Author: Zachary Raeker

Everyone wants and deserves to have privacy wether that be online privacy or living in the country with 10 acres of land and no neighbors. However the one place were many people agree on having privacy is the Internet. Unfortunately companies may begin to sell an individuals browser information to other companies which is an invasion of privacy. Fortunately there are ways to keep that information private. A couple of ways to protect your privacy is to create hard passwords or use two-factor authentication for accounts, create and use VPN’s, and do not connect to public Wi-Fi that you are unsure about. To read the full article follow the link: https://www.recode.net/2017/4/14/15297228/online-privacy-tony-gambacorta-hackers-security-recode-podcast

Source: https://www.recode.net/2017/4/14/15297228/online-privacy-tony-gambacorta-hackers-security-recode-podcast

Occasionally the television news or newspapers will have a story or an article about someone being sued for copyright infringement. However what exactly does a copyright entail and protect? According to the U.S. government, “A copyright is a form of protection grounded in the U.S. Constitution and granted by law for original works of authorship fixed in a tangible medium of expression.” In short copyrights provide protection against literary piracy, which is critical in this time of Web 2.0. Copyright protects original works of authorship including literary, dramatic, musical, and artistic works such as poetry, novels, movies, songs, computer software, and architecture. The reason copyright is extremely important to authors is because it constitutes the ownership of one’s original work and the author can control who makes money off it. This is one of the ways authors of the aforementioned artistic works are able to make a living.

Source: https://www.thebalance.com/what-is-copyright-and-why-is-it-important-to-authors-2800060

 

Many individuals are using social media to promote their business because it is the cheapest, fastest, and most efficient way to interact with potential customers and clients. However many people do not know how to effectively promote on social media sites. While on Twitter I saw a tweet regarding a blog on Hootsuite that illustrates 6 steps to grow your business on Instagram. The following list illustrates those 6 steps:

1. Your profile needs to be set up correctly.
   1. You need an impactful profile picture
   2. Your account name should be your company name
   3. Your user name again should be your company name.
   4. Add your website’s URL
   5. Complete your bio with your business’s value proposition, products/services, and how customers can reach you.
2. Build your community.
   1. You don’t want strictly followers, you want engaged fans who will act as brand advocates.
   2. Use your email list to reach out to people.
   3. Use your social media networks.
3. Gain more traction with hashtags.
   1. Create a branded hashtag and add it to your bio.
4. Time to strategize.
   1. You need a strategy that you’ll employ for all your Instagram campaigns.
   2. Then, you need a strategy for your individual campaigns.
   3. Steps are:
      1. Begin with a goal
      2. Build your story
      3. Reach out to influencers
5. Try using ads.
6. Get creative with promotional posts.

For the full article and an in depth illustration of these 6 steps go to: http://snip.ly/6xltv#http://www.socialmediatoday.com/social-networks/6-step-guide-using-instagram-grow-your-business

Sources: http://snip.ly/6xltv#http://www.socialmediatoday.com/social-networks/6-step-guide-using-instagram-grow-your-business

Social media marketers are people who promote a business or product on social media. However how does someone learn this trade? A blog on Hootsuite talks about the six podcast that can make someone a better social media marketer. A podcast is a digital audio file made available on the Internet for downloading to a computer or mobile device, typically available as a series. For social media marketers, podcasts can help keep your skills sharp and brain churning. The podcasts are as follows:

1. The #AskGaryVee Show with Gary Vaynerchuk
2. Social Media Social Hour with Tyler J. Anderson
3. Social Media Marketing with Michael Stelzner
4. Social Pros Podcast with Jay Baer and Adam Brown
5. Reply All by PJ Vogt and Alex Goldman
6. This American Life with Ira Glass

To read what the podcasts entail and how they can make you a better social media marketer follow this link: https://blog.hootsuite.com/social-media-marketing-podcasts/

Sources: https://blog.hootsuite.com/social-media-marketing-podcasts/

Social media is incorporated into everyones lives in one way or another. Whether you personally have and use a social media account or your company has one or you occasionally are shown something on it, everyone sees it. Being that everyone is affected by social media I wanted to look at what disadvantages and advantages social media has on society. This list is an individuals opinion so some of the items listed may be slightly embellished. Below are two lists of the 10 disadvantages and 10 advantages:

Disadvantages:

1. Cyberbullying
2. Hacking
3. Addiction
4. Fraud and Scams
5. Security Issues
6. Reputation
7. Cheating and Relationship issues
8. Health Issues
9. Social Media causes Death
10. Glamorizes Drugs and Alcohol

Advantages:

1. Connectivity
2. Education
3. Help
4. Information and Updates
5. Promotion
6. Noble Cause
7. Awareness
8. Help Government and Agencies Fight Crime
9. Improves Business Reputation
10. Helps in Building Communities

To see the full list and read more about each of the items included follow the link provided: https://www.techmaish.com/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-social-media-for-society/

Sources: https://www.techmaish.com/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-social-media-for-society/

In a previous blog I discussed the benefits of companies using live chats for customer service which included convenience, more efficient, and faster response times. In this blog I will discuss the benefits of companies live streaming. Live streaming is the ability to broadcast live video content using a computer. Live streams can be done on Facebook, Twitter (periscope), and other social media sites. One of the best things about live streaming is the ability to make your audience larger by sharing meaningful content. Doing so may result in people becoming customers to your company. A second aspect of live streaming is that the company can educate individuals about the company itself as well as the brand they offer. Both of which may draw in customers. Overall, live streaming is a great way for companies to interact with customers, show the business, and brand themselves in the online world.

Full Article: https://www.forbes.com/sites/steveolenski/2015/12/16/the-benefits-of-using-live-streaming-to-brands/#7e316e382221

Online job sites are increasing in popularity mainly due to the convince of searching for jobs. These sites allow for individuals to search thousands of different job postings simply by putting in key words. According to an article I found on NPR says that a 70 year old man tried to apply to a job however he was unable to enter his date of birth because his birth year was not an option. These sites only allowed individuals to enter a year as far back as 1980 which would imply that someone only 52 years old. These sites should allow for people who are alive and willing to work to input accurate information. Some of the sites said that the date limit was inadvertent and they corrected. Other sites were less restrictive with dates allowing individuals to be 82 years of age however any limit is still considered discrimination. For the full article follow this link: http://www.npr.org/2017/03/28/521771515/older-workers-find-age-discrimination-built-right-into-some-job-sites

Source: http://www.npr.org/2017/03/28/521771515/older-workers-find-age-discrimination-built-right-into-some-job-sites

 

Aside from presentation software such as Prezi, PowerPoint, Slideshare, and Emaze, I wanted to look at different storytelling software people can use. The ZimmerTwins is an online application that specializes in the academic atmosphere but more specifically in elementary education. This application allows students to create high quality animation videos. One interesting aspect of this application is that it is designed around sentence structure which reinforces reading and writing. The class can include up to 40 members, can make as many movies as they want, and the class includes a blog. The one negative side to this site is that there is a monthly fee which is either $10 per month or $50 for 6 months. The website has many examples available to view.

Website Link: http://zimmertwinsatschool.com

 

Many online video games users utilize the live chat feature daily in order to interact with other members. Aside from video games businesses also utilize live chats to interact with customers or visitors to a website. Live chat is very similar to instant messenger and Facebook messenger in that they both allow customers to interact with businesses however there are some distinct benefits to utilizing live chat. Below is a list of some of the biggest benefits of live chat:

1. Reduce Expenses
2. Increase Sales
3. Improved Customer Service and Loyalty
4. Discover Customer Pain Points
5. Faster Problem Resolution
6. Customer Convenience
7. Competitive Advantages
8. Expand Market Reach
9. Proactive Outreach
10. Reports and Analytics

If you are interested in reading more about the benefits of live chatting, click on the link below.

Sources:

Gao, K. (2017, March 22). Top 10 Live Chat Benefits You Need to Know – Comm100. Retrieved March 24, 2017, from https://www.comm100.com/blog/live-chat-benefits.html#improve

 

Following the topic of video games, this blog focuses on video games in the world of academia. One school in New York, Quest to Learn, use video games and design them as part of their classes. The students learn how the game works inside and out, from the design and creation of the game to how the game is played and the strategy of the game. By playing the game, students learn how to solve problems, how to communicate, how to use data, and how to predict things that may happen in the future. One of the students said that in math they travel the world and in one of the cities called Creepytown where the class learns math and english, the students play travel agents, convert currencies, and keep blogs about their travel experiences and budget trips. In some cases, students learn how a derivatives trader in Hong Kong affects housing prices in Florida. The students still have to take standardized test just like other schools throughout the country.

Sources:

Chaplin, H. (2010, June 28). School Uses Video Games To Teach Thinking Skills. Retrieved March 24, 2017, from http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128081896