Post 8: Dabbling in Twitter! - One Tool of Many

Purpose and Solved Problems

Twitter, another social networking site to interact with others from around the world, whether they be friends, companies, or a celebrity.  I’ve saved Twitter for last, as Twitter is the only site that I have no experience using before this class.  So, I wanted to take some time to get familiar with it.  Twitter revolves around sending tweets, or “tweeting” messages out to an audience, like posting on a Facebook wall, and as such, offers a channel to communicate with others.  Also, not un-like Facebook, Twitter has a private messaging feature as well.

Twitter has similar functions for a business as talked about in the Facebook and Reddit blog posts.  Mostly because it allows for brands to increase their prominence and visibility, while also closely interacting with customers and providing customer support/feedback.  Twitter, also draws from LinkedIn, where it can be utilized as a Networking device with other professionals (Dugan 1-2).   As previously seen however, Twitter is just one tool that a business should have in their tool box.  We’re starting to see a lot of overlap with a lot of other previously talked about blog posts.  While at first glance, that may seem pointless, but I think it’s awesome, as it shows the inter-connectivity of everything; it all fits together like a puzzle!

Attempting to use Twitter

Twitter and its associated app are your general, run-of-the-mill social media app.  It functions similarly to Facebook and other apps, just a few renamed features and the interface’s appearance is slightly different.  “Following” someone is simple and allows you to see when they tweet out.  Minus hashtags, lists, and moments, Twitter is straight forward.  The app is nice as well, and I prefer it to the Facebook app, simply due to how it performs on my phone.  At a first glance as well, it appears that celebrities and other influential figures have more one on one conversations with others, rather than posting things without responding back to them.

Twitter Features

One of the staples of Twitter is that of the # or hashtag.  A hashtag allows for users to tag a post into a larger group or pool of posts.  If someone put #grad2018 on a post, one would see their post put into a larger pool of posts, assumedly about being a graduate of the year, 2018.  I think that that is both an exciting feature as it allows users to see a variety of perspectives concerning one given topic.  If a certain word, or topic is repeatedly mentioned and Twitter detects this, a topic will become “trending” and it will be featured on the side of the screen.  This allows “users to understanding what is happening in the world and what people’s opinions are about it” (Wikipedia).

Both hashtags and trending topics, would be significant advantages over reasons to use Twitter over other social media platforms for a business.  Why?  This is because it allows a business to see not only what is currently “in” and perhaps to cash in on the event to gain notoriety/increased branding, but it alerts them to moves of competitors/themselves and how that is being perceived.  For example, if I was Southwest Airlines, and I see #UnitedBreaksGuitars in trending, I’m going to be curious as to why my competitor United is being mentioned in a trending topic.  Upon seeing that it is for a negative reason (United has broken a person’s guitar) it is our opportunity to gain brand recognition by tweeting something to the effect of, “Don’t worry, Southwest doesn’t break guitars”.  This is just one of many scenarios where the unique features of Twitter shine through for businesses.

My Experience

Twitter was a learning experience for me, as I had never used the app prior to this course.  However, upon further inspection, it’s very similar to other forms of social media previously talked about here on the blog, with a few minor changes and quirks that make it stand out.  Twitter connects its users not just through mutual friends and life occurrences, like Facebook, but its true purpose is to instead invite friends and strangers to talk about topics trending in the world today.  That is where I believe Twitter really shines through.

Now, is Twitter a game changer when compared to the rest of the competition for businesses?  No.  But when one thinks about it, none of the social media platforms are necessarily useful on their own, due to the vast quantity available to use.  Twitter is just one channel or tool a business should have in its toolbox to interact with its customers, users, and professionals in the field.  Much like certain tools are for certain jobs, Twitter is just one tool for a certain job, the previous example concerning United Airlines comes to mind.  However, by having all the tools at their disposal, Twitter becomes one tool of many, ready to be deployed and utilized in a variety of situations as necessary.  That is where the value for not only Twitter, but all the previously talked about apps shine through for a business.

Sources/ Additional Research 

Dugan, Lauren. “7 Ways Businesses Can Use Twitter.” Adweek, Adweek, 8 Mar. 2012, www.adweek.com/digital/7-ways-businesses-can-use-twitter/.

“Twitter for Business | Twitter Tips, Tools, and Best Practices.” Twitter, Twitter, business.twitter.com/en.html.

“Twitter.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 16 May 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twitter.

Post 7: Synchronizing With Google Drive! - Good for Education, What About Business?

Purpose and Solved Problems

When initially released in 2012, Google Drive provided many with an alternative to Microsoft Office.  Drive is essentially, “a file storage and synchronization service” this in turn, allows users to store, edit, synchronize, and share files across a multitude of devices (Google 1).  Additionally, Drive also includes Google Docs, Sheets and Slides (Microsoft Word, Excel, and Power Point counter parts).  Each of these is a way to transfer, edit, and share files with other uses in a short amount of time, ensuring speed and accessibility to all.

When it comes to businesses, Google Drive functions to quickly and easily share files among members of a team, with no storage limits with certain editions.  This is important when it comes to today’s businesses, that are centered around teamwork, efficiency, and effectiveness.  Ensuring that that power point is completed by 12 for the big meeting isn’t an issue anymore, as concurrent edits can take place that help teams complete work faster.  And when they’re done, that file can quickly be transferred to the manager till presentation time, all within one application.

The Google Drive Interface

Attempting to use Google Drive

All of what I just mentioned may sound complicated, but in all honesty, it really isn’t for anyone who has used any sort of Office suite product.  It’s as simple as obtaining a Google account, and bam, you’re good to go!  After a few short minutes with drive, it is easy enough to pick up, and the app functions in a very similar manner.  The app is extremely important, as it allows access to all the important documents that were previously only accessible via a desktop or laptop, right at our finger tips.  Need to review the presentation before the big meeting? No problem, the slides can be pulled up on your phone and viewed with ease.

Google Drive Features

Other than the aforementioned features, such as the amazing ability to edit and view on the go, there are additional features that I feel I should touch on, especially for business needs.  G Suite offers three tiers of pricing, with Basic at $5 per user per month, Business at $10 per user per month, and Enterprise at $25 per user per month.  Each tier offers additional features or storage that the other did not, among these are increased security, unlimited storage at the Business and enterprise tier, audit reports, and at the Enterprise level, encryption and data loss prevention.  For major corporations, the ability to encrypt files with “Enterprise-grade access control with security key enforcement”, is a major and important advancement (G Suite 1).  This makes drive a viable and secure product for businesses.  This allows a business to be agile and always get a service that is exactly what they need.  If I'm a smaller business, Basic may suffice, but as demand and businesses get larger and larger, I would continually look at the other plans, allows Google Drive to grow with your business.

Since security is such a hot button issue, and with many competitors on the heels of Google, such as Dropbox, there is a devoted place on Google’s website to Cutting-edge cloud security, which I will also link to.  It’s reassuring to see that despite all the potential for security weakness, if one pays for the Enterprise edition, many benefits, such as that state of the art security come with it, which may be worth it for a business with sensitive information.

The Google Suite

My Experience

Google Drive is a tool that promotes rapid ingenuity and development of ideas thanks to its on-the-go and collaborative features. Essentially, Google has solved the problem that is the reason why Drive was created in the first place.  I can say that in utilizing Google Drive and its associated applications throughout primary school and college, there is no doubt in my mind that it is useful to a student or team working on a project or other collaborative effort.  However, does that mean it’s good for enterprise use?  I feel that, yes, as it solves a lot of problems for business professionals, especially when concerning collaborative efforts and file sharing.  Google has also done an excellent job in addressing security concerns with its premium plans.  I have used drive in a professional setting at a school district and can confirm it does work.  With the many alternatives available however, I’d encourage any business professional to do research on other competitors, such as Dropbox, and ensure that it solves the problems in the most effective way in relation to their business needs.  As both may be more beneficial in certain scenarios.

Sources

“G Suite Pricing Plans.” Google, Google, gsuite.google.com/pricing.html.

“Google Drive.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 13 May 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Drive.

Additional Readings:

https://technologyadvice.com/blog/information-technology/dropbox-vs-google-drive/

https://gsuite.google.com/security/?secure-by-design_activeEl=data-centers

Post 6: LinkedIn and Professionalism! - Networking has Never Been Easier

Purpose and Solved Problems

This is the first social media form on this blog, whose primary and first purpose is business for all its users.  Usually, business enters the social media field via advertising or reaching out to their customer base.  LinkedIn, a newly acquired Microsoft company, focuses on a different aspect of business, the talent and people behind a business, its primary use being professional networking.  It is the professional social media website, as its competitors don’t even come close to its standing.

LinkedIn is special in that, due to its subject matter and purpose, it helps companies with recruiting and finding new potential employees, while also acting as a conduit for advertising, similar to a normal social media website.  Companies and potential employees can interact with one another, acting as a way for both parties to scope out the other, before a best qualified fit is found for both.  Rather than having to attend a job fair and send an associate or recruiter, a company recruiter can view resumes, as well as qualifications and other information.  Employees can also profile a company, and if they decide the company isn’t for them, they can cross that company of their search.  This saves the company time, money, and resources.

Attempting to use LinkedIn

LinkedIn is easy as well, and prior to writing this post I hadn’t used the app yet.  Updating one’s work experience and resume was easy, as well as making connections with one another.  Credentials, job titles, company names, and other fields populate as you go, saving more valuable time.  Then, as easy as 1,2,3, one can reach out and be in touch with a company recruiter in a matter of no time at all. 

Essentially, a LinkedIn user page functions as a space for a resume, and it does an excellent job of doing just that.  Recruiters can then find one based on their education, credentials, and other fields.  Expanding a professional network is also easy, where one can see if you viewed their profile, and subsequently can choose to add you.  The bigger this network, the easier companies and others can find you to employee.

 A peak at the LinkedIn Mobile App

LinkedIn Features

Under the LinkedIn marketing solutions page, creating a LinkedIn Company Page, only requires a verified individual with permission from the company to create a free company page.  A profile is then created and completed, and followers can be added to a company, as well as employees.  Finally, one can create and share content based upon industry or company news to anyone who has followed their page.  This in turn allows a brand to be promoted and to attract new talent to the company, all within a few interface screens (Create 1).

Certain prolific individuals, such as Bill Gates are deemed “in”fluencers and are considered thought leaders in their particular area, and like a company or other user, can also be followed.  Essentially, LinkedIn offers all professionals be it an individual, a billionaire or prolific figure, or even a large corporation a home, as well as a place to discuss and grow professionally.  Those features are what makes it a more unique platform when compared to other previous topics on the blog.

My Experience

Diving into LinkedIn was a wonderful experience, and reminded me to go ahead and update my own LinkedIn account to reflect my current professional standing.  The navigation from page to page on the website felt natural and I felt very at home after going through so many other social media platforms.  I found that its purpose of connecting all levels of business professionals together for professional networking is masterfully accomplished.  In the span of writing and conducting research from this post, I connected with a Bowling Green Alumni who currently is employed by Reddit, how cool!  For a business looking to hire employees and interact with a broader community on a professional level, look no further.  This is the app for you.  The easy company page creation, allows companies of any size to function and to quickly inform their professional network of exciting news.  Networking has never been easier, all thanks to LinkedIn.

A picture of my LinkedIn Account

Sources/Additional Research

“Create a LinkedIn Company Page – Build Your Business Presence | LinkedIn.” LinkedIn Talent Blog, business.linkedin.com/marketing-solutions/company-pages.

“LinkedIn.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 16 May 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LinkedIn.

Team, Wix. “10 Smarter Ways to Promote Your Business on LinkedIn.” Free Website Builder, Official Wix Blog | Web Design & Small Business Tips to Promote Your Site, 7 June 2016, www.wix.com/blog/2014/02/promote-your-business-on-linkedin/.

Post 5: Figuring Out Facebook! - At the Forefront of the Social Media Stage

Purpose and Solved Problems

For many, Facebook is one of the first things that comes to mind when one mentions social media, and there’s a good reason for that.  “Facebook has more than 2.2 billion monthly active users as of January 2018” (Wikipedia).  The massive user base has led it to being at the forefront of social networking.  Once a user creates a profile, they can connect to almost any person that they know from work, school, neighbor, or other function.  Once connected, they can message one another, share posts, even play games with one another.

With such a large and varied user base, Facebook is a prime candidate for a company to solve problems it may have with reaching out to customers.  It’s large user base allows companies to interact with and engage their target market.  By creating a customer persona, one can create and focus on a marketing objective to tackle with Facebook (whether that be to increase readership of articles or creating general brand awareness).  The more a company strategically posts, the higher brand recognition, and important content can reach the customer.  Customer service, interaction, and ads viewership can also be improved, and that’s just the tip of what Facebook can do for a business.

Most Popular Social Networking Sites by Country - Courtney of Wikipedia
With Facebook in blue, it is clear that they hold a massive worldwide market share, lucrative for companies.

Attempting to use Facebook

One of the best things about Facebook, is that almost any device with an internet connection can access and utilize Facebook, and Facebook has optimization down to a tee.  In only a few moments, I could download the app, create an account, and instantly become connected to an entire web of others, for almost no cost at all.  Both the app and desktop application are straightforward, and familiar to anyone with prior experience with social media.  All features work as intended, such as messaging (a viable replacement for text even), calls, posting, tagging other friends, and much more.  Out of all the social media forms looked at on this blog thus far, I think it may be the quickest and most visually appealing of the group, much in part due to its simplicity.

A picture of Facebook being utilized as an App.

Facebook Features

Upon logging in, users are presented with a news feed and timeline of events of what they, their friends, and like businesses/ celebrities are up to daily.  As previously stated, there is an instant messaging feature on the website, and is even available as a separate app.  Every post can be interacted with via a button, which allows a user to “Like” a post, along with other options.  One can “follow” or “unfollow” a user if they wished to be notified with updates, while also allowing them to remain friends with them.  From a business standpoint, Facebook offers greater reach for marketing campaigns, including many tools available to business, that I will link to below.  Ads can be used to hit target audiences with seamless accuracy, that automatically play on a user’s Newsfeed, ensuring that they see the advertisement.   

Recently, the biggest worry/issue with Facebook is that of privacy, which has caused many users to discontinue use of the website.  A third party had been selling user data that was collected via Facebook apps.  As this is a relatively new topic, many are unsure of what is in store for Facebook next, or what the overall impact will be on the community, despite this, Facebook is still the most popular social networking site in the almost every major country, save for Russia, China, and Japan (Wikipedia).

A typical Facebook page appearance when one isn't logged in.

My Experience

Facebook is so successful and has such a large user base, because it knows exactly what it needs to do to be the leader.  The simplicity of the interface, ability to connect with many users, and to build a portfolio on a user to target ads specifically at their “likes” is all extremely valuable.  Amid all the concerns of privacy and security, I still believe Facebook has a flawless air around them.  Concerns will pass, just because of how good of a service they offer the users and advertisers who utilize them.  Due to the ability to target users with ease, based on exactly what they like/want to do, businesses have their work done for them.  Customers tell the company what they like via interactions with Facebook, and the company can they target ads or communicate with them to fulfill those needs or concerns.  It’s a near flawless system.

In the end, Facebook’s accessibility for both users and businesses alike, make it, in my book, the number one social media platform businesses should be using to solve their problems with.  The ability for a massive company to have the ability to communicate individually with others is so important and gives a personal touch. For example, if I contact Pizza Hut via Facebook, I'm likely to get a quick response, ensuring prompt customer service that previously was nearly impossible to get from corporate.

Sources/Additional Research

DeMers, Jayson. “The Definitive Guide To Marketing Your Business On Facebook.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 21 Aug. 2015, www.forbes.com/sites/jaysondemers/2015/08/20/the-definitive-guide-to-marketing-your-business-on-facebook/.

“Facebook Business.” Facebook, www.facebook.com/business.

“Facebook.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 16 May 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Facebook.

Post 4: A Peak at Flickr! - Widespread Use, or Niche Tool?

Purpose and Solved Problems

Since its creation in 2004, Flickr has changed hands many times, most recently being acquired by SmugMug.  Flickr can host videos, but is mostly known for its use as an image hosting service.  Many professional and amateur photographers use Flickr to display their work and to get their artistic vision or message out there.  Users are offered multiple tiers of accounts as well as ways to manage photos, interaction with other users, and ways to manage favorited photos.

Beth Gasser, Vice President of VividImage, offers a multitude of creative ways to use Flickr for business reasons, especially for smaller businesses.  Some key points she offers up, include that of the use of stock photography, which when a suitable image is found, can be utilized in previously blogged about social media forms, such as Blogger!  Flickr acts as a terrific way to enhance a company’s current portfolio of social media platforms (Gasser 1).  Perhaps one of the most powerful aspects of Flickr comes from its ability to tell a story, and to integrate with a marketing department with ease.  Instead of a marketing department having to ask an already busy business professional for photos, an archive of photos has already been built up for use at a later time. One can show behind the scenes information, that customers may enjoy getting to see (Flickr 1).

Attempting to use Flickr

Creating a user account is easy enough, however, one issue that I have always had with Flickr is its constant changing in how to do simple features of the website.  I’ve only been away from Flickr a few months, yet the way to upload photos has changed yet again (I suspect much of this must do with the changing ownership).  Once taking a few minutes to get familiar with the interface, uploading, viewing, and favoriting pictures is simple enough via the desktop and app. 

It should be noted that upload speeds are a bit slower than YouTube for videos by about a minute (I tried uploading the same video from the YouTube post).  But it’s nothing unmanageable.  Editing and tagging photos/videos is also an intuitive process that works well for ensuring content reaches the maximum number of users possible, but editing prior to Flickr upload is highly recommended.

Flickr Features

Flickr offers different account types based on need, Free (one terabyte of storage total, maximum video length of 3 minutes), Ad Free, which is the same as a Free account type, but without ads (paid annually) and Doublr, which has, “double” the storage as a free account (Wikipedia).  Content within Flickr can be organized into albums, slideshows, and by tag, and what I consider to be one of the best features, a single photo can be assigned to multiple albums, allowing maximum user control over organization.

User content can also be managed to control who can and can’t see certain photos.  Integration with a Blog is another excellent tool, especially if a company is looking to start a focused and driven social media department.  Flickr writes, “if you have a cameraphone and a blog, you can post directly to your blog from your phone in one easy step” (Flickr 1).  Photos from an event can also be shared and combined even content from different users, allowing complete and comprehensive coverage of an important event.

My Experience

Flickr is something that I can’t recommend to every user, as upon further review, I feel as if Flickr appeals to a very niche market that not every user needs.  A Twitter or Facebook may suit that user better than Flickr ever could.  While I enjoy it, I own a camera that I take lots of pictures with and love to interact with other photos and visions.  As for purpose of Flickr, it serves its userbase quite well, and knows how it wants to target and market to its audience.

From the perspective of a business or business professional, Flickr can act as a repository of photos for the marketing team to reference and utilize.  This allows a business to be able to tell its story better, and interact with customers on a more personal level.  Whether that be showing employees working in a happy setting, or a satisfied customer’s photo getting shown, or as a place to find recent company event photos, Flickr is versatile in the business setting.  For that reason, I believe that Flickr is a powerful tool whose usefulness can be enhanced by integrating it with other forms of social media.  However, I do believe that Flickr is best served as a personal photography site, due to other options to reach customers on a larger scale.  If  you look at professional sports teams, businesses, etc on Flickr (such as Cleveland's Lake Erie Monsters) you will see that posts have a fraction of the amount of interaction that is found on other social media.  To summarize, Flickr is great for the personal photographer, but not as great of an option for businesses for advertising, rather it should act as a repository for business photos. 

A Photo from my Flickr of BGSU Hockey

Sources

Flickr. Flickr, Yahoo!, www.flickr.com/bestpractices.

“Flickr.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 13 May 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flickr.

Gasser, Beth. “5 Creative Ways to Use Flickr for Business.” Vivid Image, Inc., 3 Nov. 2017, vimm.com/5-creative-ways-to-use-flickr-for-business/.

Post 3: YouTube and You! - Videos are a Powerful Medium

Purpose and Solved Problems

YouTube, which was established only 13 years ago, is at the forefront of the video-sharing empire in today’s social media setting.  YouTube users can upload, share, view, and subscribe to their favorite YouTubers.  Content on the website vastly varies, ranging from an educational video on how to tie your shoes, to a video blog (a vlog), or even a music video.  YouTube is one of my oldest forms of social media, and I’ve been a user for roughly 8 years, so I’ve seen it grow and evolve over a significant period.

YouTube has a plethora of application for solving problems in a business setting.  Perhaps one of the largest ways YouTube can problem solve is in reaching its target audience.  According to a HubSpot article, “3.25 billion hours of video are watched each month, more 18-49-year olds are reached by YouTube more than any broadcast or cable network on mobile”, and “59% of executives prefer watching video to reading text” (HubSpot 1).  Essentially, YouTube is the ultimate brand awareness medium, in that it is popular, it reaches a wide segment, and it holds ones’ attention better than reading an article.  In turn, this allows for lucrative marketing opportunities for a company to cash in on.  Like the previously mentioned Reddit, YouTube also offers a way for customers to be interacted with in a completely unique and special medium, as comments can be left on video, and companies can subsequently interact and respond.

Attempting to use YouTube

Making and using YouTube and its associated app is intuitive and easy to use, as it uses a pretty standard Google sign up procedure. The easiest, and most surprising part to me, was how quickly one could upload a video.  In less than 5 minutes, I could upload a video from my phone to the website after creating an account.  I've gone ahead and posted the video below this section.  Now, while a properly edited, and longer video may take longer to upload, the speed at which it was able to go live is very valuable to any user or business.

The ability to quickly transmit a message through video in a timely manner is a powerful tool, that when utilized correctly, can give a company an edge over its competitors.  I found no difficulty when adding a like or dislike to a video, and found it easy to build and maintain a playlist on both the desktop and phone.

YouTube Features

As previously mentioned, one must complete a rather easy sign up process for an account.  Once you have an account, you can begin to navigate around the website and find videos and content creators that interest you.  If you find a content creator that you like, hitting the “subscribe” button allows one to receive updates and notifications about anything that content creator uploads or posts.  YouTube also recommends videos based on past videos viewed and can become a front page for your interests, just like Reddit, after a few weeks of use.  Both the app and the desktop are nearly identical and allow for easy viewing, watching and editing.  A channel can be created where a user can upload videos to, and provide more information about what their goal on YouTube is.

Other features of YouTube include a variety of quality for the uploads, the ability to livestream, as well as newly introduced community tab that allows users to “post text, images, live videos and others” in a separate tab on their respective channel (Wikipedia).  Also offered is the ability to monetize videos (which may not be the best idea for a corporate company looking to attract users), a premium subscription service, as well as many other unique features on the way.  I've seen companies or brands such as Dollar Shave Club, Gillette, and Fast Food restaurants interact utilizing this community tab, while other companies (especially those tied to video games) often prefer to livestream their product and its uses.  In doing so, they can show case their content, while also answer questions that their audience may have, greatly increasing their engagement with viewers.

My Experience

YouTube offers an excellent service and platform for reaching customers on a large scale.  Everything is easily accessible, and uploading videos are a breeze.  YouTube is the video content creation and sharing service authority currently, and is in a position to remain that way for a while.  I see no issue in utilizing the service in a business setting, as seen in the aforementioned examples.  Perhaps the most important facet of YouTube is the way a business can reach its target audience/customers on a massive scale.  Combining that with the fact that YouTube now allows content creators to interact with users is just that much more powerful.

Sources

HubSpot. “YouTube Marketing: The Ultimate Guide.” HubSpot, www.hubspot.com/youtube-marketing.

“YouTube.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 16 May 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YouTube.

Post 2: Reading Into Reddit! - The Internet's Front Page

Purpose and Solved Problems

Reddit, self-proclaims itself as “the front page of the internet”, which is quite the title to live up to.  However, I think it does do just that, and quite more.  I’m rather excited to write this post as I’ve been an avid Reddit user for about 5 years now, and I’m excited to view it through the eyes of a business, with it, so, without further ado, let’s get started!  As defined by social media examiner, Reddit, “allows users to discuss and vote on content that other users have submitted” (Beck, 1). 

So, what can Reddit do for a business?  The most popular trend is customer service or support.  For many video games, their respective subreddit (more on these later) act as a place to interact with developers and express concerns or pains.  This allows the company to interact directly and promptly with their customers, while also providing helpful links in the information section.  Meanwhile, hype and speculation about an upcoming product or game can be talked about.  Reddit solves a problem that many businesses and companies have had in the past.  It provides users with very niche and specific likes a place to discuss with other people who are just as excited about something as they are.  While for businesses, it allows targeted responses to concerns with a product or claim, allowing for more direct contact with its target audience.

Attempting to use Reddit

As I’ve had a lot of experience with Reddit, everything is intuitive from the get go.  The only downside I still consistently hear from the community/people I know in real life is that, the site has a rather dated appearance about it.  However, as a user becomes more familiar with the website, it becomes clear that this “old” design, is so that users can more effectively navigate the website once they overcome the learning curve.  After making an account and subscribing to several subreddits (communities created by fans focused on a subject or topic) your front page is populated with your interests, and is completely customized.

I prefer to use Reddit on desktop, so investigation into the many apps, was rather interesting.  The best app I’ve found for free is Redditisfun, as it provides customization options for users, and has consistent updates and high ratings.  Its ads are non-intrusive, and it is easy to post, edit, and revise everything on the website, perfect for a business user!

A Typical Reddit Front Page, Credit to:
https://all-venturelabdoovat.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Reddit-Front-page-layout.jpg

Reddit Features

Explaining Reddit is a bit difficult, due to the simplicity of the site, but once one subscribes to a subreddit, a user can create posts or comment on other posts.  However, the beauty of Reddit is that relevant posts are shown via a karma system, where users can “upvote” interesting posts for good karma or “downvote” uninteresting/poor posts for bad karma.  Posts and comments work in the same way, allowing irrelevant or poor posts/comments to be completely ignored, while only quality is seen by most users.  Reddit jargon is a bit hard to pick up at first, but here’s a link if you’re interested in brushing up on Reddit Lingo: https://mashable.com/2014/03/10/reddit-lingo-guide/#JU.Sp8o__mqt

From a business stand point, subreddit moderators can deem certain users as employees of a company.  For example, the Xbox subreddit can highlight the users that work for Microsoft, so that users can differentiate between real and fake employees.  Links can also be promoted through Reddit, so that a post may be seen by more users.  Once one gets started on Reddit, it’s easy to pick up all the nuances, this is just a brief overview and what I consider to be a good starting point for diving deeper. 

My Experience

When utilized for leisure, Reddit is a great entertainment platform that almost anyone with any hobby or interest can enjoy.  It truly acts as the front page of the internet, connecting users from all over, and allowing them to discuss assorted topics relating to their interests. Furthermore, when utilized in a business setting, Reddit acts as an excellent choice for any company looking to more personally interact with its users.  For example, the Iama subreddit (a customer or user can ask questions of a business, or individual in a business) may act as an excellent platform for expanding the brand or customer loyalty far beyond the normal bounds of a business.  Any company with any sort of a following (whether it may be a product they produce or a service they provide) can interact with users in the various subreddits as a customer service platform, while also keeping their users informed on what is to come.

Sources

Beck, Ben. “6 Ways to Use Reddit to Grow Your Business.” Social Media Examiner Main Page, 21 Sept. 2012, www.socialmediaexaminer.com/reddit/.

“Reddit.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 14 May 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reddit.