Monday, February 11, 2013

Social Media


Social media is already influential globally, so it will only expand its influence in the future. Social networking websites such as Facebook and Twitter already have millions of members, and, if the current trends are to continue, the number of social media users will only increase. As social media continues to reach more people every day, the websites are being used by companies and groups to easily reach the millions of users. In this way, companies can advertise their product to a large group of people quickly and effectively. It is not just companies that use social media websites to reach large groups of people – celebrities and other public figures are flocking to these websites to promote themselves and increase their popularity. Websites like Facebook and Twitter make it easy for these people to reach thousands of fans at once. Basically, with the rise of social media, we will all become more connected. 



“If I had to guess, social commerce is the next to blow up.” – Mark Zuckerberg



Through my research about social media, I discovered that it is easy for companies to use websites as a marketing tool. Companies have a carefully thought out plan to build a strong network of followers on the social media website, communicate with prospective customers, and offer a variety of information and other content. Social media websites are also a good way for companies to receive feedback from customers to make their business more efficient and improve their product. It is also common for companies to use more than one social media website to promote their business. For example, a company may use both Facebook and Twitter to reach as many people as possible. 16% of CEOs admit to using social media to reach customers. This may seem like a small number – but their social media use is expected to triple within the next five years. Through online promotion, many companies are experiencing a larger percentage of their profits are coming from online rather than in stores. In fact, Pampers sold 1,000 diapers online in one hour. Through social media promotion, Groupon was able to earn 11 million dollars in one day for Gap. 




As with many things, there are advantages and disadvantages of social media. On the plus side, social media allows people to stay in touch and connect to people with whom they would otherwise lose touch. It can be a fun way to pass the time and easily communicate. To relate it to marketing from companies, many people can benefit as consumers from the promotions offered online by companies through social media. A negative aspect of social media is that it may take up too much of an individual’s time. Spending hours a day on social media websites is excessive and potentially harmful. Too much time social networking can take attention away from other, more important aspects of life. 



I’m not entirely sure what all the benefits of social media in the classroom are. I like traditional learning styles such as note taking and lectures – this could be because I take mostly AP courses. I can see how social media may help students and teachers connect with more ease, but other than that I don’t think bringing social media into the classroom is incredibly beneficial. 



I like the idea of putting resources online for students in high school and college. I like submitting assignments online, because I only need a digital copy, and all of the things I need are in one place. I think communicating with other students through social media would be more beneficial at the collegiate level. In high school, teachers are more willing to help students. Alternatively, in college, professors are less eager to spend their free time, or class time for that matter, deviating from the lesson plan and helping students. I think social media and online resources will continue to be a part of the learning experience for high school and college students. 







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