Social Media Reflection

Over the course of this semester I have promoted my blog on two different social media sites: Facebook and Twitter. 

This was my effort to mirror the marketing strategies that I thought were effective in the campaigns I was following in order to draw attention to my own work. This was much more challenging that I thought because often times I found myself being redundant. After reflecting on my posts, I realize that the main rhetorical appeal I used was logos. I simply informed my audience of the the new blog posts each week, and attempted to display a level enthusiasm that I hoped would catch on. 

I think I was successful in being consistent, and always giving updates about new posts and providing direct links to my blog. However, there is always room for improvement. Although the wording of my posts differed slightly from week to week, I think that the uniformity of my formatting could be perceived as somewhat boring. Ironically, this is often what I criticize Maroon 5 for. After taking a step back, I do realize the difficulty in effectively attracting an audience and maintaing readers' attention through creative marketing strategies. If I had the ability to do it differently, I would revise my captions to make them more engaging and interesting for my audience, just like I am proposing for Maroon 5 to do as well.  

Weekly Round-Up #10

This week, The Voice introduced the all-new "Playoff Round," which followed the infamous "Battle Rounds" 1 and 2. It was important for The Voice to have a prominent presence on Twitter this week in order to promote the new addition to the show. As always, The Voice consistently posted and tweeted throughout the airing of the episodes, as well as all week. This post, in particular, displays effective marketing strategies. The tweet reads, "@usher plays @adamlevine a compliment and this face happens," with an accompanying picture of Adam Levine and the caption, "me?" This is effective for two reasons. Firstly, this post reflects a funny and endearing moment from yesterday's episode of the show, which evokes pathos among the fans. In addition, this post continues to enhance The Voice's image and credibility as a fun-loving and enjoyable show. Secondly, the picture posted has a direct reference to the show's Tumblr. By connecting various social media sites in one post, the show strategically exposes its audience to its multiple platforms.

Next, Starbucks embraced Spring and the warm weather with the following tweet: "Iced Green Tea Latte + 1 pump vanilla = Spring in a cup. #ProTip." Attached is a zoomed-in picture of the iced green tea latte in front of some pink flowers. This tweet is a really effective way to capitalize on the changing season, and put viewers in a good mood. I mean, who doesn't love warm weather right? In doing this, Starbucks evokes pathos within its customers. Additionally, by hashtagging "#ProTip," Starbucks is giving its consumers an inside look into the tips and tricks of the company, which will definitely attract attention.

Lastly, Maroon 5 had a slow week in terms of posting. However, the following tweet definitely caught my attention: "#albuM5 is in the works! More details coming soon!" This tweet is followed by a picture of a poster advertising the new album. I think this tweet is actually extremely effective. The post is intentionally vague in order to keep fans wanting more, and spark anticipation about the album. The band also used a clever play on words by incorporating its name (abbreviated "M5") into the title of the album. As a Maroon 5 fan, I didn't even know that another album was in the works, so this was definitely surprising and caught me off guard. This is the type of reaction that the band should try to evoke with every post. All three brands did a great job this week, as I was both pleasantly surprised, and thoroughly impressed.

Weekly Round-Up #9

This week, The Voice continued its streak of engaging and creative tweets. Specifically, the one below states "Follow us on Tumblr at nbcthevoice.tumblr.com because we're different. Yah, we're different. #TheVoice." Not surprisingly, I am extremely impressed by this tweet. In an attempt to attract followers to another one of its social media platforms, The Voice has successfully differentiated itself, which was clearly the intended goal. By using lyrics from a well-known pop song, the show effectively captivates its young audience, by making a reference to pop culture. Additionally, the show makes it easy to follow the Twitter page by embedding the link within the tweet. The Voice truly has a talent when it comes to gaining the attention of its audience, and continues to assert its credibility by consistently posting in an appealing way.

This week, Maroon 5 posted another bland tweet regarding an upcoming performance. Although Maroon 5 strategically posted a direct link for fans to buy tickets, that isn't necessarily enough to influence someone to buy one. The band's lack of enthusiasm via social media is very disappointing considering how charismatic and outgoing the band members are. It seems as though the band is very nonchalant when it comes to advertising on social media, but that is a hugely missed opportunity for them. If this post had a little more enthusiasm, or used a clever caption, or was accompanied by a picture or video, this post could have been more effective. These are the types of branding strategies that can influence ambivalent fans to actually go out, buy tickets, and support the band.

Lastly, Starbucks didn't post much this week, which is surprising considering how consistent the band usually is via social media. This specific post reads, ""traveling for #SpringBreak? Visit out unique and beautiful stores around the world." This post is simple and straightforward, which makes is efficient in conveying the intended message. However, I think Starbucks can do better. While this is a great attempt at unifying consumers of various backgrounds, the blandness of the post contradicts the diversity within its audience. If Starbucks had posted a picture to accompany this statement, or even included a personal anecdote from a customer (as in previous tweets), this post would have made a lot more of an impact.

Weekly Round-Up #8

This week Starbucks tweeted, " Catch her while you can: Our Limited Edition Siren Card," followed by a picture of the new Starbucks card perfectly aligned with the famous icon printed on the Starbucks cup. This post appeals to pathos because the specific word choice that the brand used makes consumers feel that if they do not take advantage of this opportunity they will be missing out. Starbucks continuously employs rhetorical appeals in its posts, which is definitely an effective branding strategy to engage audience members and customers. In addition, the consistency of both the content and style of Starbucks' tweets give the company a strong sense of credibility (or ethos) within the field.

This week, Maroon 5 tweeted mainly mundane and bland posts. This particular tweet was the best of the week though. They asked fans to support an auction on Charity Buzz by bidding on a guitar signed by all members of the band. Social media was an effective platform for this type of request because the band was able to post a direct link to the website where the bidding was taking place. The website also included a picture of the signed guitar, which provided a helpful visual for potential buyers. However, this tweet could have been dramatically enhanced, in lieu of the boring post that lacked enthusiasm. If the band wants its fans to support a cause, then it's tone and portrayal should reflect that! Maroon 5 should definitely work on adding some personality to its campaign. 

Lastly, The Voice was once again the best of the week. The show tweeted in a creative and witty way in order to engage its viewers. In addition, it gave a clear incentive as to why its fans should follow the show on another social media platform. The Voice continuously adds personality and creativity to its tweets, making its tone and delivery consistent in addition to building a solid brand and reputation. Maroon 5 could learn something from the way that the show brands itself. The consistency of the amount of posts that the show does each day, along with its effective posts make The Voice a social media force to be reckoned with. This is the way to gain viewers, and keep them interested.

Weekly Round-Up #7

This was an exciting week for NBC's The Voice. The infamous "Battle Rounds" began, and the show's tweets dominated my Twitter feed as usual. The Voice has tweeted abundantly and consistently since the show premiered, affirming its credibility and reliability. The tweet below reads "What. A. Day. #BattlesBegin #HappyBirthdayAdamLevine" #ChrisMartinOnTheVoice Thanks for sharing it all with us! <3 <3 <3." There's clearly a lot to address here, as The Voice utilizes all three rhetorical appeals in such a seemingly short and simple post. The Voice's tweets have employed the same type of short sentence structure in the past, using a period at the end of each word. This not only adds dramatic affect, appealing to the readers' pathos, but also adds to its credibility through consistency. Additionally, the show uses logos to simply relay information about coach Adam Levine's birthday, and the fact that singer Chris Martin will be guest starring on the show. This is important and exciting information for the fans to know. Finally, the last line of the tweet also appeals to the readers' pathos by making the audience feel as if they are individually special to the show. The Voice actually thanks its audience and shows gratitude, which encourages readers to acknowledge their importance to the show in terms of their role. The Voice continues to use social media most effectively out of the three organizations I'm following due to the sheer volume of tweets the show posts on a regular basis, in addition to the creative and captivating content.

This week, Starbucks also posted an effective and engaging tweet. It reads, "Starbucks and @Oprah are proud to introduce #TeavanaOprahChai. Every purchase supports youth education. #giveback." This was extremely strategic of Starbucks, considering how well respected Oprah is on a universal scale. Not only did the company increase its credibility by partnering with one of the most famous women of our time, but also did so for a charitable cause. By donating money to a charity, specifically, youth education, Starbucks creates a really excellent reputation for itself. It also plays upon its consumers' pathos, by encouraging customers to donate money to a good cause through purchasing Starbucks products. Additionally, by introducing a new type of beverage associated with this cause, and noting Oprah's name in the title, Starbucks also has the opportunity to lure in new consumers. Creating new products is also a good idea for a brand of this stature, and the type of marketing exhibited is definitely smart and effective.

Lastly, Maroon 5 tweeted several times this week, with one post more notable than the rest. The tweet says, "#TBT to the set of #MovesLikeJagger," with a picture of lead singer Adam Levine topless on stage. It seems as though the band is starting to understand who their target audience is, and what the purpose of their social media campaign is, although there is still much to be improved. This tweet is effective because it appeals to the large audience of single females, obsessing over Levine, who was named People's Sexiest Man Alive. This is a smart branding strategy to satisfy already existing fans, as well as entice a new, potential audience. In addition, Maroon 5 has also been using the #TBT hashtag often. This type of consistently adds to the band's presence on social media, and asserts its credibility through the reliability and consistency of these types of tweets. The band should definitely utilize this type of strategy more often to appeal to its audience, but perhaps consider using a more clever caption. While the text of this tweet is straight to the point, it would be much more engaging to include a flirty or creative line. This would only enhance the band's consistency in terms of identity and branding.

Maroon 5's Audience

Maroon 5 has over 6 million followers on Twitter, and almost 26 million likes on Facebook. The band’s popularity is evidently widespread within the music industry, however its target audience is difficult to specifically identify. According to Symon Aguilar, a blogger for the Slideshare website, “Maroon 5’s target audience mainly consists of teenagers and young adults,” however, the band also has “a huge, global audience.” The band’s music can currently be categorized as Pop, which definitely attracts a younger audience on the surface level. However, because the band’s songs are geared towards love and romance, its audience has no age-limit. People of all ages can relate to this type of music, which is why it’s so important for Maroon 5 to be aware of this when using social media. According to Kira, another blogger, “as Maroon 5 have released more albums, their musical style has shifted from a group that originally was Rock, R&B, Funk and Jazz…and is [now] clearly looking to gain ground back in the Top 40.” This is an important issue to keep in mind. The band’s music and lyrics have definitely shifted since its initial rise in popularity, and with a shift in genre comes a shift in the fan base as well. While this strategically expands Maroon 5’s audience, it also creates some confusion as to who the band specifically wants to target. Based on the social media campaigns I have observed, I think it’s fair to argue that the band also seems unsure about this piece of information. Additionally, each band member has their own subset of an audience to attend to. Specifically, Adam Levine must also keep his fans from The Voice in mind. Perhaps this creates a lack of cohesion within the band’s followers. Lastly, Ross Raihala, a writer for the review section of twincities.com notes that at one of Maroon 5’s concerts, “it wasn't just mostly women in the audience as in the past, but a surprising number of couples, some with little kids.” This type of audience research displays the universal appeal of the band’s music, and how it has expanded and evolved up until now. 

Weekly Round-Up #6

I was actually pleasantly surprised by all three of my organizations this week. To start, The Voice posted, "RETWEET if you agree that our coaches = the funniest people you know," along with a link to a funny video of clips of coach Blake Shelton mumbling during the show. While The Voice often uses pictures to complement its tweets, the show rarely uses videos in conjunction with its posts. This was an engaging way to attract its audience, and ultimately an effective strategy to enhance its reputation. Since the show has aired, The Voice's Twitter account has been posting non-stop. Although this can be somewhat irritating, I do think it is a strategic marketing decision that can only help the show increase its viewer audience. It's so important for the show to keep fans up to date. It accomplishes not only by relaying information about what went down during the show, but also by providing funny commentary along the way. The fact that the tweet received so many retweets and favorites only within an hour of being posted shows just how responsive fans are to this type of advertising. The Voice continues to appeal to its audience demographic by marketing itself as funny, quirky, family-oriented, and lighthearted. All of these strategies effectively enhance The Voice's brand.

This week, Maroon 5 posted, "Thank you @iHeartRadio for nominating us for #ArtistOfTheYear. Vote for us here-[link]." This tweet was accompanied by a photo of front-man, Adam Levine, jumping off of the stage into what looks like a crowded audience. While any time of visual imagery can definitely enhance a Twitter post, I feel that the quality of this photo is underwhelming. The band has tons of professional photos taken from its concerts, and I find it hard to believe that this was the best option. While I do see how the band intended for Levine to be the focus of this photo, the background is difficult to see, making it unclear what exactly the message of this picture is. 

However, on a more positive note, I do believe this tweet was an effective way for Maroon 5 to brand itself considering this nomination. Through this post, the band drew attention to its accomplishments within as performers, which undoubtedly enhances its credibility within the music and entertainment industries. The purpose of this tweet is also very clear, and there is a direct call to action. The fact that Maroon 5 requested something of its audience makes the audience feel as if they are important and that their opinion matters. Any type of audience engagement is a positive marketing tactic. 

Finally, Starbucks shared a clever post via Twitter this week as well. The text reads "3 TBSP butterscotch chips...#ButterscotchCreamCoffee #KCupRecipes." By giving its customers insight into the ingredients they use in their to-go coffee cups, Starbucks is essentially giving away a secret to its audience. This is such a smart strategy because it will intrigue consumers, and make them feel as though they are favored in some way. This type of "special treatment" can only enhance the Starbucks brand, increasing customer loyalty, and improving the company's credibility as a popular and well-known organization. Additionally, the aesthetic appeal provided by the image of desert-like food will engage the audience and draw in their attention. Overall, this was a highly strategic and effective post despite the simplicity of its message. This goes to show just how effective creative social media marketing can be for a brand.