I commented on:
Carson Kehoe – http://sk01247.wordpress.com/2014/06/11/topic-of-the-week-prca3334/comment-page-1/#comment-27
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Katherine Booth – http://sweetlikecandytoomysoul.wordpress.com/2014/06/09/everyday-pr-with-some-social-media-prca3334/comment-page-1/#comment-58
Social media is so important in public relations because it is such an easy and effective way of two-way communication. It’s great in many ways. It allows you to reach and communicate with your target audience easily, quickly, in the packaging or medium that they prefer, and in real time. It also allows you to monitor what people are saying about your company, which is great when it comes to needing to do damage control. Public relations is all about building and maintaining relationships, social media facilitates those relationships.
In a PR campaign, social media can be the reason a campaign goes viral. It gets people talking about the campaign, and there are things like hashtags that connect everybody’s words and ideas together. Social media is the best way to generate awareness because things spread like wildfire on the internet, especially if it’s fun, cool, weird, or interesting.
I have been using Twitter since my sophomore year of high school, and although I recently deleted my old account and made a new one (as a sort of cleans for myself and my image), Twitter has always been one of my favorite social media sites. It’s entertaining, it’s interesting, there is no telling what you will find, learn, or come across on any given day, which is what I love about it. From world news, to local news, to pop culture you can research about it all on Twitter. It’s extremely convenient! I will definitely always have a Twitter account, even if I get to the point of tweeting little to none at all (as I have been finding myself doing in the past year or so) I will still have an account. Also, because of how important social media is to the public relation profession, it’s almost required or necessary to be active users of social media.
A side note: Follow my Twitter account! @TheMicaiahFaith
I commented on:
Hayley Johnson – http://hayleyj821.wordpress.com/2014/06/02/topic-of-the-week-3/comment-page-1/#comment-63
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James Wagner – http://wagnerprblog.wordpress.com/2014/06/03/online-activist/comment-page-1/#comment-4
I know about more causes and movements because they have turned to social mediums to spread the word. I think that bringing social causes to social media is a great way to teach people about certain causes. I have learned a lot about certain movements through social media. I would say that I tend to more so support movements through social media rather than join them. I find myself liking, sharing, retweeting, re-posting, and reblogging causes and movements more and more. The reason I wouldn’t say that I have yet to actually joined a movement online is because I haven’t signed up or fully spread the word about any one movement. That brings me to wonder what constitutes joining an online movement. Does it require signing up, signing a petition, participating in an event that isn’t online, or is it just supporting in your own way?
I think that passion causes someone to join or start a movement. It has to be something that the person truly cares about, something that they have the longing desire to fix or to change. A big part of it is the fact that it’s not just a personal thing, it’s something that they want for other people to know about, to understand, and to become a part of. Because social media is one of the best ways to make things known to the world, it is an easy choice for people looking to start a movement. I definitely wouldn’t rule out the idea of starting a social movement through social media, I personally haven’t come across the cause or movement that has moved me in the direction to push for it through social media. Organizations can definitely benefit from starting, joining, and supporting causes via social media. It’s a great way to portray an organizations beliefs and where they stand on certain issues. This attracts customers who believe the same things, it is a way to build an organization and its customers around a cause.
I responded to:
Payton Fritch – http://paytonfritch.wordpress.com/2014/05/27/topic-of-the-week-ii-social-media-oops/comment-page-1/#comment-34
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Brandon Williams – http://bdotw.wordpress.com/2014/05/28/shutterfly-oops-prca3334/comment-page-1/#comment-6
It’s always a dissaster when a mass email that doesn’t apply to many people is sent out. The content of the email determines how big of a deal it is. Some emails end up being annoying and inconvenient, but in the case of Shutterfly it was hurtful and traumatic for some people. Receiving an email congratulating you on a baby you didn’t have (especially if you wanted to have one, but for whatever reason couldn’t) could definitely be upsetting.
In response to the out-lash on twitter, Shutterfly immediately tweeted an apology. I think that was swift, and a good move. The email however, took until the next day, that was a bad move. That email should have went out the same time as the apology tweet. There is no excuse for the time it took between the original apology tweet and the apology email, and that is what I would have done differently. An apology would have gone out not only on social networks, including Facebook and Twitter, but via email as well.
The fact that Shutterfly did apologize and take ownership for what happened, is commendable. The company could have spun the situation blaming it on technical issues or a hack in their system, or a number of other things. That would have only made things worse. Admitting they were wrong, acknowledging the pain and discomfort it may have caused, sincerely apologizing, and allowing customers to reach out to them with their concerns and issues was the best thing they could have done.
Even a crisis as small as a mass email being sent to people it doesn’t apply to, is a cause for quick and meaningful damage control. You never know how certain words or events will affect people, and you must be mindful of even the smallest details. When a crisis occurs, the first thing that should come out is a sincere apology. After that, other necessary things can follow.
I responded to:
Brittany Barrett http://missbritt71.wordpress.com/2014/05/22/blog-post-1/
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Katherine Boone http://sweetlikecandytoomysoul.wordpress.com/2014/05/22/tv-twitter-prca3334/
At this point in time, when thinking about all of the TV shows that I watch (which is a lot), I can’t think of one that doesn’t encourage fans to connect via social media, more specifically Twitter. The hashtag in the lower corner of the screen is found on pretty much all of the shows I watch, and with reality shows if the hashtag is not there the stars are live tweeting about their thoughts and reactions to what is happening on that episode.
I personally, am all for live tweeting and connecting social media with TV shows. I think that it not only allows you to connect with the TV show and its stars, but also with other fans across the nation. It’s brilliant PR and Marketing because if your peers or the celebrities you follow are tweeting about a show that you haven’t seen or heard of, it makes you want to check it out to see what all the hype and all the buzz is about, and with most shows… all you need is to view it one time and you’re locked in for life (at least that’s how it is for me).
Live tweeting and engaging in social media during TV shows is something that I do depending on the show. Some shows for me, are too intense for me to look away for even a brief moment to type or read tweets. For example, two of my favorites Scandal and Pretty Little Liars are no interruption shows. My cell phone may not even be in the same room as I am until the show ends. I don’t like distractions for these shows because I’m so invested in the story, I don’t want to miss a single thing. On the other hand, I almost can’t watch reality shows without constantly checking Twitter because fans are always making jokes about whatever may be going on during the show. Twitter aids my experience for reality TV, making it funnier, more drama-filled, and more entertaining as a whole.
Although while tweeting celebrities regarding TV shows or anything at all, I haven’t personally gotten a response, I have had quite a few friends who have. It’s always cool to see your favorite celebrities responding to people, even if it’s only a word or two. My favorite celebrities to follow on Twitter are music artists (Drake, Lil Wayne, Wale etc.), because it often times leads you to be the first to know about their new music or album release dates. On other platforms, such as Instagram I like to follow celebrities whose style I appreciate because they’re constantly posting photos of themselves, looking fabulous of course (LaLa, Kelly Rowland, the Kardashians, etc.).
It’s been 12 years since the 9/11 Terrorist Attacks and still I can remember my exact location, the happenings around me, and all of the scattered feelings that rushed over me in those moments. As I am sure many Americans still can. Looking back on it, and how terrible it was I always like to remember how that event brought Americans together. That is the one thing that I am grateful for. As Americans we stood together and it brought a stronger since of nationalism to our country. Nearly everybody put in effort to help, people did all that they could. It was a sad time for our country, but it was also a time where people uplifted and helped each other.
It is so important to never forget. Not only must we remember the ones that we lost, but we must remember how it has made the country stronger. I think that it is so important to me because it was perhaps one of the biggest moments of history that I was alive for. I must reflect on how the country was before, and how much changed after the fact. Even though I was so young, it still had an extremely large effect on me. This makes me realize how grateful I am to be an American, to be part of a country that I am awarded the freedoms and rights that I have. America must celebrate what we are capable of. No matter what terrorists attack, and how much damage they do, we have not and we will not be brought down.
I read an article on FoxNews.com by T.J. McCormack, and I genuinely couldn’t agree with it more. He talked about how we weren’t allowed to forget, and not because the media reminds us every year, but because we shouldn’t want to forget. It must be remembered, it must be taught, it must be watched, and it must be cried about. If we were to bring ourselves to forget, it would be inhuman of us as a people and as a nation. Every single part of that day must be remembered and honored. The best patriotic story that I saw covered this week was the Eyewitness article on CBSNews.com where it overviewed the story of Dr. Benjamin Luft and all of the people from different walks of life who rushed to the World Trade Centers on that tragic day to help. The doctor opened a medical center specifically to help those responders who suffered from chronic illnesses. These responders told him their account of that day, and he began recording documentary-style. Those stories are the BEST and most selfless patriotic stories this week, maybe even ever.
The links to both articles are below:
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504803_162-20104029-10391709/eyewitness-interviews-with-9-11-responders/
While scanning the Georgia Southern University Online Magazine for articles to read, I came across an article about a family overcoming addiction entitled “Champions of Recovery” by Sandra Bennett. Not only did this family overcome addiction their selves, but they paved the way and made it possible for so many people across the country to overcome addiction as well. The Mooney family lived here in Statesboro, Georgia operating a detox boarding house and eventually opening up Willingway Hospital. This family has not only made a lasting effect on the community, but on this school as well. They started the Center for Addiction Recovery (CAR), which helps students who are in recovery get admitted into college and keeps them on track to graduate and get their lives back. It interested me so much that every member of the family except one suffered form addiction at one point, even the children who grew up with their parents helping those suffering from just that. The entire family was brought together and pushed forward by the abuse of drugs and alcohol, when in most cases it tears families apart. Instead, every member dedicated their life to helping the abusers. I never knew such an influential family had so much to do with the area of drug rehabilitation, not to mention it all started right up the street from my university. It’s such a large part of the community that I don’t think many people are aware of. It only surprises me that this is my first time hearing about it.
Another article that I read in the GSU Magazine was, “A Conversation With The Carters” by Mary Beth Spence, which immediately caught my eye as I thought about how I was unable to attend The Carter speech last semester. In this interview transcript between the Carter family and Georgia Southern magazine, both Jimmy and Rosalynn spoke about a few things including politics, personal life, and future goals. It was definitely an interesting article that held the family in a positive light, and introduced me to aspects of both Jimmy and Rosalynn that I wasn’t previously aware of. President Jimmy Carter and first lady Rosalynn Carter visited Georgia Southern in February 2013 and shared with students about life after the White House. The Carter’s are one of the most popular guest speakers we have had in my years here at GSU, so any recap or interview with them is great for those like me who missed the event.
The Georgia Southern Magazine has a broad audience because it is available both online and in print, allowing it to reach a number of different people. Students, faculty, and even people who may be researching Georgia Southern are exposed to and read the magazine. For the Fall 2013 issue, a football expansion story should definitely be included. Because of what I saw in the spring issue, I expect that the topics will range and will be things that the most people had no clue about.
MicaiahFS 