Social Media is Now an Important Distribution Channel for Press Releases, Advertising, and Consumer Engagement

Graduating this Fall from The University of Maryland, I finally realized what I want to do in my future.  I reached this conclusion from the experiences I have had in the work world along with my internships and professional experiences. I wanted to gain further insight to the field of marketing, not just about it, but how it has changed in this technologically changing world. Social media has become a powerful outlet for companies that I wanted an experts opinion about the field.

Today a Press Release is Done Through Social Media

TNW explains that in today’s society press releases are arguably dead and it is more about empowering customers by spreading the word. By using social media networks like Twitter, Facebook and YouTube company’s can create hype or make announcements about exciting things they’re doing. Rose Stark, the Vice President of Marketing for TLC says, they augment what goes out to their viewers. Press releases are released digitally, but then they follow up on social platforms by disseminating promotions about TV shows on their social media pages. “Likes,” “shares,” and “re-tweets” are becoming increasingly popular in getting the word out. Businesses are focusing on engaging the customer today because it creates more loyalty. Customers enjoy receiving replies from social media outlets from companies because it creates a genuine personal relationship. So is it a good idea to release a press release through social media? Forbes Magazine, says yes! It is a great way to reach a variety of audiences, but it is important to make sure not to spam your viewers with too much information. Forbes says, the most popular social media sites to post on are company blogs, Twitter, Linkedin and Facebook. 

Social Media has Re-Shaped Marketing Through Changes in Advertising

Advertising began decreasing until cost effective channels became available to companies. Social Media Advertising recently emerged and has changed what’s happening in marketing these days. Rose Stark, the Vice President of Marketing for TLC says, users have been responsive to their social media pages. This is because she belies they have the most socially engaged audience. She expanded by discussing the show “Cake Boss” and how viewers are quick to upload stories, pictures, and posts to the social media site. She concluded by saying she believes TLC viewers are more involved on their social media pages because the talent is more accessible. Knowing this information, I logged on to the Facebook page for “Cake Boss,” a popular show that airs on TLC about a bakery in Hoboken, New Jersey. The page is visually appealing consisting of a profile picture of Buddy, the Cake Boss, and a background image of the “Next Great Baker,” a new show on TLC. The background image is allowing TLC to advertise for their new and upcoming show. Every time viewers log onto the “Cake Boss” page they will be aware of a new show Buddy is appearing in. The page has 5 million likes and 42,500 are people talking about “Cake Boss.” Social Media has allowed companies, like TLC, to market to those who follow their shows. They are able to generate advertisements tailored toward their consumers to make them aware of new and upcoming products.


Rose Stark, the Vice President of Marketing for TLC, discusses how consumers are responsive to social media sites.

Social Media is a Distribution Channel for Companies to Engage with Consumers

Users of social media sites tend to use social media to follow companies to see what is new and occurring. As I am currently a Social Media Marketing Intern, I have been able to see how important it is to engage users with social media sites. When talking with Rose Stark, the Vice President of Marketing for TLC, she said they use their social media sites to launch contests, sweepstakes, and promotions regarding their shows. An interesting thing Rose shared with me was that they use social media sites to get title ideas from their consumers. She said they would place a potential title idea on their Facebook or Twitter page in order to gain feedback from users. Sounds interesting to put a huge decision in the hands of consumers, right? Not really, according to The Wall Street Journal they say companies are listening to their consumers more in order to better their products. A study was conducted with DrPepper and measured how consumers engaged with their social media sites. By measuring the conversation of their consumers they were able to make the steps toward a better brand. With 8.5 million fans on Facebook alone, DrPepper learned that their fans enjoy “edgy one-liners” and dislike messages that focus on price. By DrPepper using social media they are capable of using FREE word of mouth marketing. Whether a company is marketing their popular television shows or a soft drink they are capable of using social media to engage with their consumers.

Social media is becoming so versatile for many companies to increase their sales and make consumers more engaged. I interviewed a non-expert about social media within their company. Rebecca discusses the social media outlets her company uses.

listen to ‘Rebecca Explains Social Media at Her Company’ on Audioboo

Facebook Now Allowing Users to Post if they are Organ Donors

Organ Donation Status Through Facebook 

Social media is changing the world we live in today. It is replacing our forms of communication by implementing chat, news feeds, and walls to receive information faster about people and the most recent news in today’s society. Social media sites such as Facebook are adding new features to make their social media site better than the rest. Being a member of Facebook, I have been able to see new features coming and going, but nothing compared to this. Have you ever had a friend or family member that has needed an organ donation? As of May 2012, Facebook has added a new edition to their social media site, organ donation. This might sound crazy why users of Facebook would want to post their organ donation status, but if they are capable of sharing their birth date, photos, and personal information, what’s one more personal fact?

100,000 Users Declaring Their Organ Donation Status 

 7,000 people in the United States die each year while waiting for an organ transplant. The goal is for Facebook to lower this death rate with the 161 million members. Facebook is a major form of advertising and marketing for companies, so why not encourage users to advertise their donor status to save a life. There are currently 114,000 people waiting for organ transplants. Researchers from Loyola University Medical Center examined 91 Facebook pages and found that 12% of the pages were receiving kidney transplant and 30% reported potential matches for organ donation. When Facebook released the new feature to their site in May 2012, 100,000 users declared themselves organ donors. These donors came from Colorado, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Wyoming.

How to Sign Up and is the Program Working? 

On your Timeline there is a life event option where you enter status updates. Click on that, and then Health and Wellness, there should be an organ donation option. Select this option and then there will be a pop up that allows you to select your state, when you became an organ donor, and a personal story about why you became an organ donor. Then you can select who can see this information either public, friends, or custom, then select save. Can Facebook Solve the organ donor crisis? The answer is yet to be made because this is such a new feature for the website. It’s fascinating how a social media site that was designed to keep users in touch with family members and friends has become a place to save the lives of others throughout society. Some might think this is too invasive, but people already put too much information out there about themselves. Mark Zuckerberg said, “We believe by simply telling people you’re an organ donor, the power of sharing and connection can play an important role.” Mark Zuckerberg is right. Throughout our society your organ donation status is printed on your license but this is hidden in your wallet and tucked away. In this technologically changing world, why not use our resources and make it public? Make it known that you want to save a life. 

9 Million Viewers Tune in to Wednesday Night TV, but Are They Actually Watching?

          According to TVbythenumbers.com, Fox is the number one network for adults aged between 18-49, but CBS still has the most amount of total viewers. On Wednesday nights starting at 8:00 pm Fox premiers, the X Factor. People ages between 18-49 rate the show a 3.3 and the share is a 9. A rating is the estimated percentage of the universe of TV households tuned into a program in the average minute. A share is the percent of households using a television who are tuned to a specific program, station or network in a specific area in time.  This means that 3.3 people tune in to this program in the average minute and 9% of households tune into this program of those with a TV. The X factors rating has gone down three tenths from last week (in September) 3.6. On Wednesday there are 13 different shows from ABC to NBC, but The X Factor is on from 8:00-10:00 and is the start of the series.
      Half of users who own a cell phone use it while their watching TV. This is because cell phones have become a diversion for people while watching TV. The Pew Research Center interviewed 88% of American adults who own cell phones and asked them if they use their phone to engage in activities while watching TV. The results came back as follows, 38% use their cell phones during commercial breaks, 22% check things they they see on TV or about the show they are watching, and 6% vote while watching a reality show. It's interesting that cell phone owners living in households making more than $50,000 a year are more likely to participate in interactive television experiences than those in lower income. From experience, my mom is an addict of the home shopping network. She sits there in her bed as she watches with her phone in one hand and credit card in the other. After watching all of the details about a product, she calls in once the woman says "this object is up for purchase." It's clear that being raised in a middle-class family my mom is an example of having interactive experiences with the TV while on her phone. She is not trying to pass time during commercials, but is keeping herself addicted by calling in to buy. There is an equal percentage of men and women who own cell phones and from the ages of 18-24, 81% of people have cell phones. Today, there are more smartphone owners than any other phone, but they use them during their viewing experience to check if something was true or not on the television.
      I have an iPhone and I am a part time Nanny, as I watch TV with the kids there are a lot of cartoons and I will sit there wondering whose voice is the character I am watching. I end up using google.com to find the answer and then once I find out my anxiety decreases. Cell phones are the reason why certain TV shows loose viewers because of cell phones. If they cannot reach their viewers and keep them in-tuned to their show, then their ratings will continue to decrease. I suggest creating apps that are related to the TV show that will allow viewers to comment, tweet, and maybe play a game while the show is on, but is this maybe too much?

DRM: Focusing on Catching Law Breakers?

What exactly is the DRM? 

The DRM is copyright protection for digital media. Their purpose is to prevent the copying of digital media by restricting the way in which consumers can copy the content they have recently purchased. The DRM was created because of the recent increase in online piracy in music, movies, video games and more. The DRM has embedded a code that prevents users from copying the media they have purchased. The DRM is focusing it's attention to try and catch law breakers who are copying and stealing digital media.

How does the DRM work? 

HowStuffWorks, explains how the DRM works. Many products use web based permission, which is when a user installs a new program the computer will contact a verification server to get permission (normally an access key) to complete the installation. The DRM also uses digital watermark, which is a broadcast flag and will not allow your DVR or DVD recorder to record the show or movie. The DRM also has a piece of code in the software of DVD's to prevent "DVD Ripping." This is code prevents the program from reading the DVD or also known as not being able to burn a duplicate CD.

What does this mean for myself? 

I can admit to illegally downloading music, but I have never actually copied a CD, DVD, or Software. I haven't done this because I always knew that it was not possible. Every time I watch a DVD I always see the warning from the FCC saying copying or video taping is illegal and subject to a fine. I have always grown up seeing this even on VHS's. The only issue I find is for school when there are books that come with verification codes. You always have to buy a new book because the code only works once. This past semester I spent $150.00 on a book just for the code, when it was on sale from Amazon for $50.00. Is it worth it for the DRM to make it financially difficult for students to purchase books because of their web based permission?

Are You There Facebook? It's me, Emily

When I heard that there were studies suggesting digital media was responsible for consumers shortened attention span I turned to Google, to check the statistics. So is it true? Forbes Magazine looked closer into the topic by saying social media is responsible for shortened attention spans. Author Ty Kiisel realized digital media has affected his attention span not only in the office, but at home with his wife. In the middle of a conversation, his wife will stop talking just to make sure he is listening while checking his iPhone. Kiisel said it become a problem when his wife actually left the room in the middle of a conversation because he was so in-tuned to his social media. Kiisel wondered what a life would be like without iPhones, laptops, and social media. How would our attention span be? I pondered this question thinking about the life I now live where my iPhone is my alarm clock, my laptop is my calendar, and my social media is my journal. Now a days it is normal for a student to take notes on their laptop and not in a notebook, but this is where I believe attention spans have decreased. How many students spend the entire class actually taking notes?

 I can admit, I am one of the students who occasionally gets on to Facebook when the teacher has been going on about the same topic for the majority of the class. I can also admit to pulling out my iPhone to check the time when there is a clock hanging on the wall. I can say I have observed the majority of students walking around campus are texting on their phone, talking to someone on their phone, checking Facebook, or Tweeting. On page 98 of Converging Media, the outlook for magazines is discussed. It is said that every year hundreds of new magazines are published, but do not survive more than two years. This is because more big editions are moving from print to online versions. For instance, the teen girl market has been narrowing titles in the past few years to target their audience who views more of their readings online than in print. This is similar to today's students changing from the typical paper format to digital. Their calendars are now available on their phone and computer, they take notes on their laptops instead of their journals. Why? Because Professors are adjusting to the changing times. If I were to walk into a lecture hall at The University of Maryland, the majority of the students would be on their laptop, texting, or sleeping. I would conduct a study of this by walking around campus and going into different classrooms and seeing first hand what students are actually doing behind their cell phones and laptop screens. Chances are, their not taking notes but chatting on Facebook, Tweeting, Pinning on Pintrest or iChatting with a friend. If our classrooms changed and involved digital media more into them, then students would change from being social media addicts to students using the latest technology to learn. Ty Kiisel tested our society's shrinking attention spans in the business world at a meeting. He asked everyone to put away their laptops, phones, and iPads. Everyone was able to focus by not hearing any chips or buzzes but the discussion at hand. Kiisel was able to accomplish the objectives of the meeting because there were minimal distractions. So you decide, is it time to put away our digital devices in order to increase our attention spans, or should we embrace them in this changing time? 

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