Author: Clairemont Intern

Is Facebook Here to Stay?

Clairemont InternBlog, Public Relations, Social Media + Influencer Engagement, , , , , , ,

Today’s post is written by Clairemont intern, Emma Kirkpatrick.

We’ve all heard it – chatter that Facebook is slowly dying and is doomed to become the next MySpace. But before you go and break up with Facebook, consider this. Yes, more and more users, specifically young teenagers, are trading in their Facebook accounts for newer social media platforms, such as Instagram and WhatsApp. But let’s not forget who owns these apps—Facebook.

Social Media and the Changing Environment

And why did Facebook decide to buy these apps? With its steady user base and enormous funds, Facebook is changing and adapting to the new social media environment where it is not the only social network anymore. In more recent years, an average social media user navigates between multiple platforms, including Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat.

Facebook Is Still Distinctive

But what makes Facebook different from these newer platforms? Channels like Snapchat allow users to post pictures that will disappear and be forgotten after a few seconds or hours. On the other hand, Facebook aims to allow users to post photos designed to be remembered, such as weddings, graduations and family reunions. Each platform’s goals and functionalities differ, helping to further distinguish them.

The Cool Factor

Teenagers might say that Snapchat, Twitter and Instagram are the “in” platforms and Facebook just isn’t cool anymore. But according to Business Insider’s article in 2013 when Facebook seemed to be diminishing, Mark Zuckerberg said, “People assume that we’re trying to be cool. It’s never been my goal. I’m the least cool person there is! We’re almost 10 years old so we’re definitely not a niche thing any more so that kind of angle for coolness is done for us.”

Instead of trying to be the trendy site that relies on the cool factor to attract users, Facebook is trying to build a lasting product to compete in the same market with platforms such as Google.

Trampling the Competition

From Fortune.com
From Fortune.com

Recent data shows that Facebook continues to squash the competition in social media traffic referrals. This may be because businesses and companies still rely heavily on Facebook for marketing strategies and endorsement activities.

So even though there are new channels, tools and platforms popping up daily, Facebook isn’t dying anytime soon.

How do you feel about Facebook? Connect with us on Facebook and let us know!

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Feasible Resolutions for Productivity

Clairemont InternBlog, Public Relations, Raleigh PR Agency, , , , ,

Today’s post is written by fabulous Clairemont intern, Rebecca Martin, as she shares her healthy living tips learned from the university scene.

I’ll straight-up admit: I ditched resolutions this year. It can be difficult to set rigorous goals for yourself with the start of the new year, even if you have every intention of completing them.

In a survey done by the Statistic Brain Research Institute, out of the 45 percent of people who make New Year’s resolutions, only eight percent are actually able to stick to their resolutions. It may seem valiant to want to stick to the same goals everyday, but let’s face it; between work, school, kids and a social life, consistency seems impossible.

Here are some of my favorite tips to help you set smaller, defined goals that will garner success.

Snooze Well

Try to be in bed between seven and eight hours every night. The average adult needs between seven and nine hours of sleep to function. This extra rest time will help boost your mood and give you increased energy the next day for work. My FitBit One has a special sleep tracker that links to my phone and tells me how many times I become restless during the night, helping me to set new rest goals. For example, if my FitBit tells me I’m usually restless for 30 minutes before falling asleep, I will try to go to sleep 30 minutes earlier.

Stay Hydrated 

When should you drink water? Every time you think about it! Tote a water bottle with you to work, leave one in your car and stow one on your nightstand. Hydration is key to controlling metabolism and maintaining energy levels. Dehydration causes fatigue and tiredness throughout the day, which can kill your focus and motivation.

Take the Stairs

We’ve all been told to take the stairs instead of the elevator. It may seem like old news, but it really is helpful. My FitBit keeps track of the number of flights I climb every day, and the number always surprises me. Scaling the stairs of school buildings, my apartment building and at work makes a huge difference — sometimes I end up climbing up to 25 floors in a single day!

What are some of your goals? Tweet us!

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LinkedIn needed Lynda. Do you?

Clairemont InternBlog, Professional Development, Social Media + Influencer Engagement, , , , , , , 2 Comments on LinkedIn needed Lynda. Do you?

Editor’s Note: Our fabulous UNC Intern, Hallie Altman, explores the impact of the LinkedIn/Lynda.com acquisition on job seekers.

In April of this year, LinkedIn purchased the online learning website, Lynda.com, for $1.5 billion. While the bold decision caused head scratches among LinkedIn users, LinkedIn knew the acquisition would benefit the company and its members in more ways than one.

Lynda.com is an online learning service that touts top-quality learning tutorials that help users learn tech, creative and business skills needed in today’s workforce. College students and job seekers–those seeking professional development–will benefit the most from this deal, and here’s why:

The two companies are perfect complements.

LinkedIn’s business is to help users build a professional network. Lynda’s business is to provide online lectures on just about any skill that could be useful in today’s workforce. The merging of these two companies means one company can provide everything you need to get that dream job. By adding this kind of content to its resume, LinkedIn is giving its users even more reason to spend time with LinkedIn services.

Lynda.com videos are as high quality as your favorite movie.

Although Lynda.com has been around since 1995, many LinkedIn users have never used it. Of course, this is likely to change soon. Not only are the Lynda.com videos informative, according to Bobby Owsinski of Forbes Magazine, the Lynda.com content is cinema quality, making the videos both informative and entertaining.

There’s a Lynda.com video for every skill imaginable.

For job seekers, Lynda.com’s services are especially attractive. The website offers video tutorials on a range of skills from design, web and video to education and business. Lynda.com’s courses come in all levels and can be used by viewers to improve existing skills or learn entirely new skills. Other services on Lynda.com include unlimited access for subscribers, mobile capability for on-the-go learning and a feature that allows users to save and share lists of courses with friends.

Sound good?

Of course, as of now, there’s no official word on whether or not LinkedIn will link users’ accounts with Lynda.com. However, in an interview with Business Insider, LinkedIn’s head of content products, Ryan Roslansky, spoke about the benefits of LinkedIn’s purchase:

“We get so excited about the possibilities that could come from the integration of Lynda.com and LinkedIn. Imagine being a job seeker and being able to instantly know what skills are needed for the available jobs in a desired city, and then be prompted to take the relevant and accredited course to help you acquire this skill.”

Whether or not LinkedIn connects your account with Lynda.com, it’s great to know these services are available. Perhaps LinkedIn will add Lynda.com services to LinkedIn Premium accounts in order to provide an incentive for going Premium. Only time will tell!

Prepping for your own job search? Check out our five interview tips!

 

 

 

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Five Commuter Essentials

Clairemont InternBlog, Raleigh PR Agency, , , , , ,

Travel is a staple in the world of PR. A perk of small town living is the lack of a commute in the morning. For four years my commute was a grand total of two minutes (four if I hit the one red light). Never did I expect to come face to face with the challenges of being a commuter until this summer.

My work commute should take exactly 40 minutes, but with traffic 40 minutes quickly becomes at least an hour. Now that I’m a pro at commuting, I’ve discovered five simple yet essential items that keep the trek enjoyable and maintain my sanity amidst a 30-minute traffic jam.

  1. A good playlist. Nothing helps me to unwind after a day at work quite like music. The popularity of applications such as Spotify is on the rise because listeners can tap into frequently updated playlists to get their fill of new music. I recently came across this Buzzfeed list that suggests 40 “must-have” summer songs, and just like that, I had 40 new entertaining tunes, most of which were new to me. The variation to my library adds a new spice to my ride and staves off boredom with my current music collection.
  2. A solid hairband. Car rides for the commuter can feel like a journey, and one thing that I find myself doing a lot during this journey is messing with my hair. I have to be able to pull my hair out of my face or it distracts me the entire car ride. And if you live anywhere with an intense summer (I’m looking at you North Carolina Piedmont), you’ll want a hairband to speed up the cooling process.
  3. A water bottle. Hydration is important, whether you are living in 97-degree heat or in the dead of winter.  Indestructible, non-sweating or just a quirky design, find a water bottle that you will use and make sure that it is full before you begin your trek.
  4. A big bag. If you are toting all of these items, you are going to need a bag to fit it all. I recommend a bag that is durable and made from fabric that you can easily clean. The versatile, easy-to-clean Longchamp is one of my favorites. Your bag should be able to hold your laptop, water bottle, agenda and a possible change of clothes. (You never know!) It’s a hefty task for one bag, which is why finding the perfect one is key; the last thing that you need during a long commute is to be rifling through multiple bags while driving.
  5. And finally…The last and possibly most important item that you must have is patience. Yes, drives home might take you over an hour, but losing your cool only makes it miserable. It doesn’t actually speed up the process. (Take it from me). Focusing on your breathing during traffic delays can take your mind off of the constant breaking of the driver in front of you. Use this time as a reflection to think about your day, your accomplishments, your challenges and how you can improve for the days to come. A few of the items on this list are made specifically for driving, which is an added bonus. Patience is the key to having a pleasant commute.

What keeps you sane while driving?

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Snapchat: From Nudes to Suits

Clairemont InternBlog, Public Relations, Social Media + Influencer Engagement, , , , , , ,

Editor’s Note: Blog written by our fabulous intern, Caroline Ellis.

When Snapchat was established almost four years ago, the premise was simple: correspond with friends via photos that last up to 10 seconds before they disappear. This type of technology has given social media a kind of impermanence discussed by Nathan Jurgenson in a post published on Snapchat’s blog.

Temporary Content: A New Side to Social Media

Snapchat introduced a concept known as “temporary social media.” Though a revolutionary approach, this idea also opened the doors for a more risqué use of the app, replacing the potential with an inappropriate stigma. In addition to the reputation Snapchat gained, there was that pesky little hack revealing that users’ photos were not deleted forever after 10 seconds, but instead these photos could be saved by friends unbeknownst to the users and uploaded online.

No longer was the reputation simply hearsay, but now consumers were legitimately concerned. Snapchat had to act quickly and effectively to restore its image. Over the course of its four-year run, Snapchat has evolved from a “sexting” app to business and lifestyle tool. Snapchat has foregone any illusion that users are unable to capture images, now alerting consumers when a friend takes a screen shot of their photo.

Stories: The Personal Side

The My Story feature, added in October of 2013, allowed users to share clips from their days with their friends. Disappearing after 24 hours, the My Story feature invited creativity with a literal day-to-day look at someone’s life. My Story created an environment where celebrities could enter the Snapchat world and allow their fans to see a personal and informal side of their lives.

Snapchat has become much more than a “selfie” app. In August of 2014 Snapchat launched Our Story— an expansion building off of the My Story foundation. This was the first time that users could see photos and videos from strangers around the world on their My Story feed. The premise of Our Story is to invite the collaboration of the Snapchat community in a particular part of the world to provide a glimpse into its daily life. Originally launched for the Electric Daisy Carnival, the feature allowed festival goers to upload their snaps for anyone to see. Snapchat’s next step was to expand to college campuses, establishing the application’s target demographic.

Discover: The Business Side

As Snapchat continues to evolve, the question becomes how they can appeal to a more professional audience as opposed to “selfie-obsessed teenagers?” The answer came in January when Snapchat introduced Discover. This addition to Snapchat allowed corporations–including the likes of Yahoo!, People, National Geographic, CNN and ESPN–to create interactive daily stories. The debut of this new feature allows users to stay updated with the latest headlines, scores and fashion trends all in the same place.

Of course the next factor in the equation is how small businesses can effectively use Snapchat. Perhaps it will come by way of the My Story feature with businesses using it to give clients a look into their everyday work lives. Maybe one day Our Story will showcase young professionals working in different cities around the world or will feature local businesses.

The future for Snapchat and small business is unsure, but one thing is certain: Snapchat has proven that it knows no limits, and this limitless mindset is what keeps it exciting.

Now it’s your turn.

Would you consider Snapchat as part of your marketing plan?

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