Implementation

After viewing the video lecture on implementation, the challenges I think my client might face when implementing my recommendations is the following

Consistency 

Creating content

Identifying the right platform

Consistency is essential on social media because it helps you build a relationship with your followers/audience. It also allows you to properly help your audience with complaints, comments, or concerns. Consistency even extends to keeping up with posting content on certain days or times. This allows your followers to expect content from your page. My client is an older gentleman who owns a dentist's office. He is the main care provider in his office alongside a temporary, newly graduated dentist, whom he usually hires for them to gain more experience. This means that it will be difficult for him to partake in what content is uploaded. If he assigns his secretary to keep up with his social media page, it could become an issue. It could become an issue if a client discusses with him a post made on his account and Dr. Otten (the client) is unaware of what is being posted. It could reflect on him and his business negatively. A suggestion I have that could help with this issue is planning out what content should be uploaded a week before and having a set debrief time and date with Dr. Otten (my client) so he is up to date and prepared. The only issue would be finding someone in his office that has the time and commitment to manage his social media page.

Creating content is crucial because it is what helps your brand stand out against other establishments. Many social media posts are scrolled through each day. If your content is not unique, it won't get as much attention, which means it doesn't have much value. Getting attention from your followers takes effort. Coming up with fresh ideas is a common challenge. Dr. Otten has little to no experience with social media. So, creating content could become frustrating for him. I think the best solution to this challenge would be to simply ask what information he wants his audience to see and delegate the task to someone within his office to execute the design. I also suggested to my client that he keep up with what type of content his competitors are posting and see what they are missing and how they can use that to their advantage to fill the gap.

Identifying the right platform is crucial to ensure you are picking correctly. There are a variety of social media options that are either being created or being used daily. Each platform targets different audiences. The younger generations typically have accounts on all these popular platforms but lean more towards a specific one. Dr. Otten and his office should interact with their audience on platforms that are more active compared to other accounts being used. I am under the assumption that this challenge won't arise till a month or two after the platforms have been set up because then we can compare and contrast activity. Also, it's important to note that with each platform being used, different audiences are being targeted, meaning content will have to be adjusted accordingly.

Effective content development and sharing

Effective content is crucial to help a business build its relationship with an audience. You can answer questions and interact with your online audience. This can aid in creating customers that are more likely to trust your business. Once you begin consistently producing content on your platforms, it can also boost your traffic. Once that increases, so does the number of individuals that see your content. In addition, content sharing is effective because each share can gain more exposure for your business. The more high-quality content is shared, the more Google and other engines pay attention. This is beneficial because your platform will be in the search engine rankings. The more individuals click through your content in multiple places, the more other search engines deem it as a strong brand, which in turn increases their trust in your platforms. This will help your business gain increased brand visibility. After completing Hootsuite modules 3 and 4, I learned that researching, writing, gathering, and organizing information will be immensely beneficial for any matter getting across to your audience. For instance, Hootsuite recommends digging deeper into your content performance and creating a content calendar. By doing this, you can create goals and determine what information needs to be curated or started from scratch to achieve your goals. In addition, Hootsuite also recommends using different content for different platforms. This is because your audience is more than likely using a variety of platforms and seeing repeated information can become irrelevant to them. This is also an opportunity for a business to reach out to different target audiences. Perhaps your business is reaching older audiences on Facebook compared to Instagram, where you are reaching a younger audience. For instance, the first links below are tweets from Nike, and the second links are posts from Facebook. If you compare the two platforms, you can easily see that on Twitter their tweets are short and straight to the point with eye-catching images, whereas on Facebook their posts are more lengthy and informative.

Nike (@Nike) / Twitter

Nike | Facebook

As you become a social organization, you will have to rely on the principles of effective content development and sharing. That is because social media provides organizations an easy way to create a visual brand to continue developing their identity and showcasing their brand values with engaging content. One of the most effective ways to share content, as recommended by Hootsuite, is to partner with influencers. When you get people talking about your company, you build credibility and set yourself up for more sales. Especially those advocating on your behalf with a large following on social media because they can target demographics that perhaps you haven't been able to reach yet or are attempting to. Effective content development is also important in a social organization because you can develop source ideas and materials. For instance, asking your audiences what kind of content they want to see can help you come up with ideas to create. Giving your audience what they’re asking you for source material for posts is also essential because you can host giveaways or create a how-to/tutorial. A social organization should also keep up with certain trends that could influence the content they are sharing. It is best to not have the same layout of content each week but rather to create a connection with your audience that can be related to. Effective content shouldn't be based on how much profit you can gain and more on learning about your audiences and teaching them.

Online Community

After reading chapters 4 and 5 in the Social Organization, the effective principles on online community building that was mentioned in the text is 

Vision Statement

The”Six F” Model of Attitudes (Folly, Fearful, Flippant,Formulayinh, Forging and Fusing)

“No, Go,Grow” Model

Knowing where community collaboration is more likely to deliver value 

A vision statement is an effective principle because it articulates the characteristics that influence the business. An effective vision statement will provide clarity, direction, and guide strategy. The Six F model is a spectrum that plays a role in successful collaboration. This model offers preventative and strategic tips. Furthermore, the "No, Go, Grow" model aids in making strategic decisions. This model will help determine if and how a community collaboration effort should move forward. The model contains questions and yes-or-no questions to guide you around the model to figure out what step should be taken next. The No stage helps clarify if an idea is lacking purpose or is undesirable. If your result is a no on the model, it is best to shut down the case. The group stage is more likely to succeed on its own. It is a well-formed idea with a suitable purpose. Another effective principle is knowing where community collaboration is more likely to deliver value. This is important because it helps an organization understand where other organizations tend to succeed with community collaboration. It can vary depending on what an organization is seeking to do. For instance, it could be by industry, target audience, source of business value, or mass collaboration. Each option can work if it aligns with what your goals are. A great strategy that an organization uses for social advertising is called Speedway. If you download the Speedway, it promotes the price of gas, rewards, and coupons. Rewards are earned through buying certain products. On certain days, businesses can promote that if you buy a certain beverage, it can result in gaining more rewards. In return, these rewards can be used to purchase a gift card for gas, free food, and more. When arriving at the register, there is a tablet where you can enter your phone number and see coupons that could be used on your purchase. The Speedway in my area is popular no matter the location. Since this gas station is one of the most used, many individuals sign up for rewards because of how easily and frequently they visit the business.

Mobile App - Speedway

After completing the Hootsuite module 4, what I learned about growing an online community is the value of social advertising through advertisement options from a variety of platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Social advertising is essential for businesses because it aids in building brand awareness and a customer base. Social advertising is used by many well-known organizations because it offers an easy and low-commitment way for prospective customers to express interest in the organizations. It can also reduce the cost of overall marketing and create a voice for your business. By creating a voice, you can display your business personality. For instance, you can start sharing what's behind the scenes. This could include information about your employees and how the workspace appears. I think it is important to note that not every social media post should be pushing sales. Overly promotional posts can be a mistake because they show customers that the organization only broadcasts sales.

These principles apply to the client I am working with on the client project because my client is a dentist who has never been on social media for his business. My client wants to focus on using Instagram and Facebook. Based on his marketing and social media goals, I think the best ad product to choose is placing advertisements on his page feed. We can use this as a storefront to allow viewers to browse without leaving the Instagram app. Facebook social advertising allows room for a broader audience demographic that can be built and tested for maximum engagement. This is a great opportunity for my client because his demographic is broad. Dental services can be targeted to anyone since dental health translates to good health and prevents dental diseases. I mainly think that my clients' advertisements should encourage new customers that perhaps are afraid of being shunned for their lack of dental hygiene. Potential customers need to know that Dr. Ottens' office is a shame-free zone. He is there to guide you through your dental journey and ensure that your teeth are in the best shape possible. My client didn’t specify his budget. It would only depend on his monthly profits and the cost of the advertisements. So, it's important to be aware that what is being advertised is impacting his business positively.

Big Data

The Legal Side of Big Data 

After watching the video, What businesses and consumers should be aware of when using big data is that since this is a substantial amount of data being collected, it can be unstructured, can violate principles of privacy, and is not useful in the short run. The data being procured can be unstructured because it is so prolific that it could be anything; media, images, audio, sensor data, and much more. A major issue with big data is privacy problems. It leads to embarrassment, and there is a high chance that consumers could have their identification factors exposed. Big data comes with major security issues. Some companies will abuse the data, and if it falls into the wrong hands, it can create scams and phishing. This will also result in the company's reputation and social damage. Big data is creepy! The amount of information that is being collected is extreme. Google knows your age and gender even if you haven't told them, your grocery store knows which brands you prefer, and your car insurance company knows when and where you drive. Apps installed on your phone have lots of access to your personal data. Some even access your microphone to record what's going on around you while the app is being used. The best way to balance the opportunities and threats presented by the development of big data is by data mining, not assuming that you know what customers want or need, focusing on quality rather than quantity, and being agile. Big data, if used correctly, can be impactful in a positive way. It has revolutionized the business world and how it can apply analytics to produce actionable insights.

“The internet's Original Sin” article by Ethan Zuckerman 

After reading the article, there were a variety of points made that I hadn’t thought of before reading. For instance, I found it intriguing that Zuckerman mentioned that it isn't important to see how many page views you generate but rather how much attention readers are paying to content. This is important because it allows irrelevant information to be screened out and allows companies to choose which information will enter and stay in our awareness. Internet business models influence surveillance and data gathering on the internet. Data gathering and surveillance were built to make it easy for everyone to share different things. For example, analyzing users' personal homepages to better target them for "pop-up ads," The most significant benefit of this ad-supported website is that it is open to all. I work at Target, and we exclusively sell a brand of sour candy from a small business. I decided to go on my computer to look more into their company. When I finished, I went on my phone and began scrolling through my Facebook timeline. I received a pop-up ad for the company. I was confused because I was not even on Facebook while researching the company.

 Businesses can monitor who is looking at the ad. This statement also correlates with businesses beginning to track users' mobile phones and assembling complex user profiles with trade information between data brokers. Online advertising doesn't follow your interest but completes your attention because companies need to prove to their investors that their advertisements are worth more than others. According to Ceglowski, big data is better because it tells better stories. Reflecting on this comment, Ceglowski started Pinboard. It charges fees to subscribe and has ad-free content while receiving a verifiable promise that your content and metadata aren't being resold but are being deleted. This is beneficial because users will pay for the services that they love. Personally, I have fallen into paying more each month on Hulu because I get irritated with the constant ads when I am watching my show, and I will gladly continue to do so.

Maciej Cegłowski talk

After listening to Ceglowski’s talk, it caught my attention not only for what a phenomenal public speaker he is but also for how he built his speech on a stable foundation of information. While listening, I realized that the internet has a toxic relationship with everyone. At first, we don't want to get rid of it because it feels familiar, but as time goes on, we don't realize until it's too late that the attachment we have formed isn’t easily tarnished. I enjoyed how he made a connection where TV shows will have an "Enhanced" button and suddenly you can see things that the normal eye couldn't. He relates this to how artificial intelligence is being built on big data, which we call "big data." The web has changed since it began. It is now more centralized. Though this could be beneficial to an organization, there are a few areas of control that could attract unsavory individuals. This could be connected to how many individuals say that the government is watching us. Tapping into our phones and cameras Many people were concerned about this and began covering their cameras with tape or waiting to discuss certain issues in person rather than over the phone. I found it intriguing about the statement that pregnant women are advised on Facebook ten times more than others. Expecting families will be more inclined to test new gadgets that will make their lives easier when their child arrives. Once you share certain information with the internet, there is no control over where it goes next.

Junk News

After reading the article "Three reasons junk news spreads so quickly across social media" from the Oxford Internet Institute, my view on reason #1 is that algorithms are effective, and I support it. This is because all the online content you see is specifically targeted for you based on what catches your attention. This reminds me of when companies offer quizzes on their websites to pick out certain products or services that will work best for you. Rather than wasting your money and searching for the product or service that works best, these companies are aiding in cutting the time it would take and the cost you would spend. I also support algorithms because when I am on Facebook, for instance, friends and family that I am closest to will be at the top of my feed because those are the accounts that I have interacted with the most. If algorithms did not exist, we would have to spend more time scrolling through our feeds looking for specific people or go the extra mile and search for their Facebook accounts and scroll through all of their information. This can be time-consuming because I have some family members on my account where I look up their pages. I have to scroll through their page for quite some time because the amount of information they share or post on Facebook is insane. Below is a link to an article I read about the pros and cons of algorithms. I enjoyed this article because it discusses both sides while informing readers about certain events that occurred.. 

Experts on the Pros and Cons of Algorithms | Pew Research Center

Furthermore, regarding reason #2: advertising, my view is that I support it. I say this because, though many might disagree and say that these platforms are selling our information, this information is going to companies to listen to what their customers want or need. This is smart because companies used to better understand their customers by getting feedback through questionnaires sent in the mail or in person. Today, this barely exists because they can rely on social media platforms to give them faster and more efficient information to help them prosper. Advertising also involves click-baiting. This has been occurring for years. This is how many YouTubers have been able to accrue thousands of dollars. I have fallen victim to this tool multiple times. There are certain Youtubers that I watch, and often, I have suggested videos to watch from other creators that have clickbait. When I click on it, the video is nothing about what is being advertised. For instance, the video title could say "You’ll never believe this!" and it appears that something outrageous occurred, but in reality, it wasn't anything to pay attention to. If they create a clickbait advertisement on their video, viewers can click on their video rather than other videos. Viewers have caught on to this but still, continue to click on videos like this. It's a great tool to build awareness and relevance for your account. Below is a link to a Netflix television show that is about a perfect husband who has been kidnapped and an online video surfaced alleging that he is a monster. This correlates with clickbait because, in the show, the husband's kidnapper is click-baiting people to watch the video but is also saying if 5 million people view the video, he will kill the husband.

Clickbait | Official Trailer | Netflix - YouTube

Furthermore, reason #3 discusses exposure. My view on this topic is that I support being able to select what I want to see or ignore. If used properly, you can even lower the time you spend online by filtering the data. I also like that certain platforms have privacy-sensitive content that discloses if it is explicit or implicit. Especially since young children are using technology at an early age, it's important to know that there are settings for what kind of information can be exposed to them. My personal experience with social media exposure is that I like tailoring only positive and supportive content. Such as the following pages that support what I support. For instance, I follow many women's support pages and volunteer pages. I enjoy how I can further be suggested to other pages that are similar to what I follow on Instagram.

What I think businesses and individuals should be aware of is that, though there is a lot of positive that comes from social media platforms, there are always consequences or negative exposure. There is so much content being generated every second on multiple platforms. It’s important to point out that businesses and individuals should be cautious about sharing too much information. They can respond to this by adjusting their privacy settings. They should also be aware that the internet is forever, their posts are searchable, and misunderstandings can occur. How businesses and individuals respond to these conditions is by minimizing their online footprint by deleting certain information from their social media sites and starting to consider who might be reading their posts and how they might react to them. Always think twice before posting any type of content on social media.                                                                                  

Social Media Consulting

Important qualities to have

In my view, the most important qualities for a social media consultant to have are the ability to understand and evaluate your needs, excellent communication skills, creativity, and flexibility. Understanding and evaluating your client's needs is important because you can see the individual in your client and recognize their unique points of view. Evaluation can help identify the areas of improvement and allow consultants to create specific, targeted goals in these areas. Any individual working in the business field should aim to have excellent communication skills. This is the most important quality to have in general because communication skills apply to every industry. Maintaining effective communication ensures that every employee is on the same page. It will eliminate unnecessary problems and promote better performance. Being a social media consultant, having excellent communication skills is valuable because consultants are on tight schedules and clients' attention spans can be limited. Therefore, communication is vital for efficiency in articulating needs, expectations, and challenges that might arise. Excellent communication can help you strengthen your client relationship and potentially generate more leads for clients under your supervision.

Having creative qualities is valuable not only as a social media consultant but in any work environment. Creativity is a strength to have because it shows that you think about the many ways to solve problems with innovative ideas. Creativity contributes to broadening one's perspective, and that helps us overcome challenges and actively solicit creative suggestions. Businesses value employees' creative thinking. This is because the creative thinking process is specific, and that means new solutions are possible. Each solution is unique and different. Clients and employers want people who are different and can think outside the box to bring something new and fresh.. 

Lastly, being flexible is crucial because this factor can extend into your life or your clients'. Flexibility supports success. As a social media consultant, I find that social media is changing at unexpected times. It's our job to adjust quickly to any changes and keep up with trends. By doing this, it shows proof and evidence to clients that we are passionate about working with them, and in return, clients will feel valued and prioritized. A flexible approach will allow us to better support our clients because we are working in a way that works for them and not solely on how you want to work with them. This can also be the gateway to developing trust between your client and yourself. Trust is essential to obtain because it aids in customer retention directly and retains loyal clients. Without trust, there would be no clients. Without clients, no business would thrive or become successful in its endeavors. Customers are a business's biggest asset. Becoming a social media consultant is in high demand for a variety of businesses. You just have to know how to find them! Reach out to your networks and let them know what consultant services you are offering or ask them if they know anyone that could benefit from your services. 

If I was my own social media consultant

If I was acting as a social media consultant for myself, the plans and strategies I would advise to improve my professional social media presence are by doing a sweep through all active social media accounts. By sweeping through, you can begin to remove any posts that might be controversial or inappropriate. I would deem this important to do first because many potential managers could easily search for your name on social media and find out exactly what kind of person you are without having to meet with you in person. Next, I would suggest networking with other professionals in the same fields you are interested in. By doing this, you can let others know about your presence and interest in their industry. I would also suggest engaging with your audience by posting valuable information. This can create new opportunities for your followers to connect with you on a deeper level and give them the chance to connect with their followers.

In addition, I would also mention that being active and consistent on social media allows you to remain relevant and keep up with changes and trends in your desired industry. What I have done so far is evaluate what platforms I am on and delete accounts that I am no longer active on. This was important to do because I had discovered that I had doubled accounts. I had two Instagram accounts, one from five years ago and another that I am still active on. I was able to access my old account and delete it. I have also been able to network with people in the same field as me on LinkedIn. This platform is great because I have access to many benefits, such as knowing what jobs are hiring, words of encouragement, and what other businesses are doing. What I could do in the future is follow small businesses rather than seek out larger brands that are only known because of their reputation. I want to support small businesses that have the same passion that I have. Just because they are not well known does not mean they are any less than big-box businesses. Small businesses are important, and so are the entrepreneurial spirits behind them. These are individuals that I look up to because they took the risk of creating their businesses and serving the community. 

The Social Dilemma

Powerful Tools 

Big data and algorithms are powerful tools because they allow technology companies to access far more than what is imaginable to control users and what information they are seeing. Algorithms, essentially, are created to figure out what to show users to keep their numbers going up. The documentary mentions that animals have their minds and that, though someone will write the machine, the machine will continue to change itself. Ensure that the information they are showing to specific individuals is relevant and keeps our attention. Big data is a powerful tool because it permits companies to predict what pages are going to be visited, what kinds of videos will keep you watching, and what emotions will trigger you. Technology companies know how long you look and what image is being viewed. Everything you are doing online is being watched, tracked, and measured. Each action is carefully monitored and recorded. Knowing this feels as if it's an invasion of privacy. There is a misconception that technology companies are selling our data, but in the documentary, there is mention that this isn't true. Why would companies do that when they could use the data to their further benefit? to increase their profits and the user-screen time. Indeed, it is understandable that this information is crucial for technology companies, but some consequences follow.

The danger that follows

Watching the Netflix documentary The Social Dilemma became an eye-opener to discovering what is occurring behind the scenes. I suspected that our social media accounts were being viewed and tracked. Overall, compared to what I assumed versus what I know now, it is beyond what I expected. The longer we use our phones, the more access to our data companies have to advance technology and drag us further into the never-ending hole of being attached to our phones. There aren't many individuals questioning whether or not what is occurring is immoral, and this has become a concern. Technology companies have held seminars discussing how to implement persuasion in technology. By allowing this, I think this is allowing others to take advantage and manipulate social media users. There was a statement in the documentary that honestly made me frightened. It says, "If you aren’t paying for the product, then you are the product." I had never looked at it that way till it was said, and I agree with this point. Technology companies are using us as experiments. Technology has been progressing exponentially, yet our brains are not. This is a danger because we are becoming reliant on social media for a variety of reasons. A serious consequence of social media is that teens and young adults are harming or even committing suicide because of unrealistic standards of beauty and misinformation. Their brains are becoming programmed to view that hearts, likes, and thumbs up correlate with value. Another discussion in the documentary states that technology evokes a variety of emotions in me. It was the extraction model that technology companies have been using. It’s shocking to see that it's become a game for these technology companies to begin predicting our next actions on social media and that if we aren't on our phones, they purposely send notifications that will attract our attention to loop us in. The most disturbing point is that the more advanced technology gets, the harder it is to change. We can become trapped in this illusionistic world. Our brains are becoming confused simultaneously between being in a utopian and a dystopian society. 

My views on how this matter can be dealt on the personal, professional, and societal levels 

My view on how this problem can be dealt with on a personal level is that every piece of information our social media accounts is updating us with is created for our best interest. I also think it's important to comment on how I have experienced searching for this. There was a time I was on Google searching for an item and then switching tabs to go on my social media account to discover that I had been given an advertisement for a similar product that I was researching. On this level, I think it's important to get involved in becoming an individual that refuses to become a puppet for these technology companies. Limiting my usage on my phone and blocking certain notifications from reaching me is a tool I want to begin using and slowly withdraw myself from these resources. We are missing out on everyday happiness because technology companies have shaped and programmed our brains to grasp the positive intermittent reinforcement each time new information is updated, and our brains begin to release dopamine. Dopamine is our brain's reward center. Once we begin searching for our dopamine in other aspects of our lives beyond technology, our brains will move in a positive direction in discovering a variety of options that are given to allow our brains to have these feel-good neurotransmitters. My view on how this problem can be dealt with on a professional level is that there needs to be more accountability and responsibility for these technology companies' actions. There shouldn't be just one individual targeted because there's always more than just one individual. Technology companies have designed their data to maximize the spread of information to amplify faster. This causes a variety of inaccurate information to be allowed. Misinformation about political campaigns the result of this causes political polarization, which is driving a wedge between society and the state. My view on how this problem can be dealt with on a societal level is to begin restrictions and to break that cycle, if not starting with us, then our children. Technology companies have even gone as far as targeting our children when they are using YouTube Kids. There are no limits to how far technology companies are willing to go to achieve their missions and visions. Overall, I agree with an individual in the documentary who mentioned that we should start taxing companies with the data assets they have procured. This gives them a fiscal reason not to acquire all of the data on the planet. If it is not already in place, I think there should be extensive and detailed regulation for digital privacy. 

Social media free for 24 hours

I decided to go without social media and notifications for 24 hours. Occasionally, on my own, I put my phone on so it does not disturb me. I wouldn't receive notifications till I checked my phone. I often put on this setting while I am doing my assignments for classes. I have been using this setting for a while now and it has helped tremendously. I was astounded by the number of notifications and items I picked up on my phone within 24 hours while working on my social media log assignment. It was around the 100s. I think, after a while, it becomes an instinct to check my phone constantly, even if my phone's sound goes off telling me I have a new notification. I found that the main reason I am on my phone is that I am an introvert, and since I am an introvert, I tend not to want to leave my home. While being at home, I get bored, so my main resort is social media. The night before I went off my phone for 24 hours, I turned off all notifications coming from apps and social media. I also changed my lock screen with motivational words to keep myself from looking at my phone, and I also scheduled my downtime for 24 hours. 

The morning rolled around, and it was a bit difficult because I typically reach for my phone to check my notifications. My lock screen reminded me to stay off my phone. I started my day by making breakfast, which I normally wouldn't do because I wake up and get distracted by my phone. Then I didn't realize how much time went by. Even though this occurs every day, I still do it and have never found a solution because I was under the assumption that I didn't think I needed to change what I was doing. I ended up leaving my house early and taking the long way to work rather than rushing on the highway as I would typically do. It was refreshing because I was driving with the windows down and enjoying the scenery around me. I still took my phone to work just in case an emergency occurred and I needed to call someone. While at work, I remained focused on the task at hand and conversed more with customers. I was able to see real smiles and laughter in person. Rather than viewing them on a video screen, during lunch, I started to get to know my co-workers. I was shocked at facts about them that I never knew. The best part was that my co-workers saw that while I was conversing with them, I wasn’t on my phone, so they weren’t on theirs either. At first, I was seeking out my phone, but, as the day dragged on, I sought out my phone less because my brain started to realize that nothing was keeping my attention.  

When I came home from work, I started organizing my home and cleaning out my pantry. While cleaning, I found a cookbook I had never been able to try a recipe from. So, since I had all the ingredients at home, I decided to make cookies and cupcakes. At first, it was trial and error, but it tasted good. Towards the end of the night, I decided to read a book to help me fall asleep. I was surprised at how fast I fell asleep compared to when I would use my phone till I fell asleep. I've read articles that state the blue lights emitted from our phones cause sleep deprivation. I never paid attention to it till I realized that it was true. Overall, I used to say that there were not enough hours in the day to do things, but there are if you spend your time doing activities that you find genuine happiness and value. The best thing that I did that helped me get through my day was a list. This list consisted of the things I wanted to do that I was never able to get the chance to. For instance, I attended my uncle's weekly baseball game at the park, and they were shocked to see me there. I plan on blocking out the day and time to dedicate time to attending their games and cheering them on. This list helped me so much that for future purposes I plan on creating a variety of lists. For example, organizations I want to volunteer for; places with unique scenery; historical locations; books I want to read; or even signing up for classes to learn how to cook or paint. I also want to point out that the main thing I learned is that one is never bored; they are simply lazy. There are so many different activities you can do. There are activities where money is not necessary to do them. Social media became an excuse for why I didn't want to do things. I became more aware of my surroundings and the things I was missing out on. I was getting the real-life experience I always said I wanted. I am finally putting into action what I said I was going to do.

Social Media's influence on my daily life

Social media does influence my daily life. It affects how I dress, the places I should visit, and my body image. While shopping for clothing, I will gravitate towards specific clothing that I typically wouldn't wear. My brain recalls seeing it on social media but does not have a direct pinpoint as to where. I often purchase this type of clothing only to wear it once for a photo and forget about it the next day. Body image has also been coming up lately. Social media negatively affects my body image. I am over-exposed to the "idealized" body types. To overcome this, I started to unfollow negative accounts that revolve around saying that women’s (or men’s) bodies should have set standards.  

Though there are negatives to social media, there are also benefits. Social media is a great way to start interacting with new people. If we can find something trending online that both parties are aware of, it could be the start of a great network. Social media also influences the way I communicate with others. It lowers the chances that I would have to meet with someone, because why would I do that when I can easily facetime or text them? Having the internet constantly affects my life because there aren't any limits on when I can go online. The cause of some of my insomnia issues correlates with this factor. It could be 2:00 am and I am on my phone texting a friend while watching a movie because I can’t fall asleep. This will cause me to stay up longer because the friend I am texting is still up.

 Another issue is that I bring my job home with me, which creates a barrier between spending time with my family and working on a project on my computer. The internet affects my life because it allows me to keep in touch with my family. It could be if I have family in another state or when there is an emergency and I cannot be there, but I want to be updated. Before the internet, we had to make calls and others wouldn’t answer the phone due to being low on minutes or not being in the proper environment to accept the call. This would leave individuals stressed and anxious about what was going on. There have been times when I haven’t had access to the internet for an extended period. During the first few hours, I kept starting to do tasks that I kept putting off. I began cleaning out my closet and decluttering. After the first few hours, I became extremely bored and started annoying whoever I could that was home. Then, I did some outdoor reading and some lawn work. I could live without the internet for a while, but for a greatly extended time, I wouldn't be able to survive. I say this because, since I'm getting older, I've started to realize that people have their own lives to live. My friend's and family's schedule restricts us from being able to do activities together, so I need to be connected with them online. One way I would like to be more intentional about my use of technology is to ensure that I am checking my screen time. By doing so, I can see where I am spending most of my time. With this in mind, I want to reduce my time spent on categories. According to my screen time, my most used categories are information and reading. I rely on my phone to read books from my kindle app. By doing so, I save money compared to going into a bookstore and purchasing a physical copy. Overall, my main goal is to set a screen time limit on categories and be off my phone after a certain time at night so I can reduce my insomnia issues. 

The internet is sprouting its seeds

Technology has been sprouting and ingraining our brains for years. Over time, we become addicted and miss out on real-time with our friends and families. There are subtle yet significant ways companies have discovered tools to encourage and make our minds vulnerable. I have fallen victim to the auto-playing technique. Immediately, when I see an auto-play or suggested video to watch next, I become intrigued and spend all of my attention watching it. When this happens, I fall into the neverending "rabbit hole." I've succumbed to this tool because of the convenience, and if I had to look up the next episode, I'd most likely skip it because of either laziness or getting distracted by a notification.

After reading Emma Rathbone’s article titled "Before the Internet," it appears that many of the instances mentioned revolve around one factor: courage. I say this because before the internet we weren't so focused on others' thoughts and opinions on what we wanted to do. We could become whoever we wanted without feeling judgment or seeking validation. We were able to change our identities without our past lives catching up to us. For instance, the people we would meet wouldn't be able to search our history, and if, by any indication, an assumption was made about you, there wasn’t a reliable source. Before the internet, we were more inclined to be creative. There were instances when I was bored and didn’t know what to do. It was our decision on how to keep our minds busy and what we decided was important enough to spend time on. We weren’t waiting for something to happen to motivate us to do something active because everyone else was doing it. We had time on our hands to discover ourselves.

As I started to grow older mentally, I realized a variety of thoughts. I was missing out on things in my life because of the internet. Comparatively, I also realized that if we remained as it was before the internet, our world would be as advanced as it is now. On both sides, there are benefits and drawbacks. It is about the sacrifice we are willing to make and what to prioritize. Ultimately, I think it depends on the person. Perhaps some should spend less time on the internet and more time discovering themselves and figuring out how they can reach their true potential. What makes them genuinely happy is their pursuit of happiness. On the other hand, others should spend more time on the internet. Though this could appear as a negative opinion, our world is a fast-paced environment, and if we are unable to keep up with the changes, we get left behind.

Introduction

Hello and welcome to my blog. My name is Yadira Zamora, and I am a senior at Central Michigan University. I am currently majoring in Business Administration with an emphasis in applied communication. I am a 21-year-old living in Wyoming, Michigan. I found my passion in the business field at a young age. When I turned 16, Target hired me. This path became a gateway that changed my life. The more I started to learn about Target's business and operations, the more I became intrigued and excited. Some career goals I am thriving for are to receive my bachelor's degree, develop my communication skills, and enhance my networking skills. My long-term career goal is to broaden my knowledge in various business fields.

Furthermore, what I hope to accomplish in my blog is to explore outside of my comfort zone and begin to look beyond what is trending and instead focus on what is important to know or how to create unique blogs that will catch my audience's attention and allow me to become a relevant source. I believe that blogs are important because they allow you to build and control your online presence while advertising meaningful content and attracting newcomers.

Moreover, a company I believe is exemplary concerning its use of social media is Nike. I say this because Nike is active on the most popular social media platforms. These platforms include Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, and more. What I think this company does well is focusing beyond just selling its products. Nike has become a motivator for a healthier lifestyle and showing its support for its community by stepping up and promoting campaigns. Nike has supported several campaigns, including #BlackLivesMatter and #StopAsianHate. It could be agreed with individuals that Nike doesn't post too often, but, when the company does, it is thoughtful and eye-catching.