#Social Media Marketing & Traditional Marketing

[one-sleepy-dragon]

for what it's worth, as a catholic i also have a profound distaste for the universalization of christmas, because it trivializes and secularizes an inherently religious holiday.

there's a reason attending mass on christmas eve and/or christmas day is mandatory for catholics; it's because this is an inherently religious tradition that is celebrated with a religious service and religious preparation in the weeks leading up to it. when i think of christmas, i think of the advent calendar, of lighting the candles on the advent crown every sunday, setting up the nativity scene, the open air church service we have on a summer evening, the songs we only get to sing once a year, and placing the baby Jesus in the cradle on christmas morning.

the image of christmas as decorated trees and presents and santa claus on a snowy rooftop has been largely popularized by usamerican media to the point that it's lost all its original meaning. it's become sanitized and watered down beyond recognition by a capitalist economy aiming to appeal to as wide an audience as possible. it's become a holiday that blatantly celebrates consumerism under the thinly veiled guise of celebrating the abstract ideas of "family, friends and kindness to others". it's a consciously designed marketing strategy, as well as a colonialist tactic. i've seen malls lined with fake snow in the middle of december (which is summertime in south america fyi) in an attempt to recreate the classic usamerican media that's been shoved down our throats and brainwashed us into believing that christmas = snow-covered houses and reindeers guiding a sleigh. it's infuriating.

if the religious element of any other holiday from any other religion was taken out so it could be repackaged and sold to everyone else, it would be deemed extremely culturally insensitive and downright offensive. but because it's christmas, and most western nations are christian anyway, and even if you're not really christian christmas has pagan roots, so it's more of a social event really, and you should celebrate it however you want cause it doesn't actually mean anything, it's just a time of love and peace, then it's okay.

fuck the commercialization of christmas.

Reminder that Christmas is a religious holiday and all the things that come with it (the tree, the colors, the traditions, etc.) are apart of it (even if you don’t celebrate for religious reasons it still is) and if you say “Oh it’s just part of the season” you’re throwing your Jewish & other not Christian religious participants under the bus

[imbecominggayer]

Help With Publishing And Networking

From @kathartic-kat we have a desperate plea for help: "Could I ask about like publishing (indie and trad) and building like a network/presence as an author/aspiring author?"

Unfortunately, I don't feel comfortable answering such an influencial question so i'm turning this out to you!

From experienced publishers and networkers:

How?

[gamers-hub01]

Traditional vs Digital Marketing

Traditional Marketing

Traditional marketing is a type of marketing which involves offline sources like Radio, TV, Printing media to marketize your product.

Some facts about traditional marketing

This form of marketing has been used since 1500 BCE

Traditional marketing isn't that much cost efficient

This form of marketing can be used to reach more diverse audience

Digital Marketing

The best form of marketing which uses internet and online based technologies like online channels, social media, SEO, SMM, PPC and many more

Some facts about digital marketing

This form of marketing was started around 2007 when Internet become popular among audience 

Digital marketing has become crucial form of marketing since its release

Digital marketing can get to vast audience with a very low investment 

This form of marketing is low in investment and maintenance with high returns

[lesser-vissir]

For the ease of replying to this post I'm gonna separate out your main points that act as support for your conclusion that GenAI is a technology that deserves unique scruity:

1) GenAI is uniquely unimportant as a digital resource

2) GenAI is uniquely unrecyclable as a digital resource

3) There is a fundamental difference between locally and cloud hosted models

4) GenAI is uniquely unethical due to its data collection properties

So, let's break this down.

1) Uniquely Unimportant

While I understand your desire to accuse GenAI of serving no purpose, clearly you don't think it's entirely useless as seen from how you mentioned using it to create funny images. Is laughter not a good usage? Is joy not?

Is that not the same reason that we use intensive processes to generate the background for movies? For entertainment? What makes it less important when it is GenAI?

Moreover, it's a precarious path to take in tying whether something exists to whether it is sufficiently valuable. These are the same arguments currently being used to cut government spending on "non-essentials" like disabled people.

Looking further, there are plenty of other technologies that "aren't useful." The most commonly invoked is Bitcoin since mining is largely useless computing work done to create artificial scarcity. Most websites are running software far more complex and wasteful than necessary for the kind of content they are hosting. Social media in general is a largely "unproductive" use of technology that provides no real tangible value.

Saying GenAI is useless is a personal value statement rather than a statement of fact. There are plenty of things you approve of that could be called wasteful. Hell, traditional image generation software is just as useless as AI if we don't consider fleeting entertainment to be useful.

Just something to think about.

2) Uniquely Unrecycleable

This one just felt a little disingenuous. You conceded that yes, GenAI produces a tangible, infinitely reusable product, but because that defeats your point you arbitrarily said that the product will just get thrown away quickly. From how many scandals we see regarding companies using AI images in their marketing, it's clear that that assumption is just, not true.

Moreover, even if we assume only one in ten thousand GenAI images are saved for a reasonably long time, that is already leagues better than dozens of other technologies with comparable digital footprints. Two easy examples that come to mind are digital advertising and spam emails. Two technologies with very low hit rates.

The case for AI text generation is even better. Using GenAI to edit and proofread something that is used multiple times is far more common than reused images. That, or using GenAI in the way one would a search engine. The results are comparably unrecyclable except as knowledge which can be reused.

In addition, you did not acknowledge the difference between the training costs and the generation costs. The actual cost of generation is quite low, hence why it can be run locally without shorting out your homes breakers. The training costs are where most of the resource intensive processes are, but in this case you're even more incorrect to say it's unrecyclable. The training is a one time cost amortized onto every generative cost for every usage of the complete model.

Very few technologies with that much resource use can boast such a strong rate of return in terms of reusability. Some examples off the top of my head from most to least egregious would be Bitcoin mining, online gaming, and digital banking software.

So, in this category, GenAI is actually a pretty recyclable technology and that was making some very generous assumptions towards your argument that the results of a generative process wouldn't be reused.

3) Difference Between Hosting Location

So, this one is just you not knowing how the technology works. Sorry :/

There is no fundamental difference between locally hosted and cloud hosted models. The only reason you can host something like ChatGPT locally is because the software is proprietary. Actually, an earlier version is open source so you very much could run that locally.

While I know you specified that the models should be made by the individuals using them, I hope we can agree that that's a ridiculous standard you aren't holding any other software to. Did you design *any* of the software you use? Could you even *try* to make any of it?

That said, if you don't mind locally hosted models, then what you care about is scale, not the technology itself. Which was OPs point. There are tons of technologies that have far larger scales than GenAI.

4) Data Collection Ethics

I'm not going to try to rehash the various arguments regarding GenAI and whether or not it violated copyright law since that discussion is fruitless. What I do want to touch on is that GenAI is not the only technology that uses data scraping to that extent.

In fact, GenAI projects rarely scraped their own data, they just used existing datasets that were produced for other processes. Usually for personalized advertising but also for government surveillance. Once again, GenAI is not uniquely culpable in this respect.

So, in conclusion, you completely missed the point of this post. Not only is your information and understanding of GenAI incomplete and biased, it engages in the very behaviour OP was talking about where you are treating GenAI as uniquely harmful simply because you don't like it.

the phenomenon of people talking about the cost of "AI" in energy and water while ignoring everything else they use that also spends those same things is very telling

you do not know the process behind production of the things you take for granted. you think your computer is a magic box that connects to the astral plane. you never think about the cables and servers and water cooling and electricity cost and the workers who build and maintain the infrastructure etc. etc. except for the thing you don't like and were told the cost was a good excuse for why you don't like it

you also don't think about the cost of so much more. the food you eat, the phone in your hand, etc. you just know it costs an amount of dollars at the store

this isn't about being a morally bad person for not thinking about this. this is about not getting bogged down on the supposed inherent evil of 1 specific thing you were told to hate because it's the only thing that you realize needs to be produced using material resources. and instead becoming a marxist

[first-digi-add]

Traditional Marketing vs Digital Marketing: Which One Is Right for Your Business?

Introduction 

According to the Best Digital Marketing Company In Pune now day’s businesses are constantly exploring various marketing strategies to promote their products and services effectively. Traditional marketing and digital marketing are two primary approaches that companies can adopt to reach their target audience. This article aims to provide an SEO-friendly guide comparing traditional marketing and digital marketing, helping you determine the right approach for your business.

Traditional Marketing: 

Traditional marketing refers to conventional advertising channels that have been around for decades. These include print media (newspapers, magazines), broadcast media (television, radio), billboards, direct mail, and event sponsorships. Traditional marketing relies on physical presence and engages with consumers in the real world.

Pros of Traditional Marketing

Tangible Presence: Traditional marketing offers a physical presence that consumers can experience and remember, creating a lasting impression.

Local Targeting: Traditional methods allow businesses to target specific local audiences effectively, making it ideal for small businesses with geographically defined customer bases.

Established Trust: Over time, traditional marketing channels have built consumer trust and credibility.

Cons of Traditional Marketing:

High Costs: Traditional marketing campaigns often require significant financial investments, especially for television or print advertisements.

Limited Analytics: Measuring the effectiveness of traditional campaigns can be challenging, making it difficult to track the return on investment (ROI) accurately.

Lack of Interactivity: Traditional marketing channels offer limited opportunities for two-way communication with consumers, inhibiting engagement and real-time feedback.

Digital Marketing: 

Digital marketing encompasses a wide range of strategies that utilize online platforms and channels to promote products or services. This includes search engine optimization (SEO), social media marketing, content marketing, email marketing, pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, and more. Digital marketing enables businesses to connect with a global audience, engage in real-time interactions, and measure campaign performance with precision.

Pros of Digital Marketing:

Wider Reach: Digital marketing allows businesses to reach a broader audience, transcending geographical boundaries and targeting specific demographics or interests.

Cost-Effective: Digital marketing methods often require lower budgets compared to traditional marketing, making it accessible to businesses of all sizes.

Targeted Advertising: Online platforms offer advanced targeting options, enabling businesses to reach their ideal audience based on demographics, interests, and online behavior.

Real-Time Analytics: Digital marketing provides detailed analytics, allowing businesses to measure the success of their campaigns, track website traffic, and make data-driven decisions.

Interactivity and Engagement: Digital marketing channels offer interactive features such as comments, likes, shares, and direct messaging, fostering engagement and building relationships with consumers.

Cons of Digital Marketing:

Constant Updates: Digital marketing strategies require staying updated with ever-changing algorithms, platforms, and trends, demanding continuous learning and adaptation.

Potential Information Overload: With a vast amount of digital content available, capturing and maintaining consumer attention can be challenging.

Determining What's Right for Your Business: When deciding between traditional marketing and digital marketing, consider the following factors:

Target Audience: Understand your audience's preferences, online behavior, and demographics to determine which approach will effectively reach and engage them.

Budget: Assess your available marketing budget and consider the cost-effectiveness of traditional and digital marketing channels.

Industry and Competition: Research industry-specific marketing trends and analyze how your competitors are reaching their target audience.

Business Goals: Align your marketing strategy with your business objectives, whether it's increasing brand awareness, generating leads, or driving online sales.

Conclusion: 

Choosing between traditional marketing and digital marketing depends on your business's unique needs, target audience, budget, and objectives. While traditional marketing offers a tangible presence and local targeting, digital marketing provides a wider reach, real-time analytics, and interactive engagement. In many cases, a combination of both approaches can yield optimal results. By understanding the advantages of each and tailoring your marketing strategy accordingly, you can position your business for success in the digital era.

[absolutedigitalbranding]

Digital marketing helps brands reach their target audience and promote their product or service. While that's the goal of a traditional marketing campaign too, digital marketing allows brands to target a more specific or niche audience.

Build your brand with digital media & take the benefits of social media branding contact Absolute Digital Marketing. by Absolutedigitalbranding.com

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[digitalgrowth1]

Top 10 Digital Marketing Blogging Platforms to Boost Your Brand in 2024

In the fast-paced world of digital marketing, choosing the right blogging platform is crucial for your brand’s success. A blog not only helps build your online presence but also serves as a powerful tool to engage your audience, improve SEO, and drive traffic. In 2024, with numerous blogging platforms available, how do you choose the best one for your business? Here’s a comprehensive look at the top 10 blogging platforms to consider:

WordPress

WordPress remains one of the most popular blogging platforms for digital marketers. With its open-source nature and flexible plugins, it allows you to customize your site according to your brand’s needs. WordPress excels in SEO optimization, with plugins like Yoast SEO and All in One SEO to improve content ranking. Moreover, it supports various types of content, including blogs, videos, and podcasts, giving marketers complete control over content creation.

Wix

For marketers with limited technical expertise, Wix offers an intuitive drag-and-drop interface. Wix provides a variety of stunning templates designed for digital marketing and branding, allowing you to create professional-looking blogs in no time. Wix also offers built-in SEO tools, helping you optimize your content without needing to install additional plugins. The platform is perfect for small businesses that prioritize simplicity and ease of use.

Squarespace

If design and aesthetics are crucial to your brand, Squarespace is a top contender. Squarespace offers beautifully designed templates that appeal to marketers looking to create a visually striking blog. In addition to its design features, Squarespace also provides integrated SEO tools, making it easy to optimize your content. This platform is best suited for marketers who want to present high-quality, professional content while maintaining a strong brand identity.

Medium

Medium is a content-driven platform that allows digital marketers to reach a built-in audience. It’s a perfect platform for content creators who want to focus on writing and storytelling. Although it doesn’t offer the customization of other platforms, Medium’s community-driven environment allows your content to get immediate exposure. It’s an excellent choice for guest posts, thought leadership articles, and establishing yourself as an authority in the digital marketing space.

Ghost

Ghost is an open-source platform that focuses on speed, simplicity, and SEO. Unlike traditional content management systems, Ghost was designed with bloggers and content creators in mind. It’s especially appealing to marketers looking to run an efficient, no-frills blog that prioritizes content delivery over complex design features. Ghost’s SEO capabilities are built into the platform, making it easy for marketers to manage and optimize content.

HubSpot CMS

HubSpot’s Content Management System (CMS) is ideal for businesses already using HubSpot’s CRM and marketing tools. HubSpot CMS integrates seamlessly with the company’s other products, making it a powerful tool for inbound marketing. The platform offers extensive features for SEO optimization, lead generation, and analytics. Marketers looking to scale their digital marketing strategy and measure success through detailed insights will find HubSpot CMS invaluable.

Also Read: How Digital Directories Can Boost Visibility and Drive Sales

Joomla

Joomla offers more flexibility than simpler platforms like Wix or Squarespace, making it suitable for businesses that require advanced customization. Joomla supports multiple content types and offers robust SEO capabilities. While it may not be as user-friendly as WordPress or Wix, its flexibility makes it an excellent choice for marketers with coding knowledge or those who work with developers.

Blogger

As a free blogging platform, Blogger is a good starting point for digital marketers on a budget. Owned by Google, it’s easy to integrate with other Google tools like Google Analytics and AdSense. However, Blogger’s customization options are limited compared to WordPress or Joomla, making it less suitable for businesses looking for advanced features or a unique design. Despite this, it’s still a viable option for personal blogs or smaller marketing initiatives.

Weebly

Weebly offers another drag-and-drop option for marketers looking to create simple blogs with minimal hassle. The platform’s ease of use and affordability make it ideal for small businesses and startups. While it doesn’t have the depth of features offered by WordPress, Weebly’s SEO tools, templates, and design flexibility make it a great platform for digital marketers starting out or those on a limited budget.

The Zumvu Blog

The Zumvu Blog stands out as a powerful platform for digital marketers looking to build a comprehensive online presence. With its range of built-in marketing and SEO tools, Zumvu Blog helps you optimize your blog for search engines and attract a wider audience. The platform’s analytics and content management system allow for data-driven growth, making it one of the Best Digital Marketing Blogs to follow for actionable marketing tips, case studies, and SEO insights. If you're looking for a user-friendly, growth-oriented platform with an emphasis on content marketing, Zumvu Blog should be at the top of your list.

How to Choose the Right Blogging Platform for Your Digital Marketing Strategy?

When selecting the ideal blogging platform for your digital marketing strategy, consider your business goals, audience needs, and budget. Each platform has unique features that cater to specific types of content and marketing needs. By evaluating these key aspects, you can find a platform that not only supports your immediate goals but also scales with your business as it grows.

SEO Capabilities

Search engine optimization (SEO) should be a priority when choosing a blogging platform. Platforms like WordPress, HubSpot CMS, and Joomla offer strong SEO capabilities out of the box, allowing you to fine-tune content for search engine visibility. These platforms offer customizable meta tags, easy-to-install SEO plugins, and built-in analytics, which are crucial for tracking and improving blog performance.

Customization and Flexibility

Consider how much customization you need. If you want full control over your website's design and features, platforms like WordPress or Joomla are ideal. They allow you to modify templates, install plugins, and tweak your site to meet specific marketing needs. However, platforms like Wix and Weebly provide easier setups with less customization, making them better for beginners or marketers looking for a hassle-free solution.

Content Marketing Tools

A strong blogging platform should offer tools for content creation, distribution, and analysis. HubSpot CMS and WordPress excel in this area, offering robust content management systems that support blogs, landing pages, and lead generation forms. With integrated marketing tools, these platforms help streamline your content marketing strategy while improving lead conversion rates.

[jesncin]

These are such great additions!

I think another thing to consider is that bigger stage productions are insanely expensive investments. And because of that, a lot of humbler productions who make their way to larger venues often have their edge and bite sanitized off for mainstream. Coupled with how Broadway is in-accessible to a majority of people in the world through price and lack of pro-shoot recordings for international viewers- theater has its own hierarchy problems.

The Wait in the Wings documentary goes over this, but part of Ride the Cyclone's struggle was that it covered a taboo subject, and that it was born out of a punk, counterculture environment. While the show was gaining prominence and publicity, people recognized Ride the Cyclone's value. But by the time it was getting close to entering mainstream, all people could talk about was how incompatible it was with Broadway. Which to me, is like criticizing an indie comic because it would never fit in traditional publishing. That's a terrible metric for quality and resonance.

It wasn't until Gen Z got a hold of Ride the Cyclone through slime tutorial recordings, did Ride the Cyclone find the audience it truly resonated with; one that was constantly exposed to death through growing up with a pandemic and exposure to news via social media. The humor and out-of-the box music just clicked with younger people.

American Superhero comics has suffered from a history of self censorship, and the changing attitudes of who they're for. They're constantly struggling between broadening their audience or relying on the same old white guy readership to get by. For DC, The New 52 was all about edge, so Rebirth is meant to be a return to form. But for the most part, we've entered a performative era.

Cape comics want to be more inclusive, but not to the point it would deter its conservative readership and lose money from that audience, so they'll never commit to consistently go that far. There's outliers (SSTK, Alan Scott Green Lantern, etc.) but for the most part they play it frustratingly safe and market it as groundbreaking.

Vertigo comics began as an imprint of DC comics so the creators could explore more mature topics with adult content that would've been restricted under DC comics. That's how we got so much social commentary and politics out of works like og Hellblazer. It only makes sense that when John Constantine is assimilated into the bigger, restrictive world of DC comics that his radical roots end up sanitized to fit a superhero mold- walking pride ad and quippy MCU style remarks galore.

Yet even modern stories that feel like a return to form such as Spurrier's run and Dead In America have that layer of respectability on top of everything. Sure Spurrier's Hellblazer will talk about racism, but he'll portray Rural Country Bumkin White People as the racists because that's the most comfortable people to portray as racists. And American cops. Only them though. The British cops are noble people of color. They'll include Noah, a Black disabled character who communicates through BSL, but not include nuances specific to Deaf/HOH culture and how that intersects with Blackness. They can't even draw people facing him when he's signing.

Whenever I read stories with John Constantine in them and they feel lackluster I always outwardly ask myself "are we really going to be outdone by a bunch of white guys writing Hellblazer in the 80s??" because come on. There's so much more diverse talent and perspectives in the industry since then but they can't shine because it still has to sell to a mainstream audience in the end.

I'm pretty sure your experience with Spirit World and Xanthe Zhou is reflective of most people's experience with the character. At first people are impressed by the novelty of the representation, but then they move on and forget about it. Xanthe's tag hasn't been active since their debut year with Spirit World. I finally got into Spirit World because I'm friends with a Xanthe superfan haha.

It's easy for the comics community to dunk on whatever new thing Tom King is writing, or talk up a fantastic comic! But stuff like Spirit World burns bright for a second and withers away because it really was lots of theatrics and little substance. At the end of the day, loving or hating something means you care about it. Something that is mid though? Even if you enjoyed it, it doesn't stay with you.

And it's a shame because I think characters like Xanthe should have critical discussion! At least for representation alone, I don't want a Chinese non binary character to (ironically) be forgotten and sidelined. Yet I also don't want this character to stagnate the way they're written right now (and just have fandom say "read it! It's important! Because representation!"). The beauty of these characters is the potential for another writer to come along and do something great with them. But with the state of comics being nothing burger now? Those chances are slim.

It's why I think Ride the Cyclone has a big piece of what Xanthe's missing. It may not have the backing of mainstream musicals, but something about it resonated in the younger generation especially. It was willing to have an uncomfortable conversation about death and dying at a young age, when a generation was exposed to death on the regular. Meanwhile Spirit World is a weird comic about death that wants to talk about death as little as possible. Outside of saying "you take nothing with you when you die, so you better remember people!" it's squeamish about the subject. So all we get is just "you should read Spirit World because representation, some popular characters cameo in it and uh, yeah that's it." That's a story for no one.

Spirit World, Ride the Cyclone and Death. A weird comparative analysis

Gonna combine my musical nerd and cape comics fixation together for a rambling meta thought. I've been reflecting on how taboo the topic of death is in media after getting into Ride The Cyclone (highly recommend watching the slime tutorial and Waiting in the Wings' documentary on it) but also contrasting that musical with how Spirit World handled similar topics.

Both stories cover characters whose lives were cut short from a tragic circumstance, but while Cyclone directly talks frankly about how each character uniquely grieves over their lost life (and eventually accepts death)- Spirit World uses death as largely an aesthetic to a generic fantasy superhero adventure.

[spoilers for Ride the Cyclone and Spirit World]

Spirit World is about non-binary, half dead half living Envoy Xanthe Zhou, as they go into the Spirit World with John Constantine to rescue Cassandra Cain Batgirl. They eventually go toe to toe with the spirit of a bitter dead poet.

Ride the Cyclone is about 6 choir teenagers who die in a roller coaster accident in their small town. In the afterlife, they are given the chance to vote which one of them they believe should be resurrected.

For Spirit World, do we even know how Xanthe feels about being "half dead"? What does that even mean? They died as (what looks like) a 3 year old, and have clearly aged 15 more years since then. So they can age? Do they need to eat or drink (they're seen with a drink in a Pride comic)? Xanthe keeps mentioning they're half dead and half living, but the comic doesn't seem to want to discuss what that means. How would Xanthe feel that they were essentially given a job as an Envoy the minute they died as a very young child? Was this even a choice?

We've already covered the numerous plot holes in Xanthe Zhou's poorly thought out backstory so I won't go over that again. But honestly apart from the thematically loose "the dead shouldn't be forgotten" moral, a lot of how death is presented in Spirit World feels so superficial. When Xanthe is formally introduced as this cool character with a giant sword hanging around a gravesite, fighting all these hopping vampire creatures... this scene would play out the same if you swapped the setting with a forest and zombies as bad guys.

The Spirit World is less an afterlife for the spirits to move onto and more an MMORPG setting for our superheroes to travel across and fight generic evil beings and encounter eviler, bigger, boss battles at the end. Then there's the poet clout villain whose problems are just easily solved by Xanthe promising to remember her. I've already covered what a lost opportunity thematically this character was in my last Xanthe essay, but this time I want to contrast her with Ride the Cyclone's Jane Doe. I also want to compare Xanthe with Noel Gruber afterwards.

Ride the Cyclone's musical numbers follow each character performing a song reflecting their wishes, and musings on life (this sounds depressing but the musical handles all this with comedy and wit), hoping to prove themselves as worthy of a second chance at life. Of the characters, Jane Doe is the mysterious odd one out. The accident decapitated her, leaving her to enter the after life with no memories and the people of the living unable to identify her.

You might see where I'm going with this. So in Spirit World, Wan Yujing was this famous poet mourned by an entire empire. She only goes monster mode when a handwave-y "time erodes all" happens in the Spirit World and she is eventually forgotten- so she becomes desperate to demand to be reincarnated by the Jade Court. Because her clout ran out. Again, I already made the critique in my previous essay that this villain would better link to our protagonist if she was a queer poet whose poetry was being purposefully straight washed as an act of queer historical erasure. But I want to bring up how truly unsympathetic this villain is. She gets Shakespeare levels of clout but still demands more because she isn't getting reincarnated fast enough. Xanthe promises that as an immortal "half dead half living" person that they will remember Wan Yujing, so she too can be immortal in some way.

I think about all the Jane Doe-s in the Spirit World who don't get to be famous poets that have Empires remembering who they were. People who died anonymously without a past. In Cyclone, the main character chooses Jane Doe as the person who should be brought back to life. Our cast of teens come to terms with the fact that while it's tragic that their lives ended shortly, they conclude "to say that if one dies young, they die needlessly... that is to discount the years we had. We had a life, she didn't. That's my vote." Since Jane Doe has no memory of who she is, it's only fair that she is given that second chance.

I get that Spirit World is choosing these "larger than life" characters as villains, but it's at the expense of their own supposed themes. Of all the people to die and face off our hero as the villain, a character who's essentially an influencer but somehow has an entire empire forget about her anyway feels thematically hollow.

Modern Superhero comics are suffering from a specific problem right now; they're not really about anything. Characters don't feel like people with interior lives informed by the context of who they are. Class, race and bigotry are only touched upon as lightly as possible. Queer characters are now Pride ads with no personhood or flaws. They punch gentrified crime and fight for no one in particular. Even recent adapted media such as My Adventures with Superman and Caped Crusader follow this. Superman fights white-washed xenophobia, while Batman fights gentrified, white-washed classicism. It's why comics like Superman Smashes the Klan, Catwoman Lonely City and Alan Scott Green Lantern stand out so much. It's been a while since these characters talked about anything that matters. Don't get me wrong, slop that's about nothing exists in every industry. But when these characters and worlds historically used to have more bite- it's especially obvious.

If I could be playfully conspiracy theory-like for a second; I believe Xanthe Zhou was pitched so that DC Comics can buff out their Pride Anthology or AAPI anthology with a new younger character. The company will give this character one limited series, but that's it. Xanthe will appear in the larger DC universe whenever big magic plots happen, but that's it. Maybe they'll get a YA graphic novel. I would love to be proven wrong, but the problems with Xanthe are baked in the dough.

Because they don't feel like a person, Xanthe feels more like an industry planted Pride ad. They're designed to be the most palatable and marketable image of Asian androgyny. They literally have no flaws to grow out of, and their backstory makes no sense. They weren't built to be a sustainable solo character.

So I want to contrast Xanthe Zhou against Noel Gruber from Ride the Cyclone. Because they're both queer characters whose lives were cut short at a young age.

In a dramatic lament, Noel Gruber expresses how if he had a chance to live, he'd want to live the horrible cinematic messy life of a French sex worker woman in post-war France. He struggled as the only gay boy in a small town and never got to kiss a boy before he died. It's a look into a queer life that could've been lived, one with all the messy texture and self destruction Noel couldn't have but desires. We get to see how death and queerness intersect into rich, unflattering, gender-messy themes. "I want to be that fucked up girl." Noel sings.

But what's Xanthe's deal? They died as a 3 year old, got brought back, avoided their family at all costs for 15 years, and then had a transphobic confrontation with their family when they're invited to dinner way later. If Xanthe grew up in a transphobic household, how did they ever figure out they were non-binary when they were 3? Could they even verbalize it? Or did they instead figure out their queerness after they died? But how is that possible when they already held a level of familiar resentment towards their family's transphobia as if they've had several fights about it? It's hard to picture a 3 year old having multiple heated debates about gender with their parents for this level of resentment to make any sense.

Details aside, how does Xanthe's queerness intersect with themes of death and grief? Well, it just doesn't. This scene ends with Xanthe's sister telling them that she bothered remembering them even though their parents moved on from their death (which makes no sense since the parents wanted to have dinner with a random 18 year old they correctly assumed was their long dead "daughter" but whatever). Honestly, the only reason queerness exists in this family drama is so that Xanthe has a tense relationship with their family. The story would be exactly the same if Xanthe was a troublemaker that brought shame to their family. Who they are isn't specific to whatever grief exists in the comic.

When people give the critique that modern Superhero comics aren't about anything anymore, we usually think of these comics as "lacking political bite and commentary". We don't often think of something like Death to be political. And even though it is in many ways, it's also a social taboo to talk about. Death is an uncomfortable thing to confront, even in the safety of fiction. It's what made Ride the Cyclone such a difficult stage musical to market.

So how does a modern mainstream comic like Spirit World fit into that? It just sits there in this non-committal way. Yes, this is a story about a trans teenager who died, but only in a cool Superhero Origin Way, not in any way that would make readers uncomfortable. Bury Your Gays is a stereotype after all, so we can't talk about how queer people feel about death. We don't get to know how Xanthe feels about death as a non-binary Asian American. Especially if it's messy. It's the reason why Wan Yujing's character can never commentate on themes of historical queer erasure. God forbid superhero comics be about something.

I think about how, in the original Hellblazer run from the 80s, John Constantine had an elderly gay friend who was diagnosed with AIDS but was killed by a homophobic hate group. The comic openly talks about the sheer amount of gay people dying of the epidemic, a looming threat that informs John's queer life. It's such a culture shock, to contrast these early comics with how John Constantine is written in Spirit World. A character stripped of his own queer history and is at the mercy of incessant slutty bi jokes. Where is the desire to talk about how death informs a queer person's life? The mourning of a lost generation to the AIDS crisis? Something John lived through?

How about how any of this intersects with being an Asian American queer person? Queer people of color are often erased or purposefully excluded from queer history and communities. As a Queer Asian American, what does it mean to have identities that are often perceived to be in conflict with each other? Would your queer Asian ancestors even be remembered? Cultural differences with how you'd mourn your communities? But answering any of these questions means an uncomfortable conversation for Spirit World. For Xanthe. It threatens to be about something.

Which makes it all the more silly that, of the two stories, a musical about teenagers dying from a rollercoaster malfunction is more willing to have that uncomfortable conversation. You should ride the Cyclone.

[espialsolution]

Can Social Media Marketing Help Your Brand Grow?

In today’s digitally-driven world, social media marketing has evolved from a trendy buzzword to an essential strategy for businesses of all sizes. From startups to established enterprises, leveraging social media platforms can significantly contribute to brand growth. But how exactly can social media marketing help your brand grow? Let’s explore the key ways in which this powerful tool can elevate your brand.

1. Enhanced Brand Awareness

Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and TikTok offer unparalleled opportunities to reach vast audiences. With billions of users globally, these platforms provide a stage where your brand can gain visibility. By consistently posting relevant and engaging content, your brand can reach people who may never have heard of it otherwise. Social media marketing helps in creating a recognizable brand identity, ensuring that your business remains top of mind for potential customers.

2. Targeted Advertising

One of the standout features of social media marketing services is the ability to target specific audiences with precision. Platforms like Facebook and Instagram allow you to create highly targeted ads based on demographics, interests, behavior, and more. This means you can tailor your marketing efforts to reach people who are most likely to be interested in your products or services, resulting in higher conversion rates. Targeted advertising not only maximizes your marketing budget but also ensures that your brand message reaches the right people at the right time.

3. Customer Engagement and Relationship Building

Brands that actively engage with their audience on social media build stronger relationships with their customers. Responding to comments, answering queries, and even addressing complaints in a timely manner can foster loyalty and trust. Moreover, satisfied customers often share their positive experiences, leading to organic word-of-mouth promotion, which can be incredibly valuable for brand growth.

4. Insights and Analytics

Social media platforms offer robust analytics tools that provide insights into how your content is performing. These tools allow you to track metrics such as engagement rates, click-through rates, and audience demographics. By analyzing this data, you can refine your marketing strategies, focusing on what works and discarding what doesn’t. This continuous optimization is key to growing your brand effectively over time.

5. Increased Website Traffic and SEO Benefits

Social media marketing can drive significant traffic to your website. By sharing blog posts, product pages, and other valuable content on social media, you can entice users to visit your site, where they can learn more about your brand and offerings. Additionally, social media activity can indirectly influence your search engine rankings. While social signals are not a direct ranking factor, they contribute to the overall online presence of your brand, which search engines may consider when ranking your website.

6. Cost-Effective Marketing

Compared to traditional advertising methods, social media marketing is relatively cost-effective. Many platforms offer free account creation and posting options, with the option to run paid campaigns that can fit any budget. This makes social media an accessible tool for businesses of all sizes, particularly for startups and small businesses that may have limited marketing budgets. The return on investment (ROI) from well-executed social media campaigns can be substantial, making it a smart choice for brand growth.

Conclusion

Social media marketing services is a dynamic and versatile tool that can significantly contribute to your brand’s growth. From increasing brand awareness and engagement to driving website traffic and providing valuable insights, the benefits are vast. By strategically leveraging social media, your brand can not only reach new heights but also stay competitive in today’s fast-paced digital landscape.

About The Author

Espial Solutions serve Startups, SME, and large Enterprises,with SEO, SMM, PPC, Branding, and Digital Marketing services. . Contact for More Information!

[sup3rqu33n]

Lmao fuck yes

The exception is cheesy local commercials. Those should be the only ads. I will listen to someone who runs a store in my city doing an awkward rap. We once had a furniture store with these awful CGI ads and the slogan "where the deals are so low, it's almost criminal!" and then they got shut down, by the cops, because it turned out. It turned out the deals were so low because. You're not going to believe this but the prices were so low it was in fact

[intelisync]

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Navigating the competitive landscape of blockchain and cryptocurrency requires a strategic approach to public relations. Crypto PR focuses on enhancing and managing your startup’s reputation through a variety of tactics. Central to this approach is crafting a compelling brand story that resonates with your audience and clearly communicates your startup’s mission, values, and achievements. This narrative not only sets you apart from competitors but also builds a strong connection with investors and partners.

Community engagement is a critical element of successful Crypto PR. By maintaining regular communication, hosting interactive events, and actively responding to feedback, you can build a dedicated and engaged community around your project. Establishing relationships with key influencers in the crypto space and participating in industry events further amplifies your startup’s reach and credibility. These efforts help in attracting investor interest and increasing your project’s visibility.

To maximize the impact of your PR efforts, it’s essential to measure and analyze performance metrics. Tracking media coverage, social media engagement, and community growth provides valuable insights that help in refining your strategies. By continuously adapting and optimizing your approach, you can ensure long-term success and significant growth for your blockchain startup.

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[yatikensoftwaresolution]

Would you prefer Regular SEO or Programmatic SEO?

Which would you choose for your digital strategy?

Dive into the debate and discover which approach aligns best with your goals for online success!

If you are worried about all this just contact us!

Follow us for more content.

[raghulblog]

Social Media Marketing vs Traditional Marketing: Which is Right for Your Business?

Introduction

Marketing is an essential aspect of any business, and choosing the right strategy can significantly impact your success. Traditional marketing methods have been around for decades, while social media marketing has emerged as a powerful tool in the digital age. Understanding the key differences between these two approaches can help you determine the best strategy for your business.

What is Traditional Marketing?

Traditional marketing refers to conventional forms of marketing that have been used for years to reach a broad audience. These methods include print advertising (newspapers, magazines), broadcast advertising (television, radio), direct mail, billboards, and telemarketing.

What is Social Media Marketing?

Social media marketing involves using social media platforms to promote products, services, and brands. This type of marketing leverages platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and TikTok to reach and engage with audiences through various content formats like posts, videos, stories, and ads.

Reach and Audience Targeting

Traditional Marketing:

Broad Reach : Traditional marketing methods like TV and radio ads can reach a vast audience, making them ideal for brand awareness campaigns.

Less Precise Targeting : While traditional marketing can target specific demographics to some extent, it lacks the precision of digital targeting. This often leads to higher costs and wasted impressions.

Social Media Marketing:

Targeted Reach : Social media platforms offer advanced targeting options based on demographics, interests, behavior, and more. This allows businesses to reach a highly specific audience.

Engagement Opportunities : Social media enables direct interaction with the audience, fostering engagement and building relationships.

Cost and Budget Considerations

Traditional Marketing:

Higher Costs: Traditional marketing methods, especially TV and radio ads, can be expensive. Print ads and billboards also require significant investment.

Fixed Costs: Costs for traditional marketing are often fixed and non-negotiable, with little flexibility for smaller budgets.

Social Media Marketing:

Cost-Effective : Social media marketing is generally more affordable, with options to set daily or campaign budgets that fit any financial plan.

Flexible Spending : Businesses can start with a small budget and scale up as they see results, making it accessible for startups and small businesses.

Measurability and Analytics

Traditional Marketing:

Limited Analytics : Measuring the effectiveness of traditional marketing campaigns can be challenging. Metrics like TV ratings and print circulation provide some insights but lack the precision of digital analytics.

Delayed Results : Traditional marketing campaigns often take longer to show results, making it harder to adjust strategies in real-time.

Social Media Marketing:

Comprehensive Analytics : Social media platforms provide detailed analytics, including impressions, clicks, engagement rates, and conversion tracking. This allows for real-time monitoring and adjustments.

Immediate Feedback : Social media marketing provides instant feedback, enabling businesses to quickly optimize their campaigns for better performance.

Content and Creativity

Traditional Marketing:

Static Content : Traditional marketing relies on static content like print ads and TV commercials, which can be expensive and time-consuming to produce.

Limited Interaction : Audience interaction is minimal, with little opportunity for real-time engagement.

Social Media Marketing:

Dynamic Content : Social media allows for various content formats, including videos, live streams, stories, and interactive posts. This versatility enhances engagement and creativity.

Interactive Engagement : Social media platforms encourage interaction through comments, shares, likes, and direct messages, fostering a two-way communication channel with the audience.

Longevity and Shelf Life

Traditional Marketing:

Short Lifespan : Traditional ads, especially TV and radio commercials, have a limited run time and quickly become outdated.

Limited Re usability : Once a print ad or billboard campaign ends, it often cannot be reused without additional costs.

Social Media Marketing:

Evergreen Content : Social media posts can have a longer lifespan, especially if they are shared and re shared. Evergreen content remains relevant over time.

Ongoing Engagement : Social media content can continue to generate engagement and reach long after it is initially posted, providing ongoing value.

Conclusion

Both social media marketing and traditional marketing have their unique strengths and challenges. The choice between the two depends on your business goals, target audience, and budget. For many businesses, a hybrid approach that leverages the broad reach of traditional marketing and the precise targeting and engagement of social media marketing may offer the best of both worlds. By understanding the differences and potential benefits of each, you can craft a marketing strategy that effectively reaches your audience and drives your business forward.

By considering these factors, you can make an informed decision about whether social media marketing, traditional marketing, or a combination of both is the right strategy for your business.

this blog is written by Raghul.

[brilliqs]

Digital Marketing vs Traditional Marketing: Which Strategy Works Best? | Brilliqs

Compare Digital Marketing and Traditional Marketing strategies with Brilliqs to find out which one works best for your business. Understand their unique benefits and limitations.