Twitter this and Twitter that.

Ask yourself this question, why do you like Twitter? The answer for why you wouldn't like Twitter may be easier to answer. But for all of those who seem to be addicted to the site explaning it may be a bit harder to do. It seems simple enough. You share a one liner about what you're doing or maybe how you're feeling. There doesn't seem to be much to it but a certain blogger who goes by Scribkin says that it "has almost a drug-like addictiveness".
Twitter seems to answer the question "How are you?". All too often people ask this question but don't seem very interested in the answer. Those who actually do want to know how someone is doing are probably a fan of Twitter. So if you want others to know what you're doing and how you're feeling at any given moment then join Twitter and share yourself. It can be fun and something to do inbetween your real idea of a good time.

Thank you Brad Mitchell!

Brad introduced me to all the social media outlets that MSU is utilizing. I found it amazing at how many sources are necessary to stay on top of things. It seems that this point MSU is just trying to keep up with the Joneses. Thanks to Brad we may have a chance of getting ahead of the curve. I love the fact that Brad's background really isn't in PR but media. As a media undergrad myself I love to see that it is so versatile and that your experience can transend into other markets that are more than welcome to take you in. I am new to social media. I recently got a Facebook account a couple of weeks ago so when MSU added social media links on their main page I wasn't the first to notice but now that I do, I think it is fabulous!
In terms of the university using social media I think they have a good start. It is clearly important to use all of your resources and social media gives you plently of ways to reach current students, alumni, and future students. I give MSU a thumbs up for jumping on the bandwagon. It will be interesting to see where they take it from here and hopefully Brad will be recruiting help in the near future. Even the best PR professional can't handle this on their own.
Have questions or comments for Brad? Just click on his name and ask away.

Podcasts are fun for everyone.

Yes! Finally something I know something about. I think podcasts are awesome! A good reason for that is not only do I know how to do them but I’ve done them! They aren’t hard in case you were wondering.
Podcasts are free, for now, and offer a very simple way of sharing or receiving audio or media files. Whatever you desire, there’s a great chance it exists on a downloadable podcast, lucky you. A podcast can be anything from a TV or radio program to a voiceover you recorded and edited in your own bedroom! The possibilities are really endless.
A lot of podcasts give the option to listen before you download. Even through the service is free, who wants to go through the trouble of downloading and taking up space on their iPod when there’s a new Britney Spear’s album?
Podcasts are for everyone. Check out anything and everything. Entertain your self or your significant other with their favorite funny news guy like Anderson Cooper or pipe down the kids in the back seat during road trips with Sesame Street. There’s a plentiful array of treats for everyone. For all those of you who are cool enough to speak another language, podcasts now offer radio and TV shows in over 50 languages.

So fire up your iPod and find a treasure out there in the digital world. Don’t have an iPod? Not to worry. Podcasts can also be downloaded to your computer as well as other personal media players. As long as your device plays mp3 or videos files you will be just fine. Podcast are usually distributed through RSS technology. And this means no waiting!

Great! So you now know what a podcast is and your interest is peaked, so what now?
Well to receive podcasts automatically, you will need podcast subscription software. This software can be obtained through iTunes or services like Odeo. Now go out and enjoy what is still free and is rising in popularity. Hey, you can't get left behind nowadays.

IMC- Putting it all Together and Making it Work.

According to the Journal of Integrated Maketing Communication, IMC is defined as "the management of all organized communication to build positive relationships with customers and other stakeholders-stresses marketing to the individual by understanding needs, motivations, attitudes and behaviors."

IMC is data-driven. In today's marketplace there is more information than ever regarding customers' behaviors and preferences. IMc relies on this information to identify and understand a company's best customers and to make informed decisions regarding how to communicate with them.

Doing a little research on the web one can see that IMC is huge! And only seems to be getting stronger by the day. It seems to be everywhere. You can even get your Master's in IMC. There are classes to take, seminars to join in on and many papers tailored to the topic. As anyone can see IMC is not going anywhere so any PR professional would be smart to take that into consideration and run with it.

Social News Releases

Since I am not a PR person I am not able to properly describe the use of social news releases in PR so I opted for a website that can describe it as well as provide a video to assist. http://lornali.com/seo/what-is-a-social-media-press-release

Social Networks

I find it really disturbing when the first thing a friend does when walking into my apartment door is have to hunt for my computer so they can check their Facebook or Myspace. I’ll admit it, I do have a Myspace account but I am not a regular visitor to the site. All too often a friend will say something regarding a Myspace message or comment that referred to confirming or making plans with me. Myspace messages are quickly campaigning to be on the same level as text messages or even a phone call! It is now expected that many check social network sites daily or even several times a day. It has become another way of e-mailing. I have even done business over Myspace messages.

Who hasn’t heard that what you post on site like Facebook are now being viewed by potential employers? Employees have been fired because of pictures fully intended only for friends. As an undergrad I was a cheerleader for Drury and we were required to removed any questionable pictures from our personal sites. Here is a blog that addresses this topic http://mynaym.com/

As for the Myspace vs. Facebook debate I can only hypothesize because I have not had a Facebook account in over two years. What I have gathered is from the over the shoulder looks I give my friends when they are perusing their pages. It seems like Myspace allows you to be a bit more creative with your page. It seem like the ability to change your background and upload your pictures right now your page along with many other feature, allows more of your personality to come through.

When it comes to advertisements I guess I knew they existed on those sites but have never acknowledged them. So if companies want me to take notice, Myspace isn’t really the way to go about it.

RSS IT!!!

What is RSS?

RSS, which stands for Really Simple Syndication, is a way to distribute content to a large number of people.

What is RSS good for?

There are so many websites out there with so much information that is being updated regularly that it would be a full-time job tracking down all of the changing information. Therefore, RSS is a great way to be notified of new and changed content. RSS is even more helpful than old fashion e-mail notifications which can get messy and often get confused for spam.

How does RSS work?

A website author maintains a list of notifications on their website. This list is called an RSS Feed. Those who are interested in the changes can check this list. Then it is up to computer programs called RSS aggregators that can automatically access your RSS feeds and organize them for you. RSS feed and aggregators are sometimes referred to as RSS Channels or RSS Readers.

What info does RSS provide?

RSS gives basic information that is made up of a list that is given in order from newest to oldest. Each one is given a title and a short description of the information. While sometimes it is just a summary.

RSS aggregator programs example:

How can you find out if a website has an RSS feed?

Nowadays most website do provide an RSS feed but sometimes locating that link can be a little tricky. There are certain things to look for that can make it a bit easier for you, such as: an orange button with the letters “XML”, “RSS”, or even a link that says, “Syndicate This”.

This is how it looks to tech savvy individuals….



There are other uses for RSS…

Not only is RSS great for keeping updated on changing information but it awesome for some other uses too!

*Notifying you of a new product in store
*Listing and notifying you of newsletter issues (e-mail too)
*Weather alerts
*And notifying you of additions to databases or new members in a group

Blogging about blogs

I have always seen blogs as kind of like an online diary. I was never big into journaling but I did have one. My parents bought it for me and since I thought little girls were suppose to journal I would write “Had a great day. Write more tomorrow,” almost every time. My mom said that I would enjoy looking back and reading about what I was up to but from entries like that with simple statements I’m not seeing the enjoyment. So, my point here was that I have always seen blogs in the same way. I have never blogged and do not believe I fully understand the magnitude of what they are capable of doing.
For me it is hard to see the importance of blogging. I have never really read a blog before except like ones like Maddox.xmission.com. And then again I’m not even sure that is considered a blog, who knows but it’s a fun read so go check it out. Warning it isn’t PG-13. As of now anyone blogging really fails to get my attention. There are so many ways that companies can get their words out there that blogging wouldn’t really be beneficial to me. Maybe I’m just behind with the times or maybe I’m just not a big PR person.

PR professionals using YouTube

YouTube is a great way for any PR professional to promote an organization period. Because of its accessibility, YouTube can reach anyone, anywhere, at anytime. YouTubes simple dynamic allow for easy uploading of video that can feature practically anything.
YouTubes strengths include its availability pretty much in every sense. Unfortunately the downfalls of YouTube are ever present. First, there are so many videos being posted on YouTube daily that getting the visibility of your video out there can be a task. Secondly, how does one draw the public to their exact video? How does an organization promote effectively on YouTube? And, is YouTube only catering to a certain audience?
When I think of YouTube I see it fitting in with a younger demographic. The video viewed in class showed the biggest range was young adults with it trailing off the older the viewer. What if your organization is targeting an older demographic? Most of the people in the baby boomer generation that I know do not use a computer. My dad still uses a typewriter for his business. Since I have already identified my primary audience as the young adults, say between 18-25, I feel that the only way I have seen a video on YouTube is by word of mouth. I do not randomly go to the YouTube website and search for any video. Okay, so the next question then becomes how do you get people talking? Definitely start by placing the video on the company's website. When it comes to YouTube it is all new to me. I have gone to the site once on my own and never became a regular viewer. It has just never appealed to me. It seems to be that the best way to get your video played is simply by making it funny. A funny video seems to travel better than any other. Now that I think about it pretty much any video that anyone has ever told me to go onto YouTube to view was something with humor. Humor is key.

A little about me

Wow what lofty question! I wish I had the answers for these. In terms of goals right now I am focused on graduating. I am basically here because I love to learn. I love to just get my hands on anything and find out about things I didn't know even existed! And I like to talk, as most pr majors do.

Where I hope to be in 5 years? I can't imagine where I will be in one year or really even 6 months from now. My life constantly changes to much. I am a big fan of acting on impulse so when I get the urge to do something, I just do it, often without a lot of thought. I know, that isn't the brightest thing but some of my most memorable experiences have come from acting in that manner. Take jumping on a flight to London or Vegas just a day after I had made the choice to go for example. I'm not afraid of new experiences or doing them alone. I'm very much one of those people you would see going to a movie or restaurant alone.

To be completely honest I would love to be a video editor for infomercials. However, there does not seem to be a lot of jobs available in Springfield like that, and of the ones that do exist, there doesn't seem to be a huge turn over rate. I know that if I keep pursuing that then it will come in time. Either an editor or the person that write the synopsis on the back of DVD's. I'm unsure of the official title of that person but I would love that job! Definitely in the wrong city for that one but I'm from California and have no intentions of going back. But I do like Springfield. I haven't lived in this city for very long but it seems to have the best of both worlds, big city living with small town appeal.

In terms of how a master's degree will help me....well I can't see it hurting me and since I'm such a fan of school I figured, "Why not?". During my undergrad I was an ad/pr major until I found that I had such a passion for video editing after taking a class for fun. I had taken a few pr classes but had to drop to add the necessary classes for my new major. I honestly am not sure if pr is the route for me but I figured why not take a bunch of different classes that interest you to find out what you really want to do.