Till next time.

            All good things must come to an end. Right? Well, yes and no. Sadly my time in the Strategic Communication and Emerging Media class here at Troy University has come to an end. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time in this class and preparing my weekly blog post. However, what I have learned through this course will carry on in me. Over the past few weeks, I have had the pleasure of creating these blog post. As I sit here and review my previous post from the past nine weeks I am finding it hard to believe that this class is over. I have learned a lot about myself as a strategic communication professional, as well as a writer and researcher. Admittedly, I was intimidated by the length requirement for each blog post. However, I have since learned that with a little hard work and a lot of determination, I can achieve whatever I need to. One of the main things that this class has taught me about myself is that I am vastly interested in the emerging landscape that is Social Media. 

          With that being said, I will end this blog series with a prediction. We all know that social media is changing how we view the world of communication. However, it is also changing the way we view advertising, marketing, and so much more. Social media has become such an integral part of our every day lives. From the looks of the technological landscape, it doesn’t look as if this fact will be changing any time soon. There are more and more apps being created each and every day. The social media platforms are in a constant state of change and it is more imperative now more than ever that strategic communication professionals keep on top of the constant changes. With out keeping up-to-date on the changes within the world of social media, strategic communication professionals will not be able to effectively do their job.

           Lastly, I would like to thank my professor for pushing me to become a better writer, researcher and communication professional. However, I would also like to thank my classmates and readers for your feedback. This will not be the last you hear from me.

Till next time,

Sarah Graham

Social Media and Children: Too much of a good thing?

In today’s society it seems like we are constantly surrounded by new and ever-developing technology. For instance, at the desk I am sitting at I am surrounded by two computers, an iPhone XR, my desk phone, and a tablet. That is five different technological devices that are within arms reach of me as I type this post. This is also not including the keyboard that I am typing on, or the mouse that I use for the computers. To say that technology is everywhere, would be an understatement. This constant availability to technology can be a blessing and curse, especially for parents. Today it is rare to see a child without a tablet, or phone, in their hands. Some companies have gone so far to develop specialized tablets just for children.

So, how can this be good thing? Studies have shown that children who use technology at a young age have highly developed hand-eye coordination, better multitasking skills, and a quicker response time than children who do not have access to technology.

Below are a few more benefits of allowing children to have access to social media:

    1. Making Social Connections

Technology, social media in particular, allows for children to have a convenient way for them to connect with their peers and keep in touch with friends and family that they may, or may not, spend time with within the offline world. This mutual, constant availability can lead to the strengthening of these relationships – they have someone they can share their problems with and ask for advice, or just chat with if they’re feeling bored. Furthermore, they use social media to explore their interests and connect with their community, which helps them further develop existing relationships with like-minded peers.

2. A helpful tool for dealing with problems.

There are many ways in which children can communicate online while staying anonymous, i.e. joining Reddit. Shy children, who often feel socially awkward, might use this controlled environment to express themselves and speak their mind without the fear of negative offline consequences or of being stigmatized. This gradually leads to the development of higher self-esteem. On social media, it’s easier to find someone who’s got the same problems and with whom one can talk and be listened to. Reading about the experiences of children who are dealing with the same issues as you are is an invaluable basis for evaluating your own problems.

3. A useful resource in Education.

Students often use social media to share information about school assignments, as well as to organize their time in accordance with their homework. Facebook groups, for example, present a common mode of communication and for the exchange of ideas. There are even schools that embrace social media as a teaching tool and find that it’s a necessary resource in education. However, there are some disadvantages when it comes to using technology and social media in the context of education.

However, like most things in life, there is a such thing and too much. When access to technological devices, such as phones or tablets, is not properly managed, children can experience multiple levels of difficulties and side effects. Too much screen time has shown to impair their critical thinking skills, their ability to pay attention, or even impair their imagination.

Below are also some potential risks of Social Media:

   1. Social Media Addiction

All those likes, comments, pictures, texts, etc. can be overwhelming for children. As previously noted, children can reap many benefits from social media, especially in the area of socialization. On the other hand, constantly being online and on-call for friends can inevitably lead to sleep deprivation, which can cause further problems. It’s important not to become dependent on quick replies and a blizzard of instant messaging. If children are spending all that time on social media they’re probably neglecting other commitments at home and school. This also leaves them with less time for those necessary and irreplaceable face-to-face interactions with others.

2. The Burden of Comparisons with Idealized Depictions of Others.

Despite the upside of having a large amount of information available online regarding health and other issues, there’s clearly a downside. Much of what children might see on social media is a calculated and idealized picture someone is trying to present. Most people don’t post photos of themselves on Instagram when they’re sad or angry. You usually only see happy moments, such as them enjoying a party, or going to the movies with lots of friends, which seems to suggest they have a perfect, worry-free life. When children see the idealized life someone they follow on social media appears to be leading, they might ask, “What am I doing wrong?” and “Why is my life not like that?”, and feel like failures.

3. The Dangers of Cyber bullying

Improper use of social media and a lack of restraint in online interactions can lead to the development of behavior patterns that aren’t commonly a part of life in the offline world. Anonymity is a two-edged sword. On one hand, it can help children overcome shyness and social anxiety, but it can also stimulate unwanted reactions, such as hostile or aggressive online behavior, potentially lead to cyber bullying. Bullying and cyber bullying have some elements in common, such as aggression, power imbalance, and the repetition of this type of behavior.

Like all things, there is a good and a bad side. Depending on the parent, and the child, would determine how much of a good or bad thing the access to technology can be. The main thing that parents can do to maximize the benefits of technology with their children is to not only monitor how much their child uses technological devices, but also what they are using them for. Devices, such as a phone, or tablet, can be used to help educate the child in pretty much any subject if provided with the right software, or program. Technology isn’t going away. If anything, it is taking an even deeper root in our every day lives. Therefore, we might as well embrace it.

Building your personal brand by using social media.

            A few posts ago, I spoke about how one could use digital media and social media branding. However, this post, we are going to talk about how you can build your social media brand and what tools and methods are the most proven to work. Within today’s society, roughly 64%, or two-thirds of adults have not only home Wi-Fi, but they have access to at least one, if not more, smartphone, desktop, laptop, or tablet that enables them to have consistent access to the internet. (Source:) Because of the easy access to the internet and the quick availability to the multiple online channels of information, people are starting to spend more time online, than anywhere else. However, even though there are millions of websites and apps, social media apps are among the most used out of all them. It is because of that, that it is becoming imperative for media organizations, such as magazine, newspapers, television and even radio stations, to not only have an online presence, but to develop a social media brand, as well.

        However, before we can start talking about how to build up your social media presence, we need to fist discuss what a social media brand is. So, what is a brand? No, we are not referring to the kind of permanent mark that a farmer leaves on their cattle. The brand that we are referring to in this sense is that of a

“name, term, design, symbol or any other feature that identifies one seller’s good or service as distinct from those of other sellers” (Source:)

Brands are usually synonymous with big corporations. While these brands often have a large budget for advertising and marketing, these large corporations have also taken notice of the benefits of utilizing social media and developing a social media brand. Brands often work tirelessly to leverage social media in order to boost online visibility and revenue. They want more clicks, more likes, and they want to create a positive user experience.

But what happens when a brand is a person instead of a company? When it’s just you, you need to take a different approach to growing your brand through social media. Since over 90% of customers trust information from people they know when making a purchase decision, building personal connections might be the most effective way to develop trust and authority with your audience.

Well, below I have provided you with some tips and tricks as to how you can use social media to help develop your social media brand.

1. Find the Right Groups

Some social media platforms offer their users opportunities to join, or create, groups with other likeminded people to focus on specific topics within different industries. If you can find groups that line up with your area of expertise, then you’ll be able to share that experience and build authority around your personal brand. Some groups might be overcrowded. Therefore, you might want to consider thinking outside of your direct industry.

2. Keep the Image Consistent

With all things in business, you want to maintain a level of consistency. This is still true within the social media realm. Across all of your social profiles, you have to maintain a certain consistency with your brand. When people want to learn more about you, they may search for you on a number of social outlets. Presenting yourself in a consistent manner helps you control their perception of your personal brand. You can damage an otherwise impeccable reputation if one of your profiles shows up with content or images that don’t represent you well.

3. Engage Regularly

Building a brand is not as easy as some make it out to be. Being a social media influencer, although it looks like a lot of fun, is actually a lot of work. Same with building a social media brand. Information within the social media realm is constantly being updated and is ever changing. Therefore, it is easy for someone, or some brand, to be hot one moment, and then irrelevant the next. Every day, you should be sharing and producing content. Adjust the frequency and types of content based on the audience presence.

4. Diversify Your Content

Posting everyday about the same topic can become monotonous. Therefore, I would suggest that you craft your communications strategy for your personal brand that includes and editorial calendar and diverse content plan so that you won’t resort to publishing the same types of articles each day. Be sure to include images, videos, articles, and even questions. I see a lot more reciprocal engagement when I change up the type of content that I post daily. Another benefit is that this diversity prevents you from oversharing your own content. Even if your own content is fantastic, your followers will appreciate when you source and share authoritative content from other people.

5. Study Influencers

Social media influencers are becoming a huge part of every day society and are definitely something to be taken seriously. Social media influencers have amassed large amounts of loyal followers. Some of these influencers have the ability to make or break a brand, or product, by posting one single review. Therefore, connecting with and even collaborating with influencers is a smart way to build your personal brand and get yourself seen, but it takes time. You have to develop a relationship with influencers before they’ll want to work with you.

There are many other ways to build your social media brand. If there is one other piece of advice that I can give you is to remember to get involved with your fan base. Don’t be afraid to add your voice and make yourself visible to your audience. In today’s society it is imperative that brands, especially personal brands, remain in touch with their consumers and develop a personal relationship with them. Don’t be afraid to jump into the discussion and add your own voice. This is especially true if you have unique insights and value to add. You won’t have much luck when it comes to building your brand if you remain a wishful lurker. Being responsive will keep you on track to grow your personal brand and your network of connections.

Social Media Crowd-sourcing:

           

       

         Social media, as I have now stated numerous times, has become an integral part of our everyday lives. To further prove this point, this week we are going to be talking about how you, or your company, can use social media for crowdfunding. But, what is crowdsourcing? Crowdsourcing is, simply put, the collection of ideas, services, and/or content with the help of contributions from a large number of people. The “crowd” part of crowdsourcing is in reference to a third-party entity that do not have a direct relation to the business that is using the crowdsourcing method. Companies, such as Netflix, who have used social media crowdsourcing are basically asking their consumers to give feedback, ideas and opinions on a particular topic. The company then uses the information gathered and applies them to further improve their product development, customer service, and even their marketing campaigns. By using crowdsourcing properly, companies can gain valuable insights about their customers and how they feel about the company and its products. Still not convinced that social media crowdsourcing can add value to your company? Well, I have listed below the top four reasons that your company should implement social media crowdsourcing.

Reason number one:

Crowdsourcing allows for your company to gain a better understanding of your customers.

Due to the fact that social media is such an important part of the majority of the worlds daily lives, it is also the quickest, and most direct way to gain feedback directly from your customers. I know what you are thinking. “But can’t we just look at the analytics on our social media post and analyze the customers behavior and preferences?” Sure, you can do that and, yes, that information is also valuable. However, by asking your customers directly specific questions about your company, products, or marketing campaigns, you will be able to get even more specified data and quotes that allow you to form a story behind how your users interact with your company and all that it offers. You will also be able to get a more specific idea of what needs your company, or products, haven’t fully met your customers needs, as well as ideas as to how to improve.

Enterprise.nxt, for instance, created a Twitter poll to understand how its followers manage their passwords. It even threw in a handy guide to creating more secure passwords so that they provide value to their audience while getting a better feel for an aspect of their behavior.

Reason number two:

Crowdsourcing allows for your company to improve your products and/or service.

Crowdsourcing is all about customer feedback. What better way to get feedback from your customers than asking them direct questions where the majority of them spend the vast majority of their time? By utilizing social media crowdsourcing you will be able to hear about improvement opportunities straight from the people who you are wanting to buy your product. Since they come in direct contact with your product regularly, they are the best people to point out what needs fixing to build a better product. An advantage of reaching out to your social media audience is that the group that will respond are typically some of your most engaged followers and users. They can serve as a focus group that knows your brand in detail and is motivated to help you improve them so they can benefit as customers too. While you can create polls and ask questions, that’s not the only way to collect product improvement feedback. Look at the comments on your posts, direct messages and reviews on your social media pages.

Reason number three:

Crowdsourcing allows for your company to optimize social media customer service.

Social media crowdsourcing goes hand in hand with the customer feedback you receive through social customer service as well. Every new review, every new interaction can provide vital information on how to improve your service. If you’re seeing recurring issues with your product or service, such as many customers experiencing shipping issues, you can start to diagnose problems affecting your business and improve. For many growing brands, a key issue can be the bandwidth of your service team itself. Maybe your team isn’t responsive enough or your limited availability is inconvenient to your customers. Some companies, such as Netflix, have even gone an extra step and created an entirely new social media profile directly focused on customer service. Netflix now has a Twitter account that is set up for their customers to have a more direct method of contact, or connection, with the company. However, that connection works both ways. By setting up this customer service profile, Netflix now has a direct connection to their users to let them know about streaming issues, updates, or anything else that the customers need to know about. This is a great idea when brands have high volumes of customer service-related queries that can’t be easily handled on the main account.

Reason number four:

Crowdsourcing allows for companies to have a way to assess their performance in the eyes of their customers.

            In any business, data is vital for the growth and success of the company. However, one of the things that companies sometimes fail at is being able to really understand what their customers really think about their product, or even the company as a whole. By implementing crowdsourcing, you will be taking the guess work out of figuring out how your customers feel about your company because the feedback is written by the customers directly. While analytics data can tell you almost everything that you need to know about your performance, there’s one aspect of your performance that it can’t measure; people’s sentiment and opinions. If you’re going to get a 360-degree view of its performance, you need to learn how to ask for feedback from customers about it. For instance, you may see a lot of engagement on your social post. But that’s not necessarily positive. People may be leaving negative comments or sharing it for all the wrong reasons. Crowdsourcing customer comments and feedback helps you gain a more complete picture of how your campaigns and your overall business decisions as a brand are faring.

Overall, social media crowdsourcing is an amazing tool that you, or your company, can, and should, use. Social media is a huge part of today’s society. If your company doesn’t have a strong social media presence, then I would strongly consider starting to building one. Social media is not going anywhere. If anything, social media is becoming even more important than ever. Social media crowdsourcing is a valuable tool for businesses and content creators alike. You can use it to inform your content strategy, promotion strategy, product development efforts and more. Make the most of the tips we’ve provided here to take an organized approach to crowdsourcing.

Blogging and Citizen Journalism

Since starting my academic career into the world of journalism, I have learned a multitude of things. However, one lesson that I have learned over and over again, especially in my graduate courses, is the importance of blogs in relation to the vast and diverse world of journalism. In an article published by the Business Insider in 2010, a chart depicted that trust financial websites and blogs were more trustworthy to the general public than people who were financial planners, advisers, or even brokers. Even though the article was published a decade ago, those numbers have probably not shifted nearly as much as some may think. In fact, I believe that the numbers would be even more in favor for blogs and financial websites. If the study was performed in today’s society, I believe that social media might even have its own line on the chart due to the fact that social media is such an integral part of our everyday lives. One of the reasons I believe that blogs are trusted over brokers, or even financial planners or advisers, is because the people who write the blogs are perceived as looking out for their fellow citizen. Those who write blogs are may not have the educational back ground of a journalist working at CNN or MSNBC, but some would say that they are considered journalist. Their titled most used is that of Citizen journalist.

“Citizen journalism involves private individuals, who are normally the consumers of journalism, generating their own news content. Citizens collect, report, analyze, and disseminate news and information, just as professional journalists would, creating what is known as user-generated content.” (Source)

Citizen journalism is a huge part of today’s society, more so now than ever due to the fact that the general public has consistent availability to technology and the internet at the palm of their hands. Social media and citizen journalism go hand in hand. “Many citizens are the first to report on breaking stories, with eye-witness videos, first-hand accounts, and real-time information, all using social media”. (Source) Furthermore, another reason why people are more willing to trust the author of financial blog who has no formal education in the subject matter, over someone who have 4+ years of education and experience within the financial field, is that financial professionals, such as brokers, are all seen as only interested in helping their clients if they, themselves, get paid. Which, albeit, there is nothing wrong with getting paid to be a broker or anything else. However, there is a certain level of mistrust when it comes to hiring someone else and trusting them with your money.

The majority of people who invest in the stock market are not a part of the 1% or may not even be considered to be upper middle class. Sometimes, the people who are investing are investing a good chunk of their savings, or even their last little bit. Because of that, and the public perception that brokers and financial advisers sometimes take advantage of their less financially fortunate clients, people are more willing to put more of their trust in someone who writes a blog about investing in the stock market, than in someone who is a broker or financial adviser. The same situation can be applied to consumers buying a product from a certain brand. While the brand is advertising everywhere on social media, and maybe even some more popular blog sites, the majority of Americans are likely to trust their neighbor or friend’s recommendation on the product more than the brands advertising. It is becoming increasingly rare for a consumer to do a blind purchase without consulting anyone, or any website/bog, before purchasing an item. This is another place where social media has integrated into our every day lives. A lot of brands are starting to notice the weight that some, seemingly average people carry when it comes to influencing consumers on certain products. These people are more commonly known as social media influencers.

How do you know if someone on social media is an influencer? There are three main things that you need to be considered a social media influencer: Followers, Engagement, Reach. The number of people you can influence primarily rely on how many people have chosen to follow your social media accounts. These accounts are most commonly Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. The more followers you have across your social media platforms increases your influence to those followers. Blogs are another, more reputable, outlet for some influencers. A lot of influencers use blogs to tie all of their social media platforms together. Blogs give them a sort of “home-base” within the vast world that is the internet. It also provides influencers with another place to sell advertising to corporations of which they support.

 So, why do brands even care about social media influencers? Once you have gained a loyal and engaged fan base, brands might start looking into possibly using your social media feed for their products. Brands know that people are beginning to care less about their commercials and magazine ads. According to an article titled, "7 Must-Have Word-of-Mouth Marketing Strategies", by Ramona Sukjraj, "75% of people don't believe advertisements". However, she states the 92% of people "believe [a] brand recommendation from friends." (Source:) This is where social media influencers come into play. If your followers believe in you as a social media creator, and they feel engaged with your content, then they will start to feel as if you are not just another person, but a friend. They will believe and trust your recommendations for products, over a dramatize commercial they see on television. That is why brands will pay social media influencers to post ads for their products on their social media channels. This is called Influencer marketing.

These influencers, like those who publish strictly blog articles, all fall under the citizen journalism umbrella. Those who write blogs, or are social media influencers are almost immediately given a greater sense of trust by their readers due to the sheer fact that they are seen as just another citizen. Citizen journalism is, I believe, a much needed medium within the world of journalism. I believe that it plays an integral part of keeping professional journalist on their toes by reminding them that their readers don’t just blindly follow them as their one and only source of information. This doesn’t mean that professional journalist are to not be trusted, although there is a high level of mistrust among the american people and the media. I believe that citizen journalism, like social media influencers and bloggers, act as sort of a bridge over the mistrust that flows throughout America.

Social Leaders

              

              I know I have talked a lot about social media in my last few blog posts. However, I only do so because of its immense relevance to not only the world of strategic communication but the business world as a whole. Today's post is about how social media is influencing, changing, and developing, the leaders of today and beyond. As always, there is a new terminology that is gaining popularity in regards to social media and those who utilize its ability to reach vast amounts of people. That word is “social leaders.” This term is not to be confused with that of a social media influencer. While they may share some of the same goals, social media influencers and social leaders are two different types of people. Social leaders are defined as having the ability to amass a following due to “their ability to bring people together, facilitate agreements, and drive efforts in the same direction.”

          So, how can social media help develop leaders? If utilized properly, social media can allow for leaders to better hone in their “communication, collaboration, motivation agility, and community building skills,” just to name a few. (Source:) It is becoming increasingly important and popular for CEOs and other high profile people throughout the different divisions of the business world to have a strong social media presence, and I’m not meaning their secretary posting on their behalf. No. In today’s social media society, people want to hear directly from the big names that lead the companies that supply the people their product. According to Chief Executive, about 10 percent of Fortune 500 CEOs are starting to get more personally engaged on social media platforms. By doing this, the consumers of the Fortune 500 companies are able to feel as though they can better relate to the CEO and their vision for their company.

"Embracing social media isn't just a bit of fun; it's a vital way to communicate, keep your ear to the ground, and improve your business." – Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Group

               Another thing that CEOs, and high-profile people within the organization, can do to boost the organization's brand on social media further is to share their expertise with their followers. When a CEO or other “successful” person is interviewed, one of the main questions that are asked is, “what is your secret to success?” or, “How did you become so successful?” By taking to social media to share your expertise, you are allowing your followers to understand better you and, potentially, the road you had to take to become “successful.”

              Leaders can can also utilize social media to further build up their brands image by, just simply, being human. Be yourself. When leaders take time to show their followers that they are, in fact, human, it helps their followers feel as if they can better relate to them. How much you choose to share your personal life is completely up to you. You can choose anything you are comfortable sharing with your followers. If you are open to having a transparent relationship with your followers, you can share big life moments, such as getting married, buying a house, etc. On the other hand, it could be as simple as an inspirational quote alongside a picture of you on your morning commute. The key here is to make sure that it is authentic. 

     

            “In times of deep social and technological change, social media enables leaders to take advantage of the radical cognitive and relational transformations that are taking place everywhere.” (Source:) Social media can play a huge part in transforming a brand due to the fact that the multiple and diverse channels allow for there to be new types of interaction with your company. Knowing how to connect with those people is vital to being a social leader. Social media is a broad term that encompasses countless outlets or channels. From Facebook and Twitter to Instagram and LinkedIn, each platform attracts a different audience. There is also a high likelihood that people are using multiple social media apps every day. By finding which social media platform works best for you, as well as your followers, you will have a higher connection with them. Twitter is a leading social media platform for high profiled CEOs and celebrities alike due to its enormous audience and its user-friendly interface. Even the most technologically challenged person can pick up how to use Twitter in order to interact with their followers.

             Being able to stay relevant among your followers is another thing that that social media can help with. As I have previously stated, the attention span of the younger generations is getting shorter. Albeit social media is partly to blame for that, it is also a solution. While social media is a great tool to utilize to keep in touch with your followers, you want to make sure that your employees are also engaged with you on social media. CEOs, and most leaders, always have hectic and fast-paced schedules. Therefore, it is increasingly difficult to meet with followers or employees face-to-face. One of the ways that a social leader can stay relevant is to have a consistent presence on their social media platforms. By staying consistent with your posting, no matter what the content is, you will be able to continuously pop up in your followers' and employee’s social media feed.

            Social leaders can use social media for its ability to, simply enough, communicate better with their followers. “Social media provides an unbelievable medium to communicate with people across geographies, time zones, and demographics.” While social media is ever-changing and it can feel a bit overwhelming, trust me when I say, it's not as hard as it seems. There are always new and exciting forms of social media coming out. However, the basic channels, such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Pinterest, are all fairly user-friendly and have been around long enough to have worked most of the kinks out. With that being said, older generations can no longer use the excuse, “I am too old,” or “I don’t get anything out of it for me.” If that is your excuse, then might I offer you one more tad bit of advice? Always remember to stay a student of the world around you. Learn about the changes and be flexible enough to try it at least. Furthermore, embrace the change.

Digital media and how to use social media branding.

Social Media is every where! Within todays society, roughly 64%, or two-thirds of adults have not only home Wi-Fi, but they have access to at least one, if not more, smartphone, desktop, laptop, or tablet that enables them to have consistent access to the internet. (Source:) Because of the easy access to the internet and the quick availability to the multiple online channels of information, people are starting to spend more time online, than anywhere else. However, even though there are millions of websites and apps, social media apps are among the most used out of all them. It is because of that, that it is becoming imperative for media organizations, such as magazine, newspapers, television and even radio stations, to not only have an online presence, but to develop a social media brand, as well.

        However, before we can start talking about how to build up your social media presence, we need to fist discuss what a social media brand is. So, what is a brand? No, we are not referring to the kind of permanent mark that a farmer leaves on their cattle. The brand that we are referring to in this sense is that of a

“name, term, design, symbol or any other feature that identifies one seller’s good or service as distinct from those of other sellers” (Source:)

         Take the talk radio show, The Breakfast Club, for example. The Breakfast Club is arguable one of the most popular morning talk radio shows in America. The show is hosted by DJ Envy, Angela Yee, and rapper Charlamagne tha God. The original talk show started in 2010 on New York’s Power 105.1 FM. However, in 2013 the talk show became a syndicated radio show. This means that the show was licensed to broadcast on multiple different radio stations around the world. Part of the reason why the show became as popular as it has is thanks to their social media platforms.

         The Breakfast Club radio show is now broadcasted on 41 radio stated around the world, including the main radio station of which they started Power 105.1 FM in New York. So, how did a radio station utilize social media and build such an influential social media brand? I mean, it’s a radio show, all they do is talk on the radio. No one even likes to listen to the radio anymore, right?

Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube are the three main social media outlets that The Breakfast Club talk show uses. Each morning their broadcast is filmed live on Facebook. This is important for two reasons. One, you get to actually put a face to the voices that are coming out of your speaker. Two, once the filming is done, people can still watch and see what happened during the live broadcast. The Breakfast club utilizes YouTube in a similar way. The show will post their broadcast on their YouTube channel, but they also post more exclusive and personalized content from their broadcast. Take for instance that you only like to hear the “Rumor Report” and don’t care too much about the rest of their show. Well, then you could go on the shows YouTube channel and watch all of the “rumor reports” that have been aired on the show. Their Twitter page is probably their least used form of social media, but the show utilizes it to further advertise for the show and the different things that is talked about on show. They also utilize it as a way to interact with their fans by sometimes retweeting something a fan said, or shared.

So, lets talk numbers. How do you know if you have a strong social media presence? The simple answer can be found in the amount of followers that you have. The Breakfast Club the show has over 2.4 million people who either follow or like the Breakfast Club on Facebook. The shows YouTube channel alone has 4.21 Million subscribers. On Twitter, the show has 624 thousand followers. Out of three of the most popular social media platforms, the Breakfast Club has a combined following of over 7.2 million fans, or followers. This is not even including the personal accounts that each of the host has. On Twitter alone, the three host have a combined following of 3.8 million, with Charlamagne tha God having the majority with 2.12 million fans.

The success of the show has to deal with their ability to cultivate such a large and loyal fan base among their social media channels. So, how can other radio shows, newspapers, magazine, or news channels build their social media brand like the Breakfast Club did? There are a few steps in which you can take in order to brand yourself on social media better. The first thing that you need to do is to make sure that your social media accounts are all updated. You also need to figure out which social media platform(s) you plan on using. The most popular social media platforms for branding are Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Snapchat. However, once you have figured out what you want to be known for, or what your niche is, you will get a better idea as to which social media platform will work best for your brand.

             The second thing that you will need to really focus on is finding your niche. What do you want to be known for? What areas do you have expertise in? Are you a makeup artist and want to showcase your makeup skills and review popular makeup brands? If so, then I would suggest using Instagram and YouTube as your primary social media platforms. Are you a travel photographer? Instagram and YouTube could also work for you to showcase your photographs.

“The more unique and engaging content you create on your chosen topic of expertise, the more your followers will start to think of you as a leader in your chosen field.” (Source:)

              The third thing you can do to help build up your brand on social media is to make sure that you are posting your content on a regular basis. Are you going to be able to post every day? Every week? Every other week? Whatever the time frame, make sure to stick to a schedule. One of the things that can kill a brand before it even gets a chance is inconsistency. The majority of people on social media, myself included, have rather short attention spans. Therefore, it's not only important to grab the attention of your followers, but you must also be able to maintain their attention in order to stay relevant. According to the Digital Marketing Institute, posting 3-4 times a week is the “sweet spot” for individuals.

             Lastly, you want to make sure that your content is creative and captivating. No one wants to see the same post done by 30 different social media influencer wannabe’s. Make sure that the content you create is authentic to who you are. If you are creating random content based on what other people are doing, you are likely to lose followers because they will see you as someone who is just trying to get famous. If that is your goal, you will likely never reach it. As I’ve stated in my last post,

“People don’t care what you do. They care why you do it.” – Simon Sinek.

Therefore, you want to make sure that your content stays true to the brand in which you are trying to create. Keeping up with trends is okay, as long as you can find a different way to do them, or find a way to make them relevant to your brand. Branding for your organization is not an easy thing to achieve. As we are finding out each week, utilizing the power of social media is not as easy as some people make it seem. However, once your brand has been established, you can start to enjoy the benefits of it.