Context

Through out the semester, we have covered a lot of different material regarding social media: how to produce quality social media, how social media functions in and effects our society and how social media is changing the world we live in. Today is the last post of the class and we are covering a few last thoughts to close out the term.

These posts focus on digital citizenship and how to make sure that the social media in your own life is having a positive benefit. Social media should be a tool to make your life better. 

http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2016/11/creative-commons-explained-in-simple.html

http://jenntgrace.com/power-of-social-media/

https://deliciouslyella.com/thoughts-social-media/

http://kriscarr.com/blog/how-to-stay-positive-online/

http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2017/01/please-practice-good-digital-citizenship.html

http://www.chronicle.com/blogs/profhacker/combatting-digital-polarization/63315?cid=at&utm_source=at&utm_medium=en&elqTrackId=157be2ae49874599a5d67c68d25833f7&elq=34894d17aabd4f6db8893da519d3e5d3&elqaid=11866&elqat=1&elqCampaignId=4750

http://calnewport.com/blog/2016/12/18/on-digital-minimalism/

http://calnewport.com/blog/2017/01/28/on-value-and-digital-minimalism/

http://calnewport.com/blog/2016/11/23/what-im-talking-about-when-i-talk-about-social-media/

https://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/gradhacker/breaking-social-media

Social Media as a Disruptive Technology

What is a disruptive technology?  "New ways of doing things that disrupt or overturn the traditional business methods and practices. For example, steam engine in the age of sail, and internet in the age of post office mail."

http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/disruptive-technology.html

I can guarantee that no one took "notes" when I was an undergraduate by taking a picture of the whiteboard! Just like the mobile devices we all use have disrupted the way we study and learn, social media has also "disrupted" the way people live and do business.  

Please read the following blog posts that explore this.  

http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/everyday-tech/10-disruptive-technologies-you-use-every-day2.htm

http://www.businessinsider.com/different-facebook-uses-in-africa-and-the-middle-east-nicola-mendelsohn-2015-6

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2016/11/war-goes-viral/501125/

https://www.fastcompany.com/3057869/how-social-media-is-transforming-medical-care-in-the-developing-world

https://qz.com/919213/social-media-has-become-the-media-in-africa/

Monetize

This week we are going to be looking at ways to make money by blogging.  There are people out there earning a living as bloggers, and even more supplementing thier income. Of course, we know there are companies that use blogs as a way of promoting their product but I am focusing here on individuals who succeed in creating income - money or in kind - from their own blog. So - here are some strategies you might be able to utilize.

Collaborate with other companies 
This blogger has such a following that target has collaborated with her several times to design
products to be sold in Target.
http://www.designlovefest.com/2017/03/dlf-lugggage-giveaway/#comment-1840240

A common method is for a company to collaborate with bloggers writing about their product area.  Often multiple bloggers writing about the same topics will be involved.
http://www.lilblueboo.com/2017/03/how-to-display-a-sea-glass-collection.html 

Ads
https://www.theartofdoingstuff.com/truth-chickens-die/

Sponsored posts 
https://www.designertrapped.com/diy-pipe-desk/

Use your blog to promote other items you sell 
http://inspiralized.com/curried-cauliflower-and-lentil-salad-with-carrot-noodles-and-honey-
cumin-dressing/

http://www.livesweetblog.com/bunny-rompers/ 

Affiliate links 
http://www.mrsplantintexas.com/2017/03/the-cheese-trap-herbed-cheese-ball.html 

Reviews (get free stuff!) 
https://prettyprintsandpaper.com/2017/03/06/review-chalkola-chalk-pens-discount-code/

Blog leads to opportunities
This blogger had a niche food blog which led to a publisher giving her a book deal. She now uses
the blog to promote the book. (And look at how she adds links to other blogs that promote her
book. Collaboration!)
http://thefirstmess.com/2017/03/08/hot-pink-smoothie-cheers/

From the mouths of bloggers 
http://www.carrieonliving.com/blogger-bytes-how-do-i-make-money/

http://www.carrieonliving.com/how-to-get-sponsored-content/

Media Literacy and Fake News

I have talked in class about the importance of understanding and recognizing fake news.  The comic at the right does a great job of explaining it as well. Below are some links on fake news and some on teaching about fake news.  The latter might be helpful in your Public Education Activity.

https://theconversation.com/why-do-we-fall-for-fake-news-69829

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2016/12/05/business/media/comet-ping-pong-pizza-shooting-fake-news-consequences.html?

_r=0&referer=http://www.chronicle.com/blogs/profhacker/combatting-digital-polarization/63315?cid=wc&utm_source=wc&utm_medium=en&elqTrackId=d1e1266fea2542b5a183d5b496548c03&elq=151de43c242b40deb09520b242169fc6&elqaid=11895&elqat=1&elqCampaignId=4770

http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-sandy-hook-conspiracy-20170203-story.html

http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/07/politics/kfile-gorka-on-fake-news/index.html

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/russian-propaganda-effort-helped-spread-fake-news-during-election-experts-say/2016/11/24/793903b6-8a40-4ca9-b712-716af66098fe_story.html?utm_term=.339f548c39a0

http://www.npr.org/sections/alltechconsidered/2016/11/23/503146770/npr-finds-the-head-of-a-covert-fake-news-operation-in-the-suburbs

http://www.chronicle.com/blogs/linguafranca/2017/03/12/lies-damned-lies-and-press-releases/?cid=at&utm_source=at&utm_medium=en&elqTrackId=c9da2a7cb8fb4d73b33fe9999cd1a8de&elq=3788fe29a7c541858b68560d9b76c6d5&elqaid=12917&elqat=1&elqCampaignId=5325

http://www.readingmytealeaves.com/2017/02/habit-shift-pay-for-real-news.html

http://www.chronicle.com/article/A-Professor-Once-Targeted-by/238742?cid=at&utm_source=at&utm_medium=en&elqTrackId=90cc345026ba437c959fc461dc3e6df9&elq=640eeeb615bb4211a1472fcde55c7d7c&elqaid=11917&elqat=1&elqCampaignId=4788

http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2017/01/18-cartoon-videos-about-web-safety-for.html

http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/future_tense/2016/12/media_literacy_courses_help_high_school_students_spot_fake_news.html

https://www.edutopia.org/article/battling-fake-news-classroom-mary-beth-hertz

http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2016/12/media-literacy-fake-news-lesson-plan.html

Image from
http://www.robot-hugs.com/comics/2016-10-18-outrage.png

Up Your Game part two

Hello class. This week we continue to work on improving the quality of our social media presence. Here are some examples of the kinds of things that we talked about in class. Please read all the blog post. Your WRR will be on these posts.

Collaborate

A private Facebook page is one way to build a community. The sense of scarcity makes followers feel special, you can offer things to just those followers, and your followers end up creating much of the content. 

http://inspiralized.com/pot-sticker-bowls-with-spiralized-rutabaga/

This blog regularly features interviews with other bloggers and real life business people. It is an opportunity for mutual promotion.  The blog gets content and the guests get free advertising 

http://howyouglow.com/jordan-younger-the-balanced-blonde/#

Self promotion

Look at all the ways this blogger promotes herself throughout the post. Particularly the links to other posts the reader might be interested in. 

http://travelfashiongirl.com/how-to-avoid-checking-luggage/

Using your blog to promote readers to follow your other social media

http://www.amynewnostalgia.com/what-i-learned-winter-edition/

http://www.lilblueboo.com/2017/03/sixty-one-park-a-farmhouse-restoration.html

Use one social media post as part of another

http://www.lilblueboo.com/2017/02/ditto-lays-egg.html

Look how she provides an easy to pin image to encourage people to link to her post through Pinterest

http://travelfashiongirl.com/what-to-wear-in-kyrgyzstan/

Another example of making it easy to pin 

http://www.livesweetblog.com/finns-cake-smash/

Look at all the ways she connects to her other social media AND promotes her product. A product that she was able to create because of the blog. 

http://detoxinista.com/2017/03/what-i-ate-3/

Using a hashtag to get your readers to promote your blog (and create community)

http://tatertotsandjello.com/2017/03/colorful-happy-home.html

Easy Ways To Make Good Posts

This blogger has this post theme every week. Knowing she has this, she can be collecting content easily during the week and put it together easily. Notice how at the end, she lists links to other blogs. This is also quick and easy content style that a lot of bloggers employ either as part of a post or its own post. If your reading other blogs in your area, it should be easy to put together a few links to other quality posts. 

http://www.readingmytealeaves.com/2017/03/my-week-in-objects-mostly-139.html

Take a blog post idea and develop it over more than one post. 

http://abeautifulmess.com/2017/02/part-2-red-wine-soaked-gummy-bears.html

Here's another sample of how providing a link to another bloggers post you like, can make a
quick, quality post for you.
http://www.designlovefest.com/2017/03/happy-monday/

Here is another themed post that this blogger uses regularly but would be easy to create.
http://www.designlovefest.com/2017/03/happy-pictures/

And another (she takes a photo and makes a sign inspired by it)
http://www.designlovefest.com/2017/03/hand-drawn-love-73/

Another theme post
http://abeautifulmess.com/2017/03/10-things-i-love-sunday-3.html

Collaborate with others
http://tatertotsandjello.com/2017/03/great-ideas-early-easter-ideas.html 

http://www.designlovefest.com/2017/03/happy-monday/

Here is another themed post that this blogger uses regularly but would be easy to create. 

http://www.designlovefest.com/2017/03/happy-pictures/

And another (she takes a photo and makes a sign inspired by it)

http://www.designlovefest.com/2017/03/hand-drawn-love-73/

Another theme post

http://abeautifulmess.com/2017/03/10-things-i-love-sunday-3.html

Collaborate with others

http://tatertotsandjello.com/2017/03/great-ideas-early-easter-ideas.html

Up Your Game

Hello peeps -
This week is about taking your social media presence to a new level. You have been creating your social media, and hopefully getting the hang of it, for about six weeks.  Now that you've gotten your feet wet, it's time to focus on increasing your quality.

 Instead of a lecture this week, I've curated a series of blog posts for you to read. These focus on different ares of social media and how to improve them. So please read through all of these and think about how you can apply these ideas to your own social media.

Preparing Content
http://www.abeautifulmess.com/2017/01/blog-qa-how-long-does-it-take-to-draft-content.html

https://coschedule.com/blog/plan-a-blog-schedule/

http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2016/11/9-lessons-learned-through-nine-years-of.html



Photography

http://rowanmade.com/tips-for-curatingyour-instagram-feed/

https://later.com/blog/how-to-take-good-instagram-photo-with-your-phone/

http://besottedblog.com/photographer-finder


Vlogs
What are they -
http://socialnetworking.lovetoknow.com/What_is_Video_Blogging

Why do them -
https://www.impactbnd.com/blog/tips-for-a-successful-video-blog
https://www.business.com/articles/say-hello-to-vlogging-why-you-should-be-video-blogging/

How to improve your vlogs -
http://www.convinceandconvert.com/guest-posts/video-4-mistakes-you-make-when-posting-video-on-your-blog/

Give your readers a reason to come back

In class, we discussed ways to increase the traffic and loyalty or connection with your audience. One of those ways is through giveaways and incentives. Here are links to some blogs who are doing just that.  And they are all using different kinds.  So there are lots of ideas!


Giveaways And Incentives

https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/apollo-personalized-learning/

http://www.designlovefest.com/2017/03/iphone-dlf-case-giveaway/

http://www.marcandangel.com/2017/03/12/one-thing-real-love-never-does-to-you/

http://tatertotsandjello.com/2017/03/easter-bunny-spring-printable-tags-signs.html

http://thebloggess.com/2017/03/02/its-world-book-day/