Yelp is a must-have for the modern business, regardless of what kind of business it is. Reviews of TGB on Yelp could let people know if our game selection really is that worth the trip, if our food is any good, if we have any proper upkeep of the premises, and most importantly, the ambiance. Yelp is unique among social media platforms, since many people will rely on Yelp to convince them if the place is worth visiting or not, based solely on guest reviews. Unfortunately, like most review websites, a single negative review can stay in a person's mind far more than several highly positive reviews. That's an unfortunate side effect of an otherwise helpful and reliable website.
Flickr might be an odd choice of a social media platform, but having seen what MiraCosta does on Flickr, it could be a great choice, for both attracting fans and for staying organized. Flickr allows users to organize photos in albums. It's a simple interface, but it could be great for showcasing entertaining photos of events held by the business, and since TGB is all about immersion, it could possibly be used to collect pictures of guests in costume.
While I honestly can't see a very substantial TGB presence on Reddit, I do think that the main user demographic (intelligent people 18 - 49) would be a profitable group to advertise to. Reddit tends to share mostly fascinating news from the past and present, interesting personal stories, and clever, funny images relating to whatever "subreddit" you choose to visit. There are subreddits for literally every topic. Perhaps one method to use the popular trends to our advantage could be sharing behind-the-scenes stories from the production of classic games, vintage pictures, and retro gaming news on retro-geared subreddits.
As I've said in the past, TGB isn't a good fit for social media. There's only so many ways an arcade/diner/lounge combination can be marketed as a social experience. Even though it's not a viable option anymore as of earlier this year, Vine is the only remaining social media platform that TGB could do something with. Video game snippets, 80's themed skits, and daily activities in the lounge could all find their way to a Vine format.
Monday, November 14, 2016
Monday, November 7, 2016
Week 9a: Blogging for Business
I'm a big fan of human interest posts. In fact, one of my posts on The Game Boys Facebook page that I scheduled a few weeks ago was human interest (A post honoring our "game technicians" who keep the video games up and running). I like learning little behind-the-scenes tidbits about the people involved in a business. Posts like "(business) wishes our founder a very happy birthday" make me, and I assume others, just feel good.
The great thing about human interest posts is that the content comes from real life. The people who get featured on business' social media pages as part of a human interest story are real people with real experiences. They can be incredibly inspiring, and social media followers get the sense that the business is just as inspired as they are. I speak from experience when I say that when MiraCosta's social media does a feature on a student who overcame obstacles to succeed in school, it just leaves a much nicer feeling than if I heard the story second-hand from some random person.
The great thing about human interest posts is that the content comes from real life. The people who get featured on business' social media pages as part of a human interest story are real people with real experiences. They can be incredibly inspiring, and social media followers get the sense that the business is just as inspired as they are. I speak from experience when I say that when MiraCosta's social media does a feature on a student who overcame obstacles to succeed in school, it just leaves a much nicer feeling than if I heard the story second-hand from some random person.
Tuesday, October 25, 2016
Week 7b: Get Visual
Like I said in the last post, I don't think The Game Boys would work well with visual media. The only kind of content I could imagine posting on a visual platform is straight-up advertisements. Since a successful social media page can't subsist or garner interest that way, it makes no sense to apply TGB to a visual platform.
1) Boomers San Diego (162 Twitter followers)
Boomers San Diego has a Facebook Page and a Twitter Page. Their Twitter page is abysmal. All the posts are very similar ("It's a great day! Come down to Boomers!" etc.) and have almost no comments, likes, or retweets. They only post once every 4 months, so it's no surprise they're not gaining attention. Their last post, an ad for their ultimate birthday party sweepstakes, was August 1st. There's no word on who won or any kind of follow-up. Overall, a very poor social media presence.
2) Totally 80's Bar & Grill (49,221 Facebook Followers)
Totally 80's Bar and Grill is on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and appears to be active on all platforms except for Twitter, where they haven't updated for a year. A lot of their posts center around upcoming performance by live acts, as well as promoting a lively party atmosphere and delicious food and cocktails. Their Instagram hosts a lot of photos, and their Facebook seems dedicated to promoting upcoming events. Unfortunately, it looks like despite their large following, their posts on FB get very little engagement. Very few likes, shares and comments over the last month. Instagram has more engagement at an average 60 likes per post. But, at nearly 4,000 followers, it's still a troubling lack of attention.
3) Chuck E Cheese (1,000,000+ Facebook Followers)
Chuck E Cheese is on every popular social media platform, including Pinterest, Youtube, and Google+. Granted, Chuck E Cheese is particularly geared towards families with small children, but it has a monopoly on the arcade business, so I should include it here. Their posts seem to center around very kid-friendly events at different locations, as well as articles for parents ("Help your kids learn to dress themselves with this reward calendar", etc.). They post 1-2 times a day with an average 125 likes on each post. It's interesting that a chain that has such a massive following would generate so little engagement in comparison. It's hard to say if this is on the shoulders of the business or the followers simply not responding or caring about the pages they choose to follow on social media. Overall, Chuck E Cheese's pages are run well, despite the habit of posting more about raising happy children and less about the business.
4) Breakfast Club Diner (2,103 Facebook Followers)
Breakfast Club Diner has a Facebook page and a Twitter page, although the link to the latter doesn't work. This might seem like an interesting business to bring up, since TGB isn't really a restaurant as much as it hosts a counter service place (much like a food court in a bowling alley). However, since BCD is themed around the 80s, they do a great job of incorporating that kind of content on their social media. It's really similar to how I might want to run my own page, to the point where I actually shared one of their posts on TGB's Facebook page. They post at least once a week, at most, twice a day. While they do post about their food, they also post funny 80s themed memes and neat vidoes, which can generate a lot of attention and likes. Again, their posts don't get much engagement at all, and I think it's because they don't ask questions or make posts to engage or interact with their followers. It's one thing to make an interesting post with interesting information, but it's another thing to make one that really gets people talking, not just to the business, but to each other.
1) Boomers San Diego (162 Twitter followers)
Boomers San Diego has a Facebook Page and a Twitter Page. Their Twitter page is abysmal. All the posts are very similar ("It's a great day! Come down to Boomers!" etc.) and have almost no comments, likes, or retweets. They only post once every 4 months, so it's no surprise they're not gaining attention. Their last post, an ad for their ultimate birthday party sweepstakes, was August 1st. There's no word on who won or any kind of follow-up. Overall, a very poor social media presence.
2) Totally 80's Bar & Grill (49,221 Facebook Followers)
Totally 80's Bar and Grill is on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and appears to be active on all platforms except for Twitter, where they haven't updated for a year. A lot of their posts center around upcoming performance by live acts, as well as promoting a lively party atmosphere and delicious food and cocktails. Their Instagram hosts a lot of photos, and their Facebook seems dedicated to promoting upcoming events. Unfortunately, it looks like despite their large following, their posts on FB get very little engagement. Very few likes, shares and comments over the last month. Instagram has more engagement at an average 60 likes per post. But, at nearly 4,000 followers, it's still a troubling lack of attention.
3) Chuck E Cheese (1,000,000+ Facebook Followers)
Chuck E Cheese is on every popular social media platform, including Pinterest, Youtube, and Google+. Granted, Chuck E Cheese is particularly geared towards families with small children, but it has a monopoly on the arcade business, so I should include it here. Their posts seem to center around very kid-friendly events at different locations, as well as articles for parents ("Help your kids learn to dress themselves with this reward calendar", etc.). They post 1-2 times a day with an average 125 likes on each post. It's interesting that a chain that has such a massive following would generate so little engagement in comparison. It's hard to say if this is on the shoulders of the business or the followers simply not responding or caring about the pages they choose to follow on social media. Overall, Chuck E Cheese's pages are run well, despite the habit of posting more about raising happy children and less about the business.
4) Breakfast Club Diner (2,103 Facebook Followers)
Breakfast Club Diner has a Facebook page and a Twitter page, although the link to the latter doesn't work. This might seem like an interesting business to bring up, since TGB isn't really a restaurant as much as it hosts a counter service place (much like a food court in a bowling alley). However, since BCD is themed around the 80s, they do a great job of incorporating that kind of content on their social media. It's really similar to how I might want to run my own page, to the point where I actually shared one of their posts on TGB's Facebook page. They post at least once a week, at most, twice a day. While they do post about their food, they also post funny 80s themed memes and neat vidoes, which can generate a lot of attention and likes. Again, their posts don't get much engagement at all, and I think it's because they don't ask questions or make posts to engage or interact with their followers. It's one thing to make an interesting post with interesting information, but it's another thing to make one that really gets people talking, not just to the business, but to each other.
Sunday, October 23, 2016
Week 7a: Get Visual
Honestly, I don't feel that visual platforms like Pinterest, Instagram, etc. would really work well with The Game Boys. TGB prides itself on sticking to a retro aesthetic, so in a way, it might seem out of place for TGB to be up-to-date on all the current social media. I realize that that's a dangerous way of thinking for a business, but I can't see how an arcade/diner could possibly market itself on Pinterest, Instagram, Snapchat, etc. Youtube and Twitter are the only platforms I could possibly do something with, but even then, it's a stretch.
A TGB Youtube channel might feature footage from the business edited to make it look like a worn-out VHS tape, with garbled audio, blurry images and scratches along the bottom of the screen. The only kind of content I can imagine uploading to a TGB Youtube page are blatant advertisements, and a successful channel has to have more than that.
The other option, Twitter, might only work as an alternative/redirect to FB. For example, I write a post on the TGB FB page, then write a short summary of that post on Twitter. Or, make a reference to the FB post on the Twitter page, then say "for more info, go here." It might also do well as an image sharing platform occasionally, i.e., "Check out this picture of a fun thing we did at TGB on Friday".
So, to sum it up, TGB kind of shoots itself in the foot with its goal; being out-of-date. Being out-of-date means it stays away from the social media game, which is a very dangerous move these days. I suppose in the end it doesn't matter, since it's not a real business, but if it were, it wouldn't know how to appeal to social media users outside of Facebook.
A TGB Youtube channel might feature footage from the business edited to make it look like a worn-out VHS tape, with garbled audio, blurry images and scratches along the bottom of the screen. The only kind of content I can imagine uploading to a TGB Youtube page are blatant advertisements, and a successful channel has to have more than that.
The other option, Twitter, might only work as an alternative/redirect to FB. For example, I write a post on the TGB FB page, then write a short summary of that post on Twitter. Or, make a reference to the FB post on the Twitter page, then say "for more info, go here." It might also do well as an image sharing platform occasionally, i.e., "Check out this picture of a fun thing we did at TGB on Friday".
So, to sum it up, TGB kind of shoots itself in the foot with its goal; being out-of-date. Being out-of-date means it stays away from the social media game, which is a very dangerous move these days. I suppose in the end it doesn't matter, since it's not a real business, but if it were, it wouldn't know how to appeal to social media users outside of Facebook.
Tuesday, October 18, 2016
Week 6b: Intro to FB strategy
I think I've planned a nice little group of posts to go up during October. I always felt that on days where there was nothing to promote or announce or whatever, it's always nice to maybe make a little joke or ask how your followers are doing. My post for 10/19 follows this strategy, because even if all I do is make someone laugh or smile, that's still a connection. It's also nice to feel like a business cares about more than the business at hand.
My 10/22 post makes an attempt to honor the staff who keep the place up and running, while also informing our followers how many games The Game Boys actually host. It's really cool when any business can make even the lowest guy on the totem pole feel important, and that appreciation rubs off on followers as well. Disneyland did a similar thing where they made little videos for YouTube showcasing each job at the park and someone who worked in that area, no matter how obscure or minor the job was. It really got across how much Disneyland appreciates their employees, plus the videos themselves were incredibly interesting.
Finally, the 10/27 and 10/31 posts focus on Halloween, with 10/27 hinting that The Game Boys might be planning something for Halloween. Sure enough, they do, and the excitement generated by the Thriller video post only helps the hype for the Halloween event.
Monday, October 17, 2016
Week 6a: Intro to Facebook Strategy
I chose the following pages to like as The Game Boys:
-Nintendo
-Atari
-Lazy Game Reviews (public figure)
-80s Movies Rock (community)
-RetroCollect
-Classic Game Room
-Comics n' Stuff
Obviously, the one thing all these pages have in common are the nostalgia factor. Nintendo and Atari in particular are very important to The Game Boys, as they created and own many of the games that The Game Boys keeps at their location. In fact, the game cabinets shown on The Game Boy's cover photo all Nintendo and Atari games, so it makes sense to try and appeal to Nintendo and Atari fans.
Lazy Game Reviews might be an unconventional choice for a Featured like, but considering his Youtube show and fan base are centered around old computers and and a passion for old console gaming and retro tech in general, it would behoove The Game Boys to get his attention so that he could promote the business to his fans.
80s Movies Rock, while not a business, would be a nice little gift-wrapped community to appeal to. Each person there has one thing in common: They all love 80s movies, and what do you know, The Game Boys shows 80s movies all day long on VHS, which might appeal to the more hardcore format fans.
RetroCollect and Classic Games Room each promote a love of old games, and they're both an obvious choice to connect with.
Lastly, I envision Comics n' Stuff as being a sort of business partner to The Game Boys. They could do cross promotions (buy 3 comics and get 10 extra tokens for use at The Game Boys). In my mind, I see The Game Boys being in the El Camino Real mall, where Comics n' Stuff is also located. Not only would it boost popularity for both businesses, it would make those cross-promotions more convenient for the customers.
Obviously, there's a lot to be said for trying to attract a similar market. If The Game Boys share these Featured likes on their page and end up sending Lazy Game Reviews more likes on FB, LGR might notice and make it a Featured like on his page as well, in a show of business solidarity, thus driving more people to The Game Boys page in return.
-Nintendo
-Atari
-Lazy Game Reviews (public figure)
-80s Movies Rock (community)
-RetroCollect
-Classic Game Room
-Comics n' Stuff
Obviously, the one thing all these pages have in common are the nostalgia factor. Nintendo and Atari in particular are very important to The Game Boys, as they created and own many of the games that The Game Boys keeps at their location. In fact, the game cabinets shown on The Game Boy's cover photo all Nintendo and Atari games, so it makes sense to try and appeal to Nintendo and Atari fans.
Lazy Game Reviews might be an unconventional choice for a Featured like, but considering his Youtube show and fan base are centered around old computers and and a passion for old console gaming and retro tech in general, it would behoove The Game Boys to get his attention so that he could promote the business to his fans.
80s Movies Rock, while not a business, would be a nice little gift-wrapped community to appeal to. Each person there has one thing in common: They all love 80s movies, and what do you know, The Game Boys shows 80s movies all day long on VHS, which might appeal to the more hardcore format fans.
RetroCollect and Classic Games Room each promote a love of old games, and they're both an obvious choice to connect with.
Lastly, I envision Comics n' Stuff as being a sort of business partner to The Game Boys. They could do cross promotions (buy 3 comics and get 10 extra tokens for use at The Game Boys). In my mind, I see The Game Boys being in the El Camino Real mall, where Comics n' Stuff is also located. Not only would it boost popularity for both businesses, it would make those cross-promotions more convenient for the customers.
Obviously, there's a lot to be said for trying to attract a similar market. If The Game Boys share these Featured likes on their page and end up sending Lazy Game Reviews more likes on FB, LGR might notice and make it a Featured like on his page as well, in a show of business solidarity, thus driving more people to The Game Boys page in return.
Wednesday, October 5, 2016
Week 5: Post Reach vs. Engagements
1) Post reach refers to the number of people your post is seen by, either directly or through shares and reposts. The term "reach" could also refer to how many different kinds of online communities your post is seen by, not just communities directly tied to your business.
Post engagement, meanwhile, refers to how much interaction is occurring between people and your posts and FB page. Clicks, likes, comments, and messages are all a form of engagement, since they involve communication and interaction between a person and a business.
2) Knowing the difference between reach and engagement is important because, as I said above, they are both very different. A posting with a far reach might be seen by many, but it could be the post with greater engagement that gets spread further due to interesting content, like a question from the business to the consumer, a contest, or a funny joke. Similarly, a post with more engagement might generate more loyal followers than the post that is simply seen by people.
3) Businesses can use these insights in order to create a more balanced page/follower relationship. The reach and engagement metrics can be used to see what kind of posts do well at getting the most engagement and which posts get the most reach, and using those numbers to compose posts that succeed at getting a far reach with great engagement.
Post engagement, meanwhile, refers to how much interaction is occurring between people and your posts and FB page. Clicks, likes, comments, and messages are all a form of engagement, since they involve communication and interaction between a person and a business.
2) Knowing the difference between reach and engagement is important because, as I said above, they are both very different. A posting with a far reach might be seen by many, but it could be the post with greater engagement that gets spread further due to interesting content, like a question from the business to the consumer, a contest, or a funny joke. Similarly, a post with more engagement might generate more loyal followers than the post that is simply seen by people.
3) Businesses can use these insights in order to create a more balanced page/follower relationship. The reach and engagement metrics can be used to see what kind of posts do well at getting the most engagement and which posts get the most reach, and using those numbers to compose posts that succeed at getting a far reach with great engagement.
Monday, October 3, 2016
Week 4b: Target Market
THE GAME BOYS
Nostalgic arcade/diner/lounge
Target Market:
Teens and Adults 10-35 (Mostly male, but of course we welcome women as well)
Potential Market:
Video Game Collectors
Comic Book collectors
The nostalgic demographic (those who fondly look back on their 1980s childhood)
Most patrons who visit of The Game Boys are likely to be male, ages 15-35, with most hovering somewhere around 18 years of age. Our race demographic is likely to consist of mostly white and hispanic people, about 50% and 40% respecitively, with black and asian people each accounting for 5% of The Game Boys' active business.
Our patrons and customers care about quality, and loyalty to the detail and aesthetic. Because we live in a time where detail and nostalgia are so cherished and fiercely protected, Game Boys puts an emphasis on immersion, i.e., making our customers feel like they've really traveled back to the 80's childhood experience, with time-accurate decor, construction, and video games/food (nothing that existed past 1988 or so).
Nostalgic arcade/diner/lounge
Target Market:
Teens and Adults 10-35 (Mostly male, but of course we welcome women as well)
Potential Market:
Video Game Collectors
Comic Book collectors
The nostalgic demographic (those who fondly look back on their 1980s childhood)
Most patrons who visit of The Game Boys are likely to be male, ages 15-35, with most hovering somewhere around 18 years of age. Our race demographic is likely to consist of mostly white and hispanic people, about 50% and 40% respecitively, with black and asian people each accounting for 5% of The Game Boys' active business.
Our patrons and customers care about quality, and loyalty to the detail and aesthetic. Because we live in a time where detail and nostalgia are so cherished and fiercely protected, Game Boys puts an emphasis on immersion, i.e., making our customers feel like they've really traveled back to the 80's childhood experience, with time-accurate decor, construction, and video games/food (nothing that existed past 1988 or so).
Tuesday, September 27, 2016
Week 3b
http://homestarrunner.com/
1) The site was powered by Adobe Flash up until recently, and still uses the same layout and functions it did while it still ran under Flash. This gives the site a relatively unique and simple layout while still providing a lot of detail (such as the rollover actions on the nav bar on the main page). Scrolling isn't utilized on this site since everything is contained in a neat little box, and it gives it an easy-to-use impression.
2) Like I said before, HomestarRunner has a relatively simple layout. It's also nice how they make a point of putting links to all of the updates in a rotating button on the top right corner of the main page. It's easy to learn if they've posted new content, while keeping it fun, creative, and simple.
3) Honestly, the design and usability aren't what keeps bringing me back. It's the hilarious cartoons on the site, even if they haven't updated in years. Almost everything on the site is identical to how it was at the site's peak of popularity in 2006.
4) It would be nice if they included a search engine to more efficiently find your way around. With so many cartoons and pages, it can get daunting to try to find a specific cartoon if you don't know the title of it. Even if you do know the title, you still have to figure out witch category that cartoon will be listed in, and that can be hard to find as well.
http://www.cracked.com/
1) The most effective part of this site is the way they make it easy to navigate the hundreds of articles on the site. They utilize a search engine, and categorize their content by type and subject. It would be nice if HomestarRunner had a system like this.
2) Cracked has kind of a laid-back feel, while it retains its comedic and snarky side. The color scheme is very nice and easy on the eyes, and they post the new content in a large feature box on the main page.
3) Much like Homestarrunner, I don't visit Cracked for their usability. In fact, I mainly use their app and mobile site to read their articles, and even then, I experience a few problems. My main reason for coming back is the comedy present in their articles, videos, and slideshows. Often, I learn very interesting historical and scientific facts from this site. That's enough to keep me coming back.
4) Cracked is often criticized for having too many ads cluttering their site. This is especially true on the mobile site, where it often becomes so bad that it becomes impossible to navigate, and the site will slow to a crawl.
1) The site was powered by Adobe Flash up until recently, and still uses the same layout and functions it did while it still ran under Flash. This gives the site a relatively unique and simple layout while still providing a lot of detail (such as the rollover actions on the nav bar on the main page). Scrolling isn't utilized on this site since everything is contained in a neat little box, and it gives it an easy-to-use impression.
2) Like I said before, HomestarRunner has a relatively simple layout. It's also nice how they make a point of putting links to all of the updates in a rotating button on the top right corner of the main page. It's easy to learn if they've posted new content, while keeping it fun, creative, and simple.
3) Honestly, the design and usability aren't what keeps bringing me back. It's the hilarious cartoons on the site, even if they haven't updated in years. Almost everything on the site is identical to how it was at the site's peak of popularity in 2006.
4) It would be nice if they included a search engine to more efficiently find your way around. With so many cartoons and pages, it can get daunting to try to find a specific cartoon if you don't know the title of it. Even if you do know the title, you still have to figure out witch category that cartoon will be listed in, and that can be hard to find as well.
http://www.cracked.com/
1) The most effective part of this site is the way they make it easy to navigate the hundreds of articles on the site. They utilize a search engine, and categorize their content by type and subject. It would be nice if HomestarRunner had a system like this.
2) Cracked has kind of a laid-back feel, while it retains its comedic and snarky side. The color scheme is very nice and easy on the eyes, and they post the new content in a large feature box on the main page.
3) Much like Homestarrunner, I don't visit Cracked for their usability. In fact, I mainly use their app and mobile site to read their articles, and even then, I experience a few problems. My main reason for coming back is the comedy present in their articles, videos, and slideshows. Often, I learn very interesting historical and scientific facts from this site. That's enough to keep me coming back.
4) Cracked is often criticized for having too many ads cluttering their site. This is especially true on the mobile site, where it often becomes so bad that it becomes impossible to navigate, and the site will slow to a crawl.
Friday, September 23, 2016
Week 3a: Aesthetic, Design, and Branding
Allow me to start off by saying that the first few websites listed are a graphic designer's nightmare. Now that I've got that of my chest, let's get started:
1) http://www.exmouth-view.co.uk/
Right off the bat, I see problems everywhere. The first thing I notice are the broken image links along the left side and under the main image. This looks entirely tacky, and suggests one of two things:
1) they don't look at their own website at all and are unaware of the broken links, or 2) the coding was done by some other person and the owners never kept in contact with them or never learned to code themselves. Since I see that they update regularly (what with the last updated memo on the bottom left) and they even thanked a website that features awful websites for the free publicity, it's clear that they never bothered to update or redesign simply due to the fact that they would get taken off of that "awful websites" page and lose their curious online traffic. But I digress.
The second thing I notice is the scrolling text along the top. Most people look at something for an average of 8 seconds before moving on to the next thing, and people aren't going to want to spend that 8 seconds waiting for the scroll to restart so they know the name of the hotel. Not only that, but you can't even see the whole text at once. Instead, you have to sit there and wait forever to see the rest of the necessary information. A simple, static line of text would do a much better job at grabbing attention, as well as be more practical to read.
Ignoring smaller design errors, such as the red font, the vertical page layout, and the great deal of empty space at the bottom of the page, I noticed that none of the pages linked to on the home page ("Torquey", "Daily Menu", "Local Attractions", etc.) share a common layout. They all have different margins, and use different headers. The Christmas page bombards you with .gifs and even more broken image links. This whole website could use a serious overhaul. But, at least the owners seem like good sports about it.
2) http://spotmetering.com/
I'll give them this: All the information on the home page is centered. +1 point. Also, the .gif at the top of the home page, while a little outdated, isn't too distracting and matches the background nicely.
This is where the good things end.
Instead of having a nice, clean home page that neatly lays out important links and exudes an overall welcoming feeling, this home page bombards you with information. It's extremely overwhelming. Big blocks of text are impossible to focus on, and in this case, the text is constantly changing color, size, and style, making it even more obnoxious. On top of that, there are no jump links to easily direct you to a certain spot on the page. If you want to know about one thing, then you have to scroll through all this obnoxious text to find what you need to know. At first, I thought the links along the top acted as jump links, but they instead lead to different pages. Good lord, who was I to suggest that the world doesn't need this much information about spot metering? What a fool I was!
In fact, this site, while clearly meant for photographers, could seriously benefit from a more welcoming language. The jargon on this page is impossible for the average person to follow, which means that this website is likely to only attract that small niche of people who care about spot metering, while driving away those who might gain an interest but aren't yet at that level.
Finally, there are WAAAAY too many links on this website. There are tables and tables of links leading to outside websites, like Nikon and Canon. Nobody is going to want to constantly click back and forth when doing research. A smart website might say "For more information on spot metering with Nikon cameras", visit Nikon.com", or maybe even lead to another page that solely focuses on that.
Meanwhile, let's focus on two websites and what they do right.
1) http://www.headhunterhairstyling.com/
This is a very aesthetically pleasing website. A large part of that is the choice of color (a light yellow and turquoise) as well as the slideshow that greets you on the home page. The links are easy to find and not overwhelming (Some of the poorer websites had far too many links and added to a sense of confusion) and their social media is clearly listed on the bottom left. In this case, less is more, and a lot of those other sites don't seem to understand that. Lastly, all of the connecting pages have a similar layout, and it's very easy to follow. Everything is clearly labeled, and you can find your way around without a lot of scrolling.
2) http://www.apple.com/
Apple's brand has always been chic, clean, and shiny, and their website definitely reflects that. HD pictures of their products suggest that everything they do is cutting edge and new, and little taglines like "This is 7", referring to iphone 7 says that they don't necessarily feel that they need to "sell" it. Instead, they can just point out "what you see is what you get", implying that anyone will want to buy it because it's new. Confidence in a website or product speaks volumes, even when there's little content.
Apple has little boxes under the featured item, showcasing other new products that maybe aren't as newsworthy. All of the news is presented very cleanly with pictures that lead to new pages. It's also worth noting that a website with a single color scheme is far more pleasant to look at than one that can't make up its mind about what color each font should be. In Apple's case, their color scheme is white, grey, and black, with tiny splashes of color in their pictures. This is a very chic look, and should be applauded.
***
I think that branding on a website is extremely important, not just for marketing purposes, but also referring to confidence in the product. When I said "less is more" earlier, what I mean is that a website with less content on the home page feels like they can get their brand across with pictures, a nice layout, and some text, but not too much text. It's a simple trick, but extremely effective. Meanwhile, when a page is just bombarding you with information, pictures, text, .gifs, and a colored background, it's almost as though the people behind the page have no confidence and instead are choosing to distract you with walls of text and colorful .gifs.
1) http://www.exmouth-view.co.uk/
Right off the bat, I see problems everywhere. The first thing I notice are the broken image links along the left side and under the main image. This looks entirely tacky, and suggests one of two things:
1) they don't look at their own website at all and are unaware of the broken links, or 2) the coding was done by some other person and the owners never kept in contact with them or never learned to code themselves. Since I see that they update regularly (what with the last updated memo on the bottom left) and they even thanked a website that features awful websites for the free publicity, it's clear that they never bothered to update or redesign simply due to the fact that they would get taken off of that "awful websites" page and lose their curious online traffic. But I digress.
The second thing I notice is the scrolling text along the top. Most people look at something for an average of 8 seconds before moving on to the next thing, and people aren't going to want to spend that 8 seconds waiting for the scroll to restart so they know the name of the hotel. Not only that, but you can't even see the whole text at once. Instead, you have to sit there and wait forever to see the rest of the necessary information. A simple, static line of text would do a much better job at grabbing attention, as well as be more practical to read.
Ignoring smaller design errors, such as the red font, the vertical page layout, and the great deal of empty space at the bottom of the page, I noticed that none of the pages linked to on the home page ("Torquey", "Daily Menu", "Local Attractions", etc.) share a common layout. They all have different margins, and use different headers. The Christmas page bombards you with .gifs and even more broken image links. This whole website could use a serious overhaul. But, at least the owners seem like good sports about it.
2) http://spotmetering.com/
I'll give them this: All the information on the home page is centered. +1 point. Also, the .gif at the top of the home page, while a little outdated, isn't too distracting and matches the background nicely.
This is where the good things end.
Instead of having a nice, clean home page that neatly lays out important links and exudes an overall welcoming feeling, this home page bombards you with information. It's extremely overwhelming. Big blocks of text are impossible to focus on, and in this case, the text is constantly changing color, size, and style, making it even more obnoxious. On top of that, there are no jump links to easily direct you to a certain spot on the page. If you want to know about one thing, then you have to scroll through all this obnoxious text to find what you need to know. At first, I thought the links along the top acted as jump links, but they instead lead to different pages. Good lord, who was I to suggest that the world doesn't need this much information about spot metering? What a fool I was!
In fact, this site, while clearly meant for photographers, could seriously benefit from a more welcoming language. The jargon on this page is impossible for the average person to follow, which means that this website is likely to only attract that small niche of people who care about spot metering, while driving away those who might gain an interest but aren't yet at that level.
Finally, there are WAAAAY too many links on this website. There are tables and tables of links leading to outside websites, like Nikon and Canon. Nobody is going to want to constantly click back and forth when doing research. A smart website might say "For more information on spot metering with Nikon cameras", visit Nikon.com", or maybe even lead to another page that solely focuses on that.
Meanwhile, let's focus on two websites and what they do right.
1) http://www.headhunterhairstyling.com/
This is a very aesthetically pleasing website. A large part of that is the choice of color (a light yellow and turquoise) as well as the slideshow that greets you on the home page. The links are easy to find and not overwhelming (Some of the poorer websites had far too many links and added to a sense of confusion) and their social media is clearly listed on the bottom left. In this case, less is more, and a lot of those other sites don't seem to understand that. Lastly, all of the connecting pages have a similar layout, and it's very easy to follow. Everything is clearly labeled, and you can find your way around without a lot of scrolling.
2) http://www.apple.com/
Apple's brand has always been chic, clean, and shiny, and their website definitely reflects that. HD pictures of their products suggest that everything they do is cutting edge and new, and little taglines like "This is 7", referring to iphone 7 says that they don't necessarily feel that they need to "sell" it. Instead, they can just point out "what you see is what you get", implying that anyone will want to buy it because it's new. Confidence in a website or product speaks volumes, even when there's little content.
Apple has little boxes under the featured item, showcasing other new products that maybe aren't as newsworthy. All of the news is presented very cleanly with pictures that lead to new pages. It's also worth noting that a website with a single color scheme is far more pleasant to look at than one that can't make up its mind about what color each font should be. In Apple's case, their color scheme is white, grey, and black, with tiny splashes of color in their pictures. This is a very chic look, and should be applauded.
***
I think that branding on a website is extremely important, not just for marketing purposes, but also referring to confidence in the product. When I said "less is more" earlier, what I mean is that a website with less content on the home page feels like they can get their brand across with pictures, a nice layout, and some text, but not too much text. It's a simple trick, but extremely effective. Meanwhile, when a page is just bombarding you with information, pictures, text, .gifs, and a colored background, it's almost as though the people behind the page have no confidence and instead are choosing to distract you with walls of text and colorful .gifs.
Sunday, September 18, 2016
Week 2b: Five Businesses on Social Media
1. Denny's
a. https://www.dennys.com/
b. Tumblr, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, Linkdin
c. All the social media links link to the correct pages, and all appear to be updated and maintained regularly.
d. Tumblr - 9/17/16 | Instagram - 9/16/16 | Twitter - 9/17/16 | Facebook - 9/13/16 | Youtube - 9/13/16 | Linkdin - 9/14/16
e. Denny's is very unique as far as social media goes. Their presence on Tumblr in particular borders on surreal, with lots of strange postings, riddles, and a bizarre sense of humor. This personality is also present on Twitter as well as Instagram, but doesn't extend to Facebook, Linkdin, or Youtube. This might be because younger people use the former three platforms, while the latter are seen as more professional.
2. Petco
a. http://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore
b. Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Google+, Instagram, Pinterest
c. All the social media links link to the correct pages, and all appear to be updated and maintained regularly.
d. Facebook - 9/18/16 | Twitter - 9/18/16 | Youtube - 9/7/16 | Google+ - 9/18/16 | Instagram - 9/18/16
e. The tone that Petco employs across all of its social media is very consistent, celebrating the relationships between pets and their owners and the benefits of pets and nature. The content posted on each platform is very cheery, bright, and optimistic.
3. Disneyland
a. https://disneyland.disney.go.com/
b. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube
c. All the social media links link to the correct pages, and all appear to be updated and maintained regularly.
d. Facebook - 9/18/16 | Twitter - 9/18/16 | Instagram - 9/15/16 | Youtube - 9/17/16
e. Disneyland always does a great job with their social media, appealing to all demographics; children, parents, theme park fans, foodies, and fashionistas. Disney spends a lot of time promoting their exclusive events and other investments (the cruise lines, the movies, etc.), but when an opportunity to collaborate comes along, they'll do business with smaller groups that fit in well with the brand (i.e., Disneybounding).
4. Target
a. http://www.target.com/
b. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Youtube
c. All the social media links link to the correct pages, and all appear to be updated and maintained regularly.
d. Facebook - 9/15/16 | Twitter - 9/15/16 | Instagram - 9/15/16 | Youtube - 9/14/16
e. It appears as though Target takes the lazy route when it comes to posting on social media. While they do post regularly, and it's clear they write their posts well, it's always the same post, just reformatted for Twitter, or Facebook, or whatever. I think an important part of social media is mixing it up as far as content goes. If you post the same content on Twitter that you do on Facebook, there's no reason for your Facebook followers to follow you on Twitter, or visa versa.
5. Applebee's
a. http://www.applebees.com/#modal
b. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Youtube
c. All the social media links link to the correct pages, and all appear to be updated and maintained regularly.
d. Facebook - 9/18/16 | Instagram - 9/18/16 | Twitter - 9/18/16 | Youtube - 9/8/16
e. Not much to say about Applebees. The social media pages are all nicely maintained, and looking at it made me hungry. One thing that sticks out is that on Twitter, they retweeted a lot of posts that customers have made about Applebees, whether it be a bit of praise or a picture of their dinner. I think this shows a great amount of confidence in their food and their brand. No need to create their own posts about how great their food is; just show them what their customers are saying.
a. https://www.dennys.com/
b. Tumblr, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, Linkdin
c. All the social media links link to the correct pages, and all appear to be updated and maintained regularly.
d. Tumblr - 9/17/16 | Instagram - 9/16/16 | Twitter - 9/17/16 | Facebook - 9/13/16 | Youtube - 9/13/16 | Linkdin - 9/14/16
e. Denny's is very unique as far as social media goes. Their presence on Tumblr in particular borders on surreal, with lots of strange postings, riddles, and a bizarre sense of humor. This personality is also present on Twitter as well as Instagram, but doesn't extend to Facebook, Linkdin, or Youtube. This might be because younger people use the former three platforms, while the latter are seen as more professional.
2. Petco
a. http://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore
b. Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Google+, Instagram, Pinterest
c. All the social media links link to the correct pages, and all appear to be updated and maintained regularly.
d. Facebook - 9/18/16 | Twitter - 9/18/16 | Youtube - 9/7/16 | Google+ - 9/18/16 | Instagram - 9/18/16
e. The tone that Petco employs across all of its social media is very consistent, celebrating the relationships between pets and their owners and the benefits of pets and nature. The content posted on each platform is very cheery, bright, and optimistic.
3. Disneyland
a. https://disneyland.disney.go.com/
b. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube
c. All the social media links link to the correct pages, and all appear to be updated and maintained regularly.
d. Facebook - 9/18/16 | Twitter - 9/18/16 | Instagram - 9/15/16 | Youtube - 9/17/16
e. Disneyland always does a great job with their social media, appealing to all demographics; children, parents, theme park fans, foodies, and fashionistas. Disney spends a lot of time promoting their exclusive events and other investments (the cruise lines, the movies, etc.), but when an opportunity to collaborate comes along, they'll do business with smaller groups that fit in well with the brand (i.e., Disneybounding).
4. Target
a. http://www.target.com/
b. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Youtube
c. All the social media links link to the correct pages, and all appear to be updated and maintained regularly.
d. Facebook - 9/15/16 | Twitter - 9/15/16 | Instagram - 9/15/16 | Youtube - 9/14/16
e. It appears as though Target takes the lazy route when it comes to posting on social media. While they do post regularly, and it's clear they write their posts well, it's always the same post, just reformatted for Twitter, or Facebook, or whatever. I think an important part of social media is mixing it up as far as content goes. If you post the same content on Twitter that you do on Facebook, there's no reason for your Facebook followers to follow you on Twitter, or visa versa.
5. Applebee's
a. http://www.applebees.com/#modal
b. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Youtube
c. All the social media links link to the correct pages, and all appear to be updated and maintained regularly.
d. Facebook - 9/18/16 | Instagram - 9/18/16 | Twitter - 9/18/16 | Youtube - 9/8/16
e. Not much to say about Applebees. The social media pages are all nicely maintained, and looking at it made me hungry. One thing that sticks out is that on Twitter, they retweeted a lot of posts that customers have made about Applebees, whether it be a bit of praise or a picture of their dinner. I think this shows a great amount of confidence in their food and their brand. No need to create their own posts about how great their food is; just show them what their customers are saying.
Saturday, September 17, 2016
Week 2a: Business and Consumer
It's difficult to remember each time I've interacted with a business online. I don't believe I've ever tried to get noticed by a business with a complaint or anything, although I've provided certain feedback while not expecting a response. Some up-and-coming and moderately sized businesses seem very committed to providing information and help on social media to those who need it, but in general, I don't think social media is the best place to get noticed by a business. If anything, it simply helps you get drowned out by the thousands of other people commenting and posting on the same page.
Personally, I've never had an interaction with a business that really stands out, but I do know of people who have made a silly comment towards a business only to get a surprise from the business. The following exchange between cartoon-maker Alex Hirsch and Arby's comes to mind:
If I were running my own business's social media page, I would respond to all comments graciously and in a timely manner. I would thank all positive comments, and apologize to all negative comments or criticisms, and provide steps that that person could take to really make themselves heard by the business at large.
Personally, I've never had an interaction with a business that really stands out, but I do know of people who have made a silly comment towards a business only to get a surprise from the business. The following exchange between cartoon-maker Alex Hirsch and Arby's comes to mind:
If I were running my own business's social media page, I would respond to all comments graciously and in a timely manner. I would thank all positive comments, and apologize to all negative comments or criticisms, and provide steps that that person could take to really make themselves heard by the business at large.
Thursday, September 8, 2016
Week 1b: Business and Personal Use of Social Media
Social media is a funny thing in that there's not much separating business-oriented profiles from personal ones. Facebook may seem like a very personal platform, but if you remove any form of individual identity from the content, it can become more promotional and business-oriented. In order to keep that separation intact, one must be sure to never hint at the person behind the page.
For example, the various MiraCosta social media pages are all run by two people. Can you name either of these people? More so, can you differentiate between the two writing styles and tell which is which? Can you tell if the people who run the page are male or female? If you can, that's a sign that too much individuality is coming through, and it distracts from the identity of the college. A good social media page should make you feel as though the business as a whole is talking to you, rather than just a representative. The most successful companies on social media make you feel as though the business has its own personality; it jokes with its followers, it apologizes when things go wrong, it celebrates promotions and events. This should all be seen as genuine, and not as a marketing tool designed to manipulate.
In conclusion, there really are no platforms specifically for personal or business use. It all depends on how well the social media representatives can hide their identity and take on the persona of the business as a whole.
For example, the various MiraCosta social media pages are all run by two people. Can you name either of these people? More so, can you differentiate between the two writing styles and tell which is which? Can you tell if the people who run the page are male or female? If you can, that's a sign that too much individuality is coming through, and it distracts from the identity of the college. A good social media page should make you feel as though the business as a whole is talking to you, rather than just a representative. The most successful companies on social media make you feel as though the business has its own personality; it jokes with its followers, it apologizes when things go wrong, it celebrates promotions and events. This should all be seen as genuine, and not as a marketing tool designed to manipulate.
In conclusion, there really are no platforms specifically for personal or business use. It all depends on how well the social media representatives can hide their identity and take on the persona of the business as a whole.
Week 1a: My template
I chose this template because it's a striking yet calming design. The colors work really well together, and although it doesn't much fit the overall tone of my posts, I believe that people will be drawn to it. It's uniqueness almost gives the impression that I designed and coded it myself. While that's not true, it might make me, the author appear more savvy and skilled than someone who chose a basic-looking template.
I also like that the style on this template also applies to the comments section. I don't know if it's included on the other templates, but the "About Me" section is a nice touch. Basically, if you found an individual blog post of mine on a Google search, all the relevant information is presented to you right off the bat, and that can be very appealing to people who find the blog on accident.
I also like that the style on this template also applies to the comments section. I don't know if it's included on the other templates, but the "About Me" section is a nice touch. Basically, if you found an individual blog post of mine on a Google search, all the relevant information is presented to you right off the bat, and that can be very appealing to people who find the blog on accident.
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