A reflection upon my Online Identity

Introduction

Welcome everyone, especially those from the IAB260 Community. This particular blog post will take a step into my personal life and I will provide a critical reflection relating to my social media experience. The post will also look at how I use social technologies to ‘brand’ myself and the different types of activities I perform. The reflection fofowill also be based around the learning outcomes and process from designing a Persona and Identity Map.

 

At this point I’d like to clarify what a Persona is to me. It is an online identity of a individual or party (business), that presents themselves in a particular way. This usually aligns with the goals and motivation of the social technology at use, whilst allowing the user to conduct themselves in way that reflects their personality and professionalism. My online identity has been in the making since I was a young kid using the computer to play Pinball and Age of Empires. As technology advanced and new services such as MSN, Myspace, Facebook and more were introduced it became apparent that I needed to create an online identity that I believe depicted personality.

 

Professionalism

So what’s my persona? I decided to review my Facebook first because I believe it is the most used and has the most connections with family and friends. I’m not one to share a Facebook status every week, or simply upload a photo. I find that Facebook statuses have less purpose now days, due to the difference between what you upload, and what you’re trying to share with your friends. But how good is messaging friends, group chats, or just connecting with a new friend after a night out! Facebook allows me to engage with my circle of friends, like their stories/photos, comment on their milestones and say happy birthday.. But I don’t like to share much of my story (day to day, rants, photos), except for the occasional YouTube video, Work related (Supplement Store Sales) or the rare achievement:

My Facebook identity is unique and that’s why I find it hard to click the upload button and I sometimes question why I don’t post more often. Facebook is the centre for my identity and it shows who I am to not only my friends, but also my family, co-workers and future employers. The network I’ve established has created a good platform for both work and social activity which I find is my main motivation for using Facebook. The messaging, and informative content are my favourite features but the privacy, suggested newsfeed and time wasted scrolling is what makes me resent Facebook. As time moves forward I will continue to adapt my Facebook identity to represent who I am and what makes me different.

Facebook Profile

To close the chapter on Facebook.. It’s a love hate relationship. I like to separate myself from Facebook for several weeks or months when I’m not at University. I need Facebook to connect with my friends and peers, without Facebook as a medium for communication it can be very hard to organise things and actually keep track of my friends. But what makes Facebook so interesting is the option to be anything you want. By simply creating the right connections or sharing some meaningful information you have opened new doors and given yourself a way to connect with anybody in your friends list. It’s a huge service and everyone has their on way of enjoying the experience.

 

Socialist and Personal Interests

To move on, I’d like to reflect on my personal interests which are incorporated into the use of Instagram and YouTube. These two services are easily my favourites of the social technologies that I use, and I can’t remember a day where I didn’t use at least one of these applications. Instagram is a simple application, I use it to follow from my friends, artists, YouTube personalities, athletes and businesses. While I use Instagram to connect with various people, the main attraction is the photos my friends upload and also the short videos that are shared by celebrities/businesses. But what is my activity like compared to others? My expectation when using Instagram is that it allows individuals to create a network of interesting contacts whilst providing them with a platform to share their own personal stories or even brand themselves. Now, YouTube is a little bit different. When I use YouTube I am trying to learn and discover new things in relation to gym (exercises), health (diet and mental), and work (IT techniques) whilst trying to find entertainment within the context. What makes me different from everyone else on YouTube though? My subscriptions have been changing since a I was a young member, originally using YouTube to watch skate videos, game tutorials, interviews and to listen to music. As I grew and as I discovered what was interesting to me, I was able to find channels that were active and provided content relating to my interests. I have filtered my subscriptions and am constantly adding new channels. YouTube can provide me with a great tool to find and select new approaches for real world situations and that is why I love the service so much. Here’s a sample of the videos I tend to watch:

When reflecting on how I use Instagram and YouTube, I’ve come to the conclusion that I am a highly active and often spend hours weekly using these services without really contributing anything. For me to share content on YouTube I would of course have to discuss a particular/certain topic to which would require some effort, planning and work. As stated, I use YouTube for entertainment and a tool to learn, and I like being able to use it to get away from life sometimes. This is similar to Instagram, I really enjoy the service and love seeing photos/videos from the people I follow. But just like Facebook, I’m very particular about what I post and I’d rather not share all my stories. I do however enjoy sharing photos of my travels, stories, activities and the occasional captioned selfie.

 

Screenshot of one of my Instagram posts.

I guess you could say that I prefer quality of quantity on both the professional scale and also my friendly social activities. By sharing something that has meaning to me, it shows my followers that I believe what I’m sharing and I’m using it as a tool to express what I am doing, or what I have done. In my opinion there is so much information available online and it’s up to the individual to find the sources to meet their goals. My main motivation behind using social technologies to connect with individuals that will help me grow stronger (mentally and physically) and connect with old and new friends.

 

Persona

I’d like to share with you all the Persona diagram that I designed for the IAB260 Social Technologies Unit. This diagram was required for part of the assessment and will be used in an exhibit with my peers and QUT visitors. It took some time to develop this, having to make a lot of changes and updates based on feedback from my peers and friends. I was able to gather lots of interesting icons using The Noun Project, whilst editing and designing with Photoshop CS6. I believe this persona diagram accurately displays my online identity and what type of person I am when it comes to using various forms of social technologies. The design phase was great and it really made me think about the activities I was doing on each platform. As I reflected, I took the time to review my history and the style of posts I shared. I tried to apply this information to my persona and also my online identity.

Persona

Online Identity Map

As previously mentioned this diagram is also being used for assessment. This Identity Map is used to depict how I work and remain professional, whilst have fun and socialise. The scale is used to identify the actions that I believe were a large importance when using an application in each manner (Professional/Social). While each application may seemed linked, each one of these services are not linked and I have a very different personality on all of them. I used a lot of my information from my Persona to fill information about the applications and what I used it for.

Identity Map

 

Conclusion

This was a great experience and it took some time to plan, design and develop the diagrams. The benefit of making these illustrations was the opportunity to spend reflecting on self image. I enjoyed reviewing the type of posts I made and also what made them important to me when I shared them. Each application is different and I think it’s important for me to use these tools to express myself. Although I find it hard to hit that share button, it always feels good knowing that people value my opinion and what I’m saying.

 

Thanks for reading this blog post and taking the time to reflect with me.

Online Communities #IAB260

Welcome all, this blog post will be focused on the discussion around online communities, the characteristics of an online community, and where they might occur.

[1]

What is an online community?

To be quite clear an online community is a group of people that are communicating with each other. The difference between an online community and social networks is generally the interest that draws the user in, also known as a hobby for example games, cooking, etc. As the community expands more communication and collaboration occurs which require specific tools to ensure a good user experience. The rise of Web 2.0 has enabled online communities to grow rapidly and this is due to the amount of interactive tools available, for example discussion boards (forums), reviews, messaging systems, and the ability to create lists of interests or friends [2].

 

What characteristics do they have?

There are four main characteristics that danah boyd has mentioned[3], that I believe are consistent throughout the various online communities.

1. Profiles:
   Each online community provides its users with an option to create/register a profile. The user then has the ability to tweak their profile to allow certain privacy restrictions (E.g. Public, Private, and Semi-Public). As the user begins to interact with the community, overtime their profile becomes an identity which can be used to portray their personality, professionalism or just the fact they are another anonymous user.
2. Friends List:
   Participants of an online community will have opportunities to find and connect with people from all kinds of backgrounds. It’s this key feature that allows users to interact with their peers. It provides users with a way to connect and share with each others content, thus creating value in the connection and a reason to share information to the intended audience.
3. Tools for public communication
   The interactive tools that we see today that have been shaped by and for the online communities we all use. The following interactive tools are some examples of the key functionality that have provided the backbone for the growth of these online communities:
   •  commenting and messaging systems
   • chat rooms
   • discussion boards
   • file sharing

   Without these essential tools, the online communities we see today would surely not be as functional, beneficial or entertaining. With these available features the users are able to provide the final characteristic, content.

4. Content
   By definition content is described as:

   “Relevant, compelling, timely and valued knowledge and/or entertainment.” – David Erickson[4]

   With that in mind, online communities are able to provide a vast array of ranging topics including content on all different kinds of levels. In summary content can be seen as text related information, videos, images etc.

 

Where do they occur?

So where can a someone like yourself find an online community? Here’s a list of the few communities that I use:

Facebook – Within my Facebook profile I am connected with several communities, two for work, one for shoe selling/buying/sharing with over 9.7k members, and University groups.

YouTube – As an enthusiast of health and fitness, YouTube has a large fitness community with various accounts to provide content and different ways to approach training/nutrition.

Google+ – A community has been establish on G+ for students of Social Technologies (IAB260), which is great for keeping up to date with the lecturers/tutors and also peers.

In summary, if you’re looking to expand your knowledge of a certain topic, or maybe just looking to connect with others who share similar interests, an online community is a great place to start. Online communities provide users with a place to connect, share but most of all be heard. You have the option to create your own identity and share what really matters to you and that is what makes online communities so engaging. Thank you for reading and if you have any comments or constructive feedback please leave a comment at the bottom.

 

So what online communities are you apart of?

Social Media Monitoring – Grand Theft Auto

When Rockstar Games released the first Grand Theft Auto (GTA) 16 years ago, nobody could have guessed that on their fifth installment of the game that the company would make $1 billion worth of sales within 3 days. Grand Theft Auto V was released on September 17th, 5 years after the previous GTA IV and was rumored that production costs were between $200-250 million dollars. So what made this game generate so many sales? Social Media Marketing.

 

 

Social media has allowed business to share their products/services for free on social networks such as Facebook and Twitter. Rockstar Games utilised this and many more marketing tools to get their customers attention. There was a big buzz around GTA V before its release, prompting eager gamers to vent their excitement on Facebook/Twitter which of course was followed by those that were complaining about it. Businesses can use this type of activity for their benefit with simple Social Media Monitoring tools.

 

Social Media Monitoring tools gives brands a way to analyse their effectiveness. Companies using social media monitoring can add the following values to their virtual identity:

• Measure and manage marketing effectiveness
• Compare statistics with industry/competition
• Develop new potential marketing opportunities
• Insights for more cost effective procedures

 

One of the social media monitoring tools that I experimented with was Social Mention. Social Mention was very easy to use, however I felt like it was missing a lot of posts and was not gathering the correct information. With a simple “GTA” search the service was able to provide 372 mentions was which derived from the following sources Twitter (100), Photobucket (81), answers_wiki (49), YouTube (48), Facebook (25) and more. This data was the filtered into positive (97) / neutral (262) / negative (13) feedback, which allowed me to view each of these categories. This data is very vague and is generally just comments or status about the gameplay. However, there is one thing that can be assured after using this tool, GTA V rocks!

 

Social media monitoring can be used by business that are only just beginning, and also by larger companies that are looking to gather insight into their virtual identity. Each monitoring service offers something different for the business allowing them to gather various types of data. With so many services available to monitor a businesses social media, it’s important that the correct research is conducted into this service and also the business to ensure that are correctly utilising this great tool.

Sources:

GTA V sales speed past $1 billion in three days

GTA Social Mention Search

Livestrong providing a social boost for cancer patients.

On the 2nd of October 1996 Lance Armstrong was diagnosed with testicular cancer, Lance was a professional road racing cyclist and had won multiple stages in various races in Europe. However, when Lance was diagnosed with cancer his whole life changed. After immediate surgery and chemotherapy, Lance Armstrong was declared cancer-free in February 1997, which was the same year he started his foundation –  Lance Armstrong Foundation. In 2003, the Livestrong foundation was introduced to replace the Lance Armstrong Foundation. (Livestrong, 2013).

Brief history/milestones of Livestrong

2003

Cancer patients/survivors are able to use online resource Livestrong.org 

2004

Yellow wristbands are launched. 80 million Livestrong bracelets have been sold since (Farah, 2013).

2005-2011

Millions of dollars have been raised to aid in research, care for cancer patients and share the stories on a global scale.

(Livestrong, 2013).

In the years that passed, Lance Armstrong rose to greatness and won seven consecutive Tour De France titles allowing Livestrong to build a larger following. Armstrong was constantly accused of doping, and it was until after his retirement that the truth came out.. This caused Armstrong to take a step down from Livestrong to ensure the foundation doesn’t go down with him.

Livestrong has adapted well to social media, encouraging people to visit their website and gather over 1.7 million likes on Facebook, and more than 500,000 Twitter followers. It’s clear that Livestrong has utilised social technologies for it’s advantage, but also for the millions of cancer patients/survivors around the globe. So how has social technologies helped Livestrong grow?

Use social technologies for marketing communication/interaction 

Using social media tools such as Facebook and Twitter, Livestrong is able to communicate with their followers very easily. The Livestrong Facebook page is able to:

• Share cancer survival stories, to inspire and give encouragement to those who are facing cancer
• Provide insightful links, blogs, reports and real life cases to help those with the challenges that occur from cancer
• Share status’ that provoke responses, e.g.  “If you could share one bit of practical advice for someone going through cancer. What would it be?”
• Share links that encourage followers to donate
• Tell stories of those who are going through grief and need support

Having a social media presence can put pressure on a brands image. After the downfall of Lance Armstrong, Livestrong has faced some scrutiny and many that wear the yellow bracelet have received nasty comments. It has it effect, and there would certainly be people would refuse to support Livestrong after such an inspirational figure deceived them. Although many may not wear the bracelet anymore, those that are have a great reason, “To support cancer patients and survivors and teach us how to LIVESTRONG everyday!”. Livestrong has been apart of the cancer community now for over 10 years, and have donated millions of dollars towards cancer research and patient support. With their continuous efforts, Livestrong provides hope and support for those facing cancer experiences.

References

Farah, J. (2013, January 17th). Band Of Gold. 80 Million Livestrong Wristbands Sold. How Mine Helped Me. Retrieved September 12th, 2013, from KFBK News & Radio: http://www.kfbk.com/pages/judyfarah.html?article=10709416

Livestrong. (2013). Milestones. Retrieved September 12th, 2013, from Livestrong: http://www.livestrong.org/Who-We-Are/Our-History/Milestones

Livestrong. (2013). Our History. Retrieved September 12th, 2013, from Livestrong Foundation: http://www.livestrong.org/Who-We-Are/Our-History

Web 2.0 Technologies Used to Increase Productivity

Welcome to this weeks blog, and I’d also like to thank those who have commented and gave me feedback about my first post. Web 2.0 technologies when used effectively have a great lure for organisations that are trying to create a connection with their customers, or improve communications with internal employees and external suppliers/partners. But what can Web 2.0 technologies do for a student or just an everyday person? This post will discuss how Web 2.0 can help with assignments and productivity.

First Tool

One of my personal favourite Web 2.0 tools are Wikis. Wikis are used commonly to create, edit, share a web page that has text content including hyperlinks and images. A perfect example of a Wiki that has increased my productivity during semesters is Google Drive.

Nearing the end of my first two semesters I found myself having to search and gather all the files I had used over multiple devices to prepare my necessary study sheet. This changed however, when I decided to start taking my notes through Google Drive. After dotting down information in lectures and closing my laptop it was as simple as opening a web page in my phone and within seconds I am able to view the study sheet while sitting on the train heading home. This not only increased how easy it was for me to take notes and share them between devices, but I could also share them with my friends where they could also add their own content.

Second Tool

One of the biggest Web 2.0 tool that is used worldwide by billions of people is Social Networking. Social Networking allows different individuals to connect to each other very simply. Popular sites such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn have created new opportunities for jobs, relationships and ideas to be shared. With group assignments being delegated through the semester it’s important to have communication with each of the group members. Using the Social Networking site Facebook we’re able to set up a group page that is private and allows us to communicate very easy about ideas, requirements and specifications. This Web 2.0 tool is not only useful for teams trying to communicate, but also everyday people who are posting between friends about potential weekend plans.

Finally, I’d to talk about a new experience I had with podcasting. Podcasting is similar to a series of episode regarding specific topics. While studying for another subject I was able find a series of podcasts that helped discuss and explain the information I was trying to understand. With a simple video and engaging content the filmmaker really entices the viewers to stick around and learn the content.

Web 2.0 technologies offer something for everyone and can not only help the productivity of individuals but also generate opportunities for businesses that are looking to increase there scope and scale-ability. I hope you enjoyed this post and remember to leave any feedback!

Successful Blogging

Where to begin? For me blogging has become a form of expression and a way to connect with others from around the world that have similar interests. However, from personal experience I find it very hard to keep the reader’s attention whilst also ensuring that they are returning to my blog. In high school, I was frequently on tumblr posting my thoughts, images and videos. Now that I am in University, one of the requirements for my course is to create an online presence and blog about particular interests and topics relating to emerging technologies.

So what makes a blog successful?

1. Keep your readers attention

Before I was able to write this blog, I needed to view the work of my peers and see how they were able to relate their work with the topic and how they were attracting their readers. For me, I struggled to stay on a blog longer than a paragraph or two, simply because there was far to much text. For that reason, here’s an image of a guy on a bicycle.

2. Clear content, displayed correctly

It’s important that a successful blog provides a clear perspective that is presented in the correct way. By choosing the correct theme for your blog, it allows users to get a great first impression and entice readers.

 

3. Virtual Identity – Let the readers know who you are personality wise

The strategy I plan to use to create a personal brand is to provide an interesting, entertaining, yet informative view on selected topics that cater for the majority of individuals who will visit my blog. However, there will always be people who have different opinions and choose to go somewhere else.

Bloggers are very similar to YouTube personalities, for example:

Ray William Johnson

You’ve probably seen many of his videos, and like me you’re probably over seeing them.. YouTube and blogs are very similar, if the content is not interesting or doesn’t connect with you, it’s hard to stay around and continue to listen or read any more.

 

Example of an interesting blog

One of my personal favourite blogs is the Los Angeles Leakers. As a music enthusiast, I try to keep up with the latest tracks, albums, interviews and news on some of my favourite artists. They provide constant updates for new and old artists whilst also keeping it short and simple.

 

This is the end of my first post, and I hope you stuck around to read what was discussed. Please make sure to leave your feedback and make sure to return next week to see what I can come up with! But for now, I’m just going to leave this video, enjoy 🙂