The Virtual Community

How much trust should we put into strangers on the Internet? In a life-or-death situation, the Internet can provide us with instant access to helpful information, but can we trust it? If so, from where?

I think with the amount of content on the Internet, it's possible to find a number of opinions on any given topic. With that, if I am in a bind and need information quickly, I can find a variety of sources to show me how to do something. When I find one opinion on a blog, I can find many other authors or bloggers who support the same thing.

A few weeks ago, the pilot light went out for the water heater in my apartment. Naturally, my roommates and I looked up "How to light a pilot light" videos on YouTube. Because there were so many videos all saying the same thing, we felt more confident in what we were trying to do.

Yes, strangers can post anything and everything on the Internet, but when they are all saying the same thing, I tend to believe it more.

Should the Internet be regulated at all? If so, by whom? The Internet was developed with public funds, so should it be offered free? Is it fair for commercial entities to take control of the Internet? They've now put more money into it than the government.

We kind of touched on this subject in class today. Someone mentioned that if the government starts regulating the Internet, when does it stop? I agree. Where do we draw the line if companies or the government start censoring or regulating our use of the Internet? I think the Internet should remain free and unregulated.

What are the minimum elements of communication necessary between a group of people to create a community? How much communication is necessary to establish a relationship? How much future communication is needed to maintain that relationship?

I mentioned in a post a couple weeks ago about a tweet I received from Nationwide Insurance. Out of nowhere, the company tweeted at me and offered me a gift card just so I can keep doing what I love. Although I'm not going to switch to Nationwide Insurance right now, in the future I will remember that tweet, when I'm in the market for new insurance because of the sense of community the company is trying to build.

After I got the tweet, I checked out the #loveforlove campaign to learn a little more about what Nationwide was doing. The company was tweeting similar things to random people just to build a larger community. It's a really interesting campaign and definitely worth checking out.

How do chat rooms help or hinder societies?

Being in a chat room, often without an identity, gives people the courage to attack others verbally. On one extreme, chat rooms give people a venue for cyber bullying. On the other hand, they give people a venue to share the same feelings and beliefs that they may be too scared to share elsewhere.


 

Top Ten Influencers for Dragons Keep Fans

This list is based on the following keywords:



1. GameSpot (720K followers). @gamespot

2. Star City Games: The world's largest Magic: The Gathering store and content producer (20.4K followers). @starcitygames

3. Stephen King: Author (322K followers). @StephenKing

4. Joey Pasco: Magic: The Gathering podcaster and event commentator for SCGLive (4,141 followers). @AffinityForBlue

5. Riot Games: Developer and Publisher of League of Legends (262K followers). @riotgames

6. Gerrard Capashen: Magic player (2,982 followers). @Gfabs5

7. Kobe: Former pro-gamer (55.8K followers). @RiotKobe

8. Matt Sperling: Magic player (6,104 followers). @mtg_law_etc

9. Brandon Beck: CEO and co-founder of Riot Games (24.8K followers). @BrandonBeck

10. Aaron Forsythe: Director of R&D, Magic: The Gathering (18.2K followers). @mtgaaron

Social Media: A Rallying Cry

Digital networks have given people the ability to organize and mobilize. "We are the 99 percent" was a political slogan used alongside the Occupy Wall Street movement. The slogan came from a Tumblr blog that was launched by a 28-year-old New York activist. It illustrates that less than 99 percent of the U.S. population make less than $343,927 annually.

The blog served as a launching point for a social movement. People began submitting stories and using the slogan in a variety of ways. Even members of the one percent, who make more money than 99 percent of the population, would use the slogan "We are the 1 percent; we stand with the 99 percent," to show their support for higher taxes.

The blog itself says, "Who are we? Well, who are you? If you're reading this, there's a 99 percent chance that you're one of us."

Then it goes on to explain who makes up the 99 percent, versus the one percent:

"They are the 1 percent. They are the banks, the mortgage industry, the insurance industry. They are the important ones. They need help and get bailed out and are praised as job creators. We need help and get nothing and are called entitled. We live in a society made for them, not for us. It’s their world, not ours. If we’re lucky, they’ll let us work in it so long as we don’t question the extent of their charity.

"We are the 99 percent. We are everyone else. And we will no longer be silent. It’s time the 1 percent got to know us a little better. On Sept. 17, 2011, the 99 percent will converge on Wall Street to let the 1 percent know just how frustrated they are with living in a world made for someone else. Let us know why you’ll be there. Let us know how you are the 99 percent."

Because of social media, Occupy Wall Street had a venue for conversation. People were able to rally together because social media bridges a communication gap. In this case, the social media messages were centered around "us vs. them" themes, but it was effective in bringing together a group for a cause.

Social Media Ideas for @Westercon67

Tweets for @Westercon67 for the Dragon's Keep crowd: 
1. You've played the game, learn how to make your own @Westercon67. #magicthegathering
2. Level up with your favorite authors @Westercon67!
3. How did your favorite hero come to be? Find out for yourself @Westercon67.
4. Come check out the Dragon's Keep game room @Westercon67.
5. Could you come up with the next great game? Learn from the best @Westercon67.
6. Your favorite comic book didn't end like you wanted? Rewrite it your way @Westercon67. #DragonsKeep
7. Watch the story unfold @Westercon67. #DragonsKeep
8. Learn the secrets behind your favorite fantasy board games @Westercon67.
9. Don't let the rest stay unwritten. Finish the story @Westercon67. #DragonsKeep
10. @Westercon67: Where the magic really happens. #DragonsKeep

Facebook Posts:
1. Share your favorite Magic the Gathering experiences for a chance to win tickets to Westercon 67.
2. What's your favorite comic book moment? Respond for a chance to win tickets to Westercon 67.
3. How long has it been since you played Magic the Gathering?
4. Where do you find your best inspiration? We'll help you find some at Westercon 67.
5. Don't forget to stop by Westercon 67 for a chance to meet your favorite comic book authors.

Keywords: 

 

Social Media Makes the World Smaller

Social media creates the perfect environment for open communication between people and major corporations. Just this past weekend, I tweeted something simple and only a few minutes later, Nationwide Insurance responded to my tweet and started a conversation with me.

I thought about the tweet and how valuable this Twitter campaign is. I looked at Nationwide's Twitter page and found the company was starting similar conversations and offering gift cards to a number of individuals.

 

I enjoy this campaign and the engagement Nationwide is providing to the Twitter world. I didn't follow Nationwide before the company tweeted at me. I'm also not in the market for new insurance, but if I get to the point where I may need to switch car insurance, Nationwide will now be one of the first companies I have in mind. 

Although this doesn't specifically relate to the entertainment industry,  it demonstrates the usefulness of social media as a channel to communicate our messages. It opens the door for people to interact with major corporations and for corporations to appeal to potential customers. It helps consumers view large companies and small, accessible commodities. Because of the power of transitivity, social media makes the world feel smaller as we build more lasting and meaningful relationships. 

Making Social Media Go Viral

Why does media spread? I think that media spreads when it tells a story and is surprising. People like videos they can relate to and they know others will be able to relate to. Susan Boyle was the underdog and she took everyone by surprise. One example of a feel-good video that tells a story and is a little surprising is Kid President's pep talk.

How can media engagement be valuable?
Media engagement allows people to feel like they have a voice when they are communicating with companies. It goes back to that age-old phrase, "the customer is always right." Consumers want to feel like their opinions are being heard and they can do that through social media channels such as Twitter or Facebook. I've found that airlines are generally good about responding to their customers on social media. This is just one example from one of my friends during Thanksgiving and his interaction with Frontier Airlines:

What constitutes meaningful participation?
Meaningful engagement comes when both sides of the communication come away with a new, mutually beneficial relationship. One clever campaign was Chipotle's "Wrap What You Love" contest, where the company encouraged it's customers to wrap what they love in silver or gold foil, like its burritos. The company benefited because it received a lot of positive attention and it received free, comedic content from customers.

The $10,000 award from the contest was given to a father who wrapped his four-day-old baby in gold foil.

What is the most effective way to spread media?
Make powerful statements. When your brand makes a stand for or against something, consumers have something to rally behind. The Millennial generation comprises the largest demographic of social media consumers, and individuals in that demographic are cause oriented. They like to feel like their lives have meaning and they are helping to make social changes. The Dove Real Beauty Sketches video was one of the most effective social media campaigns of 2013. The video invites its viewers to join the conversation with the hashtag #WeAreBeautiful. This campaign took a stand for real beauty and consumers who watched and shared the video felt like they were taking a stand as well.

 

Is humor simply a matter of taste or is it a vehicle?
Humor is necessary when it comes to interacting through social media. Although it may not always be appropriate, it can make a huge difference when used correctly. One example of two companies using humor came when one fan tweeted about her love for both Oreo and Kit-Kat. Kit-Kat responded two days later by challenging Oreo to a game of tic-tac-toe to win the girl's allegiance. The witty exchange between both companies received a lot of positive attention.

Social Media Adaptations

How has social media changed our perception of who is a professional/expert in a given field? ex. photographer?
Social media not only allows us to create a personal brand, but to show people that brand. It allows us to become specialists in any given field and create a following of people who can vouch for us. We can easily follow our favorite marketing experts, comedians or industry thought leaders on Twitter. We can engage with people we perceive as experts because we feel like we are learning more from them through our interaction. 


How has social media changed business management?
Social media is changing the way business is done in a lot of ways. It allows companies to connect executives from around the world with one another. Upper-level executives can communicate with lower down managers to create unity in an organization. They are able to collaborate on a set of skills and ideas. Social media also allows companies to create open lines of communications with their customers. Consumers feel like they have a voice and that it's being heard through social media.


What have we lost because of the freedom social media gives us?
I think we've lost a large portion of personal interactions. People often depend on social media for all of their social experiences. It's necessary to balance our lives with real in-person encounters because we learn more from people by observing them and interacting with them face to face. 


What is your birthday?
November 13. 

Because users can post instantaneously, how has this affected the quality of the content?
Because there is not a strict regulatory process for what can be published on the internet or on social media sites, there is a lot of noise to filter through. People are constantly getting cluttered messages and they are forced to sort through a slew of garbage to find a message that means something to them. With the quantity of content available on social media, I think we have lost a lot of quality. 

Social Media Cooperation

How does the Prisoners' Dilemma apply to the social media world?

When engaging in social media, people often find themselves in an interesting paradox. They are usually willing to interact if they are incentivized, but if there is no reward, it can be harder to start a conversation.

Should a Facebook friend keep providing favors to another friend who never reciprocates?

When consumers engage on social media, there may not be an immediate return on investment for a company. However, social media engagement can help increase a brand's short-term equity, it can bring a brand to the forefront of customer's minds and it can increase a brand's long-term image. 

Why would cooperation between a business and their customers be so important?Cooperation between a business and its customers is important because it allows for open and honest communication. Social media opens the door for two-way communication. It allows consumers to talk to companies and it allows companies to listen. Doing this can help prevent crises around the product or organization.

How can you promote cooperation on social media?I think letting your clients know you are listening to them is the best way to encourage cooperation on social media. Companies should take advantage of the feedback they are getting from their customers. By responding to complaints and allowing positive discussion, companies are showing they are open to cooperating on social media.

When should a person cooperate and when should they be selfish?

Companies should strive for cooperation as often as possible. If companies decide to be "selfish," customers could see this behavior as being closed-off and not open to transparent communication.