Week 17 - Wrapping it Up

Hey readers, welcome back for my final blog post for CSIT 155 - Social Media for Business. Wow, time has flown and so much information has been embedded in my brain! In this post I'll try to synthesize the highlights of what I've learned in this class and let you know how my impressions have changed.

With everyone I meet, every class I take, and every experience, I change. I thrive on new knowledge and discoveries, and hold no loyalty to the person I used to be, because I'm always growing. My thoughts have changed in regard to social media - I used to see it as an unnecessary evil, and now I see it as a necessity for businesses. It is the way the world is moving, and businesses that don't adapt will die out, just as brick-and-mortar department stores and everyone getting the 4 national holidays off are becoming a thing of the past. 

This class has really opened my eyes and my mind to understanding how social media is best used for business. There was a lot that I didn't know before that I do now. I really enjoyed thinking about how to do email marketing campaigns without being annoying, and I think I found a sweet-spot for technology businesses. Learning how to use Facebook Analytics, how to make a FB business account, how to link it to Instagram, how to use the analytics to roll out the same posts to both connected FB and Instagram social media accounts, are the ones that stood out the most. I had never used Instagram before, and I enjoyed investigating how different tech companies use it, and how the ones who did it successfully managed to keep people engaged. It turns out that I like Instagram quite a bit, although I still don't want any social media for personal use. 

I also liked making a fake business to post for - that was fun and kept me engaged. In the past I have worked as a director for a few businesses, often side-by-side with the owners; that experience helped me understand what a business' needs are and why social media upkeep is so important. With an unlimited budget, I would definitely invest in hiring a social media department full of passionate social media-ers. With a robust budget, I would invest in a social media management service, and possibly even without a robust budget, I might do it to not have to manage it myself. However, if money was tight (and it usually is for the first year or two) I now know how to roll out my own social media plan of action. Which is very cool! Also, I really loved writing for this class - which is not the case for any other class I've taken, past or present. It was a great experience!

As a final extension of my goodwill for you, I would implore you all to protect your personal information and identity from social media that are not based in the U.S. or E.U. At least you have rights in the U.S., and at least your privacy is protected in the E.U. Tik Tok is very fun, but their data centers are in a country where privacy is not a right, or even an option. It is not a safe place for your information, preferences, lifestyles, politics, families, images, or identity. Just saying, I used to live and work there. If you love the app, create a junk email address for it and a pseudonym, always connect via a VPN, put it on a device that does not have your email apps or apps that have your financial information/payment card info, and link nothing back to your real self. Okay, stepping off the soap box and trying not to trip on the way down.

Although I won't be making my fake business a reality (not to say I won't sell the idea to people who have the financial backing to enact and protect it), I am working toward a career in cybersecurity. If any of you ever want my free opinion (a consult) on ways to shore up your security, you can to reach out to me on Canvas using the inbox (image above.) Even if it's for your business, I'm happy to help.

Readers, it has been an honor. Thank you for your visits, I hope every post has been a good read. Take care of yourself and others, and have a wonderful summer!

P.S.
Professor Faulk, thank you for your constant feedback. It made me feel seen - I work hard to present meaningful work to my professors - so I appreciate your time and effort even though you've had a lot going on personally. As soon as I can, I will gather some friends and drop by at Aztec Brewing Company (I posted an invite on the ClubIT discord server.)

Week 16 Part B - Building Out Your Strategy

 

Welcome back, readers! Today I'm making a plan of attack for scheduling social media outreach. The three platforms that I think will work the best for my fake business, Rev01ution, are Facebook Analytics, Instagram, and Mail Chimp. I found a handy template in Excel by searching for, "social media calendar" in case anyone wants to check it out. The same option in Word didn't render very editable results (i.e., it was difficult to add graphics, and impossible to format alignment - which seems like a missed opportunity for Word.) 

For this assignment, I stuck to the plan of posting on Facebook and Instagram biweekly and emailing once a month. I also stayed with the idea of posting in the morning, before work starts, so viewers can see/read during their commute (hopefully not while driving but on the metro or train!) Technologists typically stare at screens all day - and I suspect these will be my main supporters - so I want to reach them early in the morning, before their workday starts. The posting topics will be consistent in the type of content, but vary in the actual content, such as current news and helpful hints for protecting personal privacy on the net.

Once again, and always, thanks for being here, readers! I hope it was a good read, and appreciate that you took time to read my post!

P.S.
I tried to make the picture clearer but couldn't. Very sorry for any ensuing eye-strain!

Week 16 Part A - Developing Your Marketing Strategy

Welcome back, readers, it's so good to have you stop by! Today I'm reviewing this semester's social media for business journey, and the platforms that I would prefer to use. 

As the world progresses, technology becomes increasingly integrated into our lives. As a result, the tech industry is booming and will continue to grow in the coming years. To tap into this market, businesses need to have a strong marketing strategy that takes advantage of the latest tools and trends. The most useful aspects of Facebook analytics for a tech business are the insights into how people are using the platform, what content is performing well, and how advertising is performing. For Instagram, the most useful aspects are the ability to track engagement and reach, as well as understanding how users interact with the platform. Email marketing is most useful for its ability to reach a wide audience and its ability to customize for each individual recipient. These are the tools that I think will be most helpful for developing an overall marketing strategy for Rev01ution.
 

Facebook analytics can provide valuable insights into the demographics of my target market. This information can formulate targeted email marketing campaigns that are more likely to resonate with my audience. Facebook analytics can also help me to understand the types of content that are most popular with my target market. This information can create email marketing content that customers are more likely to open and read. Additionally, Facebook analytics can help me to identify the times of day when my target market is most active online.
 

In addition to Facebook analytics, MailChimp's email marketing is also a powerful tool that businesses can use to reach their target market. Email marketing allows businesses to send out newsletters, promotional material, and other information directly to users’ inboxes. This ensures that users are seeing the content that the business wants them to see. When used together, Facebook analytics and email marketing can be a powerful combination that can help businesses reach their target market and grow their business. By sending out regular updates and newsletters, I can keep my audience informed about my latest products and developments. This will help to build trust and loyalty, which are essential for any business.
 

Instagram can also be an amazingly effective marketing tool for tech businesses. Instagram allows me to share high-quality images and videos that can highlight my products in a very visually appealing way. Additionally, I can use hashtags to reach a wider audience and to make it easier for people to find my content. Instagram can be a great platform for promoting my tech business. I can also leverage Instagram Stories to give my followers a behind-the-scenes look at my business. Hands-down, Cisco has the best use of this that I have seen in my research this semester and I would model my Instagram platform similarly.
 

Generally, I'd like to spend as little time on managing social media as possible, but I know better than to just let it go. The benefits of using social media definitely outweigh the costs when it comes to marketing a tech business. After this class, I can now successfully use Facebook, email marketing, and Instagram to get my message out there. By integrating these tools, I can create a comprehensive marketing strategy that will help me reach my target market and achieve my business goals.

Readers, thank you for accompanying me on my second to last blog journey in this class. I hope you enjoyed the read!

Week 15 Part B - What we Learn from FaceBook Analytics

Hey faithful readers, welcome back! This go-round I'll be investigating how Apple's privacy policy has impacted Facebook Analytics processes. Revolution doesn't quite have enough likes to generate a report, (image above) so I don't have info from my business page to include here.

This assignment hits home to me, mainly because it inadvertently addresses my biggest hesitation for creating Make 'em Pay. The crux of my concern is that only a beast can rival a beast - that is, only Apple could take on Meta. If little ol' me took on consumer privacy the way that Apple did, I'd probably be in jail for something that's not illegal. Yes I'm scared, and rightfully so, the world is not fair, and the law mainly protects the wealth and power of the wealthy and powerful.

So I'll start by addressing the point that the Bloomberg article brings up, which is that consumers only choose to allow tracking 25% of the time. To me this screams that consumers didn't know they were being tracked, and given the choice, they would refuse. Basically, advertisers have been making money off of taking things (our personal likes, preferences, and data) that they don't have an explicit right to take. I think they should take the win and move on. They got something they shouldn't have had, and now it's over - for Apple users.

Greed shouldn't be underestimated. Several articles report an estimated $10 billion dollar loss of Facebook marketing revenue. But who doesn't see the obvious truth of this? If you haven't made the money yet, you didn't lose it. You lost a wish, or a prediction of income, but not actual income. The dream isn't real unless it happens. What happened is their shady stint got stopped. 

What should Meta do instead? Ask us for our data and remunerate us for the information that we give them that in turn makes them a better option for advertisers. They could still very easily make a profit. I am okay with Meta tracking what I do inside of Facebook, because I am aware of being observed and intentional about everything I do there. I get to use the site for free, they can see what I like and post. But to track me across websites - nuh, bruh. (Please see my blog Week 13 Part A, second-to-last entry about how to stop cross-site web tracking.)

"Apple’s policy prohibits certain data collection and sharing unless people opt into tracking on iOS 14.5 or later devices via the prompt. As a result, ads personalization and performance reporting may be limited..." (Meta, n.d.) This article was carefully worded to be legally vague and non-accusatory. Rather, it took a sensible approach to how business page owners could start to work more seamlessly with Apple's SKAdNetwork - which in itself must have been like sand in Meta's craw. Forbes described this as causing "suffering" for Meta, but really, to suffer is human, not enterprise-level.

A very important take away is this, and I've mentioned it before: there are no "Strictly Necessary Cookies." Claiming that any cookie is necessary is a blatant lie - sign on to a VPN server in the EU, and you get the "Reject All" option. Guess what? All the websites and apps still work! "App Tracking Transparency allows you to choose whether an app can track your activity across other companies' apps and websites for the purposes of advertising or sharing with data brokers." (Kumar, 2022)

Not for functionality, as is claimed, but for the sale of your information.

Thanks again for joining my journey of discovery, readers! It's always fun to have you drop in! Below I've listed all the pages I looked at while completing this assignment, in case you would like to do further research.

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Bibliography

Conger, K., & Chen, B. X. (2022, February 3). A Change by Apple Is Tormenting Internet Companies, Especially Meta. Retrieved from The New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/03/technology/apple-privacy-changes-meta.html

Kafka, P. (2022, February 14). Apple broke Facebook’s ad machine. Who’s going to fix it? Retrieved from Vox: https://www.vox.com/recode/22929715/facebook-apple-ads-meta-privacy

Kumar, R. (2022, February 3). Explained: Apple's privacy feature and why it's costing Facebook billions of dollars. Retrieved from The Times of India: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/gadgets-news/explained-apples-privacy-feature-and-why-its-costing-facebook-billions-of-dollars/articleshow/89315892.cms

Leswing, K. (2022, February 2). Facebook says Apple iOS privacy change will result in $10 billion revenue hit this year. Retrieved from CNBC: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/02/02/facebook-says-apple-ios-privacy-change-will-cost-10-billion-this-year.html

Meta. (n.d.). How the Apple iOS 14 Release May Affect Your Ads and Reporting. Retrieved from Meta | Meta Business Help Center: https://www.facebook.com/business/help/331612538028890?id=428636648170202

O'Flaherty, K. (2021, October 30). Facebook Adjusts Ad Measurement As Apple’s Privacy Features Hit. Retrieved from Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/kateoflahertyuk/2021/10/30/apples-stunning-new-strike-to-facebook-is-a-mind-blowing-success/?sh=212a97fbff93

Wagner, K. (2021, July 14). Facebook Users Said No to Tracking. Now Advertisers are Panicking. Retrieved from Bloomberg: US Edition: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-07-14/facebook-fb-advertisers-impacted-by-apple-aapl-privacy-ios-14-changes

Week 15 Part A - What we Learn from Google Analytics

https://marketingplatform.google.com/about/analytics/benefits/

Hello again readers, thanks for stopping by! Today I'll be exploring the wonderful world of social media search engine optimization and analytics. I will also discuss which ones would work best for my fake business, Revolution.

Google analytics is one of the most comprehensive social media data compilers on the market. It is also the most widely used search engine, even among varied web browsers (i.e., Firefox), and connecting with Google products increases a business' viability. Each layer of connection brings a business closer to the top of the list when requisite keywords are searched.

Some features that google analytics boast are a complete view of your traffic flow, and ways to understand your customers - who are your business' most vital demographic. Google analytics allow for connections to sales and customer relationship management. With these advantages, businesses can make better decisions on how to invest and see a return on investments based on "smarter insights."

What's most interesting to me is the ability to "make...data work for you." This feature puts an easy button on team collaboration and reporting. Sharing is accomplished instantly, and uses flexible and fully programmable APIs for its configuration. A good opportunity here is their tech support, for which Google has a vested interest in maintaining a high service quality. Finally, they offer end-to-end encryption for businesses with multiple sites.

Regardless of my personal reservations about Evil Corp., if my fake business were real, I would be tempted to use it. I understand that some beasts can't be stopped, and they don't have to be steered nefariously. The demographic information would help me understand who my customers are, and how to appeal to them. A business that will grow is one that is flexible, and creates products that their customers want. Analytics can help me determine what consumers want, not just what I want to sell.

Well folks, that was my brief journey through Google analytics and social media search engine optimization. I hope you enjoyed the read!

Week 14 Part A - Social Media Management Tools

publicdomainpictures.net

Welcome back readers, thanks again and always for visiting my blog! Today I'm reviewing Social Media Management Tools to see which ones could help me handle the social media for my fake business, Revolution.

sproutsocial clearly defines their product costs, rather than making potential customers sign up first. Nice! Their standard management package allows for 5 social profiles (seemingly unrestricted), scheduled posting, tasking/CRM tools, and limited reporting. Their options improve with more expensive packages. I am certain that I would prefer not to do this work myself. Depending on my budget, and what the other sites have to offer, $89 a month may be worth it.

By contrast, Hootsuite doesn't lay out its prices for ready view, which in my experience, means they're expensive, and they'll have to convince consumers to buy. It also indicates to me that they have nothing unique as compared to other options, and are probably banking on brand loyalty. There's nothing about their page that makes me want to start getting emails from them (e.g., register to learn more.) Zoho Social, Meet Edgar, Loomly, sendible, Buffer and SocialPilot all do the same with their websites, and have missed their chance with me (and others like me, who want facts, and not to be convinced.) I have a thing for transparency.

Every one of these social media management programs self-proclaims themselves as the best, but unless I saw prices, I didn't and wouldn't even bother finding out more. If a company is proud of their product, and if it is indeed the best, that will be evident. If it is a superior product, the price will be worth it. I wish all of these had posted prices because I could have made a chart (of course) and done a line-by-line comparison of benefits and costs. Then I would actually know.

After walking through the other programs and given my preferences, I would choose sproutsocial. As far as budget, I would be happy to dish out $89/mo. of company profits, or even from my salary, to save me from the work that I don't like to do. I'm not sure if sproutsocial quite does enough - but it would be acceptable. And they would have my affinity to their brand for the simple fact that they were open about their prices.

Well readers, I hope this quick read was also a good read. I look forward to seeing you again soon!

Week 14 Part B - Blogs I commented on (Social Media Management Tools)

 This week, I commented on the following classmates' blogs:

Marissa talked about the expense of using social media management tools, and that it's probably not a great fit for many small businesses.

Masashi also addressed cost, and included the fact that his business could get by with just a handful of social media platforms - which he could manage himself.

Frank addressed cost as a trade-off. Small businesses could use that same amount of money ($50 - $200) to invest in more practical things to support their businesses.

Kaden found a social media management tool that he would probably use - Buffer. But he pointed out that its low price also came with limited options to manage social media. The analytics would be a boon, if those were the only social media a business used.