Week 17: Closing Thoughts

My personal social media use has changed dramatically this semester.  Prior to this class, I would not have even attempted to establish an account on Twitter or Instagram.  I stayed in my "safe zone" of Facebook.  I have gained a better perspective of evolving technology and the need to keep abreast of what media channels are popular, but functional for business use.  It did not cross my mind before that "Facebook is for moms".  Too funny!  Claudia mentions, "Younger users are searching for the newest platform, hence the spike in use of Instagram, Pinterest, Tumblr, SnapChat & more. Images with quick, short bursts of info attached."  We will be mindful of this.   As discussed in Week 16, Facebook will be our primary platform, and expanding out with other social media as it fits within the parameters of our marketing strategy.

 Social media use has propelled our business forward.  Our brand awareness has benefited from our accounts on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.   We are unable to quantitatively determine customer conversions from these channels as we are not an e-commerce business, however, lead generations has increased through Facebook.  Our sole call to action has been to place a call to the brick and mortar business for appointments and inquiries and that has proven to be successful.

 I can't say that my viewpoint of social media has changed per se.  If anything, it has increased my awareness of the shift towards easier and faster social media channels.  Captivating an audience through vivid imagery and phrases are vital to keep afloat in the sea of competition for followers and visitors.  I appreciate and will use social media much more for personal use as well.

 This course has created a solid foundation for social media use in our online marketing.  Through the weekly assignments, I was able to build a better grasp on e-newsletters, blogs, advertising through the popular social media channels and discover new ones, too.  To use these tools successfully, careful planning and consistent devotion of time and resources to create visual content that is engaging is necessary.  I understand the need for larger businesses to have a graphics department so not only are the images and videos compelling, but consistent with simplicity and branding.  Also, in the beginning of marketing undertakings, I learned the need to consult with experts to determine the visual identity of the business, e.g., colors, fonts, logos, etc.

 I have found social media accounts that I wish to follow or like as well.  It still amazes me just how much information is available out there.  The use of Instagram through this course has encouraged me to create my own personal account and story through pictures.  I also gain more perspective on following friends and at times, find it easier than Facebook to catch up with their happenings.  The networking available through this course is great!  I have shared with my peers the various resources available through this class.

 Mahalo for a fun course, Claudia.  Laki maikaʻi (good luck) to all in your endeavors. Aloha.


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