Social Media Meltdown

Did you know that experts say anyone can be found via social media in 12 hours?

Frightening maybe - but for me I don't think it's true. You would be more likely to find me before you finish typing my name in the Goggle search bar. 

And it's all my own fault.

I don't know what's scarier. This image, the fact that 2 more on page 2 are also me, or that there are SO MANY Amanda Dugan's out there in the world. 

(in case you were wondering 4 of these are me plus 2 more on the bottom I couldn't fit in the screen shot) 

I have mixed feelings about this. 

On one hand this is the way of the world now.  Then of course there is the fact that I am guilty of putting myself out there and I mean REALLY out there into the social media stratosphere which in and of itself is a strange place. It's like a weird popularity contest in the middle of a never ending massive networking event where the cheese is stale and the wine is cheap and served in small plastic tumblers. But don't forget to "check in"!

On the other hand the more visible I get as I gain coveted followers, fans and likes makes me feel victorious..... which is unsettling when I think about it.  

It also means if I ever committed a crime I would have to go hide in a jungle in Nicaragua.  

Of course they have the internet there.  They live in houses with mud floors and corrugated tin sheet walls but they have satellite dishes. 

So currently  I have the following accounts: (Facebook proper is a given)

This little owl? Well he represents my newest one - Hootsuite which is a tool that helps me organize all of these accounts - which was getting increasingly difficult.

AND - lest we forget my job requires me to Tweet, update our company Facebook  monitor our LinkedIn page and Group and of course stay in touch with journalists and be in the know for what's #trending.

Between my work world and my personal life I feel I am on one social media network or another - and thanks to Hootsuite multiple ones at one time - for probably a significant portion of my waking hours.

Oh - and I am a "member" on The Huffington Post, make comments, have followers etc.

The thing is I spend so much of my time writing in 140 to 225 characters complete with the ever present #hashtag that I realize I never take the time to actually WRITE anymore.  Like a journal entry, a blog, a story. Although the length regulations has helped me get my point across in a more expedient manor instead of rambling on and on and getting side tracked in what I am trying to say on paper....wait where was I going with this?

So now I write in soundbites with hashtags.  

My love of photography is strong which is probably why half of my social networks are visually based (my website, Tumblr, Pinterest, my FB page), but only eclipses my love of writing by a small margin.

I studied communications.  I am a Public Relations Director and Social Media Marketer.  I was always the "chatty" one in grade school and high school.  I was very vocal in college.  Maybe it's something that is just inherently a part of me...to communicate.

I just need to get back into practice of writing more then 140 characters. 

So my goal  is to write more, tell more stories, share more experiences both visually and with the pen, or keyboard as it were.  Of course I realize that the more I share, well the more impossible it will be for me to #flyundertheradar or "go off the grid". 

Oh well it's obviously to late to turn back now. I mean even when I was in Nicaragua I posted pictures to my Facebook.  It's a hard habit to break, and of course everyone else was doing it too.

So more real writing. More photography. More internet visibility.  Maybe when I Google my name in the future the whole first page - or at least first 5 hits will be about me. I just hope it's not  for anything bad......

In the meantime I wish the '#' symbol didn't take 3 clicks to get to on the iPhone keyboard it makes it more difficult to tweet.  #FirstWorldProblems

Hey #Apple could you do something about that?

Oh, and of course....don't forget to follow me! :-)

My Newsfeed went RED, did yours?

Hotbed subject of the week.  The supreme court and marriage equality.

Even Yoda and Grumpy Cat are making their opinions known.

In the past 24 hours I have watched friend after friend (myself included) change their profile photo to one that depicts their support of marriage equality, regardless of the individuals sexual orientation.  I think over 100 of my friends and counting have done it.  Yes I went through my friend list a little while ago and counted - I am keeping an eye on you!

Some of them are so creative I had to share.

 This one is just nice

Awesome

 

 

Even Grumpy Cat got into the action (media slut - ha ha)

 



 Everyone believes in bacon

 My personal favorite and my profile picture which comes as no surprise to anyone who knows me!

 

The original one that started it all

 

 

I posted this article from Mashable about big Brands that are giving a shout out for Marriage Equality on their Social Media channels in my LinkedIn Group asking people if they think that its a true show of support or if they are capitalizing on the publicity.  You can join the commentary by joining  TV Brand Integration on LinkedIn if you are so inclined.

 

Finally, my daily MuckRack newsletter came in and posed a question that really made me pause and think about the way our media has and continues to change.  I decided to answer it publicly (sent it to MuckRack as well)

 

In answer to:  What do you think of journalists changing their profile photos in support of a cause? Should they refrain to remain objective? Or does Social Media level the playing field on opinions?

Journalists reporting the news are supposed to be objective, unbiased and temper their own opinion; but the reality is that is an incredibly difficult thing to do. Even without expressing their opinion on a subject matter, there are so many instances where it is apparent which way the writer (or the publication) leans on an issue.  It is easy to report objective facts selectively that give a hint to the authors true feelings without out and out saying it. 

“It was every day implied but never declared” – Jane Austen

However journalists are people. Humans.  Individuals who can be and very often are directly affected in one way or another by a political hotbed issue such as Health Care or Marriage Equality.  Everyone has a right to their opinions, Freedom of the Press / Media ensures that for Journalists. Social Media may have changed the way we receive our news, but not the basic rights of the people reporting it.

In the end it is the journalists right to make the decision as to whether or not they want to take a stand publicly on an issue or not.  Regardless if they do or don’t they have their opinion and more than likely we will read about it...

even if it’s hidden between the lines.

~~~~~

It's something to think about. Are you making your opinions known publicly or keeping them to yourself?  Feel free to tweet me with a response @PRShutterbug

 

Obvious my opinion is.

Update 3/28/2013

MuckRack Daily chose and published my (edited) response.
Which is cool with me - I've always needed a good editor.....

 

 



Face the Book

I remember when I was first begged to join.  Yes begged.  A friend I had a great time hanging out with in London - who introduced me to all kinds of people, implored and convinced me to join so I could share photos of our 2 weeks hanging out with all our new friends.  I actually thought "hey kinda cool way to keep in touch with all my new London Peeps" as they were HUGELY into it even though very few of my friends back in LA were .....yet.    So on my last day in London I sat in my rented flat,  turned on, logged in and joined the first wave of the social media revolution.

Cut to almost 7 years later and it is such a part of daily life that I have turned my tendency of over-sharing and "living-my-life-out-loud" into a career.  Well in theory as I am currently back to being unemployed.

This afternoon when I came out of the room where I just paid someone to painfully rip hair out of my body with hot wax (don't worry that will be a subject/rant for another day) the receptionist commiserated with my inability to buy a $300 package (so I could continue the pain and torture on regularly scheduled visits)  As it turns out she to is a Social Media and Marketing professional, and said she was psyched to find the job as a receptionist at a waxing center chain before the holidays.

Awesome.

However - that got me to thinking about Facebook once again.  Yes I know we had MySpace and other forms of social networking around before Zuckerberg took our lives and showed us how great it was to broadcast them for the world to see... but reality is that Facebook IS the real start of the Social Media Revolution.  Now social media is growing and spiraling into areas some of us may have never seen coming and I know there is more on the horizon (talking to live holograms of your friends and families from a wrist band perhaps?) but Facebook is - I guess the University headmaster of the different classes and levels of platforms we use. The Mac-Grandaddy of the social media universe so to speak.

WHY then, is the number one largest social media platform in the entire world not using the considerable resources at its disposal to help the massive amounts of unemployed / job seeking members?  I mean employers use Facebook to check us out - why can't they use it to find us for employment and vice vs.

Look guys I know you are up there in Palo Alto busy with making more money then is even fathomable, and making Mark Zuckerberg about to become wealthier then the combined worth of 27% of our nation (I'm sorry I think I just threw up in my mouth a little)  but how about helping the rest of  - oh I don't know - the WORLD but particularly your own countries economy by setting up a resource for job seekers that doesn't - pardon me - SUCK!

"Bosnia.  They don't have roads but they have Facebook"  - quote from the movie

Facebook - #FAIL!

And yes - I will still use it both personally and professionally - but doesn't mean I am still not irritated.

Social Media Maven!

It has been way to long since I have updated my own work and life on my blog, now that I am busy being paid to do it for someone else!

My new gig at Studione1 in Fort Lauderdale is pretty amazing!  Working on their Social Media - marketing and promotions, and getting to use the studio for shoots, sit in on workshops and observe owner and pro photographer Peter Langone at work!   Excellant!

Did my very first studio shoot last week for a good friend who will be traveling around the world for over a year.  Her blog will be interactive and her way to connect to her family and friend from anywhere in the world!  I can't wait to post the photos - but as my "client" I need to let her debut them on her site first!

So my new goal is to simultaneously update my own blog with that of my work.  I am having a blog built for them so that we can update the goings on here daily.

Meanwhile I set up a Tumblr Blog for them!  Check it out!

Happy Shooting!