YouTube turns five today. How funny that the biggest video search engine out there is really just a baby turned child prodigy.
The top video is currently Lady Gaga's Bad Romance, but since I refuse to watch that I'm including the previous reigning king of all YouTube videos: The Evolution of Dance. You've all probably seen it, but really, when isn't it entertaining?
Happy fifth.
Friday, May 28, 2010
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Social Media Makes Dreams Come True, Just Ask Greyson Chance
Greyson Chance is everywhere. He's all over YouTube, filtering through your twitter feed and smiling from his Facebook fan pages. He's the It boy. And he's only twelve years old.
For those who don't know, Chance was noticed after uploading a video on YouTube of him singing and playing the piano to Lady Gaga's Paparazi (check it out here). I was a latecomer to the Greyson Chance phenomenon, but I'll admit he's made a version of the song that I find listenable (a feat previously labeled impossible). And song choice aside, this kid is talented.
It was announced today that Ellen DeGeneres signed him to a new record label. Did I mention he's twelve?
So how did a twelve year old get signed by a major celebrity to a record label? Was it his voice? That helped, but that wasn't all of it. His impressive piano skills? Probably not. His extremely popular YouTube video? Bingo!
It's social media! Chance's story is living proof of the power of social media. There's no doubt that he is incredibly talented, but without that video and the connection it made to thousands of people, he would likely still be performing only for the home crowd. Of course this isn't an entirely new concept, bands have been advertising themselves on MySpace for years, but thanks to the semi-recent surge of social media, outlets like YouTube have a much stronger connection with a much larger audience.
So for anyone who has a quality product, whether its a boy with a dream or a business with a goal, they just might manage the impossible with a little help from social media.
For those who don't know, Chance was noticed after uploading a video on YouTube of him singing and playing the piano to Lady Gaga's Paparazi (check it out here). I was a latecomer to the Greyson Chance phenomenon, but I'll admit he's made a version of the song that I find listenable (a feat previously labeled impossible). And song choice aside, this kid is talented.
It was announced today that Ellen DeGeneres signed him to a new record label. Did I mention he's twelve?
So how did a twelve year old get signed by a major celebrity to a record label? Was it his voice? That helped, but that wasn't all of it. His impressive piano skills? Probably not. His extremely popular YouTube video? Bingo!
It's social media! Chance's story is living proof of the power of social media. There's no doubt that he is incredibly talented, but without that video and the connection it made to thousands of people, he would likely still be performing only for the home crowd. Of course this isn't an entirely new concept, bands have been advertising themselves on MySpace for years, but thanks to the semi-recent surge of social media, outlets like YouTube have a much stronger connection with a much larger audience.
So for anyone who has a quality product, whether its a boy with a dream or a business with a goal, they just might manage the impossible with a little help from social media.
Need to know info if you want a job
Remember a time when there was no Google? I do. It was pretty awful. Lucky for me I didn't have to go without it through college. That would have been tragic. Trust me, I cannot say enough good things about Google. However, it can come to bite you in le derrière (it's French...Google it)!
Ever heard the term Google me? In times of boredom/curiosity I have done just that. Turns out I am pretty much off the radar, but that doesn't go for everyone. When I applied for my internship you better believe I Googled the lovely Mrs. Lorens. I wanted to know who I was talking to. Sure enough my search led me to Facebook which led me to her profile. And BINGO! I now had a face to a name.
But this is not a one way street. Companies are now utilizing search engines and social media sites to get thedirt need to know information about YOU! This can work for you or against you. Lets face it though most people are not so squeaky clean. "Surveys indicate that as many as half of hiring managers use search engines to screen job applicants, and 1 in 10 have rejected potential employees because of damaging information on the web", so says Mashable.So what can one do?
Well for starters avoid incriminating yourself...but if your already past the point of no return it's then time to do some house cleaning.
Mashable wrote an article on How To: Erase Your Online Past. These eight handy tips are gonna hopefully save you some agony.
Ever heard the term Google me? In times of boredom/curiosity I have done just that. Turns out I am pretty much off the radar, but that doesn't go for everyone. When I applied for my internship you better believe I Googled the lovely Mrs. Lorens. I wanted to know who I was talking to. Sure enough my search led me to Facebook which led me to her profile. And BINGO! I now had a face to a name.
But this is not a one way street. Companies are now utilizing search engines and social media sites to get the
Well for starters avoid incriminating yourself...but if your already past the point of no return it's then time to do some house cleaning.
Mashable wrote an article on How To: Erase Your Online Past. These eight handy tips are gonna hopefully save you some agony.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
I'm sorry, was I intruding?
Why yes Facebook, I believe you were. But not to worry; I have a feeling you'll be forgiven.
Facebook's privacy policy has been getting a lot of attention lately--not in a good way. A lot of users have grown increasingly skeptical about where their personal information is going, how it's being used and who exactly is seeing it. In fact, according to an article I found on Mashable.com, 30% were planning to quit because they didn't trust the site with their personal information. That got Facebook's attention.
Today, to the cheers of media guru's and college kids everywhere, Facebook unveiled its new privacy policy. Instead of automatically sharing information with everyone, the controls instead revert to any personal changes you've made. That's a start. And the privacy options are now much easier to understand.
So, is all well and good? Well I don't know about that.
Personally, I have a love/hate relationship with Facebook. Of course I sort of love it; I'm a recent college grad. But in the week and a half that I've been in the real world, that love has diminished. I just like it now.
I like its convenience, but like all the other worriers out there, I worry that Facebook is getting a little careless with my personal info. Even with the shiny new and improved policy. Apps anyone? They still take your information. Ever wonder exactly where that goes, or exactly why that I Love Gilmore Girls app needs to know your favorite music?
I won't do anything drastic; I won't quit. I'm an addict. So for the sake of all the other hopeless addicts out there, I hope this new privacy policy is as good as it thinks it is.
And if not, well, we're watching you, Facebook.
Facebook's privacy policy has been getting a lot of attention lately--not in a good way. A lot of users have grown increasingly skeptical about where their personal information is going, how it's being used and who exactly is seeing it. In fact, according to an article I found on Mashable.com, 30% were planning to quit because they didn't trust the site with their personal information. That got Facebook's attention.
Today, to the cheers of media guru's and college kids everywhere, Facebook unveiled its new privacy policy. Instead of automatically sharing information with everyone, the controls instead revert to any personal changes you've made. That's a start. And the privacy options are now much easier to understand.
So, is all well and good? Well I don't know about that.
Personally, I have a love/hate relationship with Facebook. Of course I sort of love it; I'm a recent college grad. But in the week and a half that I've been in the real world, that love has diminished. I just like it now.
I like its convenience, but like all the other worriers out there, I worry that Facebook is getting a little careless with my personal info. Even with the shiny new and improved policy. Apps anyone? They still take your information. Ever wonder exactly where that goes, or exactly why that I Love Gilmore Girls app needs to know your favorite music?
I won't do anything drastic; I won't quit. I'm an addict. So for the sake of all the other hopeless addicts out there, I hope this new privacy policy is as good as it thinks it is.
And if not, well, we're watching you, Facebook.
Myspace you disappoint me
Wednesday has been a day of experimentation.
Today I did something I vowed never to do again. I started a Myspace account. Last time I had an account with Myspace was back in 2007. It was my first taste of social media.
As we are all aware of, Myspace was originally created as a practical and efficient way for artist known and unknown to get their music out to the public. But soon enough its popularity skyrocketed and users from every background and age group had their own Myspace. Times have changed though. In my opinion, Myspace became a little too creepy. After becoming uninterested and grossed out I invested more of my time on Facebook.
So why the sudden change of heart? Well...I wanted to see if there was any information on the recent Tennessee flood. Facebook has been used to reach out to people in the community and afar. Everyday you are guaranteed to see some kind of information about the flood whether it be people, businesses, or organizations posting some sort of information. So I wondered, since we are Music City what does a social music site like Myspace have to say. Turns out...not very much.
I was only able to find one thing. I found an event posted which was a benefit concert in Indiana. Talk about random! And to top it off there were only three people signed up to attend. So unfortunately, my efforts turned out to be in vain.
Oh well, there is always Facebook.
Today I did something I vowed never to do again. I started a Myspace account. Last time I had an account with Myspace was back in 2007. It was my first taste of social media.
As we are all aware of, Myspace was originally created as a practical and efficient way for artist known and unknown to get their music out to the public. But soon enough its popularity skyrocketed and users from every background and age group had their own Myspace. Times have changed though. In my opinion, Myspace became a little too creepy. After becoming uninterested and grossed out I invested more of my time on Facebook.
So why the sudden change of heart? Well...I wanted to see if there was any information on the recent Tennessee flood. Facebook has been used to reach out to people in the community and afar. Everyday you are guaranteed to see some kind of information about the flood whether it be people, businesses, or organizations posting some sort of information. So I wondered, since we are Music City what does a social music site like Myspace have to say. Turns out...not very much.
I was only able to find one thing. I found an event posted which was a benefit concert in Indiana. Talk about random! And to top it off there were only three people signed up to attend. So unfortunately, my efforts turned out to be in vain.
Oh well, there is always Facebook.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
The Long and Short of It
I'm writing a press release.
(This isn't it.)
Having never really read a press release before, let alone attempted to write one, it was necessary to do a little digging. Naturally, I employed the help of Google. Turns out, there are a lot of links out there that want to help me write my release. But they tell me different things. Some say that it's vital to include contact information, others say that's the kiss of death. Some take full advantage of the latest technology tricks and include videos, pictures. Some keep it simple.
But there is one important similarity that I picked up on: cut the wordiness. Make it concise, to the point. Not too cutesy, not too boring. It's a rule I've heard countless times and extends to all areas of the writing spectrum--even blogs. It's also a rule that can be surprisingly hard to follow.
Here's a nice tip courtesy of Junta42: "A blog post is like a miniskirt.
It has to be short enough to be interesting, but long enough to cover the subject."
Enough said.
(This isn't it.)
Having never really read a press release before, let alone attempted to write one, it was necessary to do a little digging. Naturally, I employed the help of Google. Turns out, there are a lot of links out there that want to help me write my release. But they tell me different things. Some say that it's vital to include contact information, others say that's the kiss of death. Some take full advantage of the latest technology tricks and include videos, pictures. Some keep it simple.
But there is one important similarity that I picked up on: cut the wordiness. Make it concise, to the point. Not too cutesy, not too boring. It's a rule I've heard countless times and extends to all areas of the writing spectrum--even blogs. It's also a rule that can be surprisingly hard to follow.
Here's a nice tip courtesy of Junta42: "A blog post is like a miniskirt.
It has to be short enough to be interesting, but long enough to cover the subject."
Enough said.
Connected 24/7
As I become more involved with social media I realize it is easy to get behind. There are so many opinions, tweets one after another, and updates galore. It's enough to make your head spin. But social media is not a spectators sport. You have to stay current and relevant or otherwise you may be dubbed...anti-social.
So what is a girl to do? I realized that there is something very important missing in my life. Something that has the power to make all my social status dreams come true.
I need a smartphone!
Before, all I needed out of my phone was the ability to talk and text. But that's not good enough anymore. So for the sake of everything social media, my search for a smartphone is underway.
Due to the fact that my financial status remains in the lower bracket and I signed my life away to Verizon, the Iphone is out of the question for now. So where does one go from here? Social media sites of course! I plan to utilize these sites to gain valuable information that will help me decide which smartphone would work best for my situation. More importantly, I hope to learn which smartphone to avoid!
Monday, May 24, 2010
Social Media Submersion
Day one. A day of new faces, old friends and the whole new world of fan pages. You see, not only is it day one for this beautiful butterfly blog, but it's also day one for me at my new job. My first real, post-college job. Which means we can all be reasonably sure of one thing:
I am a Facebook addict.
Facebook has become an obsession; the greatest procrastination tool ever created, and therefore a college student's best friend and worst enemy perfectly packaged in a laptop. But as I began my training in the world of social media--a job that allows me to do what I thought I did best, facebook--I realized one rather unsettling thing:
I don't know the first thing about Facebook.
I can talk to my friends, sure. I'm a pro at letting them know exactly what I'm doing as I'm doing it. But until today, I had no idea how to use Facebook as a tool. I didn't know how businesses utilized pages to their advantage. I didn't even know that blogs had Like buttons. But now the game's changed; I've graduated from a personal profile to a business one.
One quick tip I picked up today: never underestimate the power of the mighty @. When trying to lure new fans to a new page, the @ key may just be your new best friend. It's simple: Post. Repost. Make your own page, write your own post, and then repost something that a similar page has posted. You'll get their attention, and the attention of their followers as well.
The lesson of the day? It's no longer just fun and games, Facebook. It's time to get down to business.
I am a Facebook addict.
Facebook has become an obsession; the greatest procrastination tool ever created, and therefore a college student's best friend and worst enemy perfectly packaged in a laptop. But as I began my training in the world of social media--a job that allows me to do what I thought I did best, facebook--I realized one rather unsettling thing:
I don't know the first thing about Facebook.
I can talk to my friends, sure. I'm a pro at letting them know exactly what I'm doing as I'm doing it. But until today, I had no idea how to use Facebook as a tool. I didn't know how businesses utilized pages to their advantage. I didn't even know that blogs had Like buttons. But now the game's changed; I've graduated from a personal profile to a business one.
One quick tip I picked up today: never underestimate the power of the mighty @. When trying to lure new fans to a new page, the @ key may just be your new best friend. It's simple: Post. Repost. Make your own page, write your own post, and then repost something that a similar page has posted. You'll get their attention, and the attention of their followers as well.
The lesson of the day? It's no longer just fun and games, Facebook. It's time to get down to business.
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