In today’s society, micro social networks have
revolutionized the way the world receives news. A micro social network can best
be defined as a fully functional social network that allows for communication by
and among multiple individuals through a common “meeting place”, including by
allowing subscribing individuals to view another subscribing individual’s
personally maintained profile (which can be updated by the maintaining party to
reflect any and all details of their daily life that they choose to share on a
real-time basis. Networks such as Facebook and Twitter are two perfect examples
on how these forums can be properly and efficiently used to one’s advantage.
As you can see on the chart, both
of these platforms rank at or near the top of the social network popularity. These
social networks are also gradually becoming more appealing to an older
generation of users, which is greatly expanding their global brand.
Promotional Offers on Twitter Result in Significant Outcome
As previously mentioned, one of the greatest assets of these
social networking sites is the ability to provide instantaneous updates of
one’s activities, thoughts or emotions to an unlimited audience. If used
properly, social networks such as Twitter can provide extremely valuable benefits,
particularly in a commercial setting. Many
companies and business have enthusiastically jumped on this bandwagon and have
rode the wave of the future to their economic advantage and produce a
significant outcome. The renowned Gourmet Mexican Grill, Chipotle, is a shining
example of this trend. Recently, the PR team from Chipotle took to Twitter to
offer a promotion that would promised 20 years of free burritos to the winner
of the promotion. Cleverly, they referred to their promotion as an
“adventuritto” – linking the quest for an adventure with the restaurant’s
famous and delicious burritos.
Within
minutes of their initial tweet, the tweet was re-tweeted by 62 people and a favorite
of 53 more. Consider that the Chipotle
Twitter account is currently followed by a staggering number of people—261,630 (at
the time of this posting) to be exact – and you can envision how with one
singular simple action a wide-ranging pool of potential participants for this challenge
was created. The use of Twitter is an excellent way to advertise your business and
promote your product. When used
creatively and effectively, it can forge a lasting connection with your customers.
This Chipotle promotion also created a lifetime customer who will become a
spokesman for the business, at minimal cost to the company.
Private Messaging
Open to Anyone on Twitter
Social networks are frequently mentioned in the news
headlines these days. Just the other day
Twitter recently announced that Twitter users will soon be able to send private
messages to any other Twitter subscribers – not just their followers... Twitter timed this announcement at a time when
their stock is about to go public – hoping to create an economic windfall.
However, the reaction to this announcement has been mixed. While there are many
people who were receptive to this change, many others were not. One of the biggest fears of those who did not
view this news favorably was the concern for an influx of spam to their inbox. On the other hand, proponents of this new
feature boast that companies and brands can send personal messages advertising
their products, and media sites can send news alerts with links attached. Fortunately, this new feature does not happen
automatically - users must opt in to it
to activate it. Consequently, users can
determine whether they will be benefitted or burdened by this new feature, and
can make their elections accordingly.
This change has wide-ranging potential as to how micro networks are used. Before this, they were just a source of real time information, updated to the second. Now, with advertisements and direct messages thrown into the mix, the social media networks may have the capability to capture the market and effectively end the reign of Internet mailboxes (such as AOL and Gmail) as they become the new and improved communication channel of choice. This could possibly alter the social media landscape for years to come.
In conclusion, micro social networks are becoming the new
face of communication in America. Everyday, changes are being made to
accommodate the general public in their need for instant gratification. However, these advancements do come at a cost
– as these products further grease the slippery slope that promotes an end to
face-to-face communication and contact. This step that Twitter has taken may
prove to be the beginning of a domino effect in which we see other social
networks follow suit. Personally, this is something I encounter in my own life
experience on a daily basis. By simply picking up my phone and hitting the
refresh button, I can receive all the news and other information that I need to
know rather than sitting down and reading the newspaper for such information
the way my parents did. The jury is still out on whether or not this is in fact
the welcoming change needed.
Corey structures his post well, defining what micro social networks are by utilizing popular examples such as Facebook and Twitter and following with their commercial uses and current improvements. Embedded images complement the adjoining text providing Corey with factual and visual proof of his blog post’s claims. Corey also embeds a link that provides readers with further reading in regards to Twitter’s commercial benefits. However, there are some journalistic approaches that Corey can do to enhance his blog further. The headline can be consolidated to define his post about micro social networks, its positive effect for commercial users and the dynamic changes of which the micro social network Twitter is currently imposing. (e.g. “Micro Social Network Twitter provides nearly instantaneous updates that have revolutionized commercial promotion and possibly channels of communication”). This headline can still represent Corey’s post as it defines what a micro social network is, its effects in a commercial setting and Twitter’s upcoming update that may revolutionize advertisements and Internet mailboxes. Further links can also be provided on Twitter’s recent private messaging option or other changes it has made to its private messaging feature. http://www.cnn.com/2013/10/15/tech/social-media/twitter-private-messages/ Highlights the effects of Twitter’s private messaging change from a different perspective (how it may lead to spam and unwanted communication). Offering readers with this insight provide them with more information and can enrich Corey’s blog post.
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