There’s no denying that technology is becoming more and more advanced as the years go by. Just look at the world 30 years ago, when not many people had a phone or internet, social media didn’t exist, and if you wanted to learn a new word, you had to use a dictionary. The world is constantly changing, which is a good thing, as it shows that we are going forward and not stopping or going backward. Now, one of the things we mentioned has gone through quite a journey – social media. It’s hard to imagine that not so long ago, social media like Facebook, Instagram or Snapchat didn’t exist, as today it is hard to find someone who doesn’t have an account on at least one of those platforms. However, why is that? What’s the reason for the increasing social media popularity? There must be one since so many people use them. Actually, there are plenty of reasons. Want to unscramble the truth? All you have to do is keep reading. Social Media Gives an Opportunity to Meet New PeopleSince social media have no geographical restrictions, users have access to millions, if not billions of people from all over the world. One of the advantages of meeting people through social media is that you can look through a person’s profile before you start interacting with them. This will give you a chance to learn something more about them and decide whether you want to get in contact, or not really. There are plenty of ways you can meet them, the most popular one being belonging to the same interest group. This is also a great ice-breaker – if you have something in common, you can just start a conversation with something like ‘Hey, we belong to the same group, so I thought that I’d say hi.’ The rest will follow. Social Media are User-FriendlyAnother reason why social media is so popular is that most of the social platforms are extremely easy to use. Look at TikTok, for example, which is an app where you post short videos (up to 60 seconds). You don’t even need an account to see the videos – all you have to do is download and open the app. What’s more, all social media platforms have their mobile apps – there probably isn’t one that doesn’t. This means that you can easily access it from wherever you are, which is great for those who live a hectic life and have no time to open their laptop just to check their socials. Social Media are Great for Finding a Job and NetworkingThere are plenty of professional social networking sites, which are very helpful in finding a job, an employee, or establishing your brand online. People can post their skills, publications, articles, etc., to catch the future employer’s attention. Hiring employees through professional social media sites, such as LinkedIn, has actually become quite a popular tactic in many companies. Another thing that these types of social media platforms are often used for, is networking and getting in touch with people in the same field as you. Social Media Help Businesses Reach Out to Potential ClientsLast but not least, the reason why social media are so popular today is that they allow businesses to reach larger audiences. Since social media have access to information that, for example, search engines like Google do not have, like the user’s hobbies, interests, and places they quite frequently visit, a company can target their advertisements more appropriately. You must have noticed that the ads that you see while scrolling through social media are not random – they are either from the sites that you have visited not so long ago or with products that you have been searching for. Also, we cannot forget about sponsored posts on Instagram – influencer marketing has become quite a big deal recently. Companies prefer to pay a specific amount of money to a social media influencer than spend it on another marketing campaign. Why wouldn’t they? According to studies, people are most likely to buy a product if an influencer recommended it than if they saw an ad promoting it. The Bottom LineSocial media have changed the game – that’s for sure. Meeting new people from all over the world, or getting in touch with experts in your professional field have never been this easy. Thanks to their availability and the fact that they have their mobile apps, people who live a busy life, can keep in touch with their friends and family without worrying about checking their computer, or how high their telephone bill will be. Today, there’s one thing we are sure of – social media are thriving. How long will it stay like this? Well, that’s something that only time will be able to tell. The only thing we’re sure of is that they’re getting more targeted and personal. The post Why is Social Media So Popular? appeared first on Social Media Explorer. Original source: https://socialmediaexplorer.com/content-sections/news-and-noise/why-is-social-media-so-popular/ The post Why is Social Media So Popular? appeared first on connect social networks. via Connect Social Networks http://connectsocialnetworks.com/why-is-social-media-so-popular/
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TikTok’s uncertain fate in America continues, underscoring the precarious nature of creators’ business models and social platform overdependence. In case you missed it, earlier this month, President Trump signed an executive order to ban the use of the Chinese-owned app, TikTok. The order characterizes TikTok and parent company ByteDance Ltd., as a threat to national security for capturing “vast swaths of information from users, including Internet and other network activity information such as location data, and browsing and search histories.” Despite the specter of international sanctions, TikTok has had an amazing 2020. The app has been downloaded over 175 million times in the U.S. and over two billion times globally. When the pandemic hit, TikTok became the most downloaded app in the world, installed 315 million times in the first quarter alone – the best quarter of any app, ever and for good reason – creators were leaning into the platform and churning out some of the most interesting content to exist on social in a long time. TikTok’s popularity is as undeniable as the data privacy issues that have swirled around it since its inception. On a corporate level to have your US audience wiped out by sanctions is deeply problematic but the ripple effect of a US ban on TikTok would ripple across the community of creators who have worked hard to make the app as popular as it is. Many creators have been able to build their brands, grow audiences and earn a living based on their use of TikTok but the specter of having that wiped out is sadly nothing new for many of the most popular personalities on the platform. While the TikTok ban is dramatic example of the precariousness of even the biggest social platforms, creators have been increasingly aware of the value they create for platforms and how they little actually receive in exchange. Policy changes, algorithm shifts, shadow bans and monetization restrictions have limited their ability to connect with fans and earn a living doing what they love and the creators platforms have come to rely on for free content are becoming increasingly restless. Creators who do not own access to their audiences stand to lose everything when they rely singularly on a platform. The TikTok ban is a dramatic example of what can happen if creators do not maintain a direct line of communication with their fans through platform where they own their audience versus renting it from a platform. To put these obstacles into broader context, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat and now TikTok, have been under intense regulatory scrutiny for collection and use of personal data. Opaque data practices have come to light, drawing criticism and demand for transparency and corrective action at the policy level. For creators, this not only means their fortunes are directly tied to the platforms themselves, it means that while they’ve working hard to keep their fans happy, the social platforms have been exploiting their contributions to pad their financials and collect deep swathes of personal data. So, what to do? Creators bring amazing experiences to their fans and followers, and are sporadically rewarded for it, until they aren’t. In order to safeguard their creative and financial futures, creators should consider taking steps to ensure they have access and ownership over the audiences they work so hard to build and connect with. By not over-relying on one platform, creators lower their overall risk of loss. Diversifying the audience engagement approach and adopting a subscription model is key. Creators should look to invest their resources in tools that are designed to give them direct, unfettered access to their fans while at the same time fostering a meaningful, one to one relationship. Augmenting social media presence with a subscription model also allows creators to benefit from the exposure of major social channels, while breaking the cycle of over-dependence on the platforms. At the same time, fans and followers benefit from greater access to and engagement with the creators they care most about free from the toxic vitriol of social media. This model strengthens a creator’s value to their audience and elevates their earning potential, as well – a win-win for creators and fans alike. The post When Creators Are Platform Dependent – They Risk Losing It All appeared first on Social Media Explorer. Original source: https://socialmediaexplorer.com/content-sections/news-and-noise/when-creators-are-platform-dependent-they-risk-losing-it-all/ The post When Creators Are Platform Dependent – They Risk Losing It All appeared first on connect social networks. via Connect Social Networks http://connectsocialnetworks.com/when-creators-are-platform-dependent-they-risk-losing-it-all/ Scale Your Business by Adding Systems written by John Jantsch read more at Duct Tape Marketing Marketing Podcast with David Jenyns In this episode of the Duct Tape Marketing Podcast, I interview David Jenyns author of SYSTEMology. After working in his own business (Melbourne SEO & Video) for more than 10 years and being trapped in the day-to-day operations, David Jenyns had his wake up call with the birth of his first son. It was at the moment he decided not to be the ‘too busy’ dad who missed seeing his kids grow up because he worked 60+ hours a week. Having been involved with a franchised business before, David knew systemisation was the missing piece within his current business. With a clear vision on what needed to be done, he gave himself one year to ‘replace’ himself within the business. Granted, it took a little longer than expected, but with lots of trial and error, he documented his business to a level where it operated without him – three years later. The final step in achieving his goal was to hire a CEO who still, to this day, runs that business. This of course, was just the beginning of his journey. Through this process, David became a systems devotee and went on to found systemHUB.com and SYSTEMology. Today David and his team of SYSTEMologists are on a mission to free all business owners – who are trapped just like he once was – on a worldwide scale. Questions I ask David Jenyns:
What you’ll learn if you give a listen:
More about David Jenyns:
Like this show? Click on over and give us a review on iTunes, please! This episode of the Duct Tape Marketing Podcast is brought to you by WordStream, online advertising made easy. It is so easy to waste time and money on online advertising. That is why you need tools like WordStream in your corner. Check out WordStream.com today. Original source: https://ducttapemarketing.com/scale-your-business-by-adding-systems/ The post Scale Your Business by Adding Systems appeared first on connect social networks. via Connect Social Networks http://connectsocialnetworks.com/scale-your-business-by-adding-systems/ Photography, now more than ever, is becoming the art of the people. Back in the day, getting into photography had such a steep barrier to entry. Only the rich and the professionals had cameras in the 1950s. That all changed with companies like Kodak and Polaroid giving the ability to capture moments in an instant to the masses. Nowadays, there it has become even more democratized. Where certain aesthetics took a Herculean effort, we now have digital enhancement and smartphones. If you want to learn photography, you can enroll in a fancy university. But honestly, you can teach yourself. If you’re reading this, you already have the proper resources at your fingertips. Here are some ways you can be a self-taught and thriving photographer. Smartphone PhotographySocial media photography is, despite what people want to say, good photography. The difference is in the aesthetics and themes. The smartphone you have in your hand is more powerful than nearly every camera in the past. Using it right can make all the difference. Using your smartphone for professional pics is not unheard of at all. Ask any photographer that’s been in the game for a few years. They’ll tell you that the majority of us are so used to the smartphone camera that people’s guards are down almost instantly. This makes for more honest expression and, in the end, a better picture. Online RevolutionThe very basics can be found online. There are countless tutorials in every language that can be found here. Everything from how to hold your camera to how you can adjust the settings to the environment. Most people who get into photography just keep it on “auto”, and you know what? A lot of professionals do too. But if you want to get the most out of your camera, without relying on the internal software to get the right shot, you can check out one of the thousands of tutorials on your phone. Tactile ExcellenceIf you want to learn how to get good at photography, get an old film camera. It’s not to posture as some hipster that adores the aesthetic of at least 3 generations prior. Old cameras are unforgiving. They don’t help you adjust your technique on the fly as modern cameras do. They’re full of knobs and buttons and switches that ultimately have been replaced by a touch screen. On top of that, you’re not going to know you messed up until you develop the film. These days, you’ll probably have to do that on your own. It’s a lost skill that not many possess. But if you take up the practice, the reward and patience will surely pay off. Photography is for everyone. No longer do we have to rely on the plastic disposable cameras or the extremely expensive blogger mirrorless ones. We have a decent camera in our pocket. Our introduction to the world of professional and professional-style photography doesn’t start when we shell out the cash. It starts when we use what we have available. A skill is a skill. Building it doesn’t have to break the bank. The post Ways to Learn Photography on Your Own appeared first on Social Media Explorer. Original source: https://socialmediaexplorer.com/content-marketing-2/ways-to-learn-photography-on-your-own/ The post Ways to Learn Photography on Your Own appeared first on connect social networks. via Connect Social Networks http://connectsocialnetworks.com/ways-to-learn-photography-on-your-own/ The Basic Things To Do When You Start Your Own Public Relations Firm (Or Communications Consultancy)8/17/2020 I started EZPR about 8 years ago, with the goal of not having to answer to anyone other than my clients and my own self-loathing, and it’s worked out pretty well. And today it’s even easier than it was back then to start your own firm, especially if you’re slowly going insane working for a person who appears to think CEO means “micromanage and yet somehow take vacations.” What blows me away are the many small yet meaningful mistakes that these people make when they start out – things that I always thought were obvious, perhaps because I’m a genius, or perhaps because they’re extremely obvious but people still don’t do them for reasons I can’t understand. Let’s begin. Don’t Just Refer To Yourself As A Communications Consultant – Pick A Proper NameWhatever your name is, don’t call yourself [your name], PR Consultant. That immediately pigeonholes you as a singular entity, dramatically reducing the respect and business you’ll be able to compete for. Saying you’re an “independent consultant” makes a lot of people think you’re unemployed, or unable to do the job that you would do in exactly the same position in an agency. Come up with a name that isn’t just “Your Name Public Relations.” It’s even fine to just use your second name. Use your middle name. Use the name of your cat. Choose something. Also, make sure it’s X Y Z Public Relations or Communications. Don’t just say “consulting.” Consulting sounds like, well, a consultancy, which could be for anything. For example, a good agency name would be, if your name was Robert Derner, Derner PR. Simple, effective, sounds good. What wouldn’t be effective would be Robert Derner Public Relations (too long), or worse still, Robert Derner, Communications Consultant. Buy A Domain, Don’t Use Your Personal Email, It’s EmbarrassingIt costs maybe $10 to buy a domain name, and most hosts – I like Name.com – will even set up a Gmail account to go with it, so you’ll be able to use Gmail and send and receive emails from [email protected], or whatever address you have. It makes you sound like you know what you’re doing, that you’re a real business, and that you actually exist, versus someone emailing from their @gmail, or worse still, @aol or @yahoo.com, email. If you’re trying to convince someone to give you thousands of dollars a month to do work for them, why in the world would they trust you if you’re using @gmail.com? What’s wrong with you? Come on! Seriously! Get A Real WebsiteIt took me years to actually get a proper website. What “proper” means is “not a WordPress or template website,” which is ironic considering this blog is currently on WordPress. When clients look you up, that’s where they’ll find you. I recommend finding someone who can build you one relatively affordably – I use Studio Corvus, who builds on Webflow. The reason I specifically recommend them is because most WordPress sites do not work very well on mobile, while Webflow sites work well on mobile, and your clients are going to check you out while messing around on their phone. On said website, have your contact information, such as your email address and phone number (I’d recommend getting a Google Voice number that forwards to your real number), and clearly state what it is you do and why you’re good at it. Have clients. Have example results you’ve got. Make it short, sweet and professional. Get The Software You Need To Run Your Agency (And Look Professional)For invoicing, I use Freshbooks – it lets you do monthly billing, track expenses, all the stuff you’ll need. Zoom is an obvious one for comms. Slack is an obvious choice when you start to staff up, and clients may want to have private Slack channels to chat with you. I really like Superhuman for email management, but it’s not necessary. I use Notion to keep track of everything from media hits to new business, and it’s super adaptable (though a bit overwhelming at first.) The most important thing you realize is that you do not need much software to actually do it. You may notice I haven’t mentioned Cision, or Meltwater, or Muckrack. The reason is that for the most part you will need to learn the contact emails of people once, and past that point you can work them out on your own, mostly by using Google. Cision costs thousands of dollars, and is useful for finding contacts, and precisely nothing else. Trendkite is bloated, ugly, useless software that costs about $10,000 a year and does not work in a way a human being does. Any service that offers to do “media outreach” for you is a scam of spam – one that will be blasting the same email to lots of people, which sucks. If you absolutely need a database tool, Cision is okay. It’s not great. I hate paying for it. Media monitoring services only give you metrics to mislead your clients, and they charge through the nose. I cannot tell you what they are worth. All I know is that you definitely don’t need anyone to monitor the media for you. Get Google Alerts. They’re fine. One day a company will come along and offer what Cision does – an updated database of people’s emails who wish their emails weren’t public – at a cheaper cost. When that day comes along, go with God. They continue to add a bunch of other things like “influencer outreach” (meaningless, it’s just the same thing) and “campaigns” (IE: they wrap their press release product into more mail merging stuff). No way do you need all that. Get Your First 10 Clients At Any Price, And Go Hog Wild For ThemThe best money you can make in PR is based off of referrals. I have very rarely if ever had to do outgoing new business because I started my agency with the spiteful intention of righting the wrongs of the PR industry. What this manifested as was great work for every client, obviously, but a whole-assing from day 1 that meant that my very first client, to this day, refers me incredible business. Why? Because I didn’t do the work of someone making a small retainer, I did the work that I believed an agency should do. Your earliest clients are not stepping stones, they are the foundation of your agency. These are the people who will never forget you – who will go to bat for you for years (or nearly a decade in one case), who will continue to talk well of you, because you were both early at the same time, and you both fought in the trenches together. I’m not saying that later in the game you get to ease off the gas pedal – just that when you start out, you should try and do the work of a full agency, even if you’re not a full agency. Seriously, happy clients are the best form of revenue you will ever have. This may mean that you let these clients go sometimes – let them leave before they grow to hate you, and they’ll still refer you business. The post The Basic Things To Do When You Start Your Own Public Relations Firm (Or Communications Consultancy) appeared first on The Future Buzz. Original source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheFutureBuzz/~3/dS5QXfctuW0/ The post The Basic Things To Do When You Start Your Own Public Relations Firm (Or Communications Consultancy) appeared first on connect social networks. via Connect Social Networks http://connectsocialnetworks.com/the-basic-things-to-do-when-you-start-your-own-public-relations-firm-or-communications-consultancy/ While we still don’t have flying cars, there are definitely many exciting vehicle technologies to look forward to in the future. With increased concern for the environment and demand for smarter vehicles that make our lives easier, automakers have been experimenting with unique ways to improve automobiles. Listed below are some exciting innovations in the car industry we can expect to see in the next decade.
Electric and hybrid vehicles are our current non-gas-powered options. However, several new contenders are in line to be the next clean, cheap, and effective car fuel option. Engineers and scientists have been experimenting with hydrogen-powered vehicles in the past few years, but several car manufacturers have finally created vehicles that can actually rely on this form of fuel. There are currently a small handful of hydrogen-powered models available in limited markets today. Automobiles that use this alternative fuel run on hydrogen gas. It works by converting the gas into electricity with water and heat as the byproducts. This way, they are completely emission-free, making them far safer for the planet than cars that run on gas and diesel. Solar energy is another possibility for powering cars in the future. It is one of the cleanest sources of energy available and completely renewable. Solar panels convert energy from sunlight into electricity. Vehicles powered by solar energy can run at night and without direct sunlight as long as enough solar energy is stored beforehand. Solar-powered vehicles are currently only available as prototypes and are not ready for everyday use. Engineers are still working out several kinks that make solar cars impractical, including the cost and weight of panels. Additionally, only a certain amount of energy can be absorbed by existing solar panels. This amount of energy is not yet able to sustain a work commute for most people. Another alternative fuel contender is the solid-state battery. This battery is meant to replace the current lithium-ion battery that is used in electric vehicles. They are simpler, lighter, and don’t have the same cooling requirements as lithium ones. Furthermore, solid-state batteries have been tested to last longer, charge faster, and be fireproof.
Today, many cars are equipped with driving assistance. This function alerts motorists when they drive too close to an object, initiates automatic braking, and takes over steering if the driver veers too far out of a lane. However, this is not fully automated driving. Currently, motorists are still required to monitor automatic driving systems. Truly automated driving would not require a driver to intervene at all. This would allow a greater amount of people to have the convenience of a car, even if they are not capable of driving it themselves. This kind of automation would require increased vehicle intelligence and technologies to accurately sense things like the speeds of nearby vehicles, the distance of objects that are both close and far away, and various on-road hazards and obstacles. Essentially, this type of vehicle will need to have a complete image of everything all at once and make the appropriate decision to ensure safety for passengers in the vehicle as well as nearby vehicles. Some companies are working to perfect this system. Tesla and Google are two major names that are close to mastering a fully self-driving vehicle. Google’s Waymo project already has self-driving cars on the road in California. It is said that their inclusion should result in fewer totaled vehicles and safer roads.
Material changes to vehicles have been slow-coming, especially when it comes to changing out the steel, aluminum, magnesium, and rubber that cars are primarily composed of. However, just because cars aren’t made out of coconut doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be. In fact, auto manufacturers are experimenting with using coconut husks in addition to carbon fibers, bamboo, and aerogels in car materials. Metal can get very heavy and weight gets expensive. However, lighter, natural materials reduce weight, can increase durability, and have recyclable properties which can reduce costs in many industries.
Many of us may be used to giving Siri and Google commands to play certain songs, text someone back, or search the internet while we drive. However, these kinds of digital assistants do not learn or adapt as well as an artificial intelligence personality could. In the future, your vehicle may be able to learn about your driving habits and preferences and suggest alternate routes or switch into autonomous driving. It would also be able to recognize your facial features and emotions and make suggestions based on them. Moreover, an intelligent vehicle assistant could potentially be used as an autonomous ride-sharing vehicle when not in use: it would pick and drop off passengers locally, without you needing to do the actual driving. It could also decide to sell energy back to the electric grid when it is idle.
The amount of charging stations and electricity required to power an increasing number of electric vehicles are obstacles to getting more, and better, electric cars on the road. Charging stations are not available everywhere. As a result, long drives are currently difficult, if not impossible to do with an EV. However, scientists believe one solution to this problem is charging cars while they drive on the road. Using this method, electric vehicles will drive over induction coils that are on or under the road. The induction plate on the bottom of the car will interact with the coils and induce an electric current to feed the electric battery. This way, EVs will not run out of power as long as they are on a road with induction coils. Technology like this will finally allow EVs to be put to optimal use. In other words, you will be able to take your electric car on a road trip without limiting yourself heavily to metropolitan locations. The post Top 5 Most Exciting Car Technologies Coming This Decade appeared first on Social Media Explorer. Original source: https://socialmediaexplorer.com/business-innovation-2/top-5-most-exciting-car-technologies-coming-this-decade/ The post Top 5 Most Exciting Car Technologies Coming This Decade appeared first on connect social networks. via Connect Social Networks http://connectsocialnetworks.com/top-5-most-exciting-car-technologies-coming-this-decade/ Creating Community Focused on Shared Experiences written by John Jantsch read more at Duct Tape Marketing Marketing Podcast with Donald Miller In this episode of the Duct Tape Marketing Podcast, I interview Jim Deters, CEO of Gravity Haus. The Gravity Haus mission is to create a globally conscious community for the modern adventurer. The Gravity Haus community consists of those who care about the planet and their personal growth. Based in the heart of the Rocky Mountains, they are built for a community that is tailored to adventure. The Gravity Haus has curated a sustainable experience for an adventure-loving community specializing in uniquely designed guestrooms, functional coworking spaces, world-class guided experiences, thoughtfully crafted food and cocktails, and holistic training and recovery. Jim Deters previously co-founded Galvanize, a hub for tech entrepreneurs. With several Galvanize campus there are hundreds of students learning industry-leading skills in software development and data science, alongside representatives from the area’s top startups and some of the world’s most prestigious tech companies. Questions I ask Jim Deters:
What you’ll learn if you give a listen:
More about Jim Deters:
Like this show? Click on over and give us a review on iTunes, please! This episode of the Duct Tape Marketing Podcast is brought to you by WordStream, online advertising made easy. It is so easy to waste time and money on online advertising. That is why you need tools like WordStream in your corner. Check out WordStream.com today. Original source: https://ducttapemarketing.com/creating-community-focused-on-shared-experiences/ The post Creating Community Focused on Shared Experiences appeared first on connect social networks. via Connect Social Networks http://connectsocialnetworks.com/creating-community-focused-on-shared-experiences/ Los Angeles has long been seen as the entertainment capital of the world so it should not be surprising that some of the top up and coming music artists in the world hail from this area. One of the newest artists to make his mark is Johnny Crown. Johnny Crown is a rising hip hop artist and has a tremendous amount of creative talent. Already, there are many people who are saying that he is going to leave a lasting impression on the hip hop industry. In an era that is seeing a tremendous amount of change, it is exciting to see Johnny Crown as one of the artists taking the lead. His career is already off to an exciting start. Crown describes himself as a modern hip hop artist. His projects have a unique sound that has already endeared him to countless fans. His biggest strengths involve lyrics and stories. While his sound is unique and personal, his lyrics tell a story to which many people can relate. Already, fans have fallen in love with the stories that he communicates with his work. It is clear that he draws upon his experiences when he comes up with his songs, holding the attention of the listener as bar after bar goes by. Now, Johnny Crown has developed a huge following. Much of this is thanks to social media. In the modern era, young artists have numerous tools at their disposal. These tools can help them raise their profile seemingly overnight. Crown does a great job with his Instagram and Twitter accounts, helping to funnel traffic between these accounts and his website. As more people share his work, including his new song called “Isis,” his presence in the industry is only going to grow. Now, the Los Angeles project is ready for more. Johnny Crown still calls LA home and is ready to unleash a new suite of songs. Numerous people are already following him, waiting to see what happens next. As “Isis,” the lead song from his EP called “Untitled,” starts to make waves, it will be exciting to see where he goes from here. Johnny Crown knows that there are a lot of powerful women in his life who have guided him on his journey. He seeks to give thanks to them with his EP. While Johnny Crown may still be young, it is clear that his potential to virtually unlimited. As long as he stays true to himself, it is clear that his fans will follow him everywhere. He will continue to draw on his experiences as he writes new songs, carving out his spot in the modern hip hop industry. The post Johnny Crown Builds a Career Using Social Media appeared first on Social Media Explorer. Original source: https://socialmediaexplorer.com/online-public-relations/johnny-crown-builds-a-career-using-social-media/ The post Johnny Crown Builds a Career Using Social Media appeared first on connect social networks. via Connect Social Networks http://connectsocialnetworks.com/johnny-crown-builds-a-career-using-social-media/ I’m extremely online, the Freakazoid of the best tech Public Relations agency, EZPR. I was born online, raised online, and when everyone else went remote I was extremely ready, except for one thing: going on camera. I didn’t want to. I’d spent all this time enjoying not having to share my physical form. I hate seeing myself, more than anything (even other people), and thus I had to pick the most extra way to deal with the problem: to look as close to a television broadcast as possible. One caveat: an actual TV broadcast is slightly different in how it’s put together than a Zoom call, in the sense that you are usually isolated in a sound-dampened studio, looking directly into the camera (or at the host), with perfect lighting, responding to questions in a specific (and restricted) timeframe. In the case of Zoom calls, you’re likely not facing the camera, you’re looking at other stuff (you say it’s Google Docs, it’s really Twitter), you’re having a conversation with multiple people, but ultimately you can apply the same sorts of principles you might on a TV broadcast. Why Should I Do This?Right now, you’re likely using your laptop webcam, or the webcam that you bought for $50 off of Amazon 5 years ago. The issues with this kind of setup are way more obvious than you’d think:
You should be doing this because it makes you look cool – you look more professional, and you’re not going to have an office for a long time, so this is a way to stand out. Here’s an example from me: What You’re DoingTo pull this off, you are applying a few basic principles to how you’re going to appear (and sound) on (web) camera.
A note on ambient light: if you have a large window with a lot of ambient light, it’s likely going to mess with your shot a little. It won’t be terrible, but I’d suggest blinds if you can get them. If not, it’ll still look great. How You’ll Do ItHere’re the broad strokes of what you’re doing:
How To Set Up Your Camera Shot (And What You’ll Need)The CameraThat great-looking shot on TV is created by having a professional camera focus on the person. When you focus (using a proper lens) on a subject, it blurs the background and focuses on them, which is pleasing to the eye. To do this using Zoom, you need a camera that can send an HDMI video feed from the camera to an HDMI source, as well as a way to get said HDMI source to your computer. To do that, I recommend getting a good (and compatible) mirrorless camera, like the Sony a5100 with an 18-55mm lens ($450-$500). This focal length (that’s the “mm” part) means that you can have the camera relatively close to you and still get that pleasing focal effect. I also recommend getting a dummy battery (so that you don’t have to keep charging the battery in the camera), as well as flexible tripod like the Gorillapod 3K. You’ll also need an HDMI cable for the camera. Crucially, you’ll want to get an Elgato Cam Link 4K, which will pull the image from the camera into Zoom. You then will simply select the camera in Zoom like you would a regular webcam. Do not get the cheap knockoffs, seriously, they’re cheaper because they are finicky, and when you are logging onto a client call you don’t want that. That being said, this is a cheap workaround that can only do 1080p. With all of that together, you’ll set up the camera by plugging the HDMI cable into the camera, then the other end of said cable into the Camlink, which will connect to your computer via USB. There are some specific settings this very short video shows you to plug in. At that point, your camera is ready. The LightingBecause you’re using a professional camera, you’ll notice that you’re not particularly easy-to-see. That’s because the human eye is kind of incredible at exposing shots with way less light – your brain works to light up the world that a camera does not. As a result, your beautiful new camera won’t be able to see you that well without some lighting. Luckily, it’s pretty easy to do – you have two lights, a key light which lights you, the subject, and a fill light that ‘fills’ in the shadows that the key light doesn’t. You can pull this off in a number of ways, but the easiest I’ve found is the Elgato Key Light Air, a pair of which will set you back about $400 (thanks to everyone wanting them at this time). You’ll likely want them set up so you have two of them either side of your monitor, and if you want, even have a third set up behind you. This article points out exactly how to do it, but I’d argue that you can stick to just the key and the fill and get a great effect. This seems very daunting, but it’s simply a case of hitting a button (in the case of the Elgato lights, on an app) that turns them on and off when you’re on call. What you’re trying to do is make it so that you can have a clean, well-lit image that doesn’t have any shadows on it. You’ll also be able to adjust the color on the lights too to match your skin. The end result is a great-looking, well-lit image that makes you look awesome. The SoundThis part is a lot easier to do (if you want it to be), as you can simply get a specific kind of mic that will likely sound very good, and you’ll be done. The easiest way to get great sound is a simple, good USB mic, like the Blue Snowball iCE USB mic, or a cheaper mic like the MAONO USB microphone, the crucial pieces here being that you’re getting something that is lightyears ahead of whatever your headphones or your computer has for a mic. The next step up is to get a fancy USB mic like the Elgato Wave:3 or the Blue Yeti X, which cost a pretty penny but sound amazing for a lot less effort than you’ll be putting in. You can even get a boom mic holder for these that will suspend the mic next to your face, or by your head – depending on how you want to do this, you’ll ideally want to have it near enough to your face that it picks up your voice, but far enough away that it’s barely or not in your shot at all. These extra-expensive mics will do a degree of what a mixing deck would do to make you sound better, things like a de-esser, or a compressor to make your voice sound smooth and great like on the radio, as well as cut out background noise like air conditioners or whoopie cushions. I really do insist you get a nice one, or you go a bit more extra, if you want to make this a whole thing. Getting Extra With SoundThe next step isn’t exactly required, but it’s what I do because I do podcasts, and I am always full-ass into things like this. What you can also do is use an actual condenser microphone that goes into a mixing deck. This deck then connects to your computer, and your mic is processed on said board to make it sound better. On a mac, I use a Rode RODECaster Pro mixing deck to process my voice, connected to an electrovoice RE-20 microphone. You’ll need XLR cables to connect all of this up, and because I personally don’t have the ability to clamp my microphone to my desk, I use a boom mount that goes on the floor. When you use a mic like this, sometimes it’s not quite loud enough and you need something to boost the gain – I use a Fethead Triton. Why do I do all this? Because I love the way the RE-20 sounds, it’s used in tons of top radio shows and podcasts, and it’s rock solid. The point of the RODECaster is to cleanly process the sound and get it to my computer in a clean and compatible way, which works with Zoom, Zencastr, basically anything. The RODECaster is also awesome for podcasts, and you can actually use your bluetooth to add someone to a podcast if you need to – it’s really good. I can’t recommend it enough. If you’re on PC, you can also get the GoXLR and not get the Fethead Triton, but I’ve not a ton of experience with it. People love it though. I’d say for your average Zoom call, you really just need a regular USB microphone, but if you want to build something, say, for a client that does a lot of TV, put the cash and time into building something that sounds as good as it looks. Also, get some true wireless earphones, don’t use airpods. You want something that only light sticks out from the ears. I like the Earfun bluetooth earbuds. A Note On PlacementIf you look at the photos in the below tweet, notice how my mic is not actually visible in the shot but is right by my head. This is done by literally just moving the camera left and right and zooming in/out. A lot of people assume that you have to do something fancy to make a shot work, but so much of it is trial and error to get it to look good. There’s definitely an argument between having the mic in shot – but think about what look you actually want. Sometimes you want the mic in there if you’re going for that streamer/podcaster look. But you probably aren’t, so don’t. In conclusion…I’m always happy to help out if you’re having issues – ping me at @edzitron on Twitter or [email protected] if you need it. It’s worth the investment. It’s wowed clients, I’ve built out a few for them already. TL;DR Shopping ListVideo Sony a5100 with an 18-55mm lens Dummy battery HDMI cable for the camera Gorillapod 3K tripod Elgato Cam Link 4K Setup video Light Elgato Key Light Air (x2) Audio Cheaper Earfun bluetooth earbuds Blue Snowball iCE USB mic MAONO USB microphone More Expensive Elgato Wave:3 Blue Yeti X boom mic holder for Yeti Extra Expensive Rode RODECaster Pro mixing deck Electrovoice RE-20 microphone Boom mount Fethead Triton cloudlifter or if you’re on PC GoXLR The post How To Make Your Zoom Calls Look Like You’re On TV appeared first on The Future Buzz. Original source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheFutureBuzz/~3/gjr010afxe4/ The post How To Make Your Zoom Calls Look Like You’re On TV appeared first on connect social networks. via Connect Social Networks http://connectsocialnetworks.com/how-to-make-your-zoom-calls-look-like-youre-on-tv/ I spent a while trying to come up with a title for this article that truly established one of my least-favourite things in public relations, and I’m still not happy. I keep thinking back to my first job in PR, where one of my managers (who isn’t even in PR anymore) actively made fun of me for knowing how the very tech we were working on actually functioned. In future roles, I’d have management actively worry about people who played too many games in a scenario where, ostensibly, we were talking to games journalists about video games. To really drill this home, I want to specifically say that if you make someone in PR feel bad because they actually know their subject matter, you are worse than scum. What Domain Expertise Actually MeansI have heard a lot of PR people – managers especially – say that they have domain expertise in, say, consumer tech or business. What they actually mean is that they’ve learned the definitions of a few things, and that they can, when prompted, tell you what these things mean and roughly how you’d put them in a sentence. What they cannot do is synthesize this information into further meaning, or have a particularly meaningful conversation around the subject. These are the same people that will also say to young PR people that actually know a subject to “not know too much” about it, because it “gets in the way.” Domain Expertise actually means having knowledge of a subject, how it works, and the larger industry, and does not just mean remembering the right words and the right people. For example, if you’re doing PR for a gaming company, this means having played a meaningful chunk of recent releases, and completed at least, say, one major game. If you’re working for a major PC manufacturer, especially one that’s focused on performance, this means likely having built and still being able to build a PC, knowing what particular things do, why, say, a person may need multithreaded processing, if that’s a part of said chip you’re working on. What pisses me off is the large crystallization of PR people who believe that having a surface level knowledge of stuff is enough to do a good job, and that having too much knowledge makes you unable to communicate the core value of a product. If you’re reading this and saying “haha, that ain’t me,” please interrogate if you actually know your ass from your earhole when it comes to your industry. While it’s not possible to know everything, you should be able to understand and bathe in the industry that you claim to know at least half as well as the reporters you’re talking to. And mark my words, they will notice. Reporters hate this too, because they have to deal with PR people from giant agencies that have held onto big technology accounts for years due to people having varying levels of both confirmation bias and revealing photos on the right people in power. When a big agency gets an email about, say, a tech product’s ability to X or Y, this is oftentimes routed through a manager, which goes to a PM, which goes to another person, which goes back to the manager to approve the content of. Would this not be easier if the PR person could not simply look in their brain and answer the question? Similarly, when you’re pitching a reporter, knowing what you are talking about actually allows you to pitch better. If said reporter is a consumer tech producer, perhaps they’re not the ideal target for a high-end graphics card – even if they build PCs, there’s not a high likelihood their viewers do. Conversely, when you find a reporter and show them that not only do you know your stuff, but you can actually converse about said stuff with them and help them understand why the thing you’re pitching is good, and they’ll be far more likely to write about your product. It’s just that easy. To conclude, if you have derisively referred to having knowledge as “too much,” if you have rolled your eyes at a colleague that has said something technical and claimed it’s irrelevant, or if you’ve felt self-conscious because someone has known more than you and made them feel bad for it, please learn more, or quit this industry. Get out. I don’t want you here anymore. The post If You Have Called Someone A Nerd For Having Domain Expertise, You Are Trash appeared first on The Future Buzz. Original source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheFutureBuzz/~3/q9tJFOT_xi0/ The post If You Have Called Someone A Nerd For Having Domain Expertise, You Are Trash appeared first on connect social networks. via Connect Social Networks http://connectsocialnetworks.com/if-you-have-called-someone-a-nerd-for-having-domain-expertise-you-are-trash/ |
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July 2022
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