When I first decided to sign up for Digital Frontiers, I was expecting a traditional-style class in which I would learn all about technology, the internet, and how they both are affecting the business world today; to tell you the truth, I wasn’t all that excited about it. But once I learned that this class would be anything but “traditional,” I had a feeling this would be one of the most beneficial classes I’d be taking during my years at University of Florida.
This class has taught me about so many things that I didn’t even realize existed. (It’s like that diagram we keep seeing, with the sections of “things you know,” “things you don’t know,” and “things you don’t know that you don’t know”.) I mean, everyone knows that there are millions of random Facebook fan pages out there, but until this semester, I had no idea how helpful they are to both new and big companies. There are so many networking opportunities created by one simple webpage! And I definitely didn’t know there was a way to keep track of that type of stuff (let’s just say that “web analytics” might as well have been a foreign language). The same concept applies to websites such as Twitter, as well. By actively updating and managing accounts and pages like these, companies have the chance to grow exponentially; rewind a few years, before social networking sites became popular, and this would not have been the case.
The amount of potential that everyday websites (which some people even consider to be trivial) offer to businesses nowadays both shocks and excites me. This class has made me realize that the business world is changing so much due to technology and innovation, and it shows no signs of slowing down. But because of Digital Frontiers, I feel as if I have a better understanding of that world now, and I can be ready for almost anything it throws at me.
Popularity: 1% [?]
The advances that the world has made in technology over the last century have undoubtly made life easier for most people. This statement holds true regarding most everything from the invention of the car to the creation of the iPhone. And with the new technology came a greater appreciation for the internet. Think about it: how many people do you know that don’t use the internet?
When it comes to older generations, less people have accepted the internet. However, as far as our generation is concerned… Most of us can’t imagine life without it. We use it for almost everything, including staying connected to friends, listening to music, and looking up questions for homework. But is the fact that we can use the internet to find anything and everything ruining our ability to come up with ideas and answers for ourselves?
Although humans are programmed to be natural problem-solvers, it seems as though the internet is fostering a new kind of laziness- a laziness of intellect. Instead of using reasoning and thinking through a problem in order to figure out a solution, most of us nowadays just google whatever it is we’re looking for, whether it be an explanation of how to fix a broken cell phone or the answer to one of the questions in our geology assignment. Because all these quick fixes are available to us in an instant thanks to websites such as About.com and Wikipedia, we no longer have to actually understand the process of figuring them out for ourselves.
On top of this increasing laziness, people have become more impatient. The fact that we tend to get overly irritated when our internet connection is not working fast enough (and you’ve got to admit, we’re all guilty of this) only confirms the fact that people’s patience is decreasing. And if you’re not willing to wait long for a website, which would give you an instant answer for whatever problem you were trying to solve, to load, then you probably think it would take way too long to come up with the solution on your own.
I know all of this makes it sound like I’m hating on technology or I’m ashamed of the intellect of the human race, but I promise I’m not. (Trust me, I’m completely guilty of looking up pretty much everything online because it’s easier that way.) All I’m saying is that I think as technology progresses, we should make a conscious effort to stay innovative and try not to rely too heavily on the internet.
Popularity: 1% [?]
I don’t know about you, but my biggest problem with projects or papers, whether school-related or just for fun, is coming up with an idea from scratch. Sometimes it’s just so hard to find that inspiration that you need, especially when you’re faced with a deadline. So, what if there was a way for you to save hours of laboring over finding that one great idea?
“Inspire Me” could take care of this problem. But how would it work? Easy. Download the software from its website, type in what you need the idea for, plug in your headphones, and let your mind wander. The program would record your random thoughts, and bring them together in a way that is more productive, leaving you with your own great idea that you didn’t even know you had!
Not only would “Inspire Me” help you create great concepts from your own unorganized thoughts, but it would also allow people to give feedback on these ideas, if you wanted. When you downloaded the program for the first time, you would have to create an account that you would log in to whenever you used it. That way, you can keep track of all your ideas, and other users could comment on them and help make them into even better ideas; this part of the website would basically work in the same way a blog or social networking site, like Facebook, does.
The question is how to market this product with no funding. I feel that the fact that the program’s site would be based off of a social networking platform would make it very easy to find a solution to this dilemma. Most people who would use it (and take the time to register an account for it) would most likely use other popular social networking sites, so naturally “Inspire Me” would create a Facebook fanpage, and hopefully word of mouth would be help spread the word. It could also have a Twitter account, and as incentive to get people interested in user’s ideas, the most popular idea of the day could be tweeted. In order to make a profit, the website would use advertisements in the same way that Google does (and we all know how successful that method is).
While this concept may seem farfetched with today’s technology, but with the ongoing advances that we are making, something like this could very well be possible someday in the future.
Popularity: 1% [?]
There are so many different ways that a company can promote itself. Some marketing plans are simple and to the point; some are annoying and constantly in your face; some are so random that they make you ask, “Does this even have anything to do with the product?!” Regardless of whichever strategy it may take advantage of, a successful marketing plan will always aim to do one thing: keep the product actively in the mind of all potential customers.
Before YELS began working with the Digital Frontiers team, it was doing a pretty good job of getting involved with highschool counselors through its marketing campaign of fliers and emails, but it was not finding as much success as it may have hoped for within its target market. It needed to find a way to get in with the higschool crowd. Many highschoolers simply haven’t heard of this summer program… But how successful can a company be if its potential “customers” don’t even know about its “product”?
In order to get these tenth and eleventh graders thinking about YELS, has created a new Facebook fanpage and a YouTube account. Knowing that these types of social media sites are extremely popular within that age-group, these pages will hopefully help YELS gain more recognition. Along with these additions, YELS will soon be making changes to its current website, so it will be more appealing to teens and make it easier to get information, along with a blog. Using the blog, teens that are at the program each summer will be able to share their experiences with everyone on the web (but more specifically, their friends back home).
Overall, YELS already has a solid marketing technique. It has been doing a great job of reminding its faithful alumni and guidance counselors to tell anyone and everyone they know about the program. The only thing it needs to work on is finding a broader applicant pool, and hopefully with the new marketing plan, it will be able to do just that.
Popularity: 2% [?]
The internet today is used for almost anything you can think of: from a company’s use for advertising to the public’s use for catching up with friends. Not only are these applications prevelant in the United States, but they are also seen throughout the world. In fact, that’s one thing that is so great about the internet: it gives people the ability to share thoughts and feelings with others around the globe.
The idea of being able to put all of your ideas and beliefs out into the world via the internet is still a fairly recent development compared to being able to do so in print, but this trend continues to grow and shows no sign of slowing down. A variety of sites such as Tumblr, Formspring, and Flickr offer individuals so many different ways to express themselves and be heard by others. Unfortunately, because of how easy it is to say anything you want online, some people worry that others will be too open with their opinions. With the possibility of this freedom of speech causing problems, it has been debated as to whether or not the government should be able to regulate what people can post on a website. But wouldn’t regulation go against one of the most important Americas ideals?
Think about it. The right to freedom of speech is well stated in the First Amendment, but there is nothing clear regarding how it applies to the internet. Unfortunately, government officials may try to use that to their benefit, in order to keep people from saying or seeing things that they don’t want them to see. However, with the way the internet has been advancing, it seems as though the policy of “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil” will be impossible to enforce. There are already so many websites and copious amounts of users, and the internet’s growth is exponential. Plus, people will always try to voice their opinion, whether they’re allowed to or not. And if they’re standing on a platform that can be reached anyone in the world, the government will have a hard time shutting them up.
Popularity: 1% [?]
In a time when the internet is seemingly ruled by social networking sites and other forms of user generated content, it is crucial for businesses to get in on the action. User generated content (also known as UGC) is extremely useful to companies nowadays because of the fact that it allows them to form a direct link to their customers. It’s also a great thing from a customer’s point of view: they get to say exactly how they feel about a product, and it seems as if their suggestions are actually taken into consideration. I mean, honestly, who doesn’t like to feel like their voice is being heard? The only real downside that there seems to be is the fact that UGC brings forth all of the company’s problems for the world to see. However, even this con can be put to good use, if the company responds to the problem in a way that shows that they are truly concerned about fixing it.
One company that is using UGC to its advantage is Einstein Bros Bagels, which has both a Facebook fanpage and a Twitter account. While this company’s Facebook fanpage may not look as well done as ones like CoverGirl’s, whose page brings you straight to a professional marketing campaign, Einstein’s page shows exactly how UGC can highlight a company’s best features. The users post anything from compliments about the bagels and the costumer service, to complaints about how some of the site’s technology wasn’t working for them. Einstein Bros immediately responded to each complaint, offering an apology and a solution.
Einstein Bros Bagels is just one of many businesses that recognizes that user generated content can be used to its advantage. Even smaller companies that haven’t been big on the social networking scene are starting to get into it, in hopes that it will help make them more well-known. Because when someone actually receives high quality costumer service and they know they’ve been heard, the first thing they’re going to want to do is spread the word.
Popularity: 2% [?]
When most people first hear the words “conversion marketing,” they get a slightly confused look on their faces and they search their brains, looking for anything that could help them figure out what the heck are they talking about? The idea behind conversion marketing really isn’t as complicated as it may sound; basically, it’s the process of getting a consumer to do whatever it is that the producer wants them to do, such as buying something on their website or, in the case of UF Young Entrepreneurs for Leadership and Sustainability, submitting an application for their program.
As YELS’s March 1st deadline approaches, the program’s main concern is getting enough applications. That’s not to say that they haven’t been successful, but for every summer program, the goal is to get as many applicants as possible, right? Using conversion marketing ideas, YELS is looking to increase its number of applicants on a yearly basis. In order to make this happen, the program needs to become more well known. Word-of-mouth is one of the most effective ways to get people interested in any type of product, and YELS hopes to use this type of free advertising to achieve its goal. Setting up a Facebook fan page, making its website more to-the-point and appealing to highschoolers, and even possibly creating YouTube and Flickr accounts will all help this process of getting teens to spread the word.
How will the company know if they’re taking steps in the right direction? Of course, if they are successful in reaching their goal at the end of the day, then they know for sure. Another way to find out is by using programs such as Google Analytics to track the number of views their website is receiving, along with the bounce rate and other things related to web analytics and conversion marketing.
Popularity: 3% [?]
Think back to when you were a sophomore or junior in highschool. Which would sound more interesting to you: spending your summer in routine, sitting at home with your family and going to your part time job as a cashier, worrying about how you’re going to get into college; or meeting new people, taking part in exciting service projects, and getting a taste of what it’s like to be a college student? Hands down, the second choice wins. And that’s exactly what UF Young Entrepreneurs for Leadership and Sustainability has to offer.
Sponsored by UF’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Young Entrepreneurs for Leadership and Sustainability, better known as YELS, is a summer program that gives highschoolers a six-week sample of life at the University of Florida. Not only will participants get to have fun making friends and living on campus, they will also be taking vital steps in their preparation for college; the program takes care of the required volunteer hours for Bright Futures, and it gives teens the opportunity to earn up to six hours of dual-enrollment credit by taking two college level classes- “Social Problems & Solutions” and “Exploring Entrepreneurship.” Along with this, YELS has teens learn how to write a proper essay for their college application during a session with the Director of Freshman Admissions at UF. This not only helps the students with their application in general, but it also gives them an advantage over other applicants to UF, which is crucial since the school is becoming more difficult to get into.
While the program itself offers a great service to its highschoolers, unfortunately there are some things that need work. The main issue has to do with the applicants. YELS is not as well-known as it should be, and in order to fix this problem, it’s going to need to take some advice from the all-mighty Google and other social media. Right now, the program uses old fashioned advertising- pamphlets and post cards sent to schools and handed out to students. Along with these classic marketing campaigns, YELS should start utilizing its social media resources- creating Facebook “fan pages” and blogs, which could link to its original site and create a wider applicant pool. If the program can make itself known in the digital social world, it will surely find success in attracting more teens. How can I be so sure? All I can say is, if I had known about Young Entrepreneurs for Leadership and Sustainability while I was in highschool, I would’ve ditched my boring summer routine of watching television and babysitting in a heartbeat.
Popularity: 2% [?]
The world of art is constantly changing. There are many different types of art, and even over the past hundred years the industry has tranformed tremendously. While what was popular then may still have worth nowadays, it is not necessarily the same style as the newer works of art. This pattern of change has occurred multiple times throughout history: the works of Pablo Picasso are much different than those of Andy Warhol, just like Michelangelo’s painted the ceilings of the Sistine Chapel are not like Banksy’s street art. Each of these men shocked their peers, made major impressions in the art world, and have been a part of a shift of some sort in the artistic stylings of their time. But while their artwork may be unalike, the artists of today have been inspired by the past.
This industry will continue to evolve throughout time no matter what, but in order for the changes to be effective, artists need to learn from those that came before them. This applies not only to the techniques people use to create their works, but also to how they distribute it. Each artist used the resources available in his or her time to show people their finished products. There are a great amount of new assets available to the artists of today, and because technology has made it so easy to share information around the world, every artist has the ability to be seen and appreciated.
Popularity: 2% [?]
At first, covering a homeless man in yellow Post-It notes for warmth sounds pretty crazy, right? But as a group of students trying to create value from a few stacks of plain, sticky paper, we realized that sometimes seemingly bizarre ideas can create an immense amount of value.
As we walked from the classroom towards the library, we decided that we wanted to raise awareness about homelessness, spinning off from the recent Sleep Out for the Homeless event that ocurred at Turlinton Plaza. Even though Post-It notes may not actually keep someone warm while they sleep at night, they act as a symbol for the warmth of a real blanket. Using this idea, the “Blanket the Homeless” movement was born. While a homeless man outside of the library was being covered in Post-Its, students and faculty stared and whispered, because of course it didn’t seem to make any sense. Then they caught sight of the words “BLANKET THE HOMELESS” spelled out in sticky notes on the sidewalk. With that, a message was sent; value was created.
Sometimes people don’t realize that value can be defined in so many different ways. For this project, the value of a warm night’s sleep is immeasurable, and we wanted to have people understand how prevalent the problem of homelessness truly is. It certainly grabbed the attention of people in the Plaza of the Americas, and hopefully this awareness will continue to spread.
Popularity: 1% [?]
