PR, Social Media & More

Image from Google

I apologize for the hiatus recently; there have been several personal issues that have been time-consuming and mentally draining.

For almost a month period, it appeared as if I had found an interesting new job to start my career path off. However, setbacks have determined that the original path I planned on taking has changed.

Positivity is key in overcoming this speed bump in my life, and although it is difficult, it is possible. I must continuously keep this thought in mind as the next six months of my life unfold. This brings me to the real purpose of why I am typing a blog today. I feel that it is important to talk about an issue that is affecting me personally, and countless other people around the world.

A person, who is very close to me in my life, has been suffering with an alcohol addiction for quite some time. I have offered help to address his problem, however, alcohol always creeps back into his daily routine.

I have watched his personality slowly shift from out-going and passionate into unmotivated and apathetic. I have devoted a lot of my energy into helping him quit drinking, become motivated and grow. However, in the process of this, I have ignored several opportunities to help improve my own skills and accomplish my own goals.

The point of this blog is to acknowledge that is normal to care and devout effort and time into the significant people in your life, but it is important to remember to take care of yourself in the process. Emotionally and mentally drained is not how anyone should feel at the end of the day. It is hard to for someone who cares deeply about people to admit, but taking care of yourself must come before taking care of anyone else.

For anyone who may be in a similar situation, remember to stay positive and to do what is best for you.

Image from Instagram’s blog

Recently, when I turn on my wi-fi, I may receive a notification about a particular user I follow who is currently streaming a live video.

Instagram Live is similar to Facebook Live, however Instagram does not save the story for others to view after it has been finished. Instagram Live videos can only be seen in real-time, when the user is still using the feature.

Instagram users utilize this new feature in different ways. I follow one account who posts short clips and images related to the anime, Sailor Moon. The account will occasionally use Instagram Live to stream an episode of Sailor Moon to his followers.

I also follow accounts who post makeup reviews and tutorials. Several of these accounts use Instagram Live to stream real-time videos of their makeup routine.

Instagram Live is also a cool feature for users when they want to communicate with followers in real-time. Question and answer segments can be easily done through Instagram’s new feature. Viewers are able to comment on the live video, which is similar to Facebook.

Tennessee won against Missouri at their last home game of the season tonight, 63-37.  I logged into Twitter and saw the trending hashtag in my area, Tennessee 63, and it really has a nice ring to it.

Image from UT Sports. (http://www.utsports.com/sports/m-footbl/recaps/111916aaa.html)

Josh Dobbs won the play of the game when he rushed 70 yards for a touchdown.

Dobbs accounted for five of the Vols’ touchdowns and walked off the field a tad early to celebrate Tennessee’s senior night with his fellow students.

Overall, Tennessee has had a strong season during 2016, and as a senior, I could not be prouder of my team and school.

I am excited to see the Vols take on Vanderbilt and (hopefully) end their season, 10-3.

I remember when the Vols were 5-0 and were looking to take on Texas A&M. The semester has flown by and I am excited to see 2017.

Although I am graduating in less than a month, I will always be a VFL. To be honest, I am both thrilled and nervous to walk across the stage on December 9.

 

 

The algorithm of Facebook allows its users to be reassured of false information. Facebook shows posts that display similar values or beliefs that its various users agree with.

The level of misinformation that circulates on social media is astounding and somewhat concerning. Much false information was spread by supporters from both parties during the recent election.

One example appeared on Facebook and was posted by an account in favor of Donald Trump, call Trump Train. The account posted the following image.

Image retrieved from Snopes, (http://www.snopes.com/kurt-cobain-predicted-donald-trump-presidency-in-1993/)

The image insinuates that Kurt Cobain predicted the results of the 2016 election and endorsed the President elect as well. However, the entire information on the picture of Cobain is completely fabricated.

I found the particular assertion in the above image to be hilarious, as I am an avid fan of Kurt Cobain and can immediately know the statement is false.

However, the fact that there are social media users who will purposely create and distribute false information is disheartening.

On the other side of the argument, one can say that it is the responsibility of social media users to research any information they find on social media to and validate its accuracy.

As a regular user of social media, I recommend doing a few Google searches before posting or believing any image or information you come across while you are scrolling down your feed.

As I logged on to my Twitter this morning, I noticed the trending hashtag, #WouldMakeMeFeelSafe. The hashtag is related to Donald Trump’s recent win of the presidency in America.

During Trump’s campaign, violence, racism, sexism, and xenophobia were all highlighted in some of Trump’s speeches and by some of his supporters. Now that Trump has won the election, several Americans are fearful.

POC, minorities, women and the LGBTQ community have all been using social media to protest against Trump’s win and the violence that has been promoted.

The first tweet that is listed under the hashtag says, “A future free of violence and racism #WouldMakeMeFeelSafe.”

A discouraging tweet by Dr. Tommy (@ThereIsaidso) can also be found under the hashtag.

Image from Twitter (https://twitter.com/hashtag/WouldMakeMeFeelSafe?src=tren)

Another tweet that displays the fear that some Americans have is displayed below.

Image from Twitter (https://twitter.com/hashtag/WouldMakeMeFeelSafe?src=tren)

The tweet above displays the fear that several American women have since Trump’s old comment about grabbing women inappropriately was released by the media. Unfortunately, the fears that several Americans have are legitimate concerns.

As a fellow woman, I understand how common it is to get verbally assaulted by random men on the street. Although I do not personally promote the idea that Trump is for violence, it is important for Trump to acknowledge the fears of his American citizens and take every action possible to ensure the safety of all Americans.

 

Tweets retrieved from: http://www.latimes.com/sports/sportsnow/la-sp-trump-reactions-20161109-htmlstory.html

Regardless of your political views, it is important to respect America’s new president and fellow American citizens.

Unfortunately, I have seen too much hate on my social media that are directed toward Donald Trump and his supporters. Some Facebook posts I have scrolled pass have gone so far as to label all Trump supporters as racists and bigots.

On Instagram I have seen users post selfies wearing shirts with the words: “He’s not my president.” In Knoxville, Tennessee, as a student walking to campus, I also hear students chanting the phrase: “He’s not my president!”

The amount of disrespect that is tied to the phrase mentioned above is astounding. Personally, I did not vote for Trump, but as an American I respect that he won the presidency and will lead our nation for the next four years.

Fighting hate with hate is not the solution America needs. Instead, American citizens must unite and try to become the change we desire to see. Vote for local representatives, volunteer in local communities and help your neighbors.

We all have the choice to be positive, and it is our duty as responsible citizens to promote positivity and the individual’s ability to make a difference in their community. Let’s focus on the issues and respectfully disagreeing with contrasting opinions.

 

Image from Google

The election is trending everywhere.

2016 is a critical year for America, a new president will be elected and the memes about the election may finally come to and end later this month.

The most interesting aspect about this election, to me at least, is how so many friends on my social media accounts do not particularly like either candidate. From the crude comments and blatant personal attacks from candidates on both side, who can disagree with those Americans who feel as if they can not support either Trump or Hillary.

I also found an article from a high school teacher who asked her students what they thought about the election. Their thoughts echo some similar feelings that I have scrolled pass on my news feed, which is: the election is full of unprofessionalism on both sides.

American teens, some of which are not even old enough to vote, have strong opinions about this year’s election. Noah, a 17-year-old high school student, says, “I will still remain an American. I love this country, what it is and what is was, but I’m honestly worried about the future.”

Noah, 17, Image from “I’m afraid of this election” by Amy Powell on Mashable.

One of the most interesting quotes from a high schooler is from Sophia, who is only 16 years old. She says, “It seems to be full of drama, almost like high school drama, and whoever wins will impact the world. Whatever happens, happens… but all I see is craziness, madness. What will become of this world?”

No matter the outcome of the election, Americans are worried what will become of the future. As a fellow American, I encourage all Americans eligible to vote, to go out and vote!

Image from NASA Twitter

If you are not already following NASA on Twitter, you might want to consider checking out their social media accounts.

NASA posts frequently, but the majority of the content is interesting. I enjoy learning more about astronomy, and especially love viewing high-quality images of space.

Want to know how long the length of a day on Saturn is and how scientists figure it out? Check out this tweet from NASA featured below.

Image from NASA on Twitter.

I also enjoy following NASA on Twitter because they feature a lot of women scientists and astronauts. For example, NASA uses the hashtag #AstroKat whenever the female astronaut is doing something new. Check out one of the tweets below, from NASA’s Twitter page.

NASA gives credit to women and their intelligence by tweeting about a team of women at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

If you enjoy following brands who post quality content frequently on social media, then I highly recommend following NASA on Twitter.

Sydney Harbour Bridge, image from Wikipedia.

 

My blog is in response to The Daily Post’s blog.

Bridge is a word that has positive attributes. The word reminds me of relationships and how one must “build a bridge” with others in their life.

Building lasting relationships is essential to public relations. No organization or individual can be successful without a foundation of mutually beneficial relationships with other organizations and individuals.

Building a bridge or relationship takes time and effort. Continuous effort is critical for establishing relationships with other individuals. Effort is a sign that an individual cares, and is critical when forming any new relationship.

One method organizations and individuals can maintain relationships is by using social media to engage and communicate frequently. PR practitioners must effectively use social media channels to build trust and form strong bonds with their publics.

Individuals have the strongest relationships with those who attempt to keep the relationship alive. For example, an old bridge that has not be attended to in decades is not as reliable as a bridge that is repaired often. Relationships are similar to bridges, in the sense that relationships that have not been tended to in years are more likely to collapse. It is also imperative to not cause any damage that may destroy and burn bridges. Although the phrase is cliché, losing relationships can have negatively impact the reputation of organizations and individuals and their ability to effectively communicate to their publics.

The owner of Yuengling Brewery recently endorsed Donald Trump for president. The news has been trending on social media., but is the endorsement a smart move by Yuengling?

It appears that the endorsement may have hurt Yuengling’s relationship with its customers. The lead singer from OTEP openly spoke out against Yuengling’s endorsement of Trump on Twitter.

Image from @otepofficial on Twitter.

Several tweets appear under the phrase, “Yuengling boycott” on Twitter; one Twitter user’s response is featured below.

Image from @Vagabondster on Twitter.

One of my Facebook friends, Marquiceon voiced his lack of support for Yuengling.

Several other Yuengling drinkers feel similar to Marquiceon and are planning to boycott Yuengling.

From a public relations viewpoint, it does not seem smart for any brand to endorse a political candidate when the brand is not directly involved in politics.

From a consumer perspective, I am more likely to support brands and individuals who are neutral in terms of endorsing presidential candidates. Although the presidential election is extremely important, I believe brands should refrain from direct endorsement of candidates, as it may hurt their reputations, and in Yuengling’s case, profits.

Yuengling Brewery did however use presidents in a clever way on social media. The brand engaged with its followers by creating a contest featured below:

Image from Yuengling Brewery on Twitter.