Please Don't Show This To My Therapist

     Let's talk about the elephant in the virtual room: the hidden risks and perils of our constant use of social media. In a digital world where connectivity reigns supreme, it's crucial to acknowledge the shadow side of our beloved social media platforms. In “The Social Dilemma,” a film released in 2020, the veil over our beloved social media platforms is lifted, leaving no room for doubt. The film alternates between tech experts sharing their experiences at numerous well-known companies and a fictional family encountering the very harsh realities the experts are discussing. While the whole film is kind of disturbing, there are some points I found interesting and want to highlight.       I want to start by sharing a quote that appears about 30 minutes into the film. Since it appeared on the screen I haven't been able to shake it. It’s from Yale University professor Edward Tufte and it goes, “There are only two industries that call their customers ‘us...

               Depending on who you ask, my next comment may be an unpopular opinion but I don’t care. X, formerly known as Twitter, is stupid and should change back. If I had to read “X, formerly known as Twitter,” one more time in this chapter I was going to lose my mind. However, I digress. While X has changed the delightful blue bird we all grew up with, it continues to help business promote not only their products but their visions as well. Here are some strategies for businesses to use when creating their X account.  Less Promotion, More Conversation      “Talk less, smile more.” Just kidding, in this instance, businesses are going to want to leverage X to start conversations with their customers in real-time. This can be as simple as posting a poll with a question about what color item customers want to see next. Being able to have conversations with customers is also helpful when it comes to good customer service. ...

     As the number one social media platform, advertising with Facebook seems like a no-brainer. The app reaches an audience of 1.98 billion people with a worldwide advertising revenue that has continuously grown year after year. However, with recent controversies and changes in algorithms, will Facebook be able to keep its top dog status for much longer?      For the most part, everyone knows the story of Facebook's humble beginnings in the Harvard dorm room of student Mark Zuckerberg back in 2004. And if you don’t, you need to watch “The Social Network” starring the gorgeous Andrew Garfield, Jesse Eisenberg and Justin Timberlake. While the film is loosely based on true events, it’s good enough for a quick run down.  Anyway, for years now Facebook has been growing like wildfire, becoming more and more popular by the day and making key investments along the way. In 2012 the company bought another highly used platform, Instagram and in 2019 they acquir...

          Despite what many believe, blogging, vlogging and every other media just like them have played huge parts in our lives. To my generation, the first blogger was that dog from “Dog With a Blog” on Disney Channel and the first vlogger? None other than Teddy Duncan herself from “Good Luck Charlie.” Webinar legends Carly Shay and Sam Puckett walked so Brent Rivera could run. Whether we realize it or not, media forms like these had an impact on our lives growing up and continue to today.  While it isn’t the most prominent form of media in today’s society, blogging is actually thriving with 77% of internet users reading blogs (Charello, 2023). There are hundreds of different types of blogs for every type of person out there, from your usual food and fashion blogs to specific gaming and entertainment blogs. Another reason blogging has become popular is due in part to its role in marketing. Blogging has many benefits for marketers and their business...

     In the last 20 years the term “social media” has changed many times. From its humble beginnings in a Harvard dorm room to its widely known and controversial development, social media has seen its fair share of changes over the years.       Growing up in the generation of the iPhone I’ve never not known technology. In elementary school, they taught us how to type on computers before teaching us cursive. I had my first phone by 5th grade and laptop by 6th grade. While social media was originally used for communication, it has quickly grown into many different networks, branching out into marketing and selling as well. A whole new career has been made out of this idea of social media; what it is, how to use it, and why people should use it.       And while this newfound success in the world of social media has been great for lots of people, it is creating a-- mainly generational-- gap within the workforce. Older generations tend t...