Images

Viral Content Challenge: What my fish is telling me.

My goal for this viral content challenge campaign was to increase the reach on my meme and gain as many impressions as I could. With my goal of gaining impressions, I tried to gain some engagement through likes, retweets, comments, or points on Imgur. 

The link to view: https://imgur.com/mDrvWgu

On this tweet I received 2,601 promoted impressions and 1,745 organic impressions.

If I could go back and re-do my viral content campaign I would focus more of my campaign around the weekends. As I could see through ads manager on Twitter, the majority of my impressions took place on Saturday and Sunday, so I would focus my money at those times to gain even more impressions. 

I would also focus my personal tweets on the weekends too and try to find more prominent hashtags to relate and use with the meme since my personal tweets did not get that much engagement (ranged from 90-170 views). My meme did very well on Imgur and got about 500 views in the first hour of posting it, along with a comment that was very engaging; they added/created a meme that matched the fish theme. When making my ad, I focused in on people on Twitter who follow or look at memes. This seemed to be successful due to the large amount of impressions I received. If I were to do this project again I might post more on other social media sites such as Tumblr or Reddit because those sites tend to have a large base of meme followers. Overall, my viral content challenge ended very successfully. I currently have 594 views on Imgur, 8 points, and two comments.

Some of my other social media posts included:

I posted this tweet when the hashtag #280characters was trending to bring in more impressions and views.

I used this post both as a tweet and Facebook post to help bring it across platforms and gain more reach.

I tried to think of fun/famous phrases that would bring a fun tone to the post that would make people interested.

 

Read more "Viral Content Challenge: What my fish is telling me."

Social Media Influencer

When I first started this class, I barely used twitter so I didn’t know how to properly engage with those who weren’t following me. But by adding media and hashtags, it increased my engagement and followers as you see above.

 

 

 

This post, I tweeted an event. I had also just really started using twitter, so only 1 like.

I tried to convey how millennials get their news from social media. Only one like

This was me quote tweeting an engagement with one of my top followers

I got 4 likes on this post because using the GIF feature gave my twitter some personality.

3 likes and one RT, my followers enjoy motivational messages.

3 retweets because EVERYONE was tweeting the same video, so my TL was flooded.

This brought some DBZ fans to my engagements, letting me know there was an actual black Goku and this wasn’t him.

I got the most engagements from this tweet because Terrance retweeted me and bought some of his followers to my page.

I did a news story on a dairy farm so I thought I’d tweet about it to get my followers ready for the actual story. Not many engagements.

2 likes, I could’ve added some more hashtags because I thought this one would be one with high engagements.

 

 

Read more "Social Media Influencer"

Personal Influence Growth and Analysis/Top 10 Tweets

These last 90 days have provided a new way in thinking about generating content for social media. Primarily, authenticity is the most important. It’s not enough to post about walking to class. People go online to find distractions by entertaining or educating themselves is what I have learned. When strategically creating content I thought of this. My most influential post targeted this audience. Whenever I posted content outside of these parameters a number of impressions and engagement I received dwindled. Strategically thinking using my personality and my thoughts in my posts gave me optimal impressions and engagement and I will continue to use this and hashtags to grow my influence.

For this post, I made sure to tag MAC cosmetics and use a hashtag related to makeup artists. This post did not generate as many impressions as it could have. To generate more impressions and engagement using more hashtags related to cosmetics. This post was done when the news was trending which helped boost the post.
Impressions 275 
Media views 43
Total engagements 14
Media engagements 7
Detail expands 4
Replies 2

 

Impressions 490
This post earned more impressions than I expected. The hashtag I used has a very large following when it comes to the subject of poverty. I could use a GIF to make this post better and create a larger impression.

Impressions 2,375
Total engagements 15
Detail expands 6
Retweets 4
Profile clicks 3
Likes 1

This post is the definition of how when your personality is used on social media people like it. This post generated not only my largest amount of impressions but retweets. I spoke my mind and it worked well.

Impressions 526 
Media views 110 
Total engagements 51
Media engagements 28
Detail expands 16
Likes 4
Replies 1
Retweets 1

This was to engage with someone I respected in my industry. She works for Cosmopolitan magazine and I thought the best way to engage her was to post something stylish and cute and it worked. I realized in engaging people you need to say something complimenting.

Impressions 2,020
Total engagements 28
Media engagements 15
Detail expands 7
Profile clicks 3
Likes 2
Retweets 1

This was another high engagement and impression post. I used a trending hashtag and a GIF to drive the post. The hashtag was the most important thing about this post without this hashtag I do not think it would have been so successful.

Impressions 496
Total engagements 71
Detail expands 34
Profile clicks 32
Retweets 3
Likes 1

Bootbae was a topic of conversation for a while on social media. It has the highest amount of engagement of all my posts. I wrote about what people were thinking and used my own voice and it was very successful.

Impressions 343
Total engagements 9
Detail expands 3
Profile clicks 2
Replies 1
Retweets 1
Likes 1

This post is about Snapchat because I am obsessed with Snapchat. It was a headline tweet. This allowed me to play with voice and tone in a post. This didn’t give the largest impression but it earned decent amount. It taught me how to create a voice.

Impressions 269
Media views 60
Total engagements 18
Media engagements 16

 

Impressions 217
Media views 23
Total engagements 7
Media engagements 6

This post helped me gained more follower on Snapchat. I earned at least 10 more Snapchat followers. Although I didn’t gain a huge impression on Twitter it reflected well on my Snapchat to earn me new followers.

Impressions 1,123
Media views 42
Total engagements 22
Detail expands 10
Media engagements 8
Likes 2
Hashtag clicks 2

I loved this tweet because it was not only about my birthday but it allowed me to create a GIF of myself. It used all the components of a great tweet. This post used 3 key things that led to a great impression and engagement success. It was visually strong in relation to the subject of the tweet.

 

All these posts helped drive up my Klout score increasing it by 20 points. My consistency in posts and strategy allowed for not only growth but consistent growth.

 

Read more "Personal Influence Growth and Analysis/Top 10 Tweets"

Personal Influence Growth and Analysis/Top 10 Tweets

 

PART 1: INFLUENCE

Twitter

Before taking this class, I had a fairly well developed Twitter following with 664 followers. However, since taking the course, my following has seen an 11% increase with a total of 747 followers.

Klout

At the beginning of class, my Klout score was 38.72. It has since increased to 43.22.

What Worked? 

I noticed throughout the semester that assignments that involved engaging in particular communities on Twitter were most successful in expanding my following. This was done through utilizing certain hashtags or mentioning users who were involved in a certain trend or group. Tweets that were more personal and weren’t as relatable to the follower base I have were not as effective.

 

PART 2: EXECUTION

1.

Impressions: 2,811

Total Engagements: 22

Detail Expands: 2

Profile Clicks: 7

This tweet was successful because of the hashtag utilized and the topical focus. The tweet that I quote retweeted focuses on a show that is very popular and my tweet garnered some engagement with influencers related to the show. With that, my tweet likely found it’s way on to the timelines of Empire fans, therefore furthering my reach.

2.

Impressions: 1,000

Total Engagements: 82

Media Engagements: 58

Detail Expands: 9

Profile Clicks: 2

I think this content performed well because it is laughable and out of the box. Also, after seeing how well the previous tweet performed as well, I think the utilization of the #Periscope tag helped boost engagement. That partnered with the usage of the #DunkinDonuts tag likely helped increase visibility and impressions.

3.

Impressions: 543

Total Engagements: 29

Detail Expands: 9

Hashtag Clicks: 1

I think this tweet was successful because I tapped a subject that my existing following base is already interested in and passionate about. Most of my followers are friends and peers from Syracuse University, so commenting on something that was relatable to that group helped prompt users to share and engage.

4.

Impressions: 582

Media Engagements: 50

Total Engagements: 76

Detail Expands: 4

Hashtag Clicks: 2

The success of this tweet is similar to that of the first tweet. I was able to reach not only the Syracuse fans that already followed me, but also those who do not by utilizing proper hashtags and usernames. This was evident through both the high number of engagement and the variety of users who directly engaged with the post.

5.

Impressions: 476

Total Engagements:103

Media Engagements: 82

Detail Expands: 6

Hashtag Clicks: 5

I attribute the success of this tweet to the timeliness of it. Both inside and outside of this class, tweets that I post during award shows tend to perform very well because of the prominence of the second screen experience. Many people prefer to follow along on sites like Twitter, even if they aren’t watching the show for themselves. By commenting on such a talked about performance at The Grammys, I was able to get the attention of those watching or those interested in Beyonce. I do wish, however, I would have remembered to give proper sourcing credit for the images.

6.

Impressions: 376

Total Engagements:89

Media Engagements: 68

Detail Expands: 3

Hashtag Clicks: 2

This is another case in which the timing was important for the success of the tweet. These fails, particularly the Pepsi spot, were trending worldwide on Twitter that day. In addition, as an advertising major, a decent amount of my following is composed of other advertising students and professionals. This cohort was likely more inclined to engage with content related to advertising.

7.

Impressions: 429

Total Engagements: 46

Media Engagements: 33

Detail Expands: 4

Hashtag Clicks: 5

This tweet likely thrived because it’s relatable. Many people have a rough time getting going on Monday mornings and Rupi Kaur is currently very popular to people around my age. Using  generic wide-reaching hashtags like #MotivationMonday and #Poetry also helped with impressions.

8.

Impressions: 451

Total Engagements: 89

Media Engagements: 53

Detail Expands: 16

Hashtag Clicks: 2

This tweet was popular because it encompassed both the professional and social gatherings I have in my follower base. LinkedIn being a professional site garnered engagement from old coworkers and professors. The idea of the “500+ club,” however, is more of a social concept and is a topic that is often discussed with my friends and peers here at Syracuse. The attached screenshot also helped as visuals always perform better than just a text post.

9.

Impressions: 345

Total Engagements: 54

Media Engagements: 38

Detail Expands: 4

Hashtag Clicks: 1

I chose these images for this particular assignment because I have posted all of them on Instagram before and they performed very well. Being from right outside of New York City, many of my followers either live or work in the city and enjoy seeing well directed pictures of it. After taking what I knew about how they performed on Instagram, I was able to utilize cross platform analysis to determine whether or not they would perform well on Twitter. I think utilizing the collage feature also helped the post become more aesthetically pleasing.

10.

Impressions: 353

Total Engagements: 62

Media Engagements: 38

Detail Expands: 6

Link Clicks: 7

For this post, I zeroed in on the transformative focused trends going around social media recently. Pictures that are before and afters of any sort tend to garner a ton of engagement and attention. This is why I decided to do a Freshman vs. Senior year theme for this particular assignment. I also think posting a tweet that was so focused on myself caught the eye of my close friends and family and prompted them to engage with the content.

Read more "Personal Influence Growth and Analysis/Top 10 Tweets"

Campaign Analysis: Monday

Meme Background

Beginning of the week always hits us the hardest. Whether you’re a student or a working professional, after enjoying two days off, Monday is the wakeup call back to deadlines.

Goal(s) (primary outcome)

  • To relate to a wide audience
    • Make someone laugh who is going through a bad Monday
    • To remind people that they’re not the only one
    • Life hits you like bricks, but you still got this!

Objective(s) 

Objective is to get as many people as possible to relate to the meme

Measurable on Imgur

  • Number of Views

Measurable on Twitter

  • Number of Engagement and Impressions

Imgur Meme 

Fuck

Twitter Web Card Tweet 

Twitter Ads  Spending and Engagement

View post on imgur.com

View post on imgur.com

Campaign Analysis 

The overall campaign was a success gaining 5,843 views on Imgur.

My initial assumptions on Twitter being a strong platform to promote the meme was right since it gained over 1,000 views on Imgur, after the first day of promotion. However, I also saw the limitations of promoting on Twitter because of the message of the meme and the 7 day promotion requirement.

Since the meme’s message targets a specific day, Monday, the meme could easily become irrelevant throughout the rest of the week. With this in mind, I maximized my campaign spending all on Monday, April 3rd. I started the campaign later in the evening, around 7 pm EST, in order to engage with crowds who were getting off work, had a long day, and ready to enjoy their night. To ensure this crowd was reached, I placed various limitations on the Twitter Ads “Lifestyle” section; people with jobs, children, and retirement. Before I went to bed around 11pm EST the meme only had 200 views, but when I woke up the meme already reached over 1,000 views on Imgur and and 2,299 impressions on Twitter Campaigns. It could be assumed that the meme gain engagement overnight and was even able to reach audiences in different time zones with a variety of life habits, due to the impressive numbers in the morning.

To avoid tweeting the same meme and have my followers feel spammed, I decided to promote my meme on other social platforms. Reddit came to mind due to it’s huge fan base on sub-reddits such as r/spongebob, r/funny, and r/meme. In addition, since Reddit doesn’t rely on timeliness, the meme’s relevancy wouldn’t lose it’s charm and feel redundant over the next 6 days.

View post on imgur.com

Per the results shown above, the most popular sub-reddit posts were r/BikiniBottomTwitter and r/meme. With the help of Reddit, I easily reached more than 4,000 views by the end of Friday. Thus, although Twitter Ads was effective in helping me achieve the first goal, 500 views, Reddit really boosted the views out of the ballpark.

 

Read more "Campaign Analysis: Monday"

Abigail Takes Jeopardy

Search any hashtag on Twitter, and you’re sure to get what could be a full digital reality show on the topic. “Jeopardy” Is one of those game shows we watch to show off how smart we are to our family and friends. When it comes to live tweeting it though, discussing the way contestants present themselves is much more entertaining. You don’t even have to watch an episode to get to know the characters. Just check out #Jeopardy on Twitter for a blunt description of the contestants by viewers.

Let’s take this girl, Abigail, for example. Thanks to @MBTAWorkerbee, we already know that she’s a “hipster pilgrim” before we even watch the episode.

Now, I would consider being called a “hipster pilgrim” a compliment, but not everyone had such nice things to say about poor Abigail.

Go easy on her, John. She doesn’t look like someone I’d want to mess with.

Yes! Amy had the right attitude. Maybe holding the clicker that high made her feel like a confident hipster pilgrim.

This girl was watching the same episode, but she was being a little vague about who she thought was “that one annoying contestant.” I hope it’s not Abigail.

At least Asian Claire came right out and said it.

We can finally stop talking about Abigail now that Alex is ready to start the show!

 

Read more "Abigail Takes Jeopardy"

Social Media & Me

If you read the title of this blog post and thought to yourself, “Yeah, right..” I get it. Millennials can be so accustomed to associating social media with it’s entertainment purposes, while more seasoned audiences solely focus on its shortcomings and what it’s ‘done’ to millennials. These two views leave out the beneficial basic functions of social media and how they aid our society in letting our voices be heard, connecting with communities, and sharing content.

For me, social media has enabled me to stay connected with friends that you don’t get to see everyday. Not just by talking to them via text and catching up, but by remaining in their lives as if you were in the same time zone. The advent of social media sites that allow for content sharing to mass audiences lets us visually, audibly, and physically keep up with loved ones through apps. When I was abroad in Spain, I got to see my family’s faces and talk to them as if we were in the same room thanks to iPhone’s Facetime feature. Social media has just extended our reach where it wasn’t possible before.

Another big thank you I’d like to give to social media is for letting me access my news from multiple sources and in real time. Most people look at sites like Facebook and Twitter and think of unwarranted opinions, a plethora of baby photos, and cute videos of puppies. While you can find all those things on these sites, news outlets and big companies have been using these platforms as ways for their audiences to receive information without delay. The transparency and the speed have kept me informed and on top of things happening in this crazy world.

 

Read more "Social Media & Me"

Relationships and Social Media

Building relationships today relies heavily on social media. This applies to individuals, groups, and musical groups, as the text outlines. Ethan Zuckerman outlines a refreshing way in which people today build their professional and personal lives through social media. Companies now can build themselves internationally without having physical locations in various countries. Coke and Pepsi are becoming transnational in the digital age and several companies are following suit. Social media makes it imperative for companies such as Coke to have a global network.

Zuckerman discusses at length, the benefit of having global diversity within the higher ups of companies. What works in what region might not work in another but the global network makes separating policies difficult. Diversity is now guiding diplomacies within companies and in the social norms.

On a political level, social media brings more people into social issues. Before, communications spread in much slower ways and did not affect people all over. Today, global and political issues are perpetuated through social media outlets and political and immigration policies must change. Syrian refugees show how social media affects immigration influences, as this is a hot topic today but would not be discussed in previous decades.

Rewire: Digital Cosmopolitans in the Age of Connection

Read more "Relationships and Social Media"

#donaldtrump

Donald Trump had a rally at the Syracuse Oncenter this past Friday. In light of this, I decided to look at #donaldtrump on Twitter and was somewhat disappointed to still see some avid Trump supporters but the oppositions were interesting. Both sides, pro and against, used his own words to support their argument. Not surprisingly, his supporters are really radical and do not seem to care about facts. His supporters posted:

 

Those opposed tweeted:

 

 

It seems like the whole hashtag is a joke. The supporters serial post without considering facts and opposers use the channel to make jokes at supporter expenses.

Read more "#donaldtrump"

2016 Presidential Candidates: What Platforms Should They Use?

People are inundated with information from various media all day long. Between Facebook, TV ads, and real life interactions, it can be difficult to grab someone’s attention. With the upcoming election, how can political candidates grab the attention of voters? The solution is through social media platforms that voters are using, but which ones should candidates use to engage with voters?

Media Richness Theory

In 1980, Daft and Lengel created a theory of media richness. In essence, their theory states that different types of media have different levels of richness. Face-to-face interactions are the richest because individuals can receive direct feedback and read not just verbal cues, but the visual cues from a speaker’s body language (Daft and Lengel 1980). Studies show that only 7% of information in face-to-face interactions comes from what someone is saying: the bulk of information is delivered via verbal cues (i.e. intonation) and body language (Daft and Lengel 1980). 

My Recommendations

Candidates are already aware the power face-to-face interactions have, but can not engage with every single voter that way. There are several social media platforms available that mimic face-to-face interactions and make it easier for candidates to communicate with voters. Here are my recommendations for social media platforms that candidates can use:

  • SnapChat- One of the best aspects of SnapChat is that it’s great for younger voter demographics. Millenials love SnapChat and its short video/photo format. It is also incredibly easy to provide live updates from events.

  • Facebook- Using Facebook has several benefits. The new livestream video feature makes it possible for voters to watch candidates’ events live. In addition, Facebook Messenger for Pages makes it so voters can message candidates’ social media teams and interact with them directly.
  • Periscope–  This app is now linked with Twitter so candidates can post live videos. It also makes it easier for news organizations from across the globe to access candidates’ content.

Clearly, face-to-face interactions are the best way to engage voters, but the social media platforms above can increase candidates’ reach in a similar manner. What other platforms or techniques would you recommend to the 2016 Presidential candidates?

Sources:

Daft, Richard and Robert Lengel. Information Richness. A New Approach to Managerial Behavior and Organizational Design. College Station, TX: Texas A&M University College of Business Administration, 1980.

Raedle, Joe. Image from Getty Images News.

Read more "2016 Presidential Candidates: What Platforms Should They Use?"