Facebook Campaign Final

FACEBOOK CAMPAIGN PART II

4. Your campaign plan posted on your blog shows an execution of your tactics, screen shots of status updates, media, polls, Facebook ad, anything you've done according to plan to encourage Likes and Shares.

Marketing and promoting an idea or company requires a testing phase. With my Facebook Campaign, I wanted to post different types of advertising in order to analyze which ones generated the most activity. 

This post here on the left was the winner. The post reached 1,212 people and ended up with a variety of reactions. I believe this type of marketing was the most successful because it gave people a visual aid. The caption was short, to the point, and provided a quick description of what was going to be offered. The owners of Shoal Creek Berries have been trying to highlight new products they are pushing out and have already received messages about the bread ovens!

Another strategy I used to promote the business was to market that it is a family business. Especially when it comes to farming, people like to support local businesses. There is a stigma about large corporations and how they are evil. I wanted to make sure everyone knew Shoal Creek Berries as a hometown farm where families could go for a little fun/shop local. Thus, I tried to post about relevant topics and make it more personable.

5. Your posted Facebook Insights data are analyzed in terms of Likes, Reach, Visits, Posts and People. Your analysis shows what worked, what didn't and why.

One of my favorite analytics about the posts is the data about "When Your Fans Are Online". I found this to be very helpful because it helped narrow down when the best to post would be. My successful posts were usually later in the afternoon when everyone was starting to get on and check their Facebook page. If I posted early in the morning, my numbers would start to go down.

Diversifying the types of posts didn't seem to have much effect on the numbers side of things. I figured by posting a picture and then something different would keep things fresh; however, it was hit or miss on the number of engagements. Possibly over a long period of time it would give a more accurate reading.

Approximately 83% of those who liked the page were Women and the 17% were Men. Obviously, the page attracted a larger female presence. Adjusting and gear the marketing efforts to men would increase activity.

6. A posted summary is written regarding the campaign plan and how it increased traffic on your FB page and other channels used in cross-promotion, indicating trends in goals set for the campaign.

The campaign plan was to increase activity on the Facebook page but to also connect to the other channels Shoal Creek Berries has to offer. One of my first orders of business was to update and make sure the information provided in the "About" section was accurate. It was important all links were implemented correctly and would work when clicked on. After doing so, it was clear the adjustments were increasing traffic on the other pages as well. The owners were wanting to increase their reach by utilizing multiple social networking platforms. They have created a website and an Instagram in addition to the main Facebook page. Their website also provided an avenue to view/order the other products they offer (jams, syrups, etc.).

7. Your post includes a self-evaluation of the execution of your campaign, what worked to increase impressions and what you would do differently.

Overall, I felt there were many successes and some failures. Updating the page and making it more user-friendly made it easier to find, use, and follow. Combining all the information into one place allowed for a smoother page. The biggest strength of the page is to increase awareness. Enterprise is not in the heart of St. George and not many people know about Shoal Creek Berries. It isn't a place they could really stumble upon so having it promoted on Facebook allows it to be everywhere. If I were to do it differently, I would post more regularly and reach out to a wider audience. By narrowing each post to a specific audience would generate more publicity for each demographic and increase the overall involvement. I am glad I was able to help market Shoal Creek Berries for a wonderful couple whose focus is on the farm. Running the social networking is not something they necessarily want to do but it is great for business. It was a great opportunity and I am glad it helped reach out to a wider audience. 

Sustainability App

iVolunteer App

The iVolunteer app is designed to coordinate with your phone and organizations around the city to increase participation. With the addition to analyzing its positive effect on the amount of carbon dioxide being produced, I assisted with the development and the presentation of this sustainable app.

Fuel Consumption
iVolunteer has the opportunity to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide produced and pumped into the atmosphere. By pinpointing the location of the volunteer and the event site, the app would be able to generate the necessary data to provide estimations for travel (mileage, time, etc.) and map out alternate routes. Whether the transportation involve bicycling, public buses, or carpooling, all will help to decrease our carbon footprint. "Public transportation with its overarching effects on land use, is estimated to reduce CO2 emissions by 37 million metric tons annually".
http://www.apta.com/resources/reportsandpublications/documents/greenhouse_brochure.pdf

Automatic Attitudinal Response

My initial thought was to read over my On the Media posts and analyze it for any biased material. While skipping over it briefly, I couldn't find anything. Even though I knew the goal and challenge for the assignment, my brain analyzed it the way it wanted to. So, I took it out of context and pasted it into a Word document, wrote John Doe at the top as the name, and read it again. For some odd reason, this allowed me to get a more accurate reading of the post. By doing so, this lead me to a few conclusions.

A constant factor between all of them is the underlying message from where I gathered my commentary. I attempted to write objectively and as close to the middle of the line as possible. In a way, I was able to do so. I steered away from sounding too conservative or too liberal but the real issue I took with was the media and its use of power. As I continued to analyze the posts, my intent was to highlight the abuse of mass communication by the media. Whether it was in favor of the right or the left, it didn't matter. There are too many agendas and ulterior motives by the contributors of broadcasting firms.

The consequence of this bias towards the media is every bit of information put out there is already a lie until proven true. Unfortunately, it isn't the other way around. With the amount of lies entangled with the truth, it is difficult to sort it all out. My voice became more clear once I recognized the intent I embedded into the postings.

Biases hinder critical thinking. The moment you start to lean a certain way on an issue is the same moment you become less of a critical thinker. My reasoning behind the statement is the idea of change. Categorizing yourself forces you into a box and a specific way of thinking. For example, classifying yourself as a liberal or a conservative involuntarily makes you more susceptible to groupthink. No matter what type of bias it is, it will do more harm than good. Being able to identify my current bias (not agreeing with the lack of evidence produced by the media) will help open up my mindset and allow me to not immediately dismiss all information.

OTM3

On the Media

"Leak State"

Dumb but not criminal. It surprises me how this phrase is used as an excuse for poor decision making. Specifically, the sentence was in reference to Michael Flynn and the ongoing investigation into his connection to Russia. According to an article written from Business Insider, "Trump senior counselor Kellyanne Conway said on the "Today" show on Tuesday that it was Flynn's inability to properly communicate with Pence that ended his relationship with the White House, not his collusion with Russia". Again, Flynn is dumb but not criminal. I find it hard to believe a man who was the 18th Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency supposedly did not understand what is appropriate and what is not.

Miscommunication between high ranking officials should not happen. With national security on the line, those serving in these positions should be able to handle the responsibilities respectfully and with integrity. Their actions have a direct effect on the country and the citizens within. That being said, an issue I see arising often is the lack of accountability. When the Michael Flynn scandal was discovered, the Trump administration denied the claims. When Buzzfeed released the dossier claiming Trump had ties to Russia, there was an instant denial. I feel when these situations occur, the first action should not be to disregard all claims or the rest of the time will be spent backpedalling and correcting previous statements. Obviously, if an allegation is constructed, the members of the White House or high ranking government officials will initially protect their own (as long as it fits with their agenda). I believe Michael Flynn knew exactly what he was saying and deliberately planned to respond with the ignorance is bliss card.

Another important factor brought up during this week's On the Media is the comment regarding who was conducting the investigations into the allegations. For example, Sessions should not be apart of the investigation since he is grouped in with the conspiracies. If the goal is to get to the truth, then the investigation needs to be contracted out to an outside source with no ties to either side. It would be near impossible to stay objective in an investigation knowing you had some sort of involvement causing the investigation in the first place. Democrats are looking for blood and the other half is coming up with excuses... if only the nation could come together to progress rather than trying to implode itself.

Well Informed Racism 2.0

Racism is an absurd idea. Being prejudice or discriminating against another human being due to the color of their skin isn't easy to comprehend; however, this was common knowledge back in the days of slavery. Generation after generation have slowly unraveled the concept of racism and have made huge strides toward equality. Although we are not there yet, we are better of than we were.

I had the opportunity to live in Kiev, Ukraine for six months. During this time, Russia was invading Crimea and other parts of Ukraine. Consequently, the city was hostile and every citizen was on edge. The Ukrainian military patrolled the streets with heavy machine guns while the Rebels were interwoven with the public. Fear was rampant in the streets and caused many disturbances. To my surprise, the people in Kiev and other cities around Ukraine I visited could pick me out of a crowd and identify me as an American. This was shocking for two reasons. One, my skin color was the same as theirs and two, I attempted to dress similarly.

This is relevant because as I walked the streets constantly being questioned and harassed, I recognized how easy it is to tell people apart by their skin color. The concept may seem a bit obvious and simple but I didn't truly acknowledge it until that moment. If my skin was brown or black, I wouldn't have the ability to try and go unnoticed (even though I didn't succeed in that area anyway). Skin color is apart of who someone is. It is in their genetic makeup. As I was sitting on the subway thinking about this, I started to laugh to myself. Not because I find the matter funny, but because I find it utterly ridiculous.

As I traveled into different countries of Europe, it was interesting to see each culture. Geographically, the countries are not far apart and I assumed they would share many characteristics but this was not so. Learning a little bit of the history of each place highlighted the struggle with the surrounding countries. Racism is nothing new and has been around for thousands of years. It is interwoven through our history books and will continue to do so without change.

Now, my personal experiences have shaped who I am and have given me unique perspectives on many topics. A subject close to home (literally) is discrimination within America. On December 6th, 1865 the Thirteenth Amendment added to the United State's Constitution abolished slavery. So, approximately 152 years ago people started to shift away from slavery. I use the term "started" loosely because it took many many years after that for it to really go into effect.  My hope is to continually progress. This isn't subject to color but encompasses every culture.  In the year 2017, we are better than we were but we are not there yet. It isn't easy undoing what previous men have done.

Well Informed Religion 3.0

Religion 3.0

Religion and social media are an interesting combination. The emergence of social has had a tremendous effect on many controversial topics. Although politics have recently stolen the limelight, religion is a constant ideology and will never go away. Religion is a personal and essential component of many lives around the world. On some level, everyone has a belief to explain the how, why, or what. The how, why, and what are the big question(s). How was man created? Why was man created? What happens when you die? Is there a higher being and if so, how? What is the purpose? There are an infinite amount of big questions and consequently, an infinite amount of answers.

With these enormous concepts, it is difficult for people to comprehend. It is interesting to witness individuals who are trying to understand something that has happened, they extend it to some existential reason. For example, if a tragedy occurs, most people will use or hear the phrase "there is a plan" or a statement similar to it. If you lose a close family member or friend, it takes an emotional toll on you. In order to alleviate some of the pain, religion is used to lean on.

Social media provides a pathway to connect with those who share similar interests and beliefs. There are many online websites and groups being created for multiple religions. I find it interesting how religion isn't talked about as much anymore. Religion has played an enormous role in previous generations and has shaped the decisions of men and women around the world. Currently in today's world, religion is almost prohibited to talk about. It could be due to the decline of fervent believers or other subjects have stolen the limelight. Political agendas steal the attention and distract people from religion.

I feel religion isn't seen on social media as much as the other big topics because of its nature. Religion discounts facts and relies on faith. People can't argue with faith and typically the disagreements stop there. Social media feeds on the drama of contrasting opinions. That is why religion does not get the same amount of publicity. People can argue about whether a democrat or republican is better, but they can't argue (as well) about what happens when you die on social media.

According to the Pew Research Center, around seven out of ten Americans use social media to connect with someone else, see the news, or share information. Looking at the different platforms, social media is a large part of today's society. What I find interesting is the fact the Bible app has been downloaded approximately 162 million whereas Facebook as been downloaded over a BILLION times. I believe religion is more within the home than it is publicized, especially when it comes to social media.

OTM2

On the Media

“See you in Court”

This week, On the Media took another look at reoccurring controversial issues happening around the country; specifically, protesting in its various forms. The segment began addressing the blockade on President Trump’s travel ban. Although this act is not commonly referred to as a form of protesting, it is a way to defy an order by utilizing the judicial system. Hoping to avoid a constitutional crisis seems to be getting more difficult every single day. With the constant protests, jabs, reactions, and consequences, it has tried the stability of the constitution as we know it. The problem I see is the lack of unity. The checks and balances system is an important component of government. Although, if the system is used improperly and nothing can get done, the American people suffer. 

There seems to be a rise of hypocritical viewpoints damaging free speech on both ends of the spectrum. For example, Milo Yiannopoulos, an editor for Breitbart News, was asked to give a speech at U.C. Berkeley. Disregarding his viewpoints, approximately 1,500 "protestors" arrived on campus and began knocking down barricades, lighting fires, throwing rocks, breaking windows, and prevented the public speech to ever take place. Isn't the whole fight for equality for all? It doesn't matter whether you are far-left or far-right, a democracy is built on the combination and corraboration of all its citizens. This does not only include the rich and powerful or government officials, but even those with a small voice. Now, the Milo incident wasn't the only protest turn riot. It has and will continue happening all over the world at this current rate.

As a country, if we are to make the accusation of an inevitable constitutional crisis we should be able to identify and understand what it means. US Legal defines it as, "A constitutional crisis refers to a situation dealing with the inability to resolve a disagreement involving the governing constitution of a political body. Typically, a dispute or an interpretation or violation of a provision in the constitution between different branches of government is involved. A constitutional crisis may threaten to break down government function". If this is the case, are we really close to you a crisis? What qualifies a crisis and what are some of the signs for it? Constitution Daily gives five different scenarios of past events.

The Constitution Daily provides a history of different time periods where the United States experienced a constitutional crisis. These five instances include: when a president dies, states decide to leave the union, states can't agree on the presidential election, Watergate, and the Bush vs. Gore election. From each period of time, there are a couple consistencies between them. First, all but include an issue or the election of a president.

An App Idea

For those familiar with the website Turnitin, you are either a professor who uses it or a student who dreads it. The site will take any typed piece of work and analyze it for plagiarism. My proposition for a new app falls under this same idea. Instead of analyzing papers, the app would analyze media reports. So, if there is some report that comes out on CNN, Fox, or any journalistic organization, the user will be able to copy the report into the app. The app would then analyze the story, look for factual information, commentary, track what statistic or quote came from where, and produce a percentage on how trustworthy the particular source is. With the decline of evidence-based broadcasting, people need this app more than ever.

Well Informed Learning 2.0

Educational systems have been around for centuries in one form or another. In the modern society for which we live in today, are we getting better? Are we progressing or digressing? These questions call attention to the specific goals of society, communities, and the individual. Before looking at the obvious factual and statistical evidence, there needs to be a focus on the purposes of education.

I grew up in a very standard place as far as education goes. Moving through the system and conforming to the standard. It wasn't until a year ago I heard of Montessori. Montessori is a undervalued form of education. It moves away from the typical mold of how to educate. Rather than forcing students to become comprehensive in many different subjects, it allows students to excel in a subject they naturally click with. Obviously, there is a foundation built for the different subjects but it highlights hands on learning.

As a country, the current system is in place to funnel students through elementary, middle school, high school, and then into an accredited university. For some, their dreams and aspirations do not fit this mold and consequently sentence them to occupational discrimination. People are not being judged according to their skill but rather to a diploma and the university for which it came from. According to the U.S. Department of Education, "Already, three-quarters of the fastest-growing occupations require education beyond a high school diploma, with science, technology, engineering, and mathematics careers prominent on the list". In short, people need a college degree if they want a good shot at "making it"; however, the phrase is specific to the individual.

If there is one appalling fact of higher education, it is the amount of money put into it and profited. The map above compares the richest universities to other countries with the same gross domestic product.

There is a case to be made for the progress of current educational systems. The Millennial Legacy, a privately owned website, states, "Thus far, Millennials are on track to become the most educated generation in American history". Because of the reformed structure in schools, it has caused an increase in college graduates. Although Millennials are still behind Generation X, they are projected to lead in this statistic. Pushing for higher education does instill competition. With students competing for spots at renowned universities, the qualifications and expectations are rising. There are new precedents being set every day and is a direct cause of the success reached by college graduates.

Our country does well and is progressing in the areas it wants. Education is a vast concept and reaches out to many different expertise, experience, and trades. The current educational system is limited and therefore becomes more stagnant. There is so much opportunity and potential that is not being utilized. Widening the range outside of the strict and orderly curriculum would greatly benefit the advancement in education.

Shoal Creek Berries

Facebook Campaign

For my Facebook campaign, I am taking over Shoal Creek Berries's page and providing a new marketing movement. This farm is located in the beautiful Enterprise, Utah with a population of approximately 1,800 people. There is nothing better than supporting local businesses, especially one with such good intentions. 

The name of this venture is Shoal Creek Berries which is a family owned farm and local business. The mission is to promote the community and its members to shop local and buy organic fruits and vegetables.

My plan is to reach out  and target those concerned with fitness, eating healthier, or overall care of their body. I wish to specifically focus on families and push for a diversified age group. Parents are always trying to get their children to eat healthier and find a way to entertain them. Shoal Creek Berries combines these two concepts by providing the opportunity for families to get away from the city and go pick and eat farm fresh food.

Personas:

Ryan Kay, 34 years old, St. George, Utah

Ryan is a loan officer for a small credit union. He has a large family consisting of a wife and 6 kids. Ryan attempts to be the "fun dad" and take his family on adventures. His family enjoys the outdoors and he will do anything to get his kids out of the house and away from the tv.

Jerry House, 16 years old, St. George, Utah

Jerry is a young heartbreaker. He is quite the ladies man and goes on plenty of dates. Jerry has to prepare for plenty of dates because his high school has many, many dances. He doesn't want to do the usual mini golf or bowling.

Bertha Rose, 75 years old, Cedar City, Utah

Bertha and her husband have been retired for ten years now. They are stuck in the house all day and enjoy going outside. Unfortunately, Bertha and her husband John do not have as much energy as they used to. They only participate in leisure activities and nothing that will hurt their backs/knees.

I am going to spread awareness by reaching out to other avenues of social media such as Instagram to increase the range of the audience. Also, sharing the page and getting into contact with similar missions will help spread attention.

OTM1

This week, On the Media examined the storyline of the connection between Donald Trump and Russia. During the beginning, the hosts brought up the release of the story on Buzzfeed. The integrity of Buzzfeed was questioned, as well as journalism in general. I find this to be such an important topic of conversation that is often justified and overlooked.

With no accountability, there is anarchy. Journalism is subject to this concept as well. Companies tasked with the responsibility of reporting the news to the masses, should be required to do their research before sharing any information. In regards to the On the Media discussion, accusing the President-Elect of colluding with Vladimir Putin should not be taken lightly, even if it is Donald Trump. Buzzfeed should do their due diligence before distributing this information to millions of people. 

A counter argument, supporting why the information should be shared is, the ripple effect the story caused. Because this was brought to the public’s attention, people were talking about it. This forced the hands of governmental officials, journalists, and everyone else to find out the truth. No longer could the accusation be put on the back burner, everyone is curious.

As a country, we are skeptical of how the President-Elect Donald Trump is going to perform. With so much uncertainty, citizens are worried. Fear is running rampant. This directly plays into so many lives and has adversely affected so many psychologically. Unfortunately, some feel their livelihood is being threatened. Personally, I find this to be appalling. Not because people shouldn’t be scared, but because they feel they should be scared. As dignified a position as the President of the United States is, citizens of this country should look to the Commander in Chief for guidance and reassurance.

While listening to the chain of who heard the allegation from whom, I couldn’t help but compare it to high school gossip. Becky heard it from Jessica at Bryan’s party who found out because Adam and Michael read it on the bathroom wall at Cassandra’s house (and we all know Cassandra).

It was mentioned on the broadcast how the media does not serve a “gatekeeping role” anymore and how nothing is private. In the world of reporting, the fear of someone else publishing the story before themselves is frightening and causes organizations to put out anything and everything, no matter how much truth may be attached or the consequences.

My overall take on the podcast this week coincides with Brooke Gladstone’s comment about how this story is a distraction. The allegations have taken up valuable time for reporters, journalists, and the American people. The country should be focused on the plans of Donald Trump and what he will do once he officially becomes President of the United States of America.

Introduction

My name is Hunter MacLeod. I was born in West Jordan, Utah and have consistently moved around since the age of 12. I ended up choosing Dixie State to pursue a communications degree. I am 20 years old and will be celebrating my 21st birthday in March (an exciting time in my life for many reasons). I hope to end up opening my own business or managing a non-profit organization. What's life without purpose? 

If I suddenly decided to drop out of school and quit my job, I would travel. When I was 19 years old, I spent about six months living in Kiev, Ukraine. I had the opportunity to teach English to all age groups and help where needed. It afforded me the chance to travel all over Europe (which is the real reason I went but I probably shouldn't admit to that) and was able to experience many different cultures. But, I am here eating cheap fast food trying to learn what I can.