Learning to "Tweet"

After using Twitter for about a week and a half, I am torn on the usefulness of the social media site. I had fun using Twitter and "tweeting" updates on my life and interesting news. While I enjoyed updating the world on my activities, I'm not sure those updates were at all useful to anyone. I can see the possibility for Twitter to be very useful in spreading news and for public relations, but some people hinder this possibility by abusing their "tweeting" abilities. Some people update many, many times each day with information that is not all that interesting. I think they are creating a "tweeter who cried wolf" syndrome. When they have something important to say, no one may be listening.

That said, I like Twitter overall and do find some great links in others' posts. I don't plan on updating very often, but I will maintain my account and read up on the posts of those I follow. I think this will be valuable because, as a communications student, I need to understand social media and how to use it properly. I also will learn about new social media sites, other sites and news.

The Perfect Workspace

A new international program and survey initiated by Milwaukee-based Johnson Controls, asks 18 to 25-year-olds about their ideal workspaces. My ideal office is the one to the right. The survey is online and interactive. You get to choose how urban or rural your location is, how you get to work and what you take with you, what your office looks like including wall color and lighting, and even how environmentally friendly your company is. It's a very neat survey and really fun to fill out. I was impressed and the interactivity is great - you get to watch as new items zoom in and out of your office. At the end of the survey, you can download an image of your ideal office and have access to a workspace profile. You do have to register to complete the survey, but it doesn't take long and is worth it. Try it!

Businesses jumping on social media and marketing bandwagon

In last week's issue of the Business Journal of Greater Milwaukee, two different stories focused on companies doing innovative things with Internet marketing and using social media. Other Business Journals around the country picked up the stories and print articles of their own on how companies are utilizing new technologies. This trend in business publications shows a larger trend in business operations. More and more companies are relying on the Internet to get their message across and are relying on social media for free marketing and for monitoring their brand. Often the PR agencies behind these companies are the driving forces behind such efforts.

Google never ceases to amaze

A new feature of Google that I just learned about is Google Trends. This site shows the top hits of the day on Google and what people are searching for. You can also search within Google Trends to see tracking of search hits on that topic. It shows you times of the most search activity and even breaks it down by world regions and cities. It's pretty neat and a great way to see who is searching for info on your company or client and when they are searching. To see how it works and how helpful it can be, try searching some Milwaukee area companies like MillerCoors or Harley Davidson.