Social Media Project - Starbucks Is King!

                         Group 19 & Starbucks 

http://www.blonde20.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/starbucks-logo.jpg

For our final project on social media, my group chose Starbucks to research. It really didn't take a very long time to choose as most of the group seemed to be leaning towards Starbucks initially. The most difficult part of the project, in my opinion, was actually the beginning. It took a little time to figure out exactly what was the best way to communicate. Once our group members identified themselves on the discussion board, we seemed to primarily post our thoughts there too. I did use some email but the discussion boards were best suited to share our progress

I have to give kudos to Melissa Harrison. She took the reins and became the group leader. She divided up the topics to research and kept the ball moving. She was also very considerate not to assume that what she posted for tasks was in stone. Everyone, i think, was happy to have someone fill this role and she did it perfectly! Especially since working in groups can be difficult and the level of difficulty is increased when the group is online. 

Not being a coffee drinker and not understanding why anyone would pay the prices charged by Starbucks, this project gave me much insight into the Starbucks company. While not converting me to become a patron, I did gain much respect for the way Starbucks utilizes social media. Probably the most impressive point for me was the way Starbucks takes a stand on issues it believes in. It may not always be politically correct and some may say they are taking a chance at offending those who don't share that view, but they continue to be successful in spite of publicly expressing those views. Views like gun control and same-sex marriage are not subjects that you usually see a company throw their two cents into. This was quite refreshing for me to see. 


I also learned that Starbucks was rated #1 in a study of the most socially engaged companies. Here is a link to an article regarding the study: www.phaseone.net/news/starbucks. What is very interesting is that they achieved this distinction without even having a social media policy. After taking a look at their Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube pages, just to name a few, it is even more surprising because they do such a wonderful job of communicating to their audience. I have to say that Starbucks should be the model for any firm trying to start or improve their social media presence. 
Here is the link to my groups Wiki page: 

https://ism3004socialmedia.wikispaces.com/Starbucks 



Well, finally, this is the last blog entry for ISM3004. While I am not one to openly opine, let alone write my thoughts down publicly, I found this experience very insightful. The class material and project assignments were challenging, informative, and yes fun. I see the value in taking this course and know it will be something from which I will draw from later in my career.


And with that I'll sign off as always,
 

 GO GATORS!!!
     

Week 13 Clear Social Media

http://wemtech.wikispaces.com/file/view/web1vsweb2.png/101172389/web1vsweb2.png

This week's lesson on social media presented a variety of information and statistics regarding it's usage. One type of information that I found particularly interesting was the distinction between Web 1.0 and Web 2.0. Honestly, until this week, I never even realized there was such a difference. The difference? Our textbook defines it as Web 2.0 being about collaboration and information sharing, with Web 1.0 being mostly transaction oriented. As you can see in the illustration above, much has changed in just ten years. 

Social media, content that is peer produced and shared online, has played a significant role in that change. It has allowed many people all over the world to engage and participate with others like never in human history. Here's a video showing the impact and the variety of sources of social media.




One other aspect of interest for me was the power that these outlets have had to influence businesses, society, and even the government. Most notably is the blog or web log. Our text stated that blogs have prompted the new design of insulin pumps and have been responsible for exposing various product flaws. The authors of some blogs have been featured on major television news outlets like CNN and Fox News. The late Andrew Breitbart is a perfect example. He was really just a conservative blogger that slowly rose to political fame through the power of his readership. Breitbart is known in particular for his role in the ACORN scandal, the firing and re-hiring of U.S. Department of Agriculture official Shirley Sherrod, and breaking the news on Rep. Anthony Weiner. I'd say that's a pretty huge impact from such humble beginnings.

Finally, the biggest impact for me this week was the need for businesses to harness social media for a competitive advantage. Taking a look at the top firm's in the world, you immediately see they have immersed themselves in trying to connect to their customers. The best way is through Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. It has become a format to not only speak to existing customers but, more importantly, to speak to potential customers. 

The power of social media is best summed up by Jeff Bezos, CEO at Amazon.com. He said, " If you make customers unhappy in the physical world, they might each tell 6 friends. If you make customers unhappy on the Internet, they can each tell 6,000 friends.” Now, you have to agree, there is a lot of power in those numbers!


Until next time, GO GATORS!

Week 12 Clear Internet & Web

             Think and Think Again Before Clicking!!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/alancleaver/4105726930/

With the advent of the Internet, a new and wondrous technology provided a growth in freedom never thought of by our founding fathers. Not only was the world now able to tap into any and all information from the comfort of their own home, we could now communicate with that world without ever needing to know a phone number. Heck, except in the beginning, we don't even need to own or have access to a phone.

http://www.facebook.com/baronacton

Decades later, we are only beginning to realize how powerful a tool the Internet is and potentially could become. In 1887, Lord Acton, an English historian, said "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely". I feel the Internet illustrates that potential to corrupt. I say this mostly due to the widespread ignorance with which users have when using their computers. 


We are just beginning to understand that, even though we are in the privacy of our homes when "surfing", posting, or searching, we really don't have any privacy whatsoever on our computers. Social media has brought this fact to the forefront. It seems everyday there is a story about someone, somewhere, posting to a blog or Facebook something that gets them into trouble. The military and, increasingly, employers are demanding access to these sites to monitor the content for any red flags they deem harmful to their organization. The reason? People are putting things on the Internet that they normally wouldn't have said out loud in public. 


From bullying to complaining about work to inappropriate jokes, privacy online is just a fallacy. Once you click the send button, your content is immortalized somewhere in the ether. It is available to anyone, forever! And, you don't have to be a bad person either. Good folks are getting caught up in situations they never would have dreamed of prior to going online. The problem is, you usually won't know it until it is too late. Think of the Rutger's University students involved in the web cam incident that resulted in a suicide. 

http://momlot.com/images/hard-working-mom.jpg

 

Finally, I'll leave you with what I think is a good rule of thumb when putting something up on the Internet. I'll call it the "Mom Factor". Whenever my sons are on the computer, I tell them that they should only be putting content up that they would not mind their mother seeing, reading, or hearing about. This is, I think, as high a standard as you can use if your goal is to not be embarrassed or ashamed. It makes them THINK before, not after, the final mouse click. The soapbox has been put away.

Until next time, GO GATORS!