So now what do I do? (Post 2)

By now, all of you are linked to the course blog roll AND you should have posted your first post which was an introduction to you and your space here. So... now what?

In our last class and this week, we will have a series of visiting scholars talking to us about a variety of topics related to social media, activism, and social movements. Choose something that one of these scholars talked about that resonated with you and expand on it here in this space. Here are some ideas to consider:

• Why did it resonate with you? 
• What other information can you share with us? 
• What kind of connection can you make between what resonated with you and the things that interest you or make you tick from last week's blog post?

As a reminder our visiting scholars are: Dr. Rauf Arif (Thursday, January 27), Ms. Christina Riley (Tuesday, February 1), and Dr. Yunkang Yang (Thursday, February 3).

Remember, each week, you'll post at least once, trying to capture the essence of the theme you started out with (which is why I asked you about that in the first post). Most weeks, you should try to relate your post back to something we're talking about in class.

As we continue the semester, one of the things you should consider is giving your blog its own identity or personality. This will take some time to develop; but much like your own identity, your blogs can take on a specific theme and your posts can fit into that theme. Maybe you want to be inspirational. Maybe you want to think about faith. Maybe you want to think about travel. Or sports!

Are you guys too young to remember Disney's Dog with a Blog?

Whatever it is, think about what kind of vibe you want to develop, and try to tailor your posts as much as possible to that and our topics as the semester goes on. This way, you'll have the beginnings of your own space in the digital realm. Who knows where it can take you!

Blogs and vlogs are due by end of day Friday. 

Your First Post - Spring 2022

Welcome to blogging for the Spring 2022 semester! 

I've had a few suggestions that students be allowed to vlog instead of blog for this class. I am open to that, as long as you are able to touch on the required components of each week's post. However, regardless of whether you write or make videos, I still need a common place for you to host whatever content you do produce for this class, and short of me following you on TikTok (which is probably NOT a good idea)... a blog platform seems like a happy medium.  

Now that we've addressed that: This week, your post should be a basic introduction to who you are and what your blog (or vlog) will be about - it's your first post for this class, so you can really carve out your niche in this space. You have to start somewhere, and what better way than to start off with an introductory post! If you already posted something as you created your blog, keep reading and make sure you addressed everything I ask for. I won't read posts for a grade until at least the weekend. 

So to start - introduce yourself. Who are you? That's a loaded question. Unpack it (using as much self-disclosure as you deem fit for an online space). Example things to potentially include: Name and where you are in life right now, what you want to do in life, etc.

Gif courtesy of Steve Litras at Cribl

Now... as you went through the process of creating your blog, you made specific decisions in terms of the theme, background, the images, font, and other things that you selected over something else. Was there a reason for that? Offer some insight into your creative process. Do you have a specific theme you plan to stick to throughout the semester? While you will have some freedom to write about what you want from week to week this semester, remember that you should make an effort to connect what you're writing about to what we talk about in class too. 

Next - what makes you tick? What interests you? This can potentially be a direction for your blog. It doesn't have to be just one thing either. This is your space. Personalize it. Make it your own. Give your reader an idea of what you're planning to write about. If you want to add a picture, feel free but it's not necessary to -- at least not right now.

Your blog post should be a few (short) paragraphs. If you're making a video, you should make sure to include everything I mentioned above. If you're writing: notice how in this post, I have small chunks of writing with space between paragraphs. It makes for a more pleasurable reading experience! Remember, you're writing (or vlogging) for a specific audience (me and anyone else you share this with). I encourage you to share your blogs with others too!

Don't forget, posts should be up by the end of day Friday. In general though, as long as it's there by the time I grade (which is usually over the weekend) you should be fine. Happy blogging/vlogging!

The Last (required) Post

Hello bloggers! Well, our time in COMM 373 is coming to an end. It's the last week of class, and most of us are super ready for a break. For your last (required) blog post, tell me how you feel about blogging after having a whole semester of coming up with content (with some hopefully helpful prompts from me). Consider the following:

• Why is blogging part of a class in social media? Isn't it ... old?
• How has this blog contributed to your digital footprint?
• Will you continue your blog and will you move it to some other platform? Or is it not really your thing?

Posts are due by end of day Friday. I hope you've enjoyed the semester and continue to learn more about what platforms are the best for your professional and personal needs!
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I encourage you to keep blogging either here or somewhere else. Make yourself marketable as you get ready for the future. For many of you, graduation is on the horizon. For others, you're pursuing internships. Be thoughtful of your online presence as you begin/continue on your career paths!

Your Second to Last Required Post

In class over the past several weeks, we have talked about how being creative on demand is difficult and creating content for a social media account isn't as easy as it seems. A couple weeks ago, you created a branded image for your blog and explained your creative process. 

Gif courtesy of Giphy

We've also begun talking about how social media is used in different industries. So now, we have a pretty complete picture of what professionals in social media do - it's a little bit of writing, it's a little bit of creativity, and it's also a little bit of math (shocking!) For your blog post this week, give me a little bit of feedback (oh hey, it's an evaluation...)

• What have your favorite topics been so far? 
• What's been the most boring topic to cover?
• How do you think you'll be able to apply what you've been learning so far to the real world?
• Is there anything you thought you'd learn in class that we haven't covered yet?

I plan to take tips from your posts this week to help tweak the class for future students, so be honest in your responses. And don't forget: Blog posts are due by end of day Friday.

Gif courtesy of GIPHY Studios

Social Media Analysis Projects

The last assignment of the course is one of my favorites because you can see how all of the things we've talked about all semester come together AND you get to flex some of your creative muscles by making suggestions for a client that you select. You can read all about the Analysis Project on the assignment sheet posted to Canvas. 

For this week's blog post, you're doing the first small part of the Analysis Project, which is to select a local (to you) small business or organization and do a little background research on them. Specifically, the assignment sheet says: 

Choose a small organization or business (non-profits, local/home churches, student organizations, businesses in Emmitsburg/Frederick/Gettysburg with which you have familiarity, or businesses local to you in your hometown). Preview your “client” in your blog post (this will be blog post #10) due on Friday, November 19. Your preview should include basic information about your client and a SWOT Analysis (see handout on Canvas.)

The business can and should be in an area that interests you because you'll probably feel more passionate about completing this last project for an organization or cause that you care about. 

As you begin look into their online presence, complete a SWOT (analyzing their Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) and provide a little background information about them. 

Image courtesy of Word Stream

This will help you to start thinking more about the analysis paper you have to write and potentially even give you some inspiration for creative suggestions.

Blog posts are due on Fridays. 

Branding and Content Creation

Now that we've had several weeks of learning about content and branding, this week I'd like you to think about your blog presence for our class. 

Image Courtesy of Oktopost

Given our new material on content creation and the intro to Canva (class on Thursday), try your hand at creating a logo for your blog that is consistent with the content you've been sharing this semester. Think about your theme, color scheme, and your overall presence. Share your logo and describe the creative process you underwent in creating it for this week's blog post. 

Happy creating! Since I'm not talking about Canva until Thursday, blogs should be posted by end of day Sunday, 11/14 this week. 

The Power of Influencers

Our blog post for the week is going to be a little different than what we've done in the past, but I hope you'll enjoy it all the same!

Choose your favorite social media influencer and write a profile/review of their social media space. These can be DIYers, YouTubers, even well-known celebrities. 

Graphic Courtesy of Scepter Digital Marketing

In your profile/review, consider: 

• What platforms are they using? 
• Who are their followers? 
• What is their brand voice? 
• Do they support any specific products or causes? How do you know?

 If you've been following them for a while, think about these questions too: 

• How did you find them? 
• Why do you follow them?

If you do not follow a specific influencer or are having trouble thinking of one to review for this week's post, a simple Google search of the most popular influencers will reveal a variety of results. Cole Sprouse is listed as having one of the most influential presences on social media, alongside Selena Gomez and Cristiano Ronaldo. If you choose to review someone who is also a well-known celebrity or athlete, consider the questions above and how they use their platform and fame to highlight causes that are important to them.

As you conclude your post this week, reflect on the overall impact of influencers in today's world. As always, posts are due on Fridays.