Event 002: Social Media Forum 2011

Posted by Nicholl Ho on

Event    002: Social Media Forum 2011

I must first apologise for the slow review, but I suppose life never always goes as you plan. Anyway, this is the review of the social media forum held at Deakin University (City Campus) at the 23rd of November, 2011.

I must admit, I did go to the forum, half excepting that it would be a painful two hours discussion about how Facebook and Twitter works; I confess that there was a little bit of me inside refusing to go.

However, I am glad that I insist going on myself; the forum was out of my, or more correctly, exceeded my expectation.

It started off discussing the importance of internet monitoring, explaining the significance of social media and how it could create an impact to the reputation (or more) of an organisation. As discussed, Social media is no longer optional for organisation of any size because people very much tend to seek information up online, and if an organisation failed to offer that information first, an alternative source will, and the accuracy of the content will be lost. Therefore, the monitoring of the internet, or more, the monitoring of the social media forum is vital to ensure that false and untruthful information will not be the only information that stakeholders can browse (and ultimately, maximise the exposure of “our materials” on the net and minimising the exposure of information posted by an alternative source using varies types of technique from the IT discipline).

Later on the forum, we discussed about the overestimated power of Facebook and the underestimated power of Google Search Engine.

Surely, Facebook is undoubtedly one of the most popular website in the dimension of social media; but it is utterly ineffective when it is used in a business context… and here are the reasons;

-                      Only useful for high-profile and viral brands

-                      Unless for boring or minority brand or industry

-                      The openness of the site allows virtual attacks and critiques.

-                      Vulnerable to Activists

-                      No/ little restriction

Facebook is only useful in business if the product/ brand advertised already have a certain profile or fan group. For instance, Apple Inc or Lady Gaga would be successful when launching a facebook page… but when a coal industry or a shampoo company launching a facebook page, successfulness is not guaranteed.

Furthermore, Facebook is designed to encourage uncontrolled integration (for instance, leaving a “comment”), and this gives vulnerability to the company’s reputation. By allowing unmonitored communication, the website (essentially the company) is defenceless against open critiques, attacks and negative comments.

More horrifyingly, the power of the Google Search Engine is dangerously underestimated. Imagine when you were given a topic to research on, per say nuclear energy and its renewability, would you go to the state library and read up Issac’s Newtons Theory first, or would you go home and browse Google?

These days Google Search Engine is seen as one (if not, the) primary source of information by its easy accessibility, yet meanwhile it is being recognised as a source of information, many people failed to recognise that Google Search Engine is a form of Social Media, and even consider it as a form of academic media!

These are some of the beneficences of Google Search Engine;

-          Close tide with Android System

-          SEO Friendly, Mobi- Formate friendly

-          Offer search result based on relevance

-          More control over content

First of all, unlike yahoo or Facebook, in which the website is based on a system unwell-known, Google is closely tied with the globally used Android System.  Most phones these days are operating Android systems, and with the rapid development of cell phone technologies people are using their phone for information browsing more and more these days. Therefore, without trying, your information is already available to all stakeholders using an Android phone through the Goggle Search Engine (which is the majority of the cell phone market). This is a huge advantage when comparing to the other two main phone system, Blackberry and Iphone because their search engine is relatively small when comparing to the Google Search Engine, and people (even those who use Blackberry or Iphone) tend to also use Google Search Engine as their primary source of information when browsing.

Secondary, unlike Iphone (in which only Mac System is compatible) or BlackBerry, the Google Search Engine runs in Android system, but yet it is still operatable in other system such as the Microsoft system or most smart phone system. The system itself is not exclusive to only one operating system but many, allowing maximisation of the exposure of your content.

Thirdly, you are in control of your only website, and therefore you have a great deal more control over the content, making it more defensive again unfavourable comments and attacks. For instance, in your own website, you can prevent attacks by controlling which comments to surface and which to not, or even disallowing commenting function once it for all to eliminate any negative information. Hence the surfacing of information is controlled by you and the reputation is protected from attacks and unfavourable critiques.

Lastly, since the Google Search Engine is operated by keywords and tags solely, it gives the website creator a more solid power when ensuring the surfacing of its information (usually good surfacing means that when someone search a certain topic relevant to your company, your company’s site is listed within the first page of search). It literally means that rather than basing on the already existing popularity of the product/ brand, the chance of surfacing based on the skills of the communication professional and how he/she uses or selects keywords. Therefore, not only fun, popular content will be listed within the first page of search, boring or minority content can also surface if the right keywords are placed.

Last but not the least, during the forum, a list of social media has also been discussed. The following is the list of social media being mentioned;

-          Flickr: Image & Video Hosting Website

-          Google+: Social, Profile Website

-          Youtube: Video Sharing Website

-          Twitter: Social Networking, Microblogging Website

-          Linkedln: Business/ Professional Networking Website

-          Blogspot/ WordPress: Blogging Website

-          Pinterest: Themed based Image Hosting Website

-          Stumbleupon: A From of Discovery Engine

-          Spotmixer : Video Creating Website, but Also An Ad Distributing Engine

-          Addict-o-matic / Social Mention: A form of Monitoring Tool

-           Yammer: Enterprise Social Networking Engine (Like twitter, but only to private groups)

My Rating

9.5/10

Event 001: PR Student Forum 2011

Posted by Nicholl Ho on

Event 001: PR Student Forum 2011

If I had to summerise the whole event into a sentence, I can soundly conclude that “The event has been both informative and useful, insightful but not dull; definitely a glorious success”.

Contrary to most presentational forum, whereas us fellow audiences drifts miles away from the speaker and into the wild land of dreaming, I effortlessly maintained my focus simply because it was so useful, and so real world relevant.

Rather than inviting more lecturers like most other presentational fourms do, the forum was composed of a varies of speakers from different industries such as the NFP sector, consultant sector and the media sector (more information about the speakers involved can be found on the page under “Event Participated”, Event 001: PR Student Forum 2011). I found it radically different than speeches from lecturers because rather than basing their materials on theories or ancient experiences, they speak with their current experiences, and including myself, most people found the materials much more relevant.

There was a range of speakers, and they all spoke of different typics brilliantly. However, among all the speakers, Tim Boreham and Michael G. Smith spoke to me the most.

Tim Boreham talked about his career in the national famous newspaper The Australian about Media operation and Media relation. He provided me insightful information about the media industry, and the infrastructure of the media industry. He also mentioned and later went into details about media relation in the journalist’s prespective, and I found it extremely useful as not often PR practitioners actually get to here whether our ways of comperhending journalists are in fact as effective as we have always assumed.

Michael G. Smith talked about his work in the Australian Red Cross about his role as a Media Adviser specialised at emergency service. He provided me useful details about the NFP sector in a grand scale, and as a NFP practitioner as well, it really had widen my vision and sight. He also mentioned the internation nature of his work, inspired me further to be involved in the Global Public Relation industry.

During the open house session, I went to a consultancy called shj and learnt about the work of a professional PR consultant. I must admit, having being involved in NFP sector since I was a teenager, I approached the consultancy with the preception that “they are always up to no good”. In fact, when they asked me the reason why I have chosen their consultancy as part of my open house session, I openly answered that I was there looking for a reason to not dislike the profession of PR consultancy. I was glad that I did chose to go to a consultancy, because they took a great deal of time, and had explained all my questions and doubts that have caused my dislikes to them. I now recognise them as a branch of PR professionals, and that they worthwhile my respect.

I also went to the Department of Justice and met a fellow call Nathan Maddock, which later became my professional mentor. He went on and talked to me about the nature of governmental communication work, and the complicity behind it. He also boarden my insight with many projects he had involved in, such as the Black Saturday Bushfire and its aftermath, and the works involved behind the projects.

During the end of the day, most of us went into a bar in the city and networked a little bit more. The day, although useful and insightful, was hactic and packed, and this session really have given me and other students, staffs and presenters the much needed chance to communicate and make conversation with one and other without the concious of running out of time.

This event was very successful, and perhaps the only flaw of the event would be its time of the week. Many of my fellow friends were unable to go due to work committment or university committment, and I honestly would not have gone if I were not class-free that day. My recommandation would be changing it into Friday, for that even if students were to miss a class, they could still catch up during the weekends (also, according to personal experience, it is much easier to apply for a leave of work on a Friday!)

My Rating
9/10

Foci 001: The three Basic Brenches of Styling

Posted by Nicholl Ho on

People always ask me, why am I calling myself a stylist when my relevant degree is no where near designs and such; well, that is because there are three major types of styling, and contary to general expectation, each types of them require very different qualification.

There’s the three major branch of styling:

Showcase Styling
Artistic Styling
Social Styling

Showcase styling is the styling of which the purpose is for on stage or on air performances, and a very typcial example of it will be the Pop-Singer, Lady Gaga. Note that the very exstence of the outfit is to create attention and spectacles, and it is often very controversal or in the latest fashion trend.
This type of styling often requires an extreme amount of knowledge in textile & designs, and practitioners often obtained a degree/ Advance certificate in Visual and Textile Designs, often accompanlied by a degree/ Advance certificate in hair and make-up artistry. Furthermore, in the high end of this type of styling, the practioner will often be required to work with a social stylist.

Artistic Styling is the styling of which the purpose is for artisitic an fashion purpose, and a very typical exmaple of it will be the Editor of Vague US, Anna Wintour. This type of styling focus on fashion itself and how the wearer styled it and pulled different pieces together, and hence the focus is on the garment rather than on the person. Although this type of styling is very similar to showcase styling, and very often most showcase stylists started off as an artistic stylist, the emphasis is placed on the garment rather than creating attention.
This type of styling often requires an extensive amount of knowledge in textile designs, and partitioners often obtained or in the progress of obtaining a Degree/ Adcance Certificate in Visual & Textile Designs. Although it is not essential, it is perferred if the partitioner also has a degree/ Cerificte in hair and make-up artistry.

Social Styling is the styling of which the purpose is for professional enhancement, and a very typcial example of it will be Oprah Winfrey. This type of styling focus on the person’s social status and what is appropriate for him or her to wear instead of the fashionability of the garment. Contrary to the pervious two types of styling, how fashionable the garment is considered as a secondary consideration, and the focus is placed on whether the clothes he/she is wearing reflect the professionalism or the message he/she tries to bring across. Such practitioners are often active at the business professional world, professional pitching world and the political professional world.
This type of styling often requires only intermediate knowledge in designs and often with very minimum knowledge in textiles. However, professional social stylist often obtained or in the progress of obtaining a Degree/ Advance Certificate in the area of Social Science, mostly in Public Relation, Hospitality, Psycology and Sociology.

These are the three major brenches of styling, but remember, more often then not, a stylist will be involved in more than just one type of styling, and often in the same time. When hybrid styling happens, a range of theories such as the major/minor theories can assist the stylist in styling his or her client, but for that, we will talk about it later.

Nicholl Ho
Freelance Styling & Public Relation Consultant

Hello world!

Posted by Nicholl Ho on

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