Otterly Ridiculous

Throughout the entirety of “Measure What Matters” author Katie Paine explains a seven step process that can be used to measure nearly any social media tactic. Using this tool it is possible to see the effects of what you have tried in order to cause a change. Step one is to define your goals and objectives. Without a goal you have no direction so it is important to start with this. Knowing what outcome you are seeking saves time and money because you will not waste it on strategies that are not centered around your specific goal. The next step is defining your audience. Figuring out exactly who you are marketing to is essential, it is impossible to know how to appeal to people if you do not know who they are. There is a big difference between an 18 year old girl and a 90 year old man so knowing who you are talking to is important. After you do this you should define your investment. Figuring out exactly how much your strategy is going to cost is important, otherwise yo...

Today I heard about a new social media platform that is becoming increasingly popular. It is called Periscope and it is all about live streaming. Launched and acquired by Twitter in 2015, it has been a hit with much of the online community. When you see the homepage you can understand why, it is completely covered in peoples’ unique experiences and talents. After spending just a few minutes on the website I found numerous videos I wanted to watch. It allows you to go live anytime, anywhere. The videos stay on the site for 24 hours and people can replay and give feedback on it, after a day it is taken down. Accounts can be linked to your Twitter account or you can register with your phone number. I really like this aspect of it because it means that you do not get any extra emails and you do not have to create a password. Though I have not spent much time on Periscope yet I plan to check it out more this weekend. If you have used it before or decide to check it out ...

Here's to the friends who Make me feel like I can be myself Let me mom them Listen to me vent about my problems Show me that it's okay to be confident Go on random adventures Put up with my horrible long distance communication skills Tell me when I need to calm myself Have always been there when I needed them Were seen with me in my Aerópostale phase Get excited to make memories with me Have survived being around me when I get tired Remind me that it's okay to be different Will help me with whatever I need Get as excited as I do about tater tots And finally, Stick by me even when I'm not at my best Here's to my friends, you are the best people I know. I love you and I don't know what I did to deserve you, but I am truly blessed. So here's to you, here's to me, partners in crime we will always be.

Thanksgiving is over which means it is officially time to get into Christmas mode. Yes, it is time to get out your holiday socks! Don't have any? No worries, I have gathered this list of adorable options and where you can find them. Just click on the picture to order your own! Need more sock inspiration? Check out my Pinterest board dedicated to fun footwear!

If you have or are working with a small business you may find yourself trying to manage local media. While the tools used to do this can be more limited, there are still resources available. Here are the suggestions Katie Paine presents in her book "Measure What Matters." Relationship Survey This is a key source of data that is done online or by mail. The goal is to gather the public's opinion using careful questions in order to create the best plan. These questions measure mutuality, trust and integrity and overall satisfaction. Local Media According to Paine local media is critical to gather opinions. This can be found in local newspapers, especially in the blog and comment sections where a lot of people leave their opinions. By scanning these regularly you can see when and if you are being talked about and what is influencing the public. It is always important to measure the relationships you have with your community, it helps save time, money and frustration...

" This Is Us ” is a new show on NBC that has taken the world by storm. It follows the lives of a set of triplets who came together in a completely unconventional way. It premiered on Sept. 20 so you have plenty of time to catch up if you have not been following so far, and I have some reasons why you should.   It is shockingly realistic No, I am not an actor, business person or in a set of multiples, but the characters in this show find a way to worm their way into your heart. Whether you see yourself in Kate and her weight struggles or in Randall’s attempts to fit in, this show deals with real life and you will reflect in at least one character. It draws you in and keeps you there My friends and I made a point to watch the premier of this show because the previews looked so good. By the end of the episode we were yelling at the TV, completely hooked on the story. Ever since that night we make a point to watch the new episode every week. The story line is s...

You may have been killed in what is becoming known as the “Facebook Massacre of 2016.” On Friday, Nov. 11 a glitch in the Facebook system caused users’ personal profiles to be temporarily converted to memorials. Even Mark Zuckerberg’s account was effected for a while. The mistake did not last long and all of the accounts are back to normal. "This was a terrible error that we have now fixed," a Facebook representative said. "We are very sorry that this happened and we worked as quickly as possible to fix it." While they did work quickly, they did not work fast enough for the Twitter world to get ahold of the story and make jokes about it. The company never made a statement about how many accounts were effected, but it had to be a substantial amount if the CEO of the company was a victim. All in all no real damage was done, it is just another story surrounding Facebook to add to the list right now. Did you survive the “Facebook Massac...

College is hard and it not always glamorous, but luckily the cast of Parks and Recreation is here to help! Sleeping through half of that 8 a.m. Group Projects "The class average was a 62%" Wondering how some people got in Before an exam After an exam That all important girls night Trying out your culinary skills Every presentation in your Public Speaking class But this is how you end it every time When the campus sickness hits you Actual footage of me when I'm with my friends That one person who drinks a little too much coffee *Spends $4 When your profe...

In an attempt to get more people talking about the 2016 Presidential election Twitter has released an exclusive emoji. All users have to do is create a tweet and include one of three hashtags and a little ballot box will appear. I think this is a great idea, people will be talking more about this election on November 8 than they have during the rest of the campaign. Keeping tweets unified with the #ElectionDay, #ElectionNight and #Election2016 hashtags make them easier to find, and the new emoji encourages users to include them in their tweets. It is kind of amazing how much our society has changed and is unified online. This election will make history no matter who is elected, and social media has had a huge impact. People talk and share their thoughts more than they ever have because of all of the outlets available to them, this emoji is another step into the future of the relationship between government and social media.

Have you ever tried to gather data about the social media standing of an organization? If you have, did your results come back useful or were they just a waste of your time? According to “Measure What Matters” by Katie Delahaye Paine there are four common reasons why we gather bad data. Reason #1 Incomplete Assessment of Variables According to Paine this is the biggest mistake people make when trying to analyze their organization. We automatically think we know the reason why something is not working when that just is not the case, it is important to look at every element going into the results and find the true cause of the problem. It might not even be a result of something the organization itself is doing, it could be the results of competition. In order to get a true picture it is important to look at what is happening at every angle. Reason #2 Relevancy of Content Anymore most data gathering comes from a computer, not from people working inside the organ...

Sometimes life gets a little overwhelming and stressful. So with the help of Pinterest I compiled 25 quotes to put a smile on your face and a spring in your step. Have a great day! Want to see more? Check out my Pinterest board dedicated to quotes!