Captivating an Audience

As I continue to read Share This, social media news releases were brought up.  Social media allows individuals to stay current on breaking news and other events happening in the world through the numerous channels.  Share This brought up elements that should be included in order to publish a successful release.  In order to be a good press release, it needs to be based on facts and have a well-targeted audience. 

After the content has been established, a headline is key in order to captivate the audience.  Personally, I think this is crucial to creating a good news release.  People will often skim the headlines before they decide which article to read.  If the headline isn’t short and captivating, it probably won’t get very much attention.  The headline should tell a story, as well as contain keywords that allow the article to be searched.

Another element that is critical in creating a successful news release is the introductory paragraph.  If done right, the audience should already be enticed based on the headline.  Because of this, you don’t want to let your audience down with the content.  The introductory paragraph should express the main message while answering key questions.  You don’t want the reader to get bored and stop reading.  By having a strong introductory paragraph, the audience will want to finish reading the release to learn all the details of the event.  I know if I am reading an article and get bored, then I typically will not continue reading the story.  By starting with a strong headline and introductory paragraph, the social media news release may get read in its entirety.  

Tragedy Strikes

This past week a tragedy struck the state of Oregon.  A shooter opened fire at Oregon’s Umpqua Community College.  Students and even teachers were shot and injured with some casualties.  Before the gunman shot, he would ask the victims if they were Christian.  Because of this, investigators believe that the shooter was targeting Christians specifically.

Tragedies can affect numerous people and communities.  It doesn’t matter if you know the victims personally or not.  Social media has been allowing individuals to take a stand and honor the victims of this traumatic event.  Because of this, a new hashtag on Twitter of #YesIAmAChristian has been trending.  People can include this hashtag to support the families who were affected, as well as stand by their specific faith.  When I saw this, I was slightly surprised.  I knew people looked to Twitter to stay updated on any incoming information, but I didn’t realize the impact it could have in providing support for anyone involved.  By tweeting with this hashtag, people can see that they are not alone in this situation and many are standing by to provide support.  I couldn’t imagine having to express my faith knowing consequences may ensue.  You never know the religious or personal background of the individuals you encounter.

Personally, I couldn’t imagine being at that Oregon college during the shooting.  I would be scared, upset, and nervous not knowing the status of my life.  Because of this, I am so grateful for the life I do have.  Those students had no idea what was going to happen that day.  They expected a normal day of classes and activities before tragedy struck.  This just shows that each day is precious and unique.  We must live in the moment and try to take full advantage of situations.   

Social Media Strategy

The next book that I have started reading is Share This, which focuses on social media and the different aspects involved with it.  One thing that intrigued me as I began reading the book, was the tips it gave revolving around a social media strategy.  Starting something new can be very challenging, and many times deciding where to begin can be the biggest struggle.  There are so many different platforms and avenues that can be chosen to jump-start a social media strategy.

One tip that was discussed was the importance of having a team in place who can help kick-start the utilization of social media.  These chosen individuals will need to be able to prioritize and give input whenever needed to use social media to its highest potential.  Social media will encompass numerous people and departments in a business.  You never know what will get posted through social media channels.  People can post complaints, suggestions, and even slanderous content.  By having a social media team, the business will be able to comment on these responses and deal with the situations accordingly.  Personally, I think a team of individuals is vital in order to properly use social media.  You never know what customers, competitors, or even employees will post.  By being prepared and thinking about these situations, one will be able to respond in a timely fashion.

Another tip that was brought up through the reading was choosing a goal.  I really didn’t think about this much before reading this section.  By choosing a goal, you can focus your social media strategy allowing you to figure out the best way to complete a task.  Goals can include awareness, sales, or loyalty.  The goal that a company chooses will depend on what it hopes to achieve by utilizing social media.  This can range from reaching more people to gaining higher sales.  Many times a company will want to achieve many goals and ambitions.  However, each goal is different and specific.  Because of this, focusing on one goal at a time is ideal and should lead to a greater success.  By thinking about the use of social media and creating a strategy, businesses will be able to use social media to their advantage.

Falling in Love

This weekend I got to witness the marriage of Melanie and Mark Dey.  After knowing each other for numerous years, they were able to finally tie the knot on such a beautiful day.  The wedding ceremony encompassed numerous members of their families with her father being the presider.  It was held in a small church with her family and friends in attendance.  Melanie’s dress was gorgeous, and you could tell she was truly happy marrying Mark.  Overall, the ceremony was short and sweet.   The theme revolved around the season of fall and falling in love.  I thought that theme fit in perfectly to the season, as well as describing their relationship.

The reception followed the wedding at a nearby hall.  It was very simple, but worked well with the theme and personalities of the wedding couple.  Dinner was buffet style and was delicious.  Foods ranged from roast beef to chicken paprikash.  After dinner, toasts were said and a slideshow of the couple was shown.  The evening concluded with the cutting of the cake, and the couple thanking everyone for their attendance.  Overall, the wedding and reception was beautifully put together.  Everyone seemed happy and you could tell there was a connection between the bride and groom.

Personally, I am so happy that I got the opportunity to come home for a weekend to participate in the event.  Over this past summer, I had the privilege of getting to know Melanie and Mark a little bit more.  They are both genuine individuals who truly care about each other.  In addition, they are always smiling and you can tell they have a strong foundation.  Overall, I would have to say the day was success, and I am looking forward to seeing where life takes them.