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Gillard-MPPR-755-101-Module 9: Facebook

This week, I decided to do my assignment on Facebook. Although I regularly use Facebook to connect, share, and consume news, I wanted to see why other people use Facebook and if we’re all the same.

According to Facebook’s About page,  Facebook is a social media network to “build technologies to give people the power to connect with friends and family, find communities and grow businesses” (About Facebook).

As of November 2019, Facebook has 2.41 billion monthly active users—that’s an increase of 8% year-over-year from the previous year (About Facebook), which shows that facebook is a global platform with countless information to be consumed. Looking at the stats, Facebook has an appeal of the older generations compared to other social media platforms (Social Media Sites).

18–24: 76%

25–29: 84%

30–49: 79%

50–64: 68%

65+: 46%

With these stats, it’s to be noted that Facebook doesn’t have the extensive reach with teens as it once had, but the extensive targeting options for Facebook ads mean it’s still a viable platform on which to reach teen users.

Facebook is much like any other social media platform, as users can post (word text, images, videos), share, like, comment, etc. In the more recent times, Facebook has implemented a popular feature, Facebook Groups. Facebook has allowed space for people to join groups with like-minded individuals or businesses to build community among their customers and target audience.

Since I use facebook mostly for connecting and networking with other pr/communications professionals, Entrepreneur, The New York Post, and other business magazines have used Facebook Ads to promote their brands.

According to Social Media Today, Microsoft serves as an example for companies that want to adopt a customer-centric approach to marketing. With a combination of vibrant visuals, entertaining content, and informative how-to guides, Microsoft delivers a blitz of high-value content via Facebook every day (Agius, 2017).

As I was researching brands that use Facebook to their advantage, Microsoft, Red Bull, and Taco Bell were named top (Agius, 2017).

Although Facebook has a growing user base with the older generations, I think brands should (re)invest more time and budget in marketing on Facebook, because the social media platform increases exposure and traffic for your business, create loyal customers, and generate leads and sales.

From the Inc. article, 9 Smart Reasons You Need to Be Using Facebook (Kim, 2016), I believe the suggested reason holds true and will allow for brands to form organic relationships with their target audience.

Fun Facts:

Facebook turns 16 in 2020

Facebook is the fifth-most downloaded free app in the App Store (Apple Inc.)

Seniors are the fastest-growing group of Facebook users (Daily Forecast)

Cited Sources:

About Facebook. (2020, February 18). Retrieved March 19, 2020, from https://about.fb.com/

Agius, A. (2017, June 20). 6 Brands That are Driving Real Engagement with Facebook Marketing. Retrieved March 19, 2020, from https://www.socialmediatoday.com/marketing/6-brands-are-driving-real-engagement-facebook-marketing

Apple Inc. (2019, June 25). ‎Get the Top Apps of 2018 : App Store Story. Retrieved March 19, 2020, from https://apps.apple.com/story/id1438574124?ign-itscg=as10001&ign-itsct=BESTOF_SC18_PT122_US_SI1438574124

Daily Forecast: Seniors Are a Top Facebook Cohort. (n.d.). Retrieved March 19, 2020, from https://www.emarketer.com/content/daily-forecast-seniors-are-a-top-facebook-cohort

Kim, L. (2016, January 25). 9 Smart Reasons You Need to Be Using Facebook Ads Now. Retrieved March 19, 2020, from https://www.inc.com/larry-kim/9-important-reasons-you-need-to-use-facebook-ads-right-now-first-90-days.html

Social media sites as pathways to news. (2019, September 16). Retrieved March 19, 2020, from https://www.journalism.org/2019/10/02/americans-are-wary-of-the-role-social-media-sites-play-in-delivering-the-news/pj_2019-09-25_social-media-and-news_0-08/

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Gillard-MPPR-755-101-Module 8: Snapchat

For this week, I chose Snapchat, which was interesting when you look beyond the cluttered Discover page. Unlike the other media to choose from, and before conducting the research, I concluded that Snapchat isn't a reliable source of news information, but is a fun, new platform where brands can connect with their targeted demographics.

Snapchat is an app that allows you to share photos and videos with others online. Unlike Facebook and Instagram, content isn't permanently—once viewed, it disappears and becomes irretrievable (McCoy, 2020). Even with the 24-hour feature, over 210 million are active on Snapchat (Clement, 2020). And of the users, 73% are Gen Z, between the ages 13-24 years old.

Snapchat is very different from my usual social media consumption habits. As mentioned in previous assignments, I used Instagram and Youtube as my go-to's, and sometimes Twitter to see what people are saying regarding a specific topic.

I wouldn't necessarily say that the user's demographics are surprising, but the numbers did take me for a loop. According to PEW Research, 63% of Snapchat Users Go on the App Every Day, and of that 63%, about 49% go on Snapchat more than once a day (Smith, 2019). Another fun fact, Snapchat is Influencer-friendly. Four out of ten Snapchat users discovered new brands through celebrity and influencer sponsored posts (Valentine, 2018).

Snapchat allows its user to use a variety of media formats to create content. Mostly Snapchat has created Geo-filter for brands to connect with audiences. For its release of 4 new episodes of “The Gilmore Girls”, Netflix printed 10,000 cups with a special Snapchat code. These cups were distributed to 200 coffee shops. When scanned, the code brought up this cool filter.

In 2015, Taco Bell launched the taco filter on Snapchat to boost sales (Johnson, 2015).

Snapchat video ad purchases beat Facebook ads by 8%! Video ads on Snapchat create twice as much purchasing intent, according to Buffer, because it creates a sense of urgency, appeals to buyers who don’t want to feel “sold,” and it’s more personalized than traditional sales funnel marketing (Lua, 2018).

Even with my account, I don’t find myself checking it or updating my friends with stories. I think Snapchat is an excellent platform for brands to use engaging content, invest in ads, release brand news if they want to build a lasting relationship with the growing demographics of Gen Z and younger. According to McCoy, Snapchat is “ephemeral content, intimacy, and spontaneity are strong points for everyday users and business people alike” (McCoy, 2020).

Cited Sources:

Clement, J. (2020, February 7). Snapchat daily active users 2019. Retrieved March 5, 2020, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/545967/snapchat-app-dau/

Johnson, L. (2015, October 2). Snapchat Wants to Turn Your Selfie Into an Ad. Retrieved March 5, 2020, from https://www.adweek.com/digital/snapchat-wants-turn-your-selfie-ad-167357/

Lua, A. (2018, November 30). Snapchat Ad Manager Guide: How to Create Effective Snap Ads. Retrieved March 5, 2020, from https://buffer.com/library/snapchat-ad-manager

McCoy, J. (2020, January 16). 25 Surprising Facts You Didn't Know About Snapchat. Retrieved March 5, 2020, from https://www.searchenginejournal.com/snapchat-facts/335017/#close

Smith, A., & Anderson, M. (2019, December 31). Social Media Use 2018: Demographics and Statistics. Retrieved March 5, 2020, from https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2018/03/01/social-media-use-in-2018/

Valentine, O. (2018, July 19). Snapchatters Highly Receptive to Influencer Marketing - GlobalWebIndex. Retrieved March 5, 2020, from https://blog.globalwebindex.com/chart-of-the-day/snapchat-influencer-marketing/

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Gillard-MPPR-755-101-Module 6-Twitter

This week, I chose to dive in and do a little research as to why people use Twitter as a source for news. I don’t think Twitter as a platform is different from my usual media consumption habits (i.e. Instagram). According to Barthel and Shearer (2015) Nearly two-thirds of U.S. adults who use Twitter get news on the platform.

While I was preparing for this assignment, I realized that Twitter is very similar to Reddit (a platform I previously researched). Like Reddit, Twitter is a community of like-minded people who like to share information with each other. But the differences outweigh their similarities. For starters, Reddit users receive their news content from their groups and isn’t readily available, whereas Twitter, your feed is filled with post and reposts from people you’re following (or not following, depends on the people you’re following).

As one of the most established social media platforms, it has been noted that Twitter’s user growth has slowed down, and as a result “Twitter is becoming more focused on user experience. Twitter has 145 million monetizable daily active users (2019),” according to Copper.

Twitter is a global platform and appeals to people across the world, who have interests that cross barriers. Twitter content relies heavily on relationships between people who follow each other. Twitter users typically see content on their feed only posted or shared by people that they follow.

Like the many other platforms, Twitter, allows for its users to upload and repost images, texts, videos, etc., which is great for brands to create content that connects and relatable with an array of people globally.

The most successful brands that use Twitter understand the importance of engagement. From my observation, most brands cross promote on Twitter, which is huge. As cross promotion allows for brands to keep their social media presence consistent, clean, and clear—whether it's to other Twitter accounts or other social sites (like Facebook or Instagram).

When I was doing my research and unbeknownst to me, Twitter made their platform super easy for businesses to navigate and promote successfully. Ad Targeting on Twitter, connect brands with their relevant audiences. When brands choose to advertise on Twitter, there’s robust targeting capabilities for brands to get in front of the right audience—whether you want to reach a niche group or connect with people around the world, we offer a variety of targeting options to help you hit your business goals.

Cited Sources:

Barthel, M., & Shearer, E. (2015, August 19). How do Americans use Twitter for news? Retrieved February 19, 2020, from https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/08/19/how-do-americans-use-twitter-for-news/

Cooper, P. (2019, December 17). 25 Twitter Statistics All Marketers Should Know in 2020. Retrieved February 20, 2020, from https://blog.hootsuite.com/twitter-statistics/

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MPPR-755-101-Module 3-Youtube

This week, I decided to use Youtube as my primary media platform for information for news and brand insights. Although I watch, use Youtube videos for a different reason outside of this assignment’s purpose, I was intrigued as to how brands are using Youtube in their digital marketing strategies. My use for Youtube is solely personal, and I watch Youtube videos based on fashion, lifestyle vlogs, and car reviews (I’m currently in the market to buy a new car). For this assignment, I logged out of my account to form an unbiased review. Youtube’s homepage is used as a recommendation of what’s trending, sports, funny videos, music, and Budweiser’s Super Bowl LIV commercial ad.

As a user, I’m always curious to know how social media platforms pinpoint recommendations right, a The Atlantic article, ‘How YouTube’s Algorithm Really Works… if you’re not the average YouTube user’, “YouTube wants to recommend things people will like, and the clearest signal of that is whether other people liked them...The 50 videos that YouTube recommended most often had been viewed an average of 456 million times each. Popularity begets popularity, at least in the case of users (or bots, as here) that YouTube doesn’t know much about” (Madrigal, 2018). After some thought, I realized that I’m actually apart of the “Youtube community”, so I signed back in and watched a few videos to see how brands target me through their ads. When watching a few videos, the following ads were shown to promote new product, The new Sonic movie trailer, Mercedes-Benz, and OLAY. When critiquing the brand ads shown, I think the use of Youtube learning my habits, have enabled brands to connect with their audiences, which is beneficial for their digital strategy.

From the article, Youtube has a wide range, and its demographics are far-reaching, with communities and sub-communities. With Youtube’s millions of users, brands are getting hip to the notion of community and see the power of recommendations. Simply put, “it is easy for someone to continue watching video after video by clicking on the recommended links that appear to the side of the video you’re currently watching… This ensures viewers are provided with an additional list of your favorite videos instead of recommended links to competitors” (Team, 2019).

Cited Source:

Madrigal, A. C. (2018, November 8). How YouTube's Algorithm Really Works. Retrieved January 30, 2020, from https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2018/11/how-youtubes-algorithm-really-works/575212/

Team, W. (2019, January 29). 5 Reasons Why Every Brand Needs a YouTube Channel. Retrieved January 30, 2020, from https://www.wochit.com/blog/5-reasons-every-brand-needs-youtube-channel/

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MPPR-755-101 Module 2-LinkedIn

Gillard, Brianna

MPPR-755-101

Module 1:Tumblr Media Switch Up, LinkedIn

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This week I selected LinkedIn as my preferred choice of way to consume news and information. Unlike last, I’m pretty familiar with LinkedIn. According to Business Insider, “LinkedIn is a social network that focuses on professional networking and career development…LinkedIn is a platform to display your resume, search for jobs, and enhance your professional reputation by posting updates and interacting with other people” (Johnson, 2019). As LinkedIn is more business-related, I rarely get such news or information from my go-to social media platform of Instagram. I honestly loved navigated the wealth of business and professional information on LinkedIn. I discovered LinkedIn has tags where you can filter your homepage feed with news and information within your profession, and I choose #publicrelations, #pr, #prjobs, and #communications, so I can stay up-to-date on news, information, and the latest trends in public relations and communications. For the most part LinkedIn users, use the platform to network, repost beneficial work-related information, business news, etc. By the numbers LinkedIn has over 630 million users, which 90 million are senior level users and 63 million are in decision-making positions (About Us.). Many Fortune 500 companies post promoted content, see Goldman Sachs new post about the U.S. economic growth.

LinkedIn allows all of its users to post written, video, and visual content, therefore there’s not a monopoly on how users post and use the LinkedIn platform. After reviewing, I have officially been bitten by the LinkedIn bug. I’m obsessed and have implemented many suggestions on updating my resume, interviewing skills, salary negotiation, etc. I’ve connected with HR Recruiters and here’s an example post from one of them. As I mentioned in the outset, LinkedIn isn’t my norm go-to platform for news, but it’ll definitely become a source for all things business and professional-related news and information for me.

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MPPR-755-101 Module 1 - Reddit

Gillard, Brianna

MPPR-755-101

Module 1:Tumblr Media Switch Up, Reddit

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What network, app, or media format did you select this week? To switch up, I choose Reddit as a media format to follow other than Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and national news networks.

How did this selection differ from your usual media consumption habits? Reddit is more community-based, segmented into subgroups that share the same point of view. 

What did you learn or find interesting about the community that uses said selection? According to the Quartz article, “Reddit is the best social media site because it gets community right,” Reddit allows you to personalize your digital world.  The Reddit experience is for ones looking to curate a community among like-minded persons, rather than connect with people you with different likes, dislikes, and viewpoints (Squirrell, 2018). Reddit creates a sense of camaraderie among strangers and different walks of life, where most social platforms are more aspirational than community. 

What is the composition of the community of individuals using this selection? Does it over-index in any demographic measures or interests/passions? Since it’s launch in 2005, Reddit has grown to more than 330 million monthly active users. Reddit’s primary use is users to create, share, and discuss online news. Reddit’s users consist of “45% of 25-34 years olds and 69% Male” (Reddit Statistics).

What did you learn or find interesting about the media format (images, text, video, etc.) said selection employs? From my observation, I learned that Reddit is a platform created to build communities and subcommunities. At first glance, the Reddit homepage reminded me of Twitter’s feed without having to follow other users.  

Did you observe brands or organizations using said selection? How did they use it vs. the community of individuals using it? Amazon uses Reddit in multiple ways, but Amazon mostly repost articles and engage with their Reddit community of followers. Amazon uses Reddit to it’s best of abilities, in which it has a community of its own and a strong, engaging following. 

Share any other insights or observations you might have. In my honest opinion, I think Reddit is bias compared to the other social platforms.

 Cited Source:

Reddit Statistics: Top Reddit Stats On Users, Demographics & More. (2019, July 30). Retrieved January 15, 2020, from https://mediakix.com/blog/reddit-statistics-users-demographics/

Squirrell, T. (2018, August 13). Reddit is the best social media site because it gets community right. Retrieved January 15, 2020, from https://qz.com/1309562/reddit-is-the-best-social-media-site-because-it-gets-community-right/