I Think She's a 'Little' Annoyed.

In a recent article on Technorati, a woman named Sharon shares her biggest pet peeves about blogger's sites that makes her not want to write for them. Honestly, I feel that she has many good points and we need to listen to what she has to say. Here is her list and my opinions on what she calls 'pet peeves'.

1. Default pages - No blogging. If your about me section is still the generic Wordpress default page, Sharon will not write an article for you. You have to be creative to attract readership. I definitely agree with Sharon. You need to stand out from other blogs. Hone creativity.

2. No comment - No Blogging. If a site does not allow comments on their blog posts Sharon will not write for their site. This I completely agree with. Blogs should be opinionated. If you are brave enough to let people read your blogs, let them comment and have free speech. You will only become more educated through other's feedback.

3. Linky Linky- Don't put more links then you have content. I understand where Sharon is coming from because this could be overwhelming for your readers. Having to go from link to link can be information overload.

4. Blog Neglect- Neglecting your own blog and expecting others to write content for you is not acceptable. Don't make others do your work. Sharon says she will not write for someone who doesn't write their own content. I would never ask someone to write for me if I didn't actually keep up with my blog. I would feel embarrassed if other people were writing all of my content.

5. Wrong Niche- Asking someone to write for you about a subject that's not relevant to your blog is basically an insult. I agree with this because if you ask someone to write a blog post for your blog and their subject of interest is not the same as your readers no one is going to read the content. So quit wasting the writer's time.

6. Stolen Content- Don't repost other's blogs. I have to agree again. Be original. Don't copy things verbatim. I would never use someone else's content on my blog because that's not my original work, and my blog shows my work and opinions.

Sharon had some really great points and I am really glad I got to share her tips to you. So think before you ask someone to write for you.

Costumes, chocolate and scary movies made my Halloween.

Happy Halloween!

This weekend went by way too fast and was one of the best weekends I've had in awhile. Halloween weekend is always so much fun because you get to dress up in whatever you want, eat as much candy as you want and watch as many scary movies as you want. I openly admit to doing all three activities.

This weekend, my friend and I went old school and dressed up as an 80s couple. I also went as a cowgirl and Sandy from Grease as well. The hardest costume to create was Sandy because teasing my hair was so difficult. Teasing my hair was so painful and literally took my roommate an hour to do. However, to ease the pain that my roommate was creating with my hair I was able to indulge in some pretty sweet treats. 

My aunt sent me a package this weekend full of sweet treats. I opened the box to find a Hershey Bar, Hershey Kisses, Rice Krispies, Reese Cups and popcorn. I devoured the chocolate right away. I always feel this is the one holiday you can actually get away with eating a ton of candy and not feel like a complete fatty. So, another thing I enjoy about Halloween besides the costumes and chocolate is just being able to relax and watch a good movie. 

Yesterday, my roommate and I watched The Ring. I haven't watched The Ring in so long I almost forgot how creepy that little girl in the movie was. The fact that I live in an old house also adds to the creepy effect of this movie. I woke up last night around 4 a.m. and was so creeped out from that movie I didn't want to get out of my bed. Yes, I am a chicken. However, I am sure most people can think of something that creeps them out that and effects their sleep pattern. 

After this weekend with the lack of sleep and mass amounts of chocolate I've consumed I am ready to kick myself back into shape. 

Social Skills. What's That?

Today, we are a society so dependent on communication through technology. Texting has become second nature and we are losing the social skills that we need to be successful with our customers when doing business. In Real-Time Marketing & PR, they say there are four ways to improve real-time connections with customers:

1. Presale- Always talk with your customers through the sales cycle. Keep them updated and be involved with their decision making.
2. Immediate postsale- to keep the relationship trustworthy, always follow up after a customer makes a purchase. Too often do we forget that we want to check up on our customer to make sure they get the satisfaction that they wanted.
3. Ready to receive- Make sure your customer is satisfied. Talk with those who deliver the products and your customer. Make sure that their item purchased met their needs.
4. Problem resolution and crisis communication- accidents happen and you need to be able to be the first person to communicate with your customers when a situation happens. Don't be the last person to know and don't be the last person to contact your customer.

With these tips, we know that communication is key in building successful relationships in the business world. However, we can also apply these skills in real life situations.

Facebook Statistics are Unreal.

In a recent article on Mashable, there are a number of Facebook statistics to prove this is the most used social network. In the article, statistics show that there are two billion posts liked and commented on each day, the average Facebook user is on the site 7 hrs. and 46 min. a month, and the site has over 800 million active users.

I think that these numbers are absolutely incredible. I can't believe how many active users there are in the world and only 25 percent of users are in the U.S. I also thought the fact that Facebook is in 70 different languages was pretty astonishing. I can't believe that there are that many languages to choose from.

I honestly feel that Facebook is dominating the social media world and will continue to grow. I feel that some countries are more knowledgable with the network for now, but I feel other countries will start using the site as well, thus increasing the number of active users. I can't wait to see if Facebook will still be at the top in a couple years. If the statistical rates keep going up and the company keeps improving their site, I believe they will dominate for a long time.

Another Day. Another Dollar.

After these past two weeks I feel like I'm becoming the definition of a broke college student. I mean, I'm not spending my money on ridiculous things but organizations, trips and paying off loans gets expensive. While in Orlando I spent way too much money. Spending $14 a day on food was insane. I think I spent $150 on food for one week. Insane. 

I am so glad I am back in Ada. I am saying this because things are cheaper, and not because I think Ada is more than fun than Orlando. I literally went to Subway today and spent $5 on a sub. I can't believe I'm saying this because I'm such a hoarder with money, but I was willing to hand over that $5 effortlessly. 

As a college student, I feel keeping a budget is something that we all need to learn to do. So, I've come up with my top three tips for college students wanting to learn how to manage a budget and how to spend while in college: 

1. Make a list of things you actually need. 

Creating a list of things that you actually need will limit you to only buying those items. If you don't need the item don't buy the item. 

2. The bars will eat your pockets.  

I have seen too many students spending way too much on alcoholic beverages. Do you really want to gain those extra 15 lbs. for $40-$50 a night? I don't think so. 

3. That dress is really cute. But, it's too dark to even tell. 

Yeah, that party dress is really cute. But do you really want to spend $100? I mean, at most parties most people aren't even going to care what you're wearing. Buy some business attire that you can actually wear later on down the road. 

There are my three tips on budgeting and spending your money as a college student. If anyone has any other budgeting and spending tips they would like to add please comment. Yeah, I may be becoming a broke college student but at least I can help those college kids who still have a chance. 

Facebook and Job Opportunities? I'm in!

So, the No. 1 most used social media site is improving their marketing efforts again. To step up the competition Facebook interviewed with Mashable yesterday and announced that they are teaming up with the U.S. Department of Labor and are coming up with an initiative to decrease the 9.1 percent unemployment rate. They are doing this by creating a social jobs portal which job seekers can use to find jobs they are interested in doing.

I find this to be an interesting article because I am just stunned at how many new applications Facebook is creating. I may not like the majority of the ones they have developed recently, but I think this application is going to be a huge boost in their promotional strategies. So many people use Facebook. A majority of us log onto Facebook once day. By signing onto this site at least once a day, I feel people are going to be more motivated to apply for jobs. You don't have to go to a separate site while chatting with your friends. Now you have the ability to multitask.

I honestly feel that if Facebook's initiative is successful they are going to put a ton of competition on sites like Linkedin. Although there is one downfall. If employers are able to get access from where you filled out your employment application and see you applied on Facebook, would they be more willing to check out your Facebook page? More and more people are posting things that they shouldn't to Facebook and with this new job application will this decrease the number of inappropriate pictures and comments? That's something I would like to know.

Finally Things Start Falling into Place.

After missing seven days of school for Disney and PRSSA National Conference I finally returned to Ada tonight.  Honestly, I was really disappointed when I came home. The temperature was in the 40s and there were cold rain showers. Ohio weather was not greeting my PR chapter and me back into the Buckeye state. 

After being in Orlando for a week, I have come to the conclusion that I am absolutely moving down there after graduation. I came to this conclusion after listening to some of the best professionals who work for Disney at the conference. I also don’t mind the 70 degree weather and the palm trees. There is also so much more to do in Orlando than there is in Ohio. I can have the theme parks, the ocean and nightlife within an hour of each other. I can also hop into my car and spend the morning at Magic Kingdom and then be at the beach within the next hour. Pretty sweet!

I know our first impression of Orlando was not the greatest because where we stayed was not a fantastic representation of the city as a whole. The city I think is beautiful and offers a ton of job opportunities. So, at least I have the city I want to live in narrowed down. Now I’m just deciding what sector of PR that I want to go into. Definitely not ready for this thing they call a “big kid”. 

How Do You Spell Your Name Again?

The first day of PRSSA National Conference in Orlando was a success. However, I found one presentation to be very funny. A few of us went to a chapter presentation where they were discussing how to build your network through taking agency trips.

Well, the firm had taken an agency trip to Columbus, Ohio, for the day. During their trip they visited Fahlgren & Mortine. Being from Ohio and having alumni from Ohio Northern University who work for this agency, our chapter definitely knows the agency and how to spell the name correctly. When the presenters had placed the agency's name on the PowerPoint slide the name read "Falgrine & Mortine". The ONU chapter thought this was hilarious because if you are going to credit someone at least spell their name correctly.

Lesson learned, always double check company spellings. The chapter who presented is lucky that no one from the agency was at the conference. If they had seen this they would have been very offended. So, always get the spelling correct so you establish credibility with your audience.

United Breaks Guitars is Overrated, but I like Free Advertising.

I have seen "United Breaks Guitars" several times. I didn't watch this video because I wanted to, but because we had to watch this video in two of my classes. Honestly, I don't understand how this video went viral. Dave Carroll's guitar broke and he wrote a cheesy song about how United broke his poor Taylor guitar. Yeah, the song was a little catchy but I don't believe that the video should have had that many hits.

However, this video was great for Taylor Guitars as they got nationally recognized via Youtube. I really liked how Taylor's seized the opportunity to use real-time PR. The president of Taylor Guitars, Bob Taylor, created his own Youtube video right after the incident and taught traveling musicians how to pack equipment and use airline rules to their advantage.

I think that responding to a Youtube video like the one Dave posted is great press material, and the best part is the advertising is free! If I were a business owner and my product went viral on Youtube because someone was upset with another company, I would take full advantage of the opportunity. You just can't wait for the opportunity to happen, you need to make this happen!

Hide Yo' Wife. Over a Facebook status?

"Hide Yo' Kids. Hide Yo' Wife."

No, I'm not talking about the news story that became viral because of a Youtube video. I'm actually talking about a woman getting beat by her husband because she did not "like" his Facebook status.

Benito Apolinar, 36,  was arrested this week for punching his wife in the cheek and pulling her hair because she did not "like" his Facebook status that was posted in tribute to his mother who had passed away. Apolinar was assumed to be under the influence when this occurred at their New Mexico City home.

Honestly, I think that this is ridiculous and out of line. Who would honestly get that upset over a Facebook status that they would abuse their wife? Obviously the guy had problems to begin with. You just don't hit your wife over something on Facebook. Maybe there was an underlying issue before this status conflict? Well, that is besides the point.

My point is, people shouldn't be that obsessed with social media that they don't have control over their emotions. So to the guy who hits a woman in the face because she didn't "like" your status, grow up and be a man.

So long Ada. We'll See Ya Real Soon.

Charlie and I enjoying the fall weather at home. 

This weekend marks the first fall break at Ohio Northern University. We never had a fall break on quarters, but I am definitely enjoying the five day weekend. Thursday afternoon I packed up my silver Chrysler Sebring and headed out of Ada, Ohio. My destination? Lakengren. 

Lakengren is the community where I grew up and is a small gated community surrounded by cornfields. However, the community is built around a lake. I loved growing up here, and especially during the fall. Everyone who lives in Lakengren takes their boats and jet skis out on the lake and there are always people on the running paths. Being here is just so peaceful and relaxing. 

Today, I took advantage of the nice 70 degree weather and took my dog Charlie on a long walk. During our walk we saw tons of squirrels. Charlie absolutely loves squirrels and chases them every time one comes in sight. I really did get a work out today. We also got to appreciate the beautiful scenery. The leaves were changing and the lake was filled with boats. 

I really do appreciate growing up here because I learned to love the outdoors. However, in the next couple days I will be leaving the country environment and traveling with PRSSA to Orlando, Fla. I really am excited about this trip not because I am not going back to Ada until Oct. 19, but because I get to network with multiple professionals and have the opportunity to learn more about the profession I will be going into after graduation. So, Ada, we're going to be apart for a little while. But, "I'll See Ya Real Soon."

You're Not Going to Wine and Dine? How Rude.

Being a journalism minor I found a section of New Rules of Marketing in PR quite interesting. When I was  reading through Scott's book I came across a section where he talks about how some journalists are now keeping blogs and searching for press releases via the web.

Here at Ohio Northern, I feel that the journalism program is still set on the old ways of a journalist/PR relationship. You send in the press release, the journalist decides whether the message is newsworthy and they write the story if they like your topic. In one of my journalism courses a professor told me that PR specialists still wine and dine journalists (even though they said this was not ethical).

I really feel that journalists at ONU need to pick up the New Rules of Marketing and PR books and realize we are in a different time period. PR specialists are going to publish their press releases first. They are not going to try and impress you with food. And, they are going to communicate with our audience first.

Public relations is finally back in the public eye and that's the way this should be.

More Facebook Additions? Oh Well.

I'm getting really tired of everyone getting so hyped up about the changes that Facebook is making to their site. Consequently, I am going to blog about a new change to Facebook I found to be very nifty for any business that wants to advertise.

The new addition that Facebook is creating is called the expandable ad unit. The ad unit will not only advertise a page but will give Facebook users the opportunity to "like" and recommend a brand or company. Facebook believes that giving the customers the ability to "like" or recommend an advertisement will drive others to actually use a product or go to a business. 

I think that this is a very good idea. People like to know other people's opinions about a product or service before purchase. A multitude of people use Facebook and other social media sites, and seeing an ad with a great number of "likes" and comments would be so much more convenient then having to go to a forum and read a ton of reviews. However, I guess this slightly depends on what product or service you're considering. If I were purchasing a car I wouldn't just solely base my opinion of a "like" button. 

Facebook is creating better ideas, so I don't understand why people are complaining. Things need to be revamped to improve. We will all figure this new Facebook stuff out in time.