personally. These websites allow for free communication, simplicity, easy advertisement, and a completely unique user experience. One can build relationships, or build a business: it is entirely up to them.

(Managed Social Media Services, 2013, retrieved from http://www.summitsocialmedia.com/services/manage/).

REFERENCESFarmer, A. (2012, September 23). 6 LinkedIn Do’s & Don’t's for College Students. Retrieved

December 27, 2014, from http://thesocialu101.com/linkedin-dos-donts-college-students/Hemley, D. (2014, December 24). 26 Ways Brands Succeed With Social Media Marketing.

Retrieved December 26, 2014, from http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/26-ways-brands-succeed-social-media-marketing/

History of YouTube. (n.d.). Retrieved December 27, 2014, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_YouTube

Managed Social Media Services. (2013, October 28). Retrieved December 27, 2014, from http://www.summitsocialmedia.com/services/manage/

Saha, S. (2014, July 5). Top 10 Best Places To Advertise Your Business Online. Retrieved December 27, 2014, from http://www.techgyd.com/advertise-online/12233/

REFERENCES (CONTINUED…)

Shane, D. (2012, August 19). LinkedIn: The Professional Playground For Professional Connections. Retrieved December 25, 2014, from http://smallbiztrends.com/2012/08/linkedin-professional-connections.html

Sign up for Instagram on PC/Computer : How To. (n.d.). Retrieved December 27, 2014, from http://techcricklets.blogspot.com/2012/08/sign-up-for-instagram-on-pccomputer-how.html

Smith, C. (2014, April 2). How Many People use Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, iTunes and 700 of the Top Social Media and Digital Services (December 2014). Retrieved December 25, 2014, from http://expandedramblings.com/index.php/resource-how-many-people-use-the-top-social-media/21/

Social Media Services | Duck Diver, LLC. (2013, April 8). Retrieved December 27, 2014, from https://www.duckdiverllc.com/services/social-media-services/

Social Networking Fact Sheet. (2013, December 27). Retrieved December 24, 2014, from http://www.pewinternet.org/fact-sheets/social-networking-fact-sheet/

REFERENCES (CONTINUED…)

Starbucks Offers a Buy One Get One Free on Holiday Drinks -. (n.d.). Retrieved December 27, 2014, from http://wp.foodbeast.com/2014/11/12/starbucks-offers-a-buy-one-get-one-free-on-holiday-drinks/

Wakefield, K. (2012, April 6). I’m Tweetin’ It! A Look at McDonald’s Twitter Strategy. Retrieved December 27, 2014, from http://contently.com/strategist/2012/04/06/mcdonalds-twitter-strategy/

Why Is YouTube So Popular. (2012, April 10). Retrieved December 26, 2014, from http://whyisyoutubesopopular.com/

Yarnall, G. (2014, August 25). To Facebook or Not To Facebook: A Question That Faces the Blind, Visually Impaired and Sighted Alike. Retrieved December 27, 2014, from http://www.nelowvision.com/2014/08/25/to-facebook-or-not-question-for-blind-visuallyimpaired/