Are Companies wasting their time with social media profiles?
This has been an age old question since the inception of social media in the early 2000's. Are companies relying too much on social media? should they be bothering at all with social media? all these questions are raised not only by the public but also by the top executivees in these businsesses and they sit at the boardroom table in these meetings and make these decisions.
The fact is that companies cant be without social media. Today when people want to know something about a company, they done want to go onto their website anymore, they check and search on their twitter and facebook and see if the company appears. If you dont appear it could mean bad business as people are not going to look further for information on your company. We want the world at our fingertips and social media allows this everyday. It is also important for companies to have these online presences as stakeholders also look at their profiles. If they want to increase the stakes in the shares or sell their shars they need to know how the company is coping to keep up with the fast paced society. Whoever manages the online aspect of a company also needs to be someone who is very well experienced and trained for the job, as in most company profiles, it is easy to see when it is not a PR person handling the page as they past irrelevant content or they dont respond or react to people's comments.
A good example can be of Spur. Their facebook page is very well managed and when a customer complained that they recieved bad service at a branch, they immediately found out what happned, appologised on behalf of Spur and even gave the customer a voucher towards the next meal. Woolworths is also known for being good with their social media aspects.
Whatever your take is, Social media is here to stay and it is up to companies if they want to join the badwagan or not.
Signing out
Candice Cummings
Tuesday, 30 April 2013
Graduated!
Hi Readers
Me, along with the rest of my class offically graduated as Public Relations practitioners, recieving our National Diplomas in the field. It was an exciting day on 18 April 2013, something we have looked foreward to for the past 3 years. These past 3 years were not easy for our group by any stretch of the imagination. There were tears, screaming and catfights (Well,almost), but you all kow what I mean. In, the end we made it, we lost a few soldiers on the way through people who have dropped out or in one instance where one classmate was called home by God when he got ill. These are just some of the challenges that faced us as the 2010 Public Relations Management group. But, this is only the begining if you ask me. There are still tons we need to do and learn, but even scarier is the fact that we now have to find work.
In South Africa, as we know, the job market is very fickle and the high unemployment rate does not make things look even peachier for us. We might be qualified now but that does now gaurentee a job. The country as the rest of the world is under tremendous economic pressure, and there might be a placement available at a company, but that does not mean they can afford you. Companies are cutting costs where they can and hiring a fresh graduate is not on the list of priorities.
Looking at the job vacancies in Cape Town and Johanessburg for Public relations practitioners for new graduates, it is very difficult to find a non-intern position. I cannot speak for my classmates, but I am not looking for a top executive job with bonuses and car allowances etc, I just need a foot in the door in order for me to get there one day. Me and a good friend were discussing our opportunities in the job market and it looks really bleak. I am willing to relocate nationally and internationally for a job, thats how willing I am. Another option is to simply start you own business, but there are so many other added pressures that go with that.
There are agencies to assist the "Youth" as we are called with skills development but how much will that help us in an interview and standing out above our classmates. Since last year all I have been hearing from lecturers is that we might be friends now but we will be fighting for jobs in the next few months. With only 3 recent graduates for every 10 being employed in different sectors every month, it does not look good.These are industries such as Accounting and Law, mind you.
Signing out
Candice Cummings
Me, along with the rest of my class offically graduated as Public Relations practitioners, recieving our National Diplomas in the field. It was an exciting day on 18 April 2013, something we have looked foreward to for the past 3 years. These past 3 years were not easy for our group by any stretch of the imagination. There were tears, screaming and catfights (Well,almost), but you all kow what I mean. In, the end we made it, we lost a few soldiers on the way through people who have dropped out or in one instance where one classmate was called home by God when he got ill. These are just some of the challenges that faced us as the 2010 Public Relations Management group. But, this is only the begining if you ask me. There are still tons we need to do and learn, but even scarier is the fact that we now have to find work.
In South Africa, as we know, the job market is very fickle and the high unemployment rate does not make things look even peachier for us. We might be qualified now but that does now gaurentee a job. The country as the rest of the world is under tremendous economic pressure, and there might be a placement available at a company, but that does not mean they can afford you. Companies are cutting costs where they can and hiring a fresh graduate is not on the list of priorities.
Looking at the job vacancies in Cape Town and Johanessburg for Public relations practitioners for new graduates, it is very difficult to find a non-intern position. I cannot speak for my classmates, but I am not looking for a top executive job with bonuses and car allowances etc, I just need a foot in the door in order for me to get there one day. Me and a good friend were discussing our opportunities in the job market and it looks really bleak. I am willing to relocate nationally and internationally for a job, thats how willing I am. Another option is to simply start you own business, but there are so many other added pressures that go with that.
There are agencies to assist the "Youth" as we are called with skills development but how much will that help us in an interview and standing out above our classmates. Since last year all I have been hearing from lecturers is that we might be friends now but we will be fighting for jobs in the next few months. With only 3 recent graduates for every 10 being employed in different sectors every month, it does not look good.These are industries such as Accounting and Law, mind you.
Signing out
Candice Cummings
Hootsuite Vs Tweetdeck
Hootsuite Vs Tweetdeck
I have looked at both these amazing concepts and their pros and cons. Both tools are very good and easy to use, which is a bonus in the PR industry and it is something we definately need in order to survive. Especially those of us who will be going into the business of managing clients online reputation management (ORM). Both are useful in the sense that even if you are out of the office, or on leave you can still keep the client's online image going, without having to drag around your laptop, Ipad or smartphone. You can simply schedule tweets and posts to go out at exactly the time and date you want and the profile will manage itself. As, those pool commercials would say in their taglines, "Simply set it and forget it".
There are however, aspects of each tool we need to look at before downloading and subscribing to them. There will be some people who will be downloading both, but that would just confuse you and get you tweets and posts all wrong.
Tweetdeck:
Tweetdeck used to be the most popular of the two, as one could manage all teh social media platforms onto one dashboard and it would be easy to access and run. Then tweetdeck decided that they would only subscribe to Twitter and Facebook. This is wonderful for people who only have these two mediums, but people such as Public Relations practitioners who have to manage more than one platform at a time it can become challenging. Tweetdeck is also easier to download, as soon as I signed up and the downloading and subscribing immediately took place with me only having to click once or twice.
Hootsuite:
My personal favourite is Hootsuite. It has ALL the social media platforms and you can access them all at the touch of a button. It is also downloaded onto the desktop and you can schedule tweets and posts. Check on your FourSquare profile and see where your friends have checked in, you can manage photo uploads and updates.
In conclusion, there is not clear winner for each tool, but definately a preference. My preference as i've said is Hootsuite. What's your take on this? Comment please.
Signing out
Candice Cummings
I have looked at both these amazing concepts and their pros and cons. Both tools are very good and easy to use, which is a bonus in the PR industry and it is something we definately need in order to survive. Especially those of us who will be going into the business of managing clients online reputation management (ORM). Both are useful in the sense that even if you are out of the office, or on leave you can still keep the client's online image going, without having to drag around your laptop, Ipad or smartphone. You can simply schedule tweets and posts to go out at exactly the time and date you want and the profile will manage itself. As, those pool commercials would say in their taglines, "Simply set it and forget it".
There are however, aspects of each tool we need to look at before downloading and subscribing to them. There will be some people who will be downloading both, but that would just confuse you and get you tweets and posts all wrong.
Tweetdeck:
Tweetdeck used to be the most popular of the two, as one could manage all teh social media platforms onto one dashboard and it would be easy to access and run. Then tweetdeck decided that they would only subscribe to Twitter and Facebook. This is wonderful for people who only have these two mediums, but people such as Public Relations practitioners who have to manage more than one platform at a time it can become challenging. Tweetdeck is also easier to download, as soon as I signed up and the downloading and subscribing immediately took place with me only having to click once or twice.
Hootsuite:
My personal favourite is Hootsuite. It has ALL the social media platforms and you can access them all at the touch of a button. It is also downloaded onto the desktop and you can schedule tweets and posts. Check on your FourSquare profile and see where your friends have checked in, you can manage photo uploads and updates.
In conclusion, there is not clear winner for each tool, but definately a preference. My preference as i've said is Hootsuite. What's your take on this? Comment please.
Signing out
Candice Cummings
Monday, 29 April 2013
Reality Tv Shows.
We all love them. Jersey Shore, Americas next top model and Survivor. My personal favourite is the Amazing race. I am a huge fan and hope to join it one day (Provided I become a US citizen for a year and find a partner). So far my baby sister has offered to join me, my mother and best friend said no. My mother has her reservations about it because she says me and my sister want to kill each other at least twice a day.
But the purpose of this article is to establish if Television networks have gone too far with the whole reality tv and looking inside peoples lives and how they react to certain situations. When Big Brother came out in the 90's early 2000's it was a HUGE hit and there is still a strong following today. It becomes too much when we look at how reality tv as progressed. Now there are shows such as 1000 ways to die, yes we have all seen (and liked) it, then there is The world most disgusting jobs. I would really like to meet the people who sit at boardroom tables and think out these ideas as well as the people who are responsible for bring it into fruition.
Fact is no matter what your take is on realilty tv, we will still continue to watch it. Sad but true. Can you image what shows will be out there when we have children and grandchildren...
Signing out
Candice Cummings
We all love them. Jersey Shore, Americas next top model and Survivor. My personal favourite is the Amazing race. I am a huge fan and hope to join it one day (Provided I become a US citizen for a year and find a partner). So far my baby sister has offered to join me, my mother and best friend said no. My mother has her reservations about it because she says me and my sister want to kill each other at least twice a day.
But the purpose of this article is to establish if Television networks have gone too far with the whole reality tv and looking inside peoples lives and how they react to certain situations. When Big Brother came out in the 90's early 2000's it was a HUGE hit and there is still a strong following today. It becomes too much when we look at how reality tv as progressed. Now there are shows such as 1000 ways to die, yes we have all seen (and liked) it, then there is The world most disgusting jobs. I would really like to meet the people who sit at boardroom tables and think out these ideas as well as the people who are responsible for bring it into fruition.
Fact is no matter what your take is on realilty tv, we will still continue to watch it. Sad but true. Can you image what shows will be out there when we have children and grandchildren...
Signing out
Candice Cummings
How hard is it to adapt to change
Hi Readers
It is very hard to adapt to change. Any change. Personally , I do not like change I am a proud control freak. I don't like the idea of not being in control and being forced to conform to a specific idea. Change comes in many forms and it come fast, for example the changing media world and the ever changing technology. You can have the latest cellphone and barely a week later a new "modern" version emerges.
It might be strange that a 21 year old is afraid of change, but myself along with others (perhaps the older generation as well), are more weary when it comes to change. I have not and don't think I will ever own a Blackberry. I love the convenience but I never gave in to the trend. Change is good though, and it has made some people billionaires by coming out of their comfort zone, they learnt to simply adapt but still remain a proud control freak. Thank Bill Gates and Sir Richard Branson.
If you are reluctant about change and society trends. Adapt. Dont conform.
Signing out
Cape Peninsula University of Technology
If you are reluctant about change and society trends. Adapt. Dont conform.
Signing out
Cape Peninsula University of Technology
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