Social Media: Making a Splash

In this TED Talk, Alexis Ohanian, one of the creators of Reddit, discusses the ways that audience participation can help to "make a splash" on social media. He uses the example of Greenpeace when they held a vote to name one of the whales they adopted--and "Mister Splashy Pants" got so many up-votes on Reddit that it landed on the "front page". Because of this enormous response and popularity of the name, Greenpeace began to make merchandise featuring Mister Splashy Pants, and the support from audiences grew. Eventually, the whale was given this name thanks to social media.

What a testament to the power that our networks can have on real world outcomes. This story goes to show that a lot can be accomplished and changed through social media. Social media experts have the ability to do something sensational, create a movement, all by posting something that gains enough traction.

How can we keep up with media's evolution?

What does the future of media hold? There is quite a bit of speculation, illustrated well by this New York Times article, in which Eric Pfanner paints a picture of the New Digital Age. There have been many predictions, but of this we can be certain: change is inevitable.

Digital technology has allowed everyone to create and share content. With a world full of publishers, it has become increasingly essential for digital communicators to differentiate themselves from the pack.

Thanks to our social networks, our messages have the ability to be shared with thousands of people all over the world. In order to extend the reach of a message, digital communicators must be familiar with different platforms, and feel comfortable adapting their messages to fit.



We have much more access to a wider audience, but how do we get a message across that will stick? Take Twitter for example- massive social movements have budded out of this platform and raised awareness for so many different causes. #JeSuisCharlie is an excellent recent example that supported French freedom of speech and freedom of the press after a massacre at a satirical newspaper.

Taking calculated risks is the job of social media experts, advertisers and journalists alike. Social networks can be looked at as data analysis. By measuring the positive responses different approaches have, it is possible to fine tune what we share as communication professionals. It is important to try new things, because people are getting accustomed to rapid changes.

4 Important Skills for Social Media Professionals

There is no doubt in anyone's mind that social media is changing our society. It changes how we communicate with each other and how we receive information. It has also impacted how we interact with the news, advertising and public relations.

Any social media specialist, advertiser or journalist would tell you that there is a new and tremendous pressure to share information faster than ever. We are consuming information at an accelerated pace, and it is on digital communicators, not only to keep up, but to keep improving.

1. Listening 


This cannot be stressed enough. Listen to the demands of your audience. You can't expect to continue posting the same content in the same way and get the same great results. Technology is shifting, people are moving with it. Being able to effectively observe the patterns as they evolve was never claimed an easy task, but it will make all the difference.

2. Strategy Planning 

We have so much at our fingertips with social media. Each of your pages' followers has their own network, and each of their friends have their own network--and so on. What we share has endless possibilities of reach. Before posting, it is important to have a game plan. When a new story breaks, there is going to be pressure to release it instantly. Knowing ahead of time what your strategy will be for situations like this is going to increase efficiency and save you from added stress.

3. Adaptability 

This goes without saying. In the past 10 years we have all had to adapt to the emergence of new, popular social platforms and new demographics of followers. We need to be quick learners, and dedicate ourselves to understanding new social platforms so they can be used to our advantage.

4. Creativity 

Creativity, originality---this is what draws people in. There is a massive amount of content out there, and much of it is entirely derivative. By possessing creativity, you are always equipped to imagine new ideas and you will create more of a ripple. Social media encourages different types of content to be shared, so be creative! Use your imagination, and it is bound to be a major asset to you as a digital communicator.