jasonschmid19

[jasonschmid19]

The Hardest Part - Implementation!

The various challenges of implementation are not uniquely related to adapting a good social media policy. Rather, these failures can often be seen as the root cause of many issues within an organization. In my personal experience, the biggest issue in implementing any strategy that sits outside the company’s typical behavior, or comfort zone, is management engagement. I have found that often management doesn’t have the time or inclination to get involved and truly understand the benefits of a new activity or process. I think this is especially true for something like social media, as it may not be as easily converted from effort to revenue impact.

However, considering the various failing of companies to implement a sound social media strategy, I feel that my client, Team KJ Adventures will most likely face a resource issue. The very small company is made up of just two people, who take care of all aspect of planning, web-site development, advertising, and running their classes and outings. It will be a challenge for them to take their current social media strategy, which is more of a “when we can get to it” plan, and fully implement the strategy we set out to develop.

Having said that, just a few weeks of concerted effort should yield significant gains in documenting the strategy, creating content, and then implementing activities. Of course, timing may be impacted due to resource availability, but a slow roll-out may not be detrimental, as they fine-tune their brand and content.

[jasonschmid19]

Social Media Content Creation

 The development of effective content is probably one of the more challenging aspects of building a social media following. Great content needs to meet several requirements in order to properly support an expanded social media presence. This content must capture the essence, the spirit, and the voice of the company in a manner that can be digested by the target audience. The content also must meet company KPIs in regards to expanding company/product awareness, direct and indirect correlation to revenue, and building a community of followers.

There is no quick and simple answer to “how do I create content?” The company needs to work hard, but also listen to their customers and online followers. If you build a content library, but are ignoring the feedback and online comments, you could stumble into an unwanted situation where posting and content sound tone-deaf to current events and social changes.

An example of a company that I feel has done an excellent job in creating a unique and fun experience on their social medial outlets, is Moosejaw. A Michigan based outdoor gear retailer that use. s quirky and funny content to build an online presence and community of followers. They use a kind of game to get followers to engage; if you are out in the wilderness and take a picture while holding a Moosejaw flag, you may just get your picture shared on their social media platforms.

https://twitter.com/MoosejawMadness

[jasonschmid19]

Harnessing a Collaborative Community

Strategy with purpose. Three simple words that can make the difference between a successful social media community collaboration, and one that fizzles and sputters, failing to gain tracking and produce any lasting impact. As the impact social media can have on business strategies continues to emerge, one are that may not get enough attention is how to cultivate an effective community where collaboration, feedback, and innovation can thrive. In the book The Social Organization, chapters four and five provide specific and useful guides on how to help an organization create a framework for success.

When I compared these suggested strategies, one in particular stood out for me, mostly due to my background in gaining management approval for any endeavor. Aligning the goals to specific and measurable corporate goals will almost certainly ensure management support. Even in a progressive and forward thinking company, it is essential that any social media programs in some way link back to supporting a corporate goal. In addition to this alignment, the outcomes must be measurable against some predefined KPIs. Without this alignment, it will be difficult to gain senior management support, and even harder if resources are needed to support these efforts.

In my work with Team KJ Adventures on their social media strategy, it is critical that the use of social media has clear goals, set by the management team, and can be measured to determine success. These measurables then are then directed into a feedback loop, which can inform updates to strategy to keep the plan relevant. However, all this comes back to my very first statement; strategy with purpose. These goals have been predefined to support several aspects of Team KJ’s overall business plan. Not all company goals will align themselves to social media community growth and leverage, but those that make sense have ben identified.

The assessment of the social media community also needs to determine if there is an existing grassroots effort already in place, which could be harnessed and channeled, or if a new community needs to be cultivated. Due to the nature of Team KJ’s business, several grassroots communities already exist, with a strong adhesion to philosophy and intent. Tapping into this existing community will help the company leverage these resources and potentially grow its own sub-community in parallel. Ultimately, a strong social media community and collaboration will require significant and concentrated efforts to harness the full potential of the community.

[jasonschmid19]

My, what Big Data you have...

Revenue. Arguably one of the main drivers of progress in our world yesterday, today and for the foreseeable future.   The article “The Internet’s Original Sin” and the video of Maciej Ceglowski’s talk do a fair job at cementing in our heads the thought that the internet only exists to generate revenue. Yes, there are those dreamers out there who envision a future world where information and enlightenment walk hand in hand down the primrose path that is the world wide web, and that easily available information for the masses will lead to a better world. However, the past 25 years have proven that the internet is about one thing, revenue. To be more specific, it is concerned with ad revenue, which is what allows those masses of people to access the internet and those helpful sites for free.

By now most informed people are aware of “Big Data” as the catchphrase for all that information the web gathers on each and every one of us. What I find interesting though, is how the aforementioned article and talk go about explaining just how we got here. The gathering of more and more data (surveillance) was more of an evolution in trying to do a good thing, provide free internet and website access to users. Nothing is free, basically ever. So, how do these internet whiz kids pay for their mansions on the hill and expensive cars and all that glitter? They do it through ad revenue, and that revenue is powered by big data.

I don’t think we can totally blame these web sites for falling into the trap of gathering more and more information on its users. As the adage states: “don’t hate the payer, hate the game.” Running a successful business requires executives to make choices that honor the agreements with their stakeholders; make a strong ROI for their investment dollars. Business models for start-up web companies follow similar strategies, albeit as they work to one-up each other. I really like the way this process was labeled by Ceglowski: Investor Storytime. It sounds fun, harmless, and lighthearted.  But the truth is this is an effective strategy to lure venture capitalists away from their money.

Can future web-based businesses survive using a different model? That is yet to be seen, especially as they would need the help from governments to install regulations that limit the massive data gathering that goes on today. These types of regulatory changes could be the impetus for an industry wide paradigm shift from relying on ad revenue to actually providing content and services that people are willing to pay for. Imagine that.

[jasonschmid19]

You're Fake News. No, You're Fake News!

The article, “Three Reasons Junk News Spreads So Quickly Across Social Media” effectively breaks this issue down into clearly defined categories. I think anyone who has stopped to ponder the current state of our country, would be expected to stumble across the question of how social media impacts our understanding. Let’s talk about the three reasons the article describes.

Algorithms

Kind of a “science-fictiony” word when applied to human behavior, but unfortunately algorithms used in today’s social media play a large role. Gone are the days (mostly) when content editors reviewed, and determined what information was presented to customers. I’m thinking of newspapers, both local and national, who decided what to print and the spin, if any, was placed on the facts. The expectation was that these editors had some level of integrity and journalistic approach to determining what was worthy of communicating to the masses. Today, our social media icons don’t have that human presence and integrity when deciding what you see and don’t see. Instead, these mathematical equations decide what will keep you looking at the screen longest, regardless of the misinformation or harm produced.

Advertising

Clickbait; it feels like such a dirty word, even more so once you know what it means. At first blush, advertising seems like a harmless endeavor to generate sales revenue. However, advertising on social media has led to some rather nefarious ends. The drive for advertising dollars has prompted savvy website developers to generate content with little or no concern for how that content is viewed, or in what ways they could potentially influence the readers. The onset of clickbait on social media, and perhaps all web sites looking to increase add revenue, has created an environment where the more outrageous, outlandish, and bias affirming the content, the better.

Exposure

The dangers of the internet rabbit hole! There are not many stories that better encompass the echo chamber that is the internet as the Kyrie Irving tale. Kyrie had, admittingly, got caught in an internet rabbit hole and became convince that the earth is flat. This started in 2017 when Kyrie questioned the (very well established and scientifically proven) shape of the earth in a podcast. Thankfully, Kyrie was able to reflect on his beliefs and, perhaps through intervention of a few friends and colleagues, realize he had been duped. This story is rather harmless, other than to science teachers everywhere. However, the lack of exposure does pose some real dangers in creating this echo chamber of ideals and beliefs. This strategy can remove outside views and neutral information, leaving the user with a severely limited scope of information, some of which may be a little suspect as to its relationship with the truth.

What can we do?

As individuals and business owners, we need to make sure that our social media usage and presence is as clean as possible from these unfortunate side effects of social media use. Of course, not all issues can be avoided or circumvented. Algorithms are here to stay, and advertising helps pay the bills. However, we can be conscious of these tools and how they could be used against our own best interests. Make sure to have a good understanding of any information you post, and make sure the source is reliable, and without an ulterior motive to skew the information. I kind of think posting information on social media is kind of like knowing the law. I’ve heard that not knowing the law is not an excuse for breaking the law. Similarly, not knowing you are spreading fake news is no excuse for spreading fake news.

[jasonschmid19]

What Kind of Job is a "Social Media Consultant"???

Twenty years ago, the job title “Social Media Consultant” was a non-starter. If your resume has this as a part of your work history, I can almost guarantee you were not going to get a call. However, times change, and the needs of business changes with them. In today’s dynamic environment, a strong social media presence is critical to capturing and maintaining a dedicated customer base. This role comes with a few critical requirements, and a successful social media consultant need to have a few tools in their toolbelt.

I’ll not belabor qualities needed for basically any job, such as being trustworthy or competent. I will mention a few specific qualities though targeted at being a social media consultant. First, a dynamic understanding of human nature. Social media is about connecting with people, from various walks of life and socio-economic demographics. You need to be able to easily understand and communicate with any people group and develop a sense of trust and understanding. Related to this requirement, is having a high EQ (Emotional Quotient). This is different than a high IQ. People with a high EQ have an aptitude for understanding and mirroring others emotional state. This leads to better communication and relationship building skills.  Afterall, the entire purpose of social media is to connect with other people.

In addition to a high EQ, I believe a good social media consultant has to be able to manage, and maintain a multifaceted, dynamic environment. With all the various tools and paths to bridge the gap between a company and their customers, one will need to be able to look an several directions at the same time, and carry on several conversations in what can be described as different languages. This ability to multitask times ten is essential to handle a complex communications strategy.

If I were consulting myself, the first step is something called “grasp the situation”. Without a clear understanding of where you are, it is hard to point the ship to where you want/need to go. This includes a deep dive into existing social media presence, strategy, policies, and success (or lack thereof). From this starting point, I would develop a thorough plan for what the company’s “voice” should be. From here, building the policies and strategy for engaging in social media platforms and clients can begin. And finally, review, and repeat. This is the point of the process where a re-evaluation happens on a set cadence to make sure the strategy and policies are still relevant.

Personally, I’m at maybe the step where I grasp the situation. This is just trying to gather all relevant information and see what the current picture is.

[jasonschmid19]

The Social Dilemma - A Beast of Our Own Making?

Big Data. I actually think that is the name of a band. But it is also a key data point lurking in the shadows of our seemingly innocent social media activity. Little did I know the vast reaches of the information gathered about me from my social media and internet browser activity, and how that data would be used, not only to market me as a product, but more insidiously to manipulate how I think. The documentary The Social Dilemma was an eye opening experience, one that made me feel very uncomfortable about how and why I believe things. I have always been one to look into topics and educate myself before “taking a side”, but with the algorithms discussed in The Social Dilemma, I began to doubt if the information I was researching was accurate, or was instead spoon fed to me to alter my way of thinking to fit someone else’s agenda.

I watched that documentary last year after a friend recommended it to me, and warned me it might make me a little upset. Well, his prediction was accurate, and I now look at everything I read with a more critical eye. I’m not too worried about myself, as I think I’ve got a solid handle on reality and ethics. My worry is for those out there with limited educational and social economic resources who may be convinced of outright nonsense. Flat-earthers are a perfect example of this worry. These are people from all types of backgrounds who share a common, completely ridiculous ideal that our earth is flat. Of all the conspiracy theories out there, this one for me is probably the most befuddling. It doesn’t take very much to investigate this yourself and find that the world is a giant sphere. However, internet browsers, search engines, and social media feeds create a rabbit hole of misinformation that people get sucked into.

Flat earthers are relatively harmless though, when compared to the rise of militia groups who, under the guise of patriotism, spew hate and vitriol. These groups tend to also fall down rabbit holes of conspiracy theories, but with a much darker and sometimes violent end. These are the groups that pose a real threat to society, as they have been indoctrinated with falsehoods and partial truths, that can be very difficult to untangle. This is where the question of, who should take responsibility for this vast ocean of misinformation come to mind.

The massive gathering of data about ourselves, our likes, dislikes, friends and cohorts can lead to dire consequences if there aren’t some overarching rules for responsible data use. These feedback cycles do little to inform users, but to rather cement beliefs, and sometime not ones that society would benefit from.

As sovereign citizens, adults, and human beings, we all have a responsibility to work at making our world a better place for those who come after us. Is the use of social media moving us towards that universal goal, or detracting from it? Is our past time creating a future beast that we will lose control of? That chapter is yet to be written…

[jasonschmid19]

Time Off Social Media-Observations

I have completed my experimental experience of altering my social media activity. My previous use was intermittent throughout my day, at times of boredom, or when a few spare minutes opened up in my day. I decided to resist that urge to reach for my phone during these moments of downtime. Considering my background, I really didn’t think this would be an issue, especially since I often go days without using technology when I’m backpacking. During those trips I rarely feel any need to pull out my phone and check on the status of the world. However, during my 24-hour trial I often felt the pull to check my phone unnecessarily.  The first part of this experiment was to track my social media use for a day. As I previously noted, I was surprised when logging my use how often I checked my phone, playing the slot machine game that Max Stossel described in his talk. I was looking for the instant gratification of “a good pull” resulting in a funny or interesting post.

During my time detached from social media, I made a conscious effort to not look at my phone unless absolutely necessary. This resulted in two emotional reactions; annoyance at myself every time I would subconsciously reach for my phone, and frustration that I couldn’t check social media. The annoyance, I believe, was based on what I felt as an inability to effectively control my impulses. As an adult, I’ve always tried to ensure that I have control over my behavior, especially when it comes to impulsive actions. This experiment highlighted that I may not be as in control as I would have preferred, and indeed this probably extends to other factors in my life!

The frustration was having to say “no” to that impulse for instant gratification. I did not realize how often during my day that those moments of social media use acted as a substitute for introspection, or an excuse for procrastination. I think the frustration was coupled with a slight feeling of anxiety, the sensation of missing out on what appears to be the good times that everyone else is having. This I think is linked to the “perfect world” that posts on social media convey; everyone is happy, having good times with a perfect family and perfect life. This is obviously not reality, but even with knowing this, it can be difficult to objectively consume this information without feeling the need to keep up.

Overall, I am happy that I participated in this experiment, which I have previously considered doing after watching the Netflix documentary The Social Dilemma. I think it is important to keep in mind how crafty and effective the engineers of social media platforms are at keeping us connected to that interface; that we are the product and not the customer.

[jasonschmid19]

Social Media in my life

A world of information, accessible at any time, and in almost any location. Being able to connect with people across town and across the planet in the blink of an eye. Your words, actions, and images racing through space and time and reaching potentially millions of others. This sounds a bit like what science fiction imagined the modern world to be like, and in some ways, it is our very true reality. However, the pitfalls and hurdles are ever-present, and may not even be noticed by many. The talk that Max Stossel gave about the behind-the-scenes intentional manipulation and packaging of humanity as a product could not have been clearer. Max hits on several key points, which are mirrored in a similarly critical documentary on Netflix called “The Social Dilemma”. The documentary, along with Max assert that the industry behind social media is not our friend, and indeed are intentionally, and systematically causing real harm to users.

My life experiences will most likely significantly differ from the average student and younger person today. I grew up long before social media was even a thought. Heck, when I was a kid, Nintendo was just coming out. In fact, I remember before Nintendo where Pong was the high-tech toy of the day (google it if you don’t know what Pong is). So, growing up when I did, there was zero social media presence, and the internet was some foggy thing that most people you knew didn’t know what it was. This resulted in some long, boring afternoons when it was rainy and cold, with little to entertain yourself with. However, it also provided a freedom and energetic drive to go out and explore that helped me grow into the person I am today. Summers were spent riding bikes to the local beach, running through the woods, and once a certain age, looking for girls! Not to say kids today don’t do these things, but I’m not sure it is the same. The constant barrage of information, connections, and (let’s be honest) judgement. My friends and I never had to worry about someone posting something on social media that would embarrass us, or judge us. We simply got to be ourselves (for better or worse).

My current use of social media is by many standards limited. My first foray into this mysterious world was on MySpace, which is a kind of basic Facebook. Today I do have a Facebook account, and I think an Instagram account, but I never log into the latter. With this limited exposure to social media, it really isn’t too hard for me to back away from the phone and tune it all out. I like to go backpacking, and the vast majority of my time in the wilderness there is no cell signal. I have my phone only as an emergency use option in case of need, but otherwise, I’m totally tuned out. Now, this is a great feeling, and it allows me to focus on other things, such as relationships with them people I’m hiking with, some introspection, and really just being in the here and now. However, I must admit the first thing I do once in cell range is check my phone. Typically, I’m wondering about the news of the past few days while I was out of touch, but I may take a wandering glance at my Facebook feed (just for a moment or two, or ten of course).

I’ll be taking part in a mini experiment on tracking my phone/social media use and it will be interesting exactly how often I reach for my phone when I have a spare moment of inactivity. I’d like to think I’m not all that attached to it, but I’m afraid the reality may be a little more revealing than I would prefer. The results, no matter the verdict, will hopefully provide insight into my subconscious behavior, and then allow for further self-examination (and hopefully improvement).

[jasonschmid19]

Introduction

Hello, My Name is Jason Schmid and I'm not what many would consider a typical university student. I'm an experienced professional, having spent over 25 years working in the automotive industry. Three years ago, my wife and I moved to Boise, Idaho after our youngest children all moved out. It was time to be empty nesters! However, I always wanted to finish my degree. Not having it never held me back, but I really do like the learning experience. I currently work in investment management, helping clients navigate the sometimes scary world of investing and wealth management. I'm an avid skier, backpacker, and explorer. my wife and I, along with our two dogs get out to see as much of the wilderness here as possible.

The class could be a big help, as we have started our own small business here on the side, teaching outdoor survival and awareness classes. We're just starting off, and any insight to develop a stronger social media presence is welcome.

I have chosen Wendy's as the business I'd like to highlight as having a strong social media presence, and using those various tools effectively. They consistently engage with followers in an often amusing way. Their content on both Instagram and Twitter even seeks out competitors at times.

https://twitter.com/Wendys