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What I have Learned About Social Media

Before taking this class, I did not realize the amount of thought and planning that goes into a social media campaign. Since social media platforms are a free way to communicate with an audience, I often forget the amount of resources that it takes to create a successful and meaningful impact on social media. 

When the spokesman from Red Cross came to visit our class, I was interested to learn about the spread of fake news through social media sites. He shared with us a story of a women coming to the refugee center during the recent hurricanes, and sharing a video of stored food, saying that the Red Cross was keeping food from people in need, when in reality, there were tables of food downstairs, and the food she showed on the video was the food to be served later. 

Having plans set in place to respond to this type of post going viral is crucial to any company. Even if a post is a flat out lie, it can still have a long lasting impact on an organizations reputation. 

While being in this class, I have also learned how many more social media sites there are, besides the typical Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. In my group for instance, we got to research the sites StockTwits and NextDoor. StockTwits is a social media site used to bring day traders together and give them a place to communicate. NextDoor is a site that brings a neighborhood together and gives them a space to connect with their neighbors. Being in this business of PR, I believe it is crucial to learn about the “out of the box” social media platforms, and keeping up to date with what sites may be on the rise. 

If social media was not a thing, I believe companies and organizations would be able to get away with many unfavorable things. Because social media has given the public a voice, people are now able to call companies out on things that are not right. For instance, if there wasn't a spread of storeis about clothing companies like H&M using sweatshops, they probably would not have made an effort to change their ways, and abandoned the use of sweat shops. 


Social media has helped our society progress. Without it our world would not be as knowledgable and fewer people would have a voice. 

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