Week 7

• Visit the FaceBook Business pages of your group members (the groups have changed, please check out the updated Class Links). Read their posts and make comments. Done!
• Scheduled Posts: Will appear on the 12th, 13th, and 14th all at 12:00PM. 

Post #1:I have chosen to post a photo of design work provided with an appointment link. This will give potential customers an idea of my work and the option to book a consultation directly from the post. 

Post #2:I posted that I will be creating a piece on Instagram Live for people to watch the process. I will add a link once I have further developed an Instagram for this "business."

Post #3:This post will be additional work to hopefully engage viewers to view my page.

Week 6

• Define the difference between post reach and post engagement

.Post reach is how many people your posts or page has reached. Reached is synonyms with viewed. Post engagement is entirely different, engagement is how many people have interacted with the post or page. Liking, commenting, and direct messaging with customers are all forms of engagement. Dave Kerpen stated in Likeable Social Media "whats cooler than reaching a billion on facebook? Reaching the perfect 1000 prospects or 100 or 1."

• Why is knowing the difference important?

Through the lectures and readings I have learned that even though reaching many possible customers it is more important to engage with fewer that are your target audience. Leaving a positive impression on potential customers is more important than having your work viewed by thousands of people with no interest. For the business I have chose for this class, it would be beneficial to like and comment on all unique tattoo's to show support.

• After defining the terms, describe how a business can use Facebook Insights to better serve their customers.

I have created a fictitious business for the purpose of this class and because it is brand new I do not yet have Facebook Insights. From what I have gathered on the internet, Facebook insights is a powerful tool to help business page owner's oversee the interactions. It can be very useful to track the page performance and judge what is doing well and what isn't.

Week 5 Part 2

By Monday Blog Week 5 Post 2:

Write a blog post outlining who your target market is. Begin to think about how knowing more about your perfect customer will help you in the coming weeks as we start to promote this business online.



Target Market Analysis for Kastl Koncepts

This target market analysis for Kastl Koncepts is being prepared to identify who the target market is for my fictional business. Kastl Koncepts is a business to provide custom tattoo designs or the sale of my creations. My target audience is geared toward individuals who enjoy line work tattoos. Tattoo advocates vary in ages 18+ but I believe my designs are youthful and feminine which steers me to aim towards young woman. I primarily researched target audiences on Instagram by viewing hashtags like #Tattoo, #Linework, #Ink #IWantATattoo and generally most people posting are young female woman. I also viewed the followed of some of my favorite tattoo shops to find the same results. Trends are frequent in the tattoo industry which is why I think the work I put out will stand out among others as it will be my own creations and will not be repeated. The goal is to provide custom designs, to not allow my designs to be tattooed on more than one individual. Personally, I think that tattoo artist's should not be copy machines but actually embrace the craft of permanent art on one's body. Risks that I anticipate are others taking too much inspiration from my work to the point of stealing it. Posting online will be a huge risk as people could just print it out and take it to an artist to claim as their own. I think that watermarking all images obnoxiously will prevent this but of course, it will be an unavoidable risk when posting designs online to sell. I think that as tattoo's become more and more popular people will strive to create custom pieces more than picking off a flash sheet as most everything has been done time after time again. The target market will cater to all ages 18+, all genders, and all who will show respect for the brand and not copy the work. I think that Kastl Koncepts will be successful in the event that I ever wish to pursue it as a real business. 

Week 5 Part 1

When comparing the websites of Subway and Hungry Bear Deli I noticed many differences. The demographics are aimed toward the same general audience; sandwich lovers. However, Hungry Bear Deli proudly serves Vista CA and Subway operates on a much larger scale offering options of different countries and languages. The first obvious differences that stand out right away are that Subway features a "Find A Subway" feature where as Hungry Bear is one location and does not necessitate this feature. I observed the psychographic of the Hungry Bear Deli when they chose to include a customer testimonial on their website of a Oceanside local. Subway operates on a much larger scale and includes more social media platforms linked from from the main page of their website.Crossover differences are that both include similar words on their homepage to engage with the same audience "flavor" "tasty" "good" "delicious". Based on the two companies websites I can tell that they both aim to set a fresh feel to invite their customers to visit their restaurant(s). 

By Sunday:You will need to decide which business you will be representing for the duration of the course. We will be begin using social media to promote this business in our upcoming sessions. You may:

1. Choose a business to "start" whether it be a business you'd love to really own, or in an industry you would enjoy working in. You can create the name and what it is, and delete all accounts after the class is over if you don't actually want to start the business yet ;)

 I choose this option! Response posted to the discussion board. 

Week 4 Part 2

Blog Week Four Post Two: Add the url of two websites you use or visit frequently.
Discuss (in 3-5 paragraphs):

• Why are they effective?
• What specific principles of good design do they include and why?
• What makes you come back again?
• What could be improved?

https://www.urbanoutfitters.com/ 

https://www.youtube.com/ 

I have provided two links above to websites I frequently visit. I visit Urban Outfitters as they are always updating their "New" section. I think it is important to note that when you scroll over "Women's" the first thing that you read is "New" on the left side of the drop down menu. This is effective as we read from left to right.  Youtube is also one of the top websites I visit on a daily basis. The left side lists all of the channels I am subscribed to. Ease of Use is clearly evident on both of these sites. The purpose is to engage me, the viewer, to view the newest product and also the newest uploads. 

The Aesthetic of both pages are clean and concise. Urban Outfitters provides a youthful vibe that aims at the target audience. Youtube provides a more structured appeal which I can appreciate as I follow different genres and they are listed on my home page by topic. I can view Makeup to Mystery and view other related videos based off what I've watched.  They use a more structured appeal because it helps promote related interests. 

I continue to come back to these sites because they provide me with things I am interested in and continue to take me to new places. I appreciate the simplicity of both sites and they strongly emphasize Branding. Urban Outfitters has their own product line and strongly stamps its name on several areas of the website sometimes abbreviating it to "UO" which serves as a logo in a way. Youtube is strongly talked about on other platforms of social media which strengthens the marketing of not just a channel but the website entirely. 

Things that could be improved are providing a face to the company. The two definitely don't have a local feel to them as most big companies. I think that most big brands could work on putting a face to their companies. This would ultimately provide more customers to be engaged to who their purchasing their products from. Overall, I think both websites are doing a great job. 

Week 4 Part 1

Discuss:

Choose two of the following websites

• Identify at least three potential problems for visitors.
• What could be improved on these websites and why would these improvements help?

http://www.roverp6cars.com/

When viewing Roverp6cars I was overwhelmed by the images and bold font. The aesthetic of the page
is quite messy even though they do clearly depict that they are in the automobile business it could be
done in a more clear and concise way. I noticed three things that could be improved on this web page.
The first, keeping the bold font to a minimal and only using it to emphasize important main points this
will improve the contrast. Another thing I noticed that can be improved is the web site does not use of
repetition, they chose to use a car image to guide you to more branches of their website just as bold.
The final aspect that can be used is the Ease of Use. This page would be so much better if it could be
read from left to right. I have a new found appreciation for websites that utilize "Ease of Use" it makes
it so much easier on the eyes.  

http://jamilin.com/

The above link to Jami Lin's web page has three main potential problems for visitors. The first being
the web page is not secure and from the first time opening the page it appears very busy and doesn't
draw attention to any specific message. The second thing that I noticed is the typo error's which do not
give a professional image for the page. An example is "I love, Love, LOVE helping you evolve and
raise you consciousness with.." The third problem is that the contact information is given the least
importance on the page, it is in the smallest print on the bottom of the page and takes you to a
different page to either call or email Jami. My overall impression of the page is that it is to provide
information and no direct product is being sold to visitors. Putting emphasis on the important aspects
of the page could help improve her business and keep readers engaged.

Choose an additional two of the following websites

• Identify what they have done right.
• How does design, aesthetics and branding impact your reaction to the websites?

http://apple.com (Links to an external site.)

Apple products set a standard for simple and sleek and their website reflects it perfectly. I love
the clean and stress free design of their web page. The Aesthetic is incredible and if I were to
ever have a company I would aim to provide the same type of feel for customers who visit my
web site. They design their website by always depicting the newest and greatest product as
the first thing you see when you open the page. The company strives to keep their customers
purchasing the latest additions and this choice of design definitely assists them in doing so.  

http://www.toyota.com/ (Links to an external site.)

Toyota has a great reputation and their website like Apple is clean and concise. I am noticing
a trend here of putting the newest product as the first thing that you see. This design choice
keeps customers engaged, even people who already own a toyota and visit the site get to see
what's new. At first glance, the most bold button is "local specials" it isn't obnoxious but it sets
importance on what they are trying to get at. My reaction to this website is that I would
definitely purchase.

Week 3 Part 2

Business #1:

1. Aqualung

2. http://www.aqualung.com/us/

3. Facebook  -  https://www.facebook.com/aqualungdivers

   Instagram  - https://www.instagram.com/aqualungdivers/

   Youtube     -  https://www.youtube.com/user/AquaLungDiving

   Newsletter -  http://www.aqualung.com/us/newsletter-signup

4. Facebook, well used  (5. Yesterday 3/8/19 9:19AM)

   Instagram, well used  (5. Yesterday 3/8/19)

   Youtube,    used (5. 4 Months Ago)

   Newsletter,                 (5. will sign up and wait to see how frequent newsletters are sent out.)

6. Aqua Lung America is using half of their social media potential well. The company is doing well at staying
active on Instagram and Facebook. It is lacking on Youtube videos which is a huge miss considering the
company is a leader in water exploration and works with many talented oceanographers whom often record their
dives.  

Business #2:

1. Melt Cosmetics

2. https://www.meltcosmetics.com/

3. Facebook  - https://www.facebook.com/MeltCosmetics

   Twitter       - https://twitter.com/MeltCosmetics      

   Instagram  - https://www.instagram.com/meltcosmetics/

   Pinterest    - https://www.pinterest.com/meltcosmetics/

   Tumblr        - https://meltcosmetics.tumblr.com/

   Snapchat    - https://www.meltcosmetics.com/pages/snapchat

   

4. Facebook, well used                                       (5. 3/7/19 at 11:48 AM)

   Twitter, well used                                             (5. 3/8/19 at 10:06 AM)

   Instagram, well used                                       (5/ 3/9/19 at 1:15 PM

   Pinterest, used 889k monthly viewers            (5. last saved pin 5 months ago)

   Tumblr, not well used                                      (5. 7/5/18)

   Snapchat, not currenly active                          (5. No current posts)

6. Melt Cosmetics is doing well with it's social media usage by being active on many different platforms. The
consistency and content they put out keeps their customers engaged and anticipating the next product launch.
I love this brand and appreciate the effort they put into their social media.

Business #3:

1. Brixton

2. https://www.brixton.com/

3. Facebook     - https://www.facebook.com/brixton/

   Twitter          - https://twitter.com/brixtonmfg

   Instagram    - https://www.instagram.com/brixton/

   Youtube       - https://www.youtube.com/brixton

   Vimeo           -  https://vimeo.com/brixtonmfg

   Pinterest      - https://www.pinterest.com/brixton/

   Tumblr          - http://brixton.tumblr.com/

4. Facebook,  very well used                                  (5.3/9/19 12:45AM)

   Twitter, very well used                                        (5. 3/9/19 11:45 AM)

   Instagram, very well used                                  (5. 3/9/19 1:49 PM)

   Youtube, well used                                             (5. 2/28/19)

   Vimeo,used                                                        (5. 5 months ago)

   Pinterest, not well used 21k monthly viewers    (5. last saved 1 year ago)

   Tumblr, well filled blog                                        (5. no date to show)

6. Brixton has many social media platforms that promote their brand and keep up an image that reflects their
laid-back style of products. They stay very consistent with their posts and within the few years since the
company started have gained a huge following locally and are only continuing to grow worldwide.

Business #4:

1.Levis

2. https://www.levi.com/US/en_US/

3. Tumblr              -  https://www.tumblr.com/tagged/levis

   Twitter              - https://twitter.com/levis

   Youtube           - https://www.youtube.com/user/levis

   Facebook        -  https://www.facebook.com/Levis

   Instagram        - https://www.instagram.com/levis/

   Pinterest          - https://www.pinterest.com/levisbrand/?eq=levis&etslf=6546

4. Tumblr, A link was provided to show tagged photos. (5. They do not have an actual blog.)

   Twitter, well used                                                        (5. 3/8/19)

   Youtube, well used                                                     (5. 3/7/19)

   Facebook,well used                                                    (5. 3/8/19 8:38 AM)

   Instagram, well used                                                   (5. 3/9/19)

   Pinterest, well used 7.5m monthly viewers                 (5. last saved 3 days ago)

6. Levis is the perfect example of an old school company joining into the social media age to continue to grow
and captivate its consumers. As an international company Levis does amazing with keeping up with most all
social media platforms.

Business #5:

1. Aveeno

2.https://www.aveeno.com/

3. Facebook      - https://www.facebook.com/aveeno/

   Instagram     - https://www.instagram.com/aveenous/

   Youtube        - https://www.youtube.com/user/aveeno

4. Facebook, well used                              (5. 3/4/19 2:55)

   Instagram, well used                              (5.3/4/19 2:36)

   Youtube,used                                         (5. 3 months ago)

6. Aveeno is a brand that I have used throughout my whole life even without social media it was my go to. It is
nice to see updates on new products at the ease of just going on my phone. I love that the company keeps up
the image and engages with customers through Facebook and Instagram.

7.

  Through this exploration I discovered how a brand can keep up with an image through what they put out on
their social media platforms. I gained an appreciation for companies I love and how well they manage to stay
active on up to seven different avenues. I saw the different ways brands choose to engage with their customers
and reach out to different audiences.

  The different brands that I chose to look into for this assignment all portray a different image to their audiences.
I chose Aqua Lung because this is the company that I work for and have recently been elected to take on
Amazon and Facebook inquiries. I believe the marketing does well with encouraging our audience to partake in
water exploration along with the other brands that I researched for this assignment. Aqua Lung particularly keeps
their posts relevant to photos of our products in action.

 One consistency with all the companies I looked into is that they choose to use icons on the bottom of the page
of their websites. I feel like this shows that for a brand to be successful in today's day and age they must stay
relevant on social media platforms. This was a good lesson to take from this assignment and will be beneficial if
I ever choose to start a business on my own.

Blogs I commented on:

- Jason Bush

- Matthew Dangyou

- Francesca Haman

Week 3 Part 1

Yes, I have had one particular negative experience communicating with a seller on Amazon. I was searching for
a particular storage case for my record collection. I found that Amazon had literally one left in stock from a
seemingly sketchy seller, they didn't receive good reviews. I took a shot and placed an order for it anyways. I
received an email days later that they didn't have the item that was listed and would send me a pink one if I still
wanted. I said no, they took 2 weeks to cancel my order. I was very direct in my emails and they wouldn't give me
any answers. So, after my refund was returned they reached out to me to tell me they had the gray color back in
stock. I was shocked at how promptly they were able to respond and engage with me trying to make a sale but
took weeks when it was a matter of getting my refund.

 If a company has a team dedicated to keeping up with customers inquiries then yes, social media can make it
easier to get a problem solved. Writing a bad but honest review on Amazon usually grabs the sellers attention as
it will affect their sales.

 Yes, when ordering a ring online I was very hesitant to buy because I didn’t know if the size would be right.  I
DM’d the seller on Instagram and she was so thorough and kind even provided examples and promised that if the
ring didn’t fit she would personally issue a call tag to return the ring and exchange for a different size until it was
perfect.

 I handle the Facebook and Amazon inquiries for the company I work for and can say from experience that it is
more effective to respond to negative reviews than positive ones. Responding to negative reviews shows your
consumers that you care and are willing to make things right.

 My negative experience was due to the delay in response and just an overall shady seller that made the buying
process miserable. My positive experience left me aiming to come back to the company and continue to support
their business. The seller showed that she cared about her product and wanted her customers to enjoy it. This
was a huge difference from the Amazon seller who wanted to ship me out pink when I ordered gray. They totally
disregarded what I ordered and wanted just to make a sale.

Week 2 Part 2

Blogs I commented on:
1. Susan Sullivan https://csiti55sp19sullivans.blogspot.com/2019/01/week-2-part-1.html
(This blog gave me a notice that my comment will be visible after approval.)

2.Austin Poytner https://csit155-sp19apoynter.blogspot.com/2019/01/wk2-pt1.html?showComment=1549246283992#c6281194546034788931

3. Francesca Haman https://csit155-sp19francescah.blogspot.com/2019/01/week-2a.html?showComment=1549246593645#c878105034504062080

Week 2 Part 1

In my opinion social media platforms like Snap Chat and Twitter are more geared toward personal use.  I believe these two are more geared for personal use because they are more relaxed social media platforms. Snap Chat is popular for it's filter effects which are most of the time used for selfies. If a company known for its backpacks were to be uploading selfies of an unknown person it could be misconstruing. However, if it was the CEO of the company that could make sense but in my opinion it wouldn't be the best way to market the actual product.  

Instagram is a great tool for businesses to push advertisements of their product and engage with a relative audience using hashtags. Instagram is more of a community feel and if your account is public it can reach more people instead of adding somebody on Snap Chat which is more time consuming. I have seen clothing companies use Instagram and Snap Chat and succeed. Though, I feel like the reason for this is because you want to see how the clothes look on the model to make a smart purchasing choice in relation to fit. 

I believe brands can succeed on all social media platforms if they are engaging with the correct audience. Marketing product is a key factor in a successful business these days and doing so professionally is something I admire in a company. Overall, I do believe some platforms are better than others but it is depends on the type of business and audience. 

Week 1 Part 2

I commented on the following blogs:

1. David Durham https://csit155-sp19-durhamd.blogspot.com/ 
2. Sierra Gilardi https://csit155-f18-sierrag.blogspot.com/ 
3. Francesca Haman https://csit155-sp19francescah.blogspot.com/