Crowdsourcing: Join the Crowd

Welcome back to “My World of Communication!”

This week we focused on crowdsourcing, along with the topics of politics and the global impact of emerging media. First the Internet, then the World Wide Web, and now crowdsourcing has become increasing popular in the 21^st century, and has had quite an impact on how we produce, share, and receive content.

So, how about a little history lesson surrounding the topics of emerging media and crowdsourcing and to start off this week’s blog?

The World Wide Web first took off in 1993. It was April 30th, 1993 when CERN declared that WWW technology could freely be used by anyone. Shortly thereafter, in the mid 1990’s, commercial sites and search engines came on the scene. Within a few years, by 1998, the web had about 750,000 commercial sites. So many individuals and companies saw the potential of the internet and the web, and they plugged in. As a result, crowdsourcing came into the picture.  In 2006, Jeff Howe coined crowdsourcing to outline a new technique for collaborating on tasks and projects by sourcing people. 

What exactly is crowdsourcing?

When a business or individual is in search for unique content, ideas, or services outside of their designated agent (employee or the like), they will sometimes turn to online sources for help. Crowdsourcing is a very common online practice. Merriam-Webster defines is as “the practice of obtaining needed services, ideas, or content by soliciting contributions from a large group of people and especially from the online community rather than from traditional employees or suppliers.” In my opinion, crowdsourcing is what budget (or even window) shopping is to many people. It gives us the ability to have a variety of options to choose from before we make our final decision. It is having a wealth of creativity, ideas, collective intelligence, and knowledge collaborate; and, using all of that collective creativity in order to create the best finished product. Both businesses and individuals love it! We love the idea of variety, and saving time and money on something of quality and creativity.

Click here to watch this short 2-minute, 30-second video clip that briefly explains crowdsourcing.

Crowdsourcing's advantages are numerous. It relies on collective engagement and allows for co-production, which can make a project or task a little easier to manage. It expands into the online community. It brings together multiple, creative minds. It provides collaborative and thoughtful ideas. It allows businesses and individuals to negotiate that they may produce quality content. Crowdsourcing is a great practice that has transformed how we communicate and share information.  

How can crowdsourcing be used?
Crowdsourcing is multi-purposeful. It can be used in a variety of ways and in every field. Its currently used for testing web usability; reporting traffic information; recruiting key officials and executives; managing funds; designing logos, websites, and fashion; and so much more.

Many companies have even created platforms to offer different crowdsourcing services. You can check out some of the most popular crowdsourcing websites by visiting the following links:

•    CrowdSpring (www.crowdspring.com)  
•    99Designs (www.99designs.com)
•    Kickstarter (www.kickstarter.com)
•    Odesk (www.odesk.com)
•    MinuteWorkers (www.minuteworkers.com)
•    InnoCentive (www.innocentive.com)
•    Mechanical Turk or mTurk (www.mturk.com)

Remember, crowdsourcing can be used by everyone. Join the crowd!

However, when using it, you have to be sure to filter through what is relative and pertinent to you and what is not, like any other online information.

It's been fun! Visit back next week at www.myworldofcomm.blogspot.com, and feel free to subscribe to receive my blog posts via email. 

Citizen Journalism: In Blogs We Trust?

This week we learned about citizen journalism and digital democracy. Out of all the interesting information we discussed, I took ‘a liking’ to citizen journalism, and I decided that I would share that topic with you on my blog post this week. First, I want to take some time and explain to you, my lovely readers and followers, what citizen journalism is, just in case some are not familiar with the term. After reading the definition, you will probably learn that you may be familiar with its use, although you may not be familiar with the term.

What is citizen journalism?

So, what is citizen journalism? Citizen journalism is when people with no professional experience or training collect, compose, analyze, edit, and disseminate news, information, and other content through platforms to include websites and blogs. Citizen journalists often utilize various media such as laptops, tablets, cell phones, digital cameras, and other mobile and wireless devices. With the distribution of the Internet and the convergence of media and technology, people are able to produce content and information on a much greater scale than in times past.

Writing a product review or videotaping and posting the review to YouTube. Analyzing and discussing a town meeting on a website or blog. Videotaping and uploading the scene of devastating natural disasters. These are all acts of journalism, though not always in a professionally trained capacity. We do these things all the time. I sure am guilty of participating in citizen journalism, and it’s not necessarily a bad thing. For instance, I visit blog sites ALL THE TIME when in search for product reviews; almost every day, I would have to admit. I have even written or videotaped and posted a few myself. I have found them to come in handy when trying to decide which purchases to make.

After this week’s lesson, I now consider myself a citizen journalist, yet aspiring, studying, and pursuing to become a trained professional in the field of strategic communication or journalism very soon. As a strategic communicator, how will I make myself (my information, my news, my content) stand out in a seemingly endless online universe? How will readers, viewers, and all other audiences filter through an enormous amount of data in search for what they are looking for?

Filtering through the online information

Since the Internet and emerging media have blown up, so has citizen journalism. Now, not only the professionals are producing news for the world to seek after and indulge in, the average citizens are, too. The Internet allows us to search for almost any and everything. However, there is so much information on the web that it has become difficult to distinguish what is fact and what is fiction at times. Information in the online universe is added at high-speed rates. “Every minute there are 72 more hours of video on YouTube. 58 photos are uploaded to Instagram every second. More than three and a half thousand photos go up onto Facebook” (Nolan, 2012, video). Unfortunately, sources of information are exponential in number, but every source is not credible the same. How we gather news and information, as well as the news and information we gather is important.

Personally, I believe that the sources or mediums that we turn to many times depend on the severity of information being sought after (whether critical or casual information). For instance, when the devastating attacks on our nation occurred on September 11, 2001, I first saw it on the news. That was the medium I turned to. During that time of my life, the only sources that were readily accessible to me were the television and the radio. I do not recall if we owned a computer, and I definitely did not own a high-tech smartphone like those we have today. More recently, when the Malaysian Airlines Flight 370 went missing, my first response was not to visit a blog site; although, I love blog sites and there are many professional, credible ones out there. I wanted information that had come directly from the Airlines, the Malaysian government, the United States government, or another well-known, credible and reliable source, such as local news channels.

In Blogs We Trust?

Fortunately, many credible organizations have jumped on the band-wagon with starting blogs on their websites. As we know, we can trust some of the information posted on blogs, yet still much of the content has to be carefully filtered through. 


When filtering through online information, try using the “SMELL” test. The “SMELL” test is a technique I picked up from one of John McManus (2013) posts. McManus is a former journalist, professor, and now author. He has written for organizations such as PBS.org, which is where I found this tool.

“SMELL” stands for:

Source. Who is providing the information?

Motivation. Why are they telling me this?

Evidence. What evidence is provided for generalizations?

Logic. Do the facts logically compel the conclusions?

Left out. What’s missing that might change our interpretation of the information?

Source. It is always beneficial to search for credible sources who provide reliable information. As a strategic communicator, it is also important to attribute sources that you pull information from. Also, using a variety of sources adds to the quality and strength of content and can help eliminate inaccuracies.

Motivation. When you are simply looking for accurate and relevant information, how do you determine if someone is just trying to inform you or if they are trying to persuade you? Again, this is where attributed sources comes into play. Informers disseminate information with fairness and usually are not trying to persuade you based on their viewpoints.

Evidence. Along with the communicator's attributions, you will find the evidence to support their claim(s). The web can be used to check any facts and evidence that looks suspect.

Logic. If you are one who keeps up with events and news, this part may come easy to you. Based on the evidence provided, use your logic to determine if it makes sense. You can rule out or further research any information that goes beyond the evidence provided.

Left out. Sometimes when communicators omit information, it can subtly reveal something. Utilizing diversity in sources can help with comparing facts and evidence to discover what information and details have been left out. 

  

What an easy way to remember to filter through information found online!

This has definitely been a knowledge-filled week of learning for me, and I hope you enjoyed this week’s blog. Visit back next week at www.myworldofcomm.blogspot.com. Feel free to subscribe to receive my blog posts via email.

See you next week!

References

McManus, J. (2013). Don’t be fooled: use the SMELL test to separate fact from fiction online. Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/mediashift/2013/02/dont-be-fooled-use-the-smell-test-to-separate-fact-from-fiction-online038/

Nolan, M. (2012). How to separate fact and fiction online. Retrieved from http://www.ted.com/talks/markham_nolan_how_to_separate_fact_and_fiction_online/transcript 

Social Media: It's more than Facebook

It was not until 2009 that I joined the world of Facebook. It was created in 2004 as a social networking site for Harvard students to connect. Though it initially began as a social networking site for college students, by 2006 it had extended to anyone with a valid email address. For the common person, Facebook and other social networking platforms are how many identify social media. Honestly, not many years ago, when I heard the words “social media,” I, too, thought of Facebook. Social media has revolutionized so many areas of our professional and personal territories, in spite of how fairly new it is. Social media has become so popular that it is now the number one activity on the web (Cooper, 2013, para. 12). Social media is so much more than Facebook.

What is social media really?

Is social media just for fun? To simply update our statuses, share content, and find out what others are up to? Absolutely not! It is so much more; and, to define it as such would put limitations on all that social media is and all that it can do. Social media is the use of websites and applications to network and interact with people as a means of sharing and exchanging information. It is how we communicate through the online community. Although the majority of people think of social media as only a fun, virtual hangout, it is so much more. And, using social media has real-world consequences that many have not even considered. From its beginnings until now, social media includes, but is not limited to, Myspace, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and even blogs. It is closely linked to social networking.

A New Conversation

Social media has created a new conversation in our online world. This new conversation challenges traditional mediums and creates so many grand opportunities for people all over. As a social media user, I benefit from the advantages that various multimedia platforms and networking sites provide. The social network environment allows real-time interaction among users and moves content around the world via the World Wide Web.

A Business Revolution

According to a survey taken by Harvard Business Review Analytic Services (2010), nearly two-thirds of the 2,100 participating companies said they are either “currently using social media channels or have social media plans in the works” (para. 2). Still, only a small percent of those who use social media feel that they are effectively doing so. While a large number of companies have jumped onboard with the idea of integrating social media into their business strategy, some still express resistance to it because of the challenge of keeping professional and personal separate.

So many businesses have incorporated social media into their marketing activities as an effective global promotional strategy; as social marketing. It has become a valuable communication tool for companies and their customers. Companies are engaging with customers, sharing new products and services, sending messages, and receiving feedback right on creative multimedia platforms. Customers are interacting with companies, sharing reviews, and recommending and criticizing products or services.

Use it to Your Advantage

Social media brings the benefits of awareness, exposure, and engagement. You can complete some do-it-yourself projects, get a new job or change careers, and start your own business. There are endless ways to use social media to our advantage, and I have shared a few here.

Do-It-Yourself Projects (DIY)

DIY projects are becoming more and more popular. Multimedia platforms, such as YouTube, have made it possible for us to learn to do just about any and everything on our own. Decorating tutorials, sewing tutorials, reupholstering tutorials, cooking tutorials, hair styling tutorials, and the list goes on. You name it, and I’m sure you’ll find it.

Personally, social media has saved me lots of money on a hair stylists. Not long ago, I could not braid hair for anything. I know, I’m a female; I should know how to braid, right? Not the case. Fortunately, with the help of YouTube, I became my own hair stylist. Using video tutorials, I taught myself how to style, cut, and braid my own hair (and my daughters). All because of social media!

Land a Job

Social media is commonly used to network with others and advance ourselves professionally. I have made a number of valuable connections through a common social network for the business community, known as LinkedIn. Because of LinkedIn’s vast database of professionals, companies are joining to qualified candidates and establish professional relationships with others. It is used as a platform to showcase individuals’ skills, abilities, and education; and for employers to post job opportunities.

Start and Grow a Business 

How many times have you considered starting your own business? Starting a business that reaches a broader audience has become much easier over the years. Social media is one of the reasons. It is a great way to market, and social media marketing allows business owners (and potential business owners) to share and save money on marketing and other upfront costs. Social media helps to increase brand awareness. If consumers like what you offer, they might just “share” it, “tweet” it, or “pin it.” You might even get a favorable review on YouTube.  Social media is used to influence consumer behaviors. You will be amazed at how you can use social media to grow your business from the ground up.

As a strategic communicator, I watch with excitement to see where social media will take us. It has already brought us so far, in a very short time. Social media has provided us with new ways to communicate and interact. It’s revolutionizing our world as we know it. It’s more than Twitter. It’s more than YouTube. It’s more than Pinterest.

It’s more than Facebook.

I’m glad you visited my blog site this week. Remember to visit back every week at www.myworldofcomm.blogspot.com. You can also subscribe to receive my blogs by entering your email at the top right corner. If you have any feedback or questions, don’t hesitate to comment.

References

Cooper, B. (2013). 10 surprising social media statistics that will make you rethink your social strategy. Retrieved from http://www.fastcompany.com/3021749/work-smart/10-surprising-social-media-statistics-that-will-make-you-rethink-your-social-stra

Harvard Business Review Analytic Services (2010). The new conversation: taking social media from talk to action. Retrieved from http://www.sas.com/resources/whitepaper/wp_23348.pdf

Mobile-Mania

Trucker in Chicago using one of the first mobile phones
Picture retrieved from AT&T
http://www.corp.att.com/attlabs/reputation/timeline/46mobile.html

This week, we dove into mobile and strategic communication. In 1946, the first mobile telephone call was made in St. Louis, Missouri. Within two years, 100 cities and highway corridors had wireless telephone service available to them. This was a historic moment of mobile technology as we know it today. Can you recall the first time you used a mobile device? It probably seems like so long ago, and that is, no doubt, due to all of the technological changes and advances that have taken place throughout the years. Mobile technology advances so much that any information you learned about it last month, or gadgets you purchased, may be out of date by now. It seems like madness. It is “mobile-mania!”

History of mobile phones

Here is a shocking fact: more people have cell phones than toilets. According to a United Nation’s study, an estimated 6 billion out of 7 billion people in the world have access to mobile phones, while only 4.5 billion people have access to working toilets (Wang, 2013). I am certain that this statistic shows how “valuable” the mobile phone is to a vast majority of people. That is “mobile-mania;” an excessive fixation to mobile technology and its benefits.

Checking emails. Reading our favorite books. Listening to music. Studying for school. Depositing checks and checking our bank accounts. Scanning store items for price checks. Playing addicting games. Tracking fitness goals. Navigating our road trips. Connecting on social network sites. Searching the World Wide Web. These are a few of the things that we do with our mobile devices, or at least that I do. And, I am one out of approximately 6 billion mobile users. How many of these tasks do you use your mobile device for?

Above any other technological device, it is typical for most people to carry around a mobile phone wherever they go. You probably have heard people imply that they feel “lost” when leaving home without their mobile device. I have. In fact, I’m sure you’ve felt the same way when leaving your mobile phone behind. Who wouldn’t, when leaving behind that one device that gives us access to the entire universe; the online universe, that is? This is exactly why mobile has become a popular strategic communication platform; and it is also why communicators and businesses capitalize on the use of mobile technology. 

Because of the increasing popularity of mobile devices, applications (apps) are being created for everything you can imagine; for entertainment, gaming, shopping, bills, education, and so much more. Mobile devices are a popular platform to do the things we enjoy and need to do with ease, efficiency, and personalization. For most consumers, apps are a convenient way to consume media and access a variety of content.

Let’s talk shopping! I have noticed that the older I get, the more I like to shop to treat myself; although, more oftentimes than not, I’m not shopping for myself. Though I enjoy an occasional purchase, I completely dislike bustling through crowds and standing in long lines at the malls and retail stores. Today alone, I made three purchases using my mobile device. This is becoming more and more common for many consumers. Shopping from our mobile devices has become a popular way to do business. What an advantage to shop anywhere and anytime! Mobile shoppers, like myself, are more likely to shop around and buy from multiple retailers. From a business perspective, this is exactly why an effective mobile strategy is essential. A mobile presence presents opportunities to “capture mobile purchases (or lose them to rivals)” (Moses, 2013, para. 1). Mobile technology has changed the retail stores and altered the nature of shopping. In India, they actually have a “mobile mall” where more than a quarter million people buy movie tickets, pay bills, and purchase a variety of items all through their mobile phones.

Just think. How has the mobile device added convenience to your life? For the common person, it has made life easier, whether we are on the move (mobile) or stationary. Convenience has become an amenity of many of our lives. Most mornings after I awaken, I generally reach for the device that is the closest to me and easiest to handle; my mobile device, whether my phone or tablet. My body is still trying to regain its strength from a good night’s rest, so the weight of a mobile device is much more effortless.

Mobile application is just as, or maybe even more, important for communicators and companies as it is for the consumer. It seems that most companies are making everything viewable on mobile devices. On a daily basis, there are at least one million new subscriptions that occur to give people access to mobile phones.  For businesses, this is why establishing a mobile presence via a mobile website or by creating a mobile application for users to download has become increasingly important. Mobile websites are a great way to display the beauty of media convergence; text, data, images, and video all on one platform. And, apps are a great way to help boost brand awareness and affinity, if they are useful, valuable, and functional. Since nearly 25 percent of web traffic comes from mobile usage, companies risk losing business when they do not build mobile-friendly responsive sites. They lose approximately a quarter of consumers by failing to implement a mobile strategy. Mobile communication is a great way to attract an audience who typically will not tune in through traditional formats, such as radio or television.  

Mobile technologies have changed cultures. They have transformed all aspects of our society, from data analysis, polling, and communications to banking, healthcare, education, and entertainment. A decade from now, we may be living in a whole new “mobile” world. It’s “mobile-mania.”

Be sure to visit back on a weekly basis at www.myworldofcomm.blogspot.com. Subscribe to receive my blogs once a week (at the top right corner), and if you have any feedback, don't hesitate to comment. 

See you next week!

Reference

Wang, Y. (2013). More people have cell phones than toilets, U.N. study shows. Retrieved from http://newsfeed.time.com/2013/03/25/more-people-have-cell-phones-than-toilets-u-n-study-shows/

Moses, L. (2013). People shopping on mobile devices visit more sites than those on a PC. Retrieved from http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/people-shopping-mobile-devices-visit-more-sites-those-pc-154157