If you’re looking for work by Katelyn Tatti, you’ve come to the right place.
Specifically, if you’re looking for student samples, you’ve come to the right place.
My new home is at sunniesandcurls.blogspot.com for all of my shorter, blog work.
Thanks for visiting!
Everyone knows what the “Golden Rule” in life is, but everyone also knows that a second “golden rule” in conversations is “there are two topics you avoid in everyday conversation: politics and religion.” While most people know me as an opinionated, sometimes outspoken person, I do try to keep my political agenda under wraps.
Unless, of course, the topic is the 2012 presidential race or the 2013 State of the Union Address.
Though my views have not “switched” from one party to another, I feel as if I have become more and more moderate and leaning to the left since the election. Politics in general have people pitted against each other and frankly it’s starting to get old. I’ll admit I’m not an economist or a political figure by any means, but the constant blaming and arguing and not getting anything done is not helping our country, and you don’t have to be an expert in either of those fields to recognize that.
There five points I took away from President Obama’s speech last night include the problem of the deficit, early childhood education, the minimum wage debate, the topic of families and gun control.
But more of those in a minute.
I’ll borrow from Will McAvoy from HBO’s “The Newsroom” briefly. In the pilot episode he has a long monologue about why the United States is no longer the greatest country in the world, and I had no choice but to wonder what he would say (had he been a real person) about the POTUS’ speech last night.
The POTUS was quoted in the beginning of the address as calling the United States “the greatest nation on Earth” and it reminded me of the following excerpt from “The Newsroom”:
“It’s not the greatest country in the world professor, that’s my answer…There’s some things you should know and one of them is there’s absolutely no evidence to support the statement that we’re the greatest country in the world…We didn’t identify ourselves by who we voted for in the last election, and we didn’t scare so easy. And we were able to be all these things and do all these things because we were informed. By great men, men who were revered. The first step in solving any problem is recognizing there is one-America is not the greatest country in the world anymore…”
While “The Newsroom” is a fictional show, it does bring topics like this up. And McAvoy makes a good point: America really isn’t the greatest country in the world anymore. We’re too busy fighting each other over gun control, when or how to bring troops back from Afghanistan, immigration reform and what makes a certain party better than the other.
You know, it really grinds my gears that everyone is fighting so much. I thought this was called the UNITED States of America? At this point I think we should just call ourselves the States of America because it seems ridiculous that we can’t even come together on a topic like gun control when guns took the innocent lives of 26 elementary school kids not two months ago. Yet we can’t even agree on that? I don’t know what it’s going to take for the two sides to act bipartisan again because a tragedy like that sure didn’t. It’s disgraceful. We should be embarrassed. I fear for what has to happen to get any kind of legislation going that we all agree on.
It’s like politicians are so busy pointing fingers that there aren’t any fingers left to write any legislation or get anything worthwhile done.
So away from my political rants and back to last night’s State of the Union Address President Obama delivered last night, in the order in which the POTUS spoke about them and my reaction:
1. “A promise to not increase deficit at all, period.” – I’m a little skeptical about this point. Though it garnered a positive reaction from the audience, I’m a little unsure about how this will actually pan out. With all the arguing back and forth between Democrats and Republicans these days, I need to see progress happening before I can believe in this promise.
2. “Make sure kids don’t start life already behind.” – The POTUS’ remarks on education not only makes sense but I feel is an attainable promise. He emphasized the importance of pre-k education and how it affects the rest of a child’s life. My mother is a preschool teacher and she knows a heck of a lot about early childhood education, so I believe her when she talks about some of her students who already know their colors and alphabet at age 2. If that education is stifled at an early age, how will a child’s brain develop for higher learning? I agree with you, Mr. President, pre-k education should have more focus.
3. “No one who works full time should have to live in poverty… Raise minimum wage to $9/hour.” – When I started working I believe I remember being paid something like a little over $5 an hour at my first job in 2004. Because of the stumbling economy, more and more people are working minimum wage jobs and need an increased income to survive. Obama said “a full-time worker making the minimum wage earns $14,500 a year…and still lives below the poverty line.” This is wrong. If we want any hope of being the greatest country in the world again, we need to make sure our citizens are able to support themselves financially. That way, the deficit won’t increase by having to support federal programs to support the impoverished. I’m no economist, but it just seems obvious.
Basically the POTUS’ entire segment on minimum wage makes sense. I can see the other side of the argument, how there are loopholes and reasons to not raise the minimum wage, but this is another point I think America should agree with the president on, regardless of which side you’re on.
4. “And we’ll work to strengthen families by removing the financial deterrents to marriage for low-income couples, and doing more to encourage fatherhood – because what makes you a man isn’t the ability to conceive a child; it’s having the courage to raise one.” – I love this. My heart goes out to all the single mothers who have to work and raise a child. Having been brought up in a stable home with both parents, I can see how having two parents is key to a child’s well-being. And you know what, it doesn’t even have to me a mom and a dad at home. It could be a home with two moms or two dads – I’m all for equality – but I feel that a child needs two parents to look up to, two viewpoints in the household, two advice givers, two caretakers. I’d like to see more fathers stay in their child’s life and more marriage, whether it’s after a child is conceived or just in general.
5. “…more than two dozen Americans whose lives have been torn apart by gun violence. They deserve a vote.” – The POTUS mentioned the tragedies of Blacksburg, Gabrielle Giffords, the Newtown shooting, Aurora and “the countless other communities ripped open by gun violence.” The phrase “deserve a vote” resounded not only with the audience but also with me. I liked how the president didn’t point to legislation that one side or another proposed or his party’s view on gun control, but that he made the segment in a call to action. He urged everyone to look out for one another and care for each other. It was at this time that I didn’t see a president on the podium speaking, but a father and a human appealing to our natural instincts – to love and to take on the challenges we face.
Overall my opinions on the POTUS have changed since last year, right? So I actually wanted to watch the SOTU because I was actually interested in what he had to say in the midst of all the worldly goings-on and the stateside violence happening in our own backyard. I was pleasantly pleased about what I heard. Never thought you’d hear me say that, do you?
I brought up five points that I believe to be of note from the whole SOTU. And I’ll admit, I didn’t watch the Republican response because Marco Rubio was blatantly reading off the teleprompter and it was painful to watch.
So, reactions of the SOTU. It felt like a little over an hour of applause, Biden’s watery eyes, Boehner’s Grumpy Cat impressions and lots of panning over to the audience for reaction shots, but overall, the POTUS, in my opinion, used his time wisely and delivered what I thought to be an all-encompassing message.
I’m looking forward to what 2013 brings for President Obama and the members of Congress and the House of Representatives. Let’s see if we can again make the United States the greatest country in the world. Will America be allowed to flourish as it had in its humble beginnings or is human nature going to continue to stifle its growth? Sound off in the comments!
Find the first scene of “The Newsroom” on YouTube, here. Will McAvoy’s quote featured in this article starts at 3:39.
Find the full text of the State of the Union Address on the New York Times webpage, here.
Logo created from RVA Creates, featured image: cupcake design from Frostings.
RICHMOND, Va. – The old fashioned American dream was once to be married with two children living in a house with a white picket fence out front. While that may still be the case, many Americans today are experiencing digital media and creating their own careers and wealth, most before the age of 35, according to four recently interviewed young entrepreneurs.
Several Richmond entrepreneurs are doing just that – working their way up the ladder while juggling personal lives and even continuing education. These young entrepreneurs agree that the American dream is slowly changing to incorporate both the fluctuating economy and creative minds’ desires.
According to Style Weekly’s “Top 40 Under 40” article in October 2011, there are 24 young entrepreneurs in Richmond making waves in their respective fields. Of those, many are employed at the management level and above, like Dr. Stephanie Crewe who works at MCV Hospitals as assistant professor of pediatrics or Christine Stoddard, founder and editor of Quail Bell Magazine.
Digital Analyst Christine Pizzo, employed at Create Digital, says the American dream has changed. “It’s all about a person’s success. It’s not more about what you have; it’s what you’re doing with your life,” Pizzo said.
Many young entrepreneurs like Pizzo agree that building success in a career and also in other aspects of life is ideal, but have differing opinions on the digital world. While on one hand digital media is fairly simple to get into, it can be hard to set yourself apart from the rest of the field.
“Start early when you start looking for a job. Really make sure you stand out and are set apart from other people,” Pizzo said. She encouraged job seekers to not only take unique classes but to do internships and gain as many opportunities and networking relationships as possible.
Anyone can get into digital media, though, with a college degree in hand or not. Anyone can make a website, learn to code, create graphics and build a following. The strategy is less about education and more about how an individual can hone in on the skills already possessed and be able to self-teach the rest.
Style Weekly’s Top 40 Under 40 boasts several digital media-related entrepreneurs that are top rated in their field.
Trevor Dickerson, director of new media at Loving Consulting and editor of Downtown Short Pump dot com, demonstrates how experience outweighs education in his situation. Loving Consulting, located in Richmond, specializes in marketing and advertising for small businesses. Now only 24 years old, Dickerson started Downtown Short Pump dot com when he was in high school and took off from there; he now owns RVA MediaWorks and becoming director of new media. Downtown Short Pump is an online blog which Dickerson maintains and writes, edits and creates graphics for on his own.
Dickerson’s approach to digital media is anything but conventional. Not only has he founded and edited a website and owned a company, but he has had a lot of responsibility weighing on his shoulders by way of web design, copyrighting, social media management and videography.
“Anything I’ve done I’ve never really been intentional about, so that’s kind of how I got to where I was [at the time]. [By] seeing needs that people had and self-teaching myself, [I] tried to fill those needs,” Dickerson said.
Dickerson was able to work his way into some high profile projects, including helping redesign the website for Richmond Biz Sense and working with Venture Richmond, the Folk Festival and Friday Cheers. Each of these entities is exclusive to Richmond, having been created and nurtured in the heart of the city. He was able to create new graphics and redo the web design for these entities so they could engulf their full potential. Dickerson’s path may be unconventional, but it shows that going into digital media as an “expert” is not a necessary quality to possess.
Similar to Dickerson, Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook fame started and is still employed with Facebook today. Since having the idea for Facebook in 2003, he is now worth over $50 billion according to Forbes. Zuckerberg is 27 years old and is showing no signs of slowing down, much like Dickerson who is 24 and the self-proclaimed “Mayor of Short Pump.”
Another Richmond native making her way into the media world with style and grace is Christine Pizzo who graduated from Radford University. Pizzo has become a digital advocate at Create Digital. Digital advocates are responsible for being the voice and face of a brand as well as be present on social media networks. Pizzo is going to graduate school at the Virginia Commonwealth University Brandcenter, a program designed to educate and train students to enter the highly competitive advertising industry.
Pizzo has not always been successful in her field – she worked in Newport News as a server in a restaurant before moving on to Richmond. Though she worked at the student newspaper at Radford, Pizzo had a difficult time at first landing her first media job.
“Don’t give up. I randomly found a Craigslist ad and it ended up being a great job at a Fortune 500 company, so don’t give up,” Pizzo said. She was not discouraged by her first job right out of college – being a waitress at a local restaurant. She hopes to work abroad in Europe in the near future and work at a big agency.
“I want to see the world and not just watch TV about it or read it in a book,” Pizzo said.
As a student or someone looking to break into media for the first time, Dickerson and Pizzo serve as examples of different paths into the same field. Both individuals are still pursuing education while being able to handle the demands of a career, something not many individuals are able to accomplish. Neither Dickerson nor Pizzo, though, would be able to get where they are now without networking.
Networking is key to getting into any field, but especially to becoming part of digital society. Sarah-Tyler Moore, one of Create Digital’s digital advocates, has been able to have a hand in several different media-related fields. Having graduated from the University of Richmond in 2008, Moore has worked for Northwestern Mutual, the University of Richmond and now Create Digital.
“[I was on] just kind of this jagged path to where I am now and it was definitely a good experience,” Moore said. She started out as a campus recruiter for Northwestern Mutual, which led her to the job at the University of Richmond in the Robins School of Business. She found out about the job at Create Digital through a contact from Northwestern Mutual.
Moore demonstrates that networking is one of the biggest factors that can land that dream job, though it is important to realize that the first job may not be the one that an individual really wants. “Not a lot of people get lucky enough to find their first job and have it be their dream job,” Moore said.
One of the lucky few who was fortunate to find a company she loved after graduating college is Christine Carlson, who is an account executive at Wireside Communications Inc. in Richmond. Wireside specializes in business-to-business communications, according to Carlson, meaning Wireside works with large corporations rather than individuals. Carlson was able to land her first and only job after graduating from the University of South Carolina.
“I started out as an intern so I was doing a lot of entry-level work and then worked my way up, but the thing is that we’re a very small agency so even in my role as account executive I still do a lot of work that I did as an intern,” Carlson said.
With any role in any digital media company, the title does not always embody the responsibilities. It is important to keep in mind that responsibilities will change with role or title and should always be taken as a learning experience.
“I think [moving up in a company] is all about what you put into it. If you put a lot into it and try really hard and go the extra mile – always asking to do more, that’ll get you far. In that case, I do think it is easier to move up,” Carlson said. Eventually she says she wants to do public relations for the National Football League, and Carlson is already very prepared if that opportunity comes her way.
On a daily basis, each of these digital media enthusiasts use people skills and creativity to curate fresh, new content. All four have their own blogs and social media accounts and post regularly. Platforms such as Twitter and the blogging site WordPress are essential to building a personal brand as Dickerson, Pizzo, Moore and Carlson have done.
All in all, new graduates and those looking to emerge into the digital media world need to remember that it takes a lot of practice and self-teaching to be respected and well known. Respect in the media world is earned, not given, and sometimes it will not be so easy to get that kind of recognition. However, networking is an effective way of communicating with those who are already established to help with first impressions.
“People are very willing to help, especially when they think that you respect them enough to come to them and ask them for [information],” Dickerson said, “If you find people that you respect and you go to them, they’re going to help you break into [media] a little bit more and make the connections you need.”
Keep up with these influential individuals by following them on Twitter or finding their LinkedIn profiles!
Television sets have been in existence for almost one hundred years while social media have been in existence for less than 10. Both televisions and social media have the power to bring groups of people together for entertainment purposes, and both can be used in the home and on the go. Three experts in the field of second screen technology who were interviewed weigh in on this ongoing debate: Mick Darling of Tomorrowish, Kimber Meyers of GetGlue and David Markowitz of Second Screen Networks.
Users like Jason Yu who works at The Hardwicke Group, a local Richmond company that specializes in social media for small business, is both an avid television watcher and social media savvy. His experience with a platform like GetGlue can help sway those who are still unsure about using second screen technology to communicate with others about their passions.
In today’s digital world, users can combine first screen technology – television sets – with second screen technology – any content accessed using smart phones, tablets, laptops or other handheld devices for personal entertainment. By definition, second screen technology is either a website or an application that gives users a way to access additional and sometimes exclusive content on television shows they watch.
For example, when Mary watches “Modern Family” on her television set and tweets about it using her iPhone, Mary is unknowingly participating in one aspect of second screen technology. Like Mary, many people are talking about what they are seeing on the television screen using social media without having a clear understanding of what they are doing.
The definition of second screen technology as well as the origin of it remains debatable. While the media experts like those at Google or Microsoft generally agree that this phenomenon began when television was first introduced, they also vary on how today’s technology got mixed in.
Media powerhouse Google prepared a presentation in August 2012 with several marketing strategy companies that detailed the intricacies of users and evaluated their interaction with varying handheld devices, as noted on Manila Standard Today’s recap of the presentation. According to Google, second screen technology plays a role in users everyday lives – the study shows 81 percent of people use a smart phone in combination with television. Some people even watch television through their smart phones on websites like Hulu or Netflix.
According to Kimber Myers, senior director of partnerships at GetGlue, mentions “the water cooler effect” of yesteryear. “You go into work the next morning and you talk about what you watched the night before. But with technology…[platforms like GetGlue] is making it so that people [can talk about what they just watched immediately] and also you don’t have to talk about it with someone who’s in the same room as you,” Myers said.
GetGlue, whose headquarters is based out of New York City, is a website and application that users can create accounts for and log into a variety of hobbies, including favorite television shows, movies and sports. Users have the option of sending these check ins to various other social networking platforms like Facebook or Twitter to share activities with friends.
Second screen capabilities have only recently come about with the introduction of smart phones and handheld devices. Mick Darling, founder and CEO of Tomorrowish, says that this trend “started when enough people were using social media platforms that we could really chat in real time about what was going on.”
Based out of Boston, Mass., Tomorrowish labels itself as a “social media DVR,” according to Darling. Basically, Tomorrowish aims to allow users to comment on their favorite shows while they air. Users are also able to go back and watch a show and still be able to access all the user-generated content that occurred while the show was first aired. The infrastructure that Tomorrowish has, according to Darling, captures social media content from the television and can be used in conjunction with any third-party application such as Hulu, a popular online television viewing website.
“It has just evolved,” Darling said. “People have been chatting on [chat rooms] about television for a very long time but the crowd that used [chat rooms] didn’t really intersect with pop culture all that much.” Times have changed. Those chat rooms have evolved into current social networking platforms such as Facebook and Twitter.
Sometimes second screen technology is used interchangeably with the term “social TV.” There are several services, both online and in application form, that allows users to watch television on the first screen and get additional content from another source. GetGlue and Tomorrowish both offer users a way to engage with fellow fans using their products. These companies can be found on the web or have downloadable applications for smart phones and tablets.
Both GetGlue and Tomorrowish work with TV networks to bring users the most in-depth content for their favorite shows as well as a platform to view those shows and interact with fellow fans. TV networks work with both of these companies by giving them exclusive content, interviews, behind the scenes experiences and sweepstakes opportunities for fans and users of the products. In a broad sense, these products exist to give the user a full fan experience in a convenient and easy to use interface.
With over 3 million users, GetGlue is one of the more well known of the second screen platforms. Myers says GetGlue revolves around the idea of the “check-in.” When users check in to GetGlue, they share what they are watching with friends and other fans of the show. These check ins can be sent to other social networking platforms, like Twitter and Facebook, in order to maximize viewer interaction.
The GetGlue experience is different than any other within second screen technology. First and foremost, GetGlue’s conversations are filtered, so filler comments and emoticons are eliminated from the stream. Essentially, user-generated content that does not add to the conversation does not appear at all within the platform so as to give the user the most rich, extensive comments available. User rewards come in the form of stickers, encouraging users to tune in to their favorite show the first time it airs to get unlock the sticker.
Jason Yu is not only a fan of GetGlue but also of the incentives the application offers. It gives you sweepstakes opportunities as well as discounts.
“When you check in you earn a sticker. There’s a certain amount that you’re able to get in snail mail, the actual stickers that you can post, you know, on wherever, so that’s really cool,” Yu said.
The overall conversation, though, is a key part of the GetGlue experience, Myers said, allowing users to interact not only with strangers but to be exposed to content their friends, family are watching first. Beyond the conversation and the stickers, GetGlue “pulls in official videos from their network partners as well as tweets from both network and talent associated with that show,” Myers said. “So if you check in to Breaking Bad, you’ll not only see a tweet from AMC’s Breaking Bad account but you’ll also see a tweet from star Aaron Paul’s account. So it’s a really great experience that makes it easy for fans to access all kinds of content in one place.”
Yu has been using entities similar to GetGlue before GetGlue was a product. Since he started with GetGlue, he tries to check in to at least one show a day, according to Yu. Because he watches an abundance of television during primetime, he wanted to be able to interact with others about the shows he was watching.
“I’ve slowly ingrained it into my routine and use it every day and I find it to be a very positive experience because people can comment on what you post, they can agree…or like what you’re watching so I just think it’s great for another aspect of social media, it’s what they call social TV nowadays,” Yu said.
According to Yu, the stickers, rewards and discounts that GetGlue offers keeps him coming back; there are perks to being active on this application.
Tomorrowish is another such second screen technology platform. Darling defines second screen technology as “basically any time you’re using a technology on your iPhone, iPad or laptop to integrate it some way with another screen. That other screen usually is a TV set but not always.” Founded in 2009, Tomorrowish aims to stimulate conversations through use of their product. By using Tomorrowish and their services, users can expect a seamless experience and easy to navigate interface to watch their favorite shows.
Tomorrowish can be best described as a kind of social media recording device. Not only does the program allow users to watch TV directly on the website, it also allows for bonus content to be accessed and encourages interaction with fellow fans. Shows are available via the Tomorrowish website to watch at any time, even if the air date is weeks previous.
“We capture right off of Facebook fan pages and Twitter public streams. That’s how we collect the data, at least the first time,” Darling said. However, Tomorrowish offers users an alternative if that person is unable to tune into the live airing of the show.
“If someone wants to integrate with or make sure their messages can see the social media screen and they’re watching after the fact, then they have to use our platform,” Darling said.
Social TV encompasses more than just conversations and interacting with fellow fans. Second screen technology might not even exist if not for advertising. Advertisements help promote products and services and help networks fund shows. Second Screen Networks is one company behind these advertisements for social TV.
David Markowitz, vice president of marketing and business development at Second Screen Networks in New York City, explains that his company has developed an ad platform for social TV. “For example, you’re using an application like GetGlue and you’re watching ‘Glee,’ and a commercial break comes on,” Markowitz said, “we have servers watching television and we can identify that there’s a Pizza Hut commercial on, so we serve a complimentary digital ad onto your second screen platform specifically for Gleeks.”
Second Screen Networks aims to allow TV advertisers that are already spending boatloads of money on primetime television to “also reach this growing audience of people who are using these companion applications,” Markowitz said. Second Screen Networks is unlike GetGlue and Tomorrowish in that it wants to enhance a user’s experience by providing a more personalized advertising strategy rather than a conversation tool.
Similar to GetGlue and Tomorrowish, Second Screen Networks works with all TV networks in order to maximize viewers reached. “We work with everyone. That’s very much the strategy. We want to be the Switzerland; we want to work with different TV networks, different advertisers and different applications,” Markowitz said.
Second screen technology is a collaborative effort. Each piece of social TV works together to create an experience for the user. Advertisements power the networks. The networks power the shows. The shows entertain the viewers. The viewers fuel the applications.
“90 percent of viewers are multi-tasking and juggling different activities at the same time,” according to Google’s study. Users are able to take this technology with them on the go in the form of applications on smart phones and tablets. Social TV is a trend that more and more people are engaging in because the technology is portable entertainment in a nonstop society.
“It’s a conversation about a topic or a show; it allows people to find like-minded people that they may not necessarily have found otherwise,” Darling said. Three media experts and one avid user agree that second screen technology already has changed the dynamic of social media and television and it will continue to evolve until the next generation of social TV emerges.
Websites
Google presentation – http://www.scribd.com/embeds/104313542/content?start_page=1&view_mode=&access_key=key-2c8q5mvqawdh7d1bt8me
To make sure I don’t start over for the umpteenth time, I’m going to try to blog my eating and exercise efforts on the weekdays. I want to finally get myself healthier and more in shape and not just because it’s the new year! I used to be a cheerleader and got to exercise every day and basically eat whatever I wanted and still stay in shape. Though I know that this probably won’t be the case again, though I’d love to be able to cheer like when I was younger, I still want to be proud of myself and not have to worry about the mirror being my enemy.
My initial idea for today was to alternate a cup of Yogi detox tea (up to 4 cups like it says on the box) and a 20 ounce glass of water, but my eating yesterday was anything but clean. I decided to make my breakfast count so that I could alternate the rest of the day without getting a headache or feeling weak (that happens when I don’t get enough sleep and/or sustenance).
I am also taking Shaklee vitamins – 1 Vita-Lea without iron formula tablet, 2 Shaklee B-Complex tablets and 1 Biotin tablet a day after dinner to help supplement my diet (or lack thereof).
This morning’s breakfast:
1 whole sliced banana – about 90 calories
1 c Rice Krispies (I wanted a crunch & don’t have any granola!) – about 130 calories
1 c Horizon Organic 0% milk – about 90 calories.
Total for breakfast: about 310 calories
Stay tuned to my Twitter for more up-to-the-minute details of how my days go (@KatelynTatti). We’ll see how long this lasts! Hopefully since I intend on blogging about it every weekday it’ll help keep me on track. Wish me luck!
Edit: I will be using Endomondo Sports Tracker. Unfortunately the only option is to send information to Facebook, which I won’t be doing, but I will tweet my activity totals. I’m not sure if the app is available on iOS but it’s available at the Google Play store.
My grandfather, whom I lovingly call ‘Grandaddy,’ lived from April 26, 1924 to December 24, 2012. Though he departed this world, I believe that he is free from pain and suffering and resides in a much better place now. I wrote a small tribute to him and read it on the day of the funeral so I could honor his memory and celebrate his life:
I don’t remember Grandaddy as a young and adventurous Marine who rode motorcycles and raced boats. Instead, I remember Grandaddy as a loyal, kind, hard working and devoted husband, father and grandfather who never stopped fighting for his beliefs, his family or his country.
Maybe that was the Marine in him that made him such a strong person – after all, Marines are known for their individuality and loyalty – or maybe it was because he had such an influential, strong and loving wife in Gran. Their faithful devotion lasted 61 years – and continues on through Gran.
Either way, Grandaddy will always be one of the most inspirational people I’ve ever known. I’m thankful to have been a part of his life and to have shared so many wonderful memories with him.
The best way I can think of to describe Grandaddy’s life is through the insignia that he lived by for so many years – represented by the eagle, globe and anchor of the United States Marine Corps.
For Grandaddy, I believe that the eagle represents his love of country and of family. He volunteered for the Marines and served overseas, proving not only that he was courageous but also that he was humble enough to put his country first and himself second.
The Marines motto of “Semper Fidelis” – meaning “always faithful” or “always loyal” – was more than just a motto to Grandaddy, it was a way of life that continued through every other aspect of his life – whether it be to his church or community or family.
The globe represents Grandaddy’s love of nature and exploring all it had to offer. From racing boats to attending motorcycle rallies, Grandaddy loved to see new places and have fun while doing it.
And that was part of his charm – visiting new cities and always making friends wherever he went. Many people say that he never met a stranger and I can definitely believe it. He was always so kind and friendly toward everyone he met – it’s no wonder he was beloved by all.
The anchor represents Grandaddy’s role as a husband, father and grandfather. I know that I am a better person just by seeing his love and devotion toward his family, but his influence is especially apparent through Gran, my mom, Aunt Nae, Uncle Kevin and Uncle Barry that he was an exceptional role model and foundation.
People say it’s always best to remember loved ones at their best and to keep that memory close to your heart. I will always remember Grandaddy in his Marines hat and jeans. I will always remember his sense of humor and booming laughter. But most of all, I will always remember his wonderful smile and excited greeting of “hello there!”
Photo copyright Austin Prime, 2012.
RICHMOND, Va. – Sitting in his bedroom studio in a t-shirt and pajama pants, Austin “Prime” Moore lives the life many dream of – working a job, building a network and creating a brand without leaving the comfort of his home.
It took many hours of hard work and self-learning to get Prime to where he is now. Not only did he break into the radio business at the age of 12 on a small Internet radio station but he also landed a big-time job at Clear Channel Communications at 16 – two years under the minimum age requirement.
Austin “Prime” Moore was not always known simply as Austin Prime. He experienced what some call an epidemic in America – online harassment and bullying – that resulted in the nickname “Prime.”
“Someone found my last name and where I lived and they were calling my cell phone and texting me all the time. It was freaky. Changing my last name to Prime just stuck. Prime is like ‘the best, number one,’ so that’s how I did it. Everyone had stupid last names back in the day so I figured I’d just do this.”
Jasmine Flowers, a longtime coworker of Prime’s, said he is a hard worker and very professional. “He’s a go-getter. He doesn’t wait for opportunities to happen, he creates [opportunities].”
Many of Prime’s coworkers and friends share the same sentiment. In 2009, Prime’s second Internet radio show, The Prime Krew, was a three-year excursion in which Prime and two co-hosts were able to interview some big name celebrities, including Damien Fahey of MTV fame.
Greg Simpson, a long time friend and coworker, holds a high opinion of Prime. “My impression of him has grown in the time I have known him. I think he’s a very determined person, I think this idea that he has of being involved in media is something he’s had for a very long time.”
Between taking classes at John Tyler Community College, interviewing artists for his current Internet radio show and booking events for his mobile DJ business, Austin Prime is just as busy as the rest of the working professional world. There is just one gaping difference between Austin Prime and everyone else – he is only 20 years old.
Prime’s latest show, The Weekend Show, of which Prime is the only host, is about two hours long and can be heard on about 20 different Internet radio stations on Saturdays and Sundays. Recently Prime interviewed Jeffree Star, a singer-songwriter from Los Angeles known for his outlandish transgender outfits, makeup and fashion line. Most recently though, with the addition of The Weekend Show, Prime has gained several thousand Twitter followers, bringing his follower count up to over 28,000 – a number reached by many well-known journalists and successful radio hosts.
Prime has become more and more popular since the debut of his first Internet radio show in 2004. In 2011, Prime was a finalist for a Shorty Award in the “brand” category, losing only to Sesame Street. The Shorty Awards honor the best of Twitter and other social media networks in a variety of different categories. Anyone is eligible to be in the running – all it takes is peer voting for individuals, businesses and brands to be nominated.
“I went up to New York [for the Shorty Awards] and there were about five other people from Richmond there, so it was kind of crazy…The Richmond Times-Dispatch wrote an article about it [with me included].”
The Times-Dispatch article featured the other Richmond natives who attended the event, but added that Prime is a “teen multimedia whiz.”
As a multimedia whiz, Prime has also added being a mobile DJ and voiceovers to his resume. He does a lot of school dances and Girl Scout functions and is always looking to expand his client base.
“The school things are fun but they’re less pay because schools have no money. I’d rather have fun – I’m still making way more money than I do at the radio station,” he said.
Voiceovers, although hard to advertise for, are something that Prime enjoys doing. He has built his client base through a website called Fiver that sells voiceovers for just $5.
“[People who do voiceovers can make about $100 for 30 seconds] so I’m ripping myself off big time, but at the same time I’m getting a client base so it’s hard to advertise for that,” said Prime.
As a part-time student and full-time multimedia enthusiast, Prime spends his days running from class to work to his home studio and back again.
Clayton Hall, Prime’s boyfriend, said Prime is very smart and loves what he does. “He’s a very hard worker and he’s extremely motivated to do what it takes to succeed,” he said.
Motivation for success is a driving force in Prime’s life. His busiest days happen on days he has to record his radio show in order for Cam Black, his producer, to produce it in time for airing. Prime will advertise for The Weekend Show on his Facebook Page and Twitter account in order to garner more followers and listeners to the show.
Social media plays a large role in how many individuals become celebrities. Prime has become best known from Twitter as opposed to other platforms because it is more open. “Back when I was 17 it was crazy. I had almost 16,000-17,000 followers and everyone in Richmond thought it was so cool. Back then it was a big deal,” he said, and that his recognition is due in large part of shout outs on local radio and overcoming the struggle to build his brand from the ground up.
Social media has taken on a whole new level of influence in the communication industry since Prime started in 2004. Radio is changing and so is how we listen to it. A lot of radio has changed over into Internet radio, but the industry continues to thrive. High definition radio has come into existence, changing the concept of radio and taking it to a whole new level – listeners can now see the weather and artist information right from their radio.
“A lot of people think radio’s dying and that’s kind of funny to me. I can totally see what [people are] saying, but it’s not dying. Cars still come with radios built in; iHeartRadio, an application that Clear Channel owns, is one of the top apps on the App Store under Pandora. It’s not radio waves anymore, but it’s still radio. Radio is never going to die I don’t think,” he said.
Prime is unique in his success at such a young age because he has no formal training in the industry, but has attended several conferences and learns the equipment on his own. “It’s nothing special, just playing around with [the equipment], knowing what you’re doing,” he said.
Prime is able to utilize a variety of equipment for all of his endeavors. At Clear Channel Radio, that owns Q94 and an abundance of other stations, Prime is the board operator, meaning that he essentially runs a radio show that airs on 102.1 the X.
In his home studio, Prime makes use of “an audio mixer; a nice microphone – the Shure SM7 – very nice, a lot of radio stations use it; that’s pretty much it,” but as far as DJ equipment, he simply said, “that’s a lot.”
“In radio he’s energetic, intelligent and in the know. He always wants to succeed,” said Lacey Morlan, who has known Prime for about five years. She and Prime became acquaintances back when Prime was first starting out in radio.
Prime has certainly succeeded – he has held multiple jobs in the radio and multimedia industry and has big plans for the future. “I’d like to do marketing and work with small businesses and have horrible benefits and do social media. But as far as working radio full time, probably never going to do that. Social media would be cool,” said Prime.
It seems Prime is a kind of superman when it comes to multimedia. Prime seemingly already has a firm grip on how the industry works – radio and social media might evolve but the basics are never going to change.
“It’s the way of the future…Who calls on a cell phone anymore? Let’s be honest. It’s a text message or a tweet or a Facebook message,” he said.
Many people hold a high opinion of Prime, the way Prime has a high opinion of those in the media industry. “I really like this guy named Mo’Bounce in New York City. There are a lot of people I listen to in order to learn from, but he’s kind of my radio idol I guess you could say. He’s pretty awesome,” said Prime.
Similarly, many think highly of Prime, his success at a young age and his outgoing personality that allows him to be so recognizable. “He’s one of those people you always want around. He doesn’t tell you what you want to hear, he tells you what’s real,” said Flowers.
Prime has built his brand entirely on his own. His advice for those trying to break in to the industry is to not give up and keep asking questions. “Just go for it, that’s what I say. Just keep putting yourself out there and keep trying. Save your money and spend it on things you need,” he said.
His home studio equipment is a direct result of working hard and saving money. Prime encourages people to just “keep going from there,” because the media industry can be a difficult industry to get your start in.
“Watch what you say, be careful what you post,” said Prime, on the best media advice given to him. “People say things are posted to the Internet and it’s there forever. I agree with that in some ways, some ways not.”
The best thing for Prime in the future is to just keep doing what he is already so knowledgeable about, continue his influence on Twitter and to just be himself.
“He oozes personality – I don’t think there’s anyone that when they meet him would be turned off by him – he’s one of those kind of personalities that people want to be involved with and he’s very engaging as far as his personality and he really does look for the best in other people,” said Simpson.
Austin “Prime” Moore may be young at just 20, but Prime has taken the multimedia industry by the ears. With three Internet radio shows under his belt, two professional careers and a college degree in progress, Austin Prime has seen more success than many and a bright future ahead.
Additional links:
Austin “Prime” Moore homepage
The Prime Krew Wikipedia
@AustinPrime on Twitter
Austin Prime on Facebook (Page)
[Photo from Austin Prime Facebook Page]
Clear Channel Communications website
The RVA Foursquare badge is one of the more recent additions to Richmond’s social media status. Badges on Foursquare are like stamps in a passport – users earn them by “checking in” to different venues around the city and gain stamps, or “badges” based on what kind of special, holiday or Foursquare milestone is unlocked.
For example, the “Jetsetter” badge is unlocked when the user checks in to 5 different airports, while an example of a Foursquare milestone would be the “over share” badge – which is unlocked when the user checks in more than 10 times in 12 hours.
“RVA” badge reception email.
Madison + Main, The Martin Agency, Tumblr and The Hardwicke Group are but some of the agencies located in the river city that are involved with public relations, advertising and social media for small- and large-scale companies alike.
These agencies work independently of each other but together help make Richmond more identifiable to those who live outside of the area.
Though these agencies differ in size, strengths, weaknesses and specialties, though each helps Richmond develop into the entity known to its inhabitants as “RVA.” The RVA “brand” is one that has a confusing past and there seems to be several stories circulating about its creation.
Madison+Main, a communications and social media firm, dates back to 2005, a few years after social media became popular.
Inside the Madison + Main lobby.
“Madison+Main is kind of like the godfather of social media in this town. Before 2005, nobody was really talking about [social media.] The whole purpose of Madison+Main was to bring Madison Avenue ideas to Main Street clients,” said Dave Saunders, Chief Idea Officer.
Saunders believes that social media in general has changed everything about journalism. His belief forms a basis on how social media is perceived by the public.
“It’s changed the way we do business, it’s changed the way that we communicate with one another, it’s changed the way we hire people, it’s changed governments, it changes the way we participate in democracy, it’s really changed a lot of things.”
One of the larger corporations in Richmond, The Martin Agency, specializes in advertising and works with well-known companies like Geico, UPS, Comcast and Living Social. The Martin Agency employs over 600 people in more than nine departments.
Though The Martin Agency is a large company, its employees strive to personalize the company and make it feel less inferior. The Martin Agency really gets to know its clients and develops a social media plan based on that company’s needs. It was one of the forerunners of the RVA brand’s beginning and helped to develop it.
The Martin Agency, Richmond.
Kira Siddall, social media strategist and propaganda planner at Siddall, Inc. believes RVA came from the punk scene and later developed by The Martin Agency and VCU Brandcenter students. Venture Richmond, who has recently emerged from the social media woodwork, helped to put a visual with the letters. They want the logo to be customizable and for the city’s residents to feel as if each individual can personalize the logo to his or her liking.
“[RVA] came out of the punk scene in the 1980’s or 1990’s. I never understood why it wasn’t RIC because that’s our airport abbreviation, but it’s been RVA for awhile,” said Siddall.
Jason Yu, managing partner and client solutions manager at The Hardwicke Group, knows the story differently. He says RVA came about “through the grapevine of the community here in Richmond from its long-term residents,” not through Twitter or Facebook.
However it started, RVA remains not only a hashtag but also a way of life in terms of its presence throughout several social media platforms. RVA has even been made into a sticker that can be picked up around the city at venues like Lamplighter Coffee Company on South Addison St.
Many of the river city’s residents utilize the sticker on just about any surface. As it was once a precious commodity with only a few in circulation, the RVA sticker is now much more popular and is displayed everywhere, having been made more readily available.
The RVA brand has now seemingly become the river city’s sole identifier, especially on social networking platforms. It helps to bring people together and get quick answers to simple inquiries.
Dr. Marcus Messner, an associate professor within the School of Mass Communications at Virginia Commonwealth University praises Richmond’s social media community and use of the RVA hashtag, especially on Twitter, but thinks there could be some improvement.
A hashtag on Twitter is simply any combination of letters or words with the pound sign in front of it and no spaces in between words. A hashtag automatically makes any word or phrase into a hyperlink, allowing the user to click and find other users talking about that same word.
“I’m not so sure Richmond as a city as a whole or central Virginia as a whole has more of a social presence than comparable metropolitan areas, but I think there’s a very vibrant social media community here that could be marketed better,” said Messner.
Though Richmond seems fairly successful as an entity within the city itself, Saunders shares the same sentiment as Messner in terms of improvement.
Saunders says the whole city needs to be rebranded before attempting any kind of social media. He praises an entity that does well with social media within the city – Richmond Police – but thinks the rest of the city needs to reevaluate.
He explained that there are three kinds of brands – good, bad and those that have never been heard of before. “Richmond is a brand that’s never been heard of. It’s not a good brand, it’s not a bad brand, it’s just one that’s never been heard of,”
said Saunders.
Brands like Richmond’s require a different strategy altogether, said Saunders. He explains that each part of the city needs to work coherently in order to become a powerful entity, both as a city and within social media.
“The first step is to find out what [Richmond is] and what its brand voice is before it attempts to get out there. The problem is, you see it all the time, when organizations get into the social space and they’re unprepared for the negative, they get eaten alive because social media can either be your best friend or your worst enemy because it’s the will of the masses,” said Saunders.
Furthermore, Saunders explained, Richmond is not a beloved brand right now. “I would do some self reflection and hire some professionals to try to rebrand the city before I tried acting [on social media].”
While Saunders had mostly improvement advice for the river city, other social media heavy hitters in Richmond have alternate opinions.
Renee Perron, who specializes in community support at the Richmond Tumblr offices, believes the river city has a lot to offer in terms of social media, especially from its younger audience.
“I think it’s a very youthful city, too, it’s a very up and coming city. I think that’s definitely due to students staying in the city. There’s a lot of young 20-somethings, who, it’s cheap enough to live here but they can still pursue their different artwork and different passions or work in the bar scene, but I think people are also very passionate about the city, who live here.”
Tumblr is known worldwide as a multimedia blogging platform. With millions of active blogs, users can post text, video, audio, pictures, quotes or even chat with one another from one page, called the “dashboard.” Tumblr has recently expanded its offices from New York to here in the river city and employs 30 people here.
Jim Coe, who is a customer support technician at Tumblr, thinks that the culture in Richmond is what drives the city to be so influential.
“I think that [VCU graduates themselves] just create a naturally creative, innovative environment. I would also say that Richmond is becoming a more cosmopolitan city. A lot more people from the north and other parts of the country are moving here. We have cultural influence that are reaching them as well that I think have had a great effect on the city,” said Coe.
Richmond’s strong sense of community is one of the most striking qualities the city has going for it. Not only are its social media users in tune with each other on Twitter, Facebook and Foursquare but also unite to create and cultivate online and offline relationships and networking.
“There’s a great sense of community in Richmond of people coming together for one thing,” said Dick.
As it grows and evolves, the river city looks to expand tourism and influence as evidenced by the large attendance at Social Media Club Richmond and the initiatives set forth by the various agencies.
“I would also say that Richmond is becoming a more cosmopolitan city. A lot more people from the north and other parts of the country are moving here. We have cultural influence that are reaching [outsiders] as well that I think have had a great effect on the city,” said Coe of Tumblr.
Some of the technological startups in Richmond have brought recognition as well. One such company, Mobelux, is in the same building as Tumblr.
“I’ve always heard about a lot of different culture going on in Richmond, but I never really knew about the tech startups associated with that until we moved into this building. There are a lot of cool creative agencies working in this building specifically, including us and Mobelux, and I think it’s something we really have to support and keep moving forward,” said Perron, of Mobelux.
Mobelux specializes in mobile technology and applications and has built successful applications like Tumblrette, a Tumblr application for smart phones. Mobelux’s endeavors include building and creating applications for Blackberry, Android and iPhone. The company is beginning to branch out and get more involved with the Richmond community.
Richmond agencies, like Mobelux, are heavily involved in the community. Madison+Main, for example, “donated over $20,000 worth of pro bono services to Comfort Zone Camp in 2011,” said Saunders. They work with the MS Society of Central Virginia, Habitat for Humanity and Stop Child Abuse Now, among other organizations.
The Hardwicke Group is another agency that gets involved in the Richmond community as well. Jason Yu, managing partner and client solutions manager, has been a part of the company since its inception and has seen The Hardwicke Group’s client list expand. One new initiative the company is trying to launch is called the “Reinvent Me Foundation.” The Reinvent Me Foundation is working in conjunction with Governor Bob McDonnell and Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling’s job creation bill.
“Even though our unemployment [rate] here in the Commonwealth went down from 6 percent to 5.3 percent since February, there are still over 500,000 Virginians that don’t have a job,” said Yu. He went on to explain that this year, 2012 is considered “the year of the entrepreneur.”
Yu also said that The Hardwicke Group is looking for be different than an outplacement agency and that the company strives to get to know its clients in order to better place them into jobs, as a part of this new jobs initiative.
There is strong community involvement in organizations like Social Media Club Richmond that brings together experts in the social media and journalism field to discover and explore new and upcoming trends in the digital world.
Christina Dick, community manager at The Martin Agency, thinks SMCRVA is a great addition to the social media culture. “I definitely think [SMCRVA can bring recognition to Richmond]. When they bring speakers in from big cities and big companies it definitely says something positive.”
SMCRVA’s inception has a lot to do with another agency heavily involved in social media in the river city – Madison+Main. It was at one of Madison+Main’s New Media Mixers that SMCRVA got started.
Nathan Hughes, a co-founder of SMCRVA, says he got involved after that New Media Mixer. “It was back when people from Twitter didn’t really know one another. They knew a few people, but the Madison+Main New Media Mixer was really the first time these people got together from online, so it was fun to actually meet the people behind their Twitter handles. It’s been nonstop since then,” said Hughes.
The idea behind Social Media Club is to educate people about social media, journalism and how the digital world is constantly evolving. Participants can interact with each other before, during or after the event and are free to ask questions at any time.
“One reason [to come to SMC] is that you get good networking and you get to know the people that are in the field,” said Hughes. “Lots of people have gotten jobs through SMC.”
Social Media Club Richmond meets every month and features a new focus for every event, which keeps people coming back. The speakers and panel that are brought in to present every month vary – April’s theme will be “social television.”
“I definitely think [SMCRVA can bring recognition to Richmond]. Especially the different kinds of speakers they bring in. When they bring speakers in from big cities and big companies it definitely says something [positive] about the city,” said Siddall, who is another co-founder of SMCRVA.
Siddall, who attends many SMCRVA events, has become a frontrunner of Richmond social media through her efforts in gaining a Foursquare badge for the city.
Foursquare is one of the more recent additions to the social media realm. Siddall defines Foursquare as “a digital passport collecting where you’ve been.”
Foursquare in general is a platform that is completely different than its competitors. Instead of carrying on a conversation with friends, this platform allows its users to interact with each other via tips rather than a “wall” like on Facebook or a “timeline” on Twitter.
Foursquare gives its users the ability to “check in” to a place and earn “mayorships” if that user is most active in that one spot; it also takes away “mayorships” as competition increases.
Richmond earned a Foursquare badge in early 2012, having won a competition the company put on. Siddall singlehandedly designed the badge in 48 hours but had help with some of the lists and promotions.
Siddall explained that the RVA Foursquare badge was designed using the Richmond city flag and from ideas that were given to the company.
The RVA badge can be unlocked at any venue that is named on the list. A few of the venues include Carytown, Tredegar Iron Works and Richmond City Hall.
“At the end of it I think we were in fourth…[Governor] McDonnell tweeted it, [Lieutenant Governor] Bill Bolling tweeted it – that was a requirement and then McDonnell wanted to unveil it,” said Siddall.
Users could follow the progress through numerous Twitter updates and links to lists. This platform joins an already growing list that RVA partakes in, including Twitter and Facebook.
When the badge was revealed, Siddall said, she had cupcakes made courtesy of Frostings, a venue listed under the RVA badge.
One aspect of social media that both Yu and Siddall talked about was all the effort that goes into just one social media platform.
“This is the complicated part: You have to understand that the back end side is way, way more important than the front-end side,” said Siddall. Part of the reason why she was able to win the Foursquare badge competition was because she called the governor’s press secretary and was able to get McDonnell’s support behind it.
Yu of The Hardwicke Group thinks that Foursquare is a positive way to increase tourism and invite people to come explore the river city.
“I think with Foursquare, because of the ability to leave tips and create lists, when people check in to certain places or around certain venues where tips are left that gets people involved, especially if they’re outsiders, if they are people traveling or passing through the area, it gives them the incentive to perhaps explore this place or this venue and want to come back to Richmond.”
This perception, though, is contested. Saunders thinks that Foursquare is exciting but will not bring in the desired amount of tourism that Richmond would like to see increase. This perception goes along with his notion that the city should refrain from social media to begin with.
“[The Foursquare badge] is a wonderful little feather in the cap of Richmond as a whole – the government had nothing to do with that – it was people here that got involved with it and it was a wonderful thing and it shows just how connected Richmond is in social media. I’ve seen us as high as #42 on a list and then I’ve seen us lower – I think that in respect to how many people are actively engaged in social media in the Richmond area overall – I think we’re probably way ahead of the curve,” said Saunders.
The connections that the people of the river city have with each other and within the RVA culture is a small part of what the city needs to do in order to embody any sort of identity, starting with its social media profile.
Social media is a different kind of interaction – building relationships takes time and effort, but the investment is well worth it, especially by looking at successes of Madison + Main, The Martin Agency, Tumblr and The Hardwicke Group. The river city needs to take a look at its goals for the future to decide what kind of identity it should embody.
“The perception that social media is just ‘I can hire my daughter or high school student to manage it is misleading because they don’t know what goes on in the back end and what people are going to see, even if it’s just a typo,” said Yu. This perception is misconstrued; social media is much more than just a 140-character tweet or a simple Facebook status update.
Social media today has a large basis on how companies and individuals are perceived. Each of the companies in Richmond fit together like a puzzle and each use their specialties to produce content for the greater good of the river city.
While Richmond may not yet have all of the elements together it needs to be fully cohesive, there are more than a few pieces that are already in place. Overall, the river city seems to be about halfway to where it needs to be in order to gain more recognition.
Richmond has been known as an up and coming city and has even been compared to Austin, TX, the famed home of South By Southwest, the site for the huge annual multimedia festival.
Siddall, who has gotten to attend SXSW in the past, has heard people refer to Richmond and Austin together.
“Austin is my favorite [city] and I like to hear that people think that Richmond is the next Austin – that is my favorite development I’ve heard in awhile,” said Siddall.
This breakthrough gives Richmond hope for the future. When the city cooperates as a cohesive unit – the police, the city government, transportation, surrounding counties – Richmond will work its way up the ladder of social media culture.
The river city has come a long way since the beginning days of the RVA brand. Richmond is filled with talented individuals and agencies and stands alone in a new social media category: city with the most potential.
“Richmond is a Mecca of creativity, believe it or not. We don’t need to compare ourselves to New York City, Philadelphia, D.C. or even Silicon Valley. There’s a lot of great talent here in Richmond,” said Yu.
RICHMOND, Va. – Being a senior in college, most students think they know it all. In fact, most seniors get lazy, stop going to class and stop taking responsibility for their work, resulting in the fictitious ailment commonly known as “Senioritis.” For me, Senioritis has come in the form of too many tweets, too few check-ins and not enough social media events to network at.
Before Create Digital
Before becoming an intern at Create Digital, I would use social media merely as a tool for personal posts, keeping up with friends and family members and networking. To be more professional, I created a Facebook Page in order to keep my professional and personal lives separate.
Even though I engage on a multi-platform level, my posts on several sites would be too frequent and excessive. Since then, I’ve learned to control my moral need to post everything that pops into my head.
Becoming an intern at Create Digital has allowed me to spread my wings and see how far I can fly. Create Digital has given me insight into what it’s like to “work in the real world” with national brands and as part of a team.
Quality Over Quantity
The largest change I have made since becoming a Create Digital intern is cutting down on the incessant nature of my Twitter feed. Sure, I’d heard that “quality is better than quantity” in the past but now it makes sense.
Though my tweet count remains upwards of 32,000, the content I now choose to tweet or retweet has more substance, whether it is about this internship, something Richmond related or something sports related. I’ve also started linking to my profiles on other social sites so I can drive traffic that way as well.
Tools of the Trade
Several of the tools I use in my everyday life I have been introduced to thanks to the Create Digital team. I used to think that I was an influential tweeter to my followers but I’m now able to use analytics and data to realistically see where my tweets are actually going.
TweetReach
TweetReach (tweetreach.com) allows the user to type in any key word, including Twitter handles, to determine all sorts of information about that search. For example, how many accounts were reached, most retweeted tweets and top contributors.
For my biggest contribution, my account was retweeted by the VCU handle, resulting in over 11,000 accounts reached. I believe this is one of my largest reaches, although I have only recently discovered this tool.
Buddy Media
Buddy Media is the second tool that really stuck out for me. The best benefit of using this tool is to collaborate with your team and plan content ahead of time. Create Digital uses a “content calendar” in conjunction with Buddy Media to stay organized and visually lay content out.
Through Buddy Media, the user can input posts with links or photos, just like Facebook, with the option to geotarget posts or to schedule them at a later date and time. The tool is versatile and can be used for personal or professional use.
Although I personally might not always make good use of these tools, I will certainly carry them with me throughout the rest of my education and on into my career.
Teamwork
Being an intern at Create Digital has taught me that collaboration is key. When in class, it’s only me working, studying and writing by myself. With a team, I’m able to bounce ideas off my coworkers as well as receive suggestions and ask questions.
It’s also interesting to see how each individual works in his or her own personal space and then come together. The teams within Create Digital work like puzzles. Each person has a piece and the end results in a complete cohesive unit working together for the greater benefit of Create Digital and the client.
New Habits Replace the Old Ones
I will continue to reorganize my social network profiles by linking to them at various times to all of my profiles and provide more original content. This content is what drives people to look at a blog or a Facebook page – not just filler comments or personal banter.
I need to continue to work on engagement. Create Digital has certainly taught me about how vital engagement with followers is, especially on a national brand basis. Engagement leads to networking, which leads to influencers – people who can advocate on your behalf.
Networking with my team, Create Digital as a whole and with the surrounding social media community in Richmond is something that not only benefits me in the short term while I’m still in school, but in the long-term after college as well.
Because I’ve had this experience at Create Digital, I will be able to market myself as being more versatile in the social media realm. I am able to use lesser-known tools – like TweetReach – and introduce them to other students or companies.
I know what to look for, how to research and how to curate content based on what I find – for any affinity – and I can take that skill from Create Digital to wherever it is I go after my internship here comes to an end.
More than an intern
Being an intern stereotypically comes with a certain expectation that it’s more like training exercises rather than doing actual work. Being an intern at Create Digital is the complete opposite of that. After brief training, I was able to curate actual content that is now being used by one of the Twitter handles.
It was definitely rewarding to see content that I have come up with being used for the client. I am the kind of person who likes to feel wanted, needed. The work that I have done here at Create Digital is being used on a daily basis and I was able to help out more team members than just my mentors, which makes me feel really good about the work I’m already producing as a student and intern.
Moving Forward
All in all, I believe that Create Digital is my cure for “Senioritis.” Through the high quality use of social media, Create Digital allows their interns to channel their enthusiasm for social media by giving them the proper tools and team members’ support to create their own content apart from the company.
Create Digital’s slogan is “we make social smarter.” I believe that not only do they make social smarter but they make multimedia smarter – from strategy and analytics to fan and follower engagement.
I am thankful for my time here and know that the skills I’ve learned through this experience will follow me as I finish school and venture out into the “real world” and hope that the relationships I’ve begun here will follow as well.
Even the favorite Pittsburgh Penguins and Vancouver Canucks did not make it past the first round. “Because it’s the Cup” features NHL thoughts that separate the diehards from the bandwagon fans from around the social media realm.
Read more about the story I compiled on Storify.
Katelyn Tatti 