As one of the most popular social media networks, Facebook will be my focus for generating a stronger online presence. It was an easy choice but I can foresee some problems with this choice as well. Facebook is interacting with just about every person, business, or institution out there today; which is beneficial yet hazardous. The hazard is the noise. I think that these days there can be too much going on for any one person to focus in on what they are looking for out of networks like Facebook. While the style and user functions of the site has changed over the last couple of years, it still remains the dominant interactive site due to its pure popularity.
One of the main reasons I believe Facebook will work for me is the amount of traffic to the site and the number of friends I have there. Not all of them are actual friends, but with what I have experimented with in the past (C.E.D. Design-blog and business page) has worked beneficially for myself and my followers. Now that the format has changed to creating circles or niches, there is less general noise from the 554 friends I have and more posts from people I have selected for certain circles. It seems you can still broadcast to everyone you know but that some peoples' settings may tune you out. When you post you have options on who you update too, which I find very useful. Then again, maybe you still want everyone to hear what you had for breakfast - hopefully those days are over.
With the emergence of Google+, Facebook has been offered some clean competition. Although Google+ is still very new and not too many people know about it, its numbers alone showed us all the power of social networking sites. I think it is good to have options, but these days I find Facebook still takes the cake when people want to interact.
Eye on my niche...
My real focus now is to intertwine my writing from this blog into my C.E.D. Design niche. I think it is time to reveal my identity to those who don't know yet, but I find the mystery of it all counter productive in creating online presence in the first place. I believe people need to know who you are to follow you, or at least have common niche interests. I am not quite sure how I will unravel this mystery without jumping into the spotlight. Even though I am reluctant to broadcast my experiences with Irene, I find it has to be done. The story has to be told, and if anything it will help me move on in the future without feeling shitty about what happened.
The Growing Conversation...
Facebook is the main hub for online conversation, at least from what I have seen recently. It is the normal new chat room, photo gallery, event board and status center. It is connecting more people everyday, and is an easy way to stay on top of whats going on without actually having to interact in person. Convenient. Casual. No big whoop. Well, maybe a very big whoop. I am not sure that conversation is what I would call deep or intelligent, but at least it is making people think and connect at their leisure.
I think it is almost obvious why I choose Facebook over other social networks. Do I need say more? Like I mentioned earlier, the noise and amount of traffic could pose a problem, but I plan to focus on certain groups, like my close friends and family to see what kind of reaction I get.
Good points and insight about Facebook. I would have liked a more detail about the CED Design social media campaign, like goals, what the business is and what type of follows/friends you were trying to attract on Facebook.
ReplyDeleteHi Drake/Chris:
ReplyDeleteI agree that Facebook would probably work well in promoting your business and blog, the latter of which I first got to see during summer class. (I remember looking through it back then and thinking about how much work you had put into each of your posts.)
Would you eventually create a separate Facebook fan page linked directly to the blog, after testing the waters with friends? Or would you just stick with your personal FB page?
Whatever you decide, good luck to you! Sadie/Vivian
@Sadie
ReplyDeleteEventually my CED Design website(which is now in blog form) will become my homepage for my business with links directed to and from my Facebook page.It will feature my portfolio, writing, photography,resume, audio(if I get around to it) and other multimedia ideas. I think it is important to keep the connection with people on Facebook so they can easily access my website/blog through the page there, because I know how hard it can be to get people to your website otherwise(people are afraid of URL's :-)).
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ReplyDeleteThis is well thought out and argued. You make some good decisions. My main concern for this assignment is to get you thinking about ideas, words, content and a campaign as much as the forums and formats of social media that you will use to spread your campaign.
ReplyDeleteThe best online campaigns transform social media software. Like fake Twitter accounts and hashtags, they turn the application on its head and use it like no one has used it previously. The best social media campaign is a mutation of Facebook or a new Facebook.
The campaign matters more than the Facebook or Twitter account.
Think about how I just talked about your storyboards. You gave me the narrative of your day in straightforward shots. Now I’m asking you what you want to say with that day.
Couldn’t you just tell the story of that day, you ask? The answer is no. It must be transformed into a struggle between you and your father, or a meditation on the power of nature over man, or a horror story. As we’ve discussed with writing, if you don’t acknowledge and take control of your voice, then the audience will take control for you.
You also need to make that decision about social media. Are you just promoting another graphic design business in the yellow pages or are you promoting you and your theories as a designer? Every single design by Milton Glaser and Saul Bass was a declaration of their design beliefs. That is why they and their work last. They had a message.
Facebook is a convenient way to reach a lot of people with advertising, but you still need to reach those people with something. Google+ or GetGlue or a design social media application might give you less eyes, but more relevant ones. Start with Facebook, but keep your eye out for better designs.
Irene has touched you, but I haven’t really heard how yet. You gave us some riveting analyses of the day, but I haven’t heard your reaction put into words. It may be too early, but you might want to put your exploration of Irene into some context for your design audience. Maybe you could have two blogs, one on design and one on destruction.
No matter how much you feel that you are a visual artist Drake, don’t give up on words. You’ve come a long way in this class. Words can define, refine, focus, and inform your images and your designs.
Nice work.