TOP 10 REVELATIONS

Before you begin reading, let me just personally say thanks to everybody who kept up with RUNATION throughout the entire semester. I had a blast from the moment I created this campaign, to this ultimate finish line. It's been just an absolute joy in providing every single one of you, a taste of the greatness of running and why it's so much fun and important. Thank you to everyone who followed me on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn, and I hope you were all satisfied with what you got here. Anyway, without further ado, here are my top 10 revelations I learned this semester:

1. A Fine Design: even before I started my RUNATION blog, I had a general idea of what I wanted it to represent. This not only helped make the construction of my blog and other social media forms easier, but it also transported me into this unique universe of communicating. When it comes to social media, you want your audience to jump into the screen in front of them (figuratively), and have them become immersed with your world and what you are providing. Like Agresta and Bough stated in the textbook, the key to social media is a platform that corresponds perfectly to what you're offering.

2. The Encyclopedia of Social Media: one of the best things I learned about social media, is that I am my own boss. I move at my own pace, focus on the things that I like to focus on, and I get to voice my opinions and share stories that I feel deserve more attention. Social media's impact is extremely powerful, and it continues to grow. Similar to the ideas in the text, social media opens up a transformation of who you are as a person, and it also provides a unique perspective of you that others don't normally see. 

3. Engage in this age: the main goal of social media, is to reach out to other people, bottom line. Networking is essential in this day and age, and the ability to speak with people who you don't know, should be taken to the advantage. The world is a hard place, and jobs are hard to come by. But social media's ability to let you expand yourself and reach out in new directions, makes it a whole lot easier and more fun. 

4. Stay up to date or face fate: I learned that regularly posting things for my blog can be a bit of a hassle at times, but it's totally necessary. Showing what your brand is all about more and more, and further developing it, helps keep your consumers interested because they come to gradually appreciate your effort and commitment to make a difference and do things others don't do. If you don't show a lot of new material, then the blog is just bland and there's not a whole lot of definition or relevance to it. 

5. Don't delete but be discreet: Nobody likes to see any negativity on their social media platforms. But before you hit that wonderful "delete" option on your screen, you should try reading those kinds of comments and really try to understand and analyze why that comment may be there in the first place. It could clue you in on something, regarding how to make your social media source better or how you can get the approval of other people. However, if it's an unnecessary hatred comment that includes profanity, that never does anybody good, so just delete that. 

6. LinkedIN winks others in: Creating a LinkedIn was a big step in this campaign, and it was appropriate too because it's the best place to find out one's career path. But LinkedIn is more than just going through one's history. It allows you to connect with others who are in the same field, and it further enhances your networking because you now have experienced sources, who have taken an interest in you and what you and your brand represent. Having a LinkedIn lures others in, who may be in your field, or may have other particular interests as well.

7. Privacy? SORRY. You see: the internet does not provide a sense of security for you personally. Once something is put out on the web, it's out there for good, and there's no way of retrieving it. Like the textbook says, privacy is not available in the world of digital communications and more data is now available to be attained than ever before. 



8. Pictures Assure: The old saying, "A picture is worth a thousand words," is undeniably true. Presenting a work of art related to your product not only gives the consumer a visual sense of what's available, but also sends a hidden message behind the picture's walls. Instagram for instance, has come in handy for me in not only letting my consumers see what's out there, but it also gives them a clear message of what running is all about, which is why I have quotes at the top of my pictures. 

9. YouTube in a cube: The fact that I was able to upload my elevator pitch on YouTube so easily, is what makes the website so great. YouTube is an ideal way of stressing the message of a campaign even stronger because, it enables the consumer to see the product in action. Additionally, the editing process such as iMovie also was fantastic in making my video unique. I was really into the making of my video and the tools that the program offered, were right there in front of me and they all worked out great. 

10. No date is ever too late: Before I took this class, the only social media that I truly had was a Facebook page. Creating new accounts on different social media sources was a bit nerve racking because I didn't think I would be good at it. But I do realize now that you can start social media at any time in your life. The textbook even stated that it is never too late, to start up a social media account.