Social Media and E-Commerce

So my brother recently started his own 3-D printing business (he prints miniature figures for nerdy games like D&D and Warhammer), and it has been such an interesting process watching him create his online presence. First, he built his website, then he created an etsy shop, and finally he created Facebook and Instagram accounts for his new company. Every day, he likes to alert me how many followers he has gained; he gets as excited as a kid on Christmas morning as the numbers slowly increase -- and with the likes, he has started to see orders come in as well!

My brother is increasing his presence organically -- no "buying" followers, though he has purchased ad space on Facebook to increase his visibility. He was so pleased with the return from the ads that he recently purchased a second week of ad space to run through Facebook. on top of that, he has begun strategic use of hashtags that align with the market of gamers and collectors he is trying to reach. He even ran a giveaway encouraging people to follow both of his accounts, which has encouraged interaction across both of his platforms.

Before launching his business, my brother reached out to similar businesses on Facebook to understand some of the work that goes into running such an operation, and he was pleasantly surprised by how supportive and forthcoming they were in providing him with tips and best practices -- it seems that even among competitors, there is a spirit of collaboration and support for small businesses utilizing online platforms.

I would be so curious to know if any readers have started their own online businesses, and what positives and negatives they have experienced while using social media to advertise and/or sell!

                                                               Cheers!

                                                          -Ello (he/him/his)    

P.S. This post is NOT an ad or sponsored post, but rather my observations of the use of social media in the building of a small online business. However, if you are interested in 3-D printed miniatures, I definitely invite you to check out 3dprintalchemy.com!

Are you a Redditor?

 As I spend time exploring social media platforms, both independently and for EME6414, there's one platform that I simply have not been able to get into: Reddit.

I joined Reddit a few years ago after multiple friends swore up and down that I would love it. according to them, it was a place where new ideas, fresh humor, and fascinating "AMA" (Ask Me Anything) interviews shed insight into people's lives. However, I just didn't understand the appeal. As used to Facebook as I was, I was missing the idea of a sort of "home base" where I could go to see the content I wanted -- my tastes and interests are so varied, I also just didn't know what sub-reddits to subscribe to.

It's been a few years, and I should probably log back in and try again. Are there any Redditors out there who can give me some tips? and for everyone else, are there social media platforms that, despite your best efforts, you just could not seem to get excited about them? Maybe I can help you out with those ones too!

                                                                    Cheers!

                                                          -Ello (he/him/his)

 

Are you SURE you want to post that? A Cautionary Tale

 A recent exchange of ideas between me and Dr. Dennen in the comments section of one of my recent blog posts brought back a memory from my time as a Resident Assistant in undergrad. 

In 2008, as a Junior, I was an RA in Bryan Hall on FSU's campus. I loved living there (I was a resident there my freshman year as well), and I was so excited to help shape the minds of freshman and introduce them to everything FSU had to offer. That fall, I was also offered a position as a new student Orientation Leader for the upcoming summer (it would be my second year in that position, which I was very excited for)! There were a number of other RAs who had also been selected to be OLs for the first time, a few of whom were on my staff.

As it went, the Orientation program scheduled a welcome banquet for all Orientation Leaders to attend to get to know each other and learn a little about what the program would entail. Unfortunately, that event fell on the same night as an all-RA staff meeting -- which would double as a Halloween social. It was very strongly enforced that anything RA-related was to come before any other extracurricular activities; where they got you, however, is that any time something came up, whether it was pre-scheduled or not, it was to take priority. So when this staff meeting came into conflict, it became priority number 1. When I broached the subject with my supervisors in our regular team meeting, they dismissed my concern, again reminding the staff that RA events took precedence. The conversation got very heated, and I made a number of opinions known.  

Fuming, I retaliated the only way I could think to do...by writing a strongly-worded Facebook status. To this day, I remember exactly what it said: "[Ello] just loves mandatory fun and all that it stands for. P.S. I would choose OL any day." within a few minutes, the Director of Residence Life commented with a simple "interesting." 

The very next day, I was asked to meet with him in his office. The conversation was calm, but it was made very clear that my attitude was noted and that my continuing as an RA was directly contingent on my not having any more such outbursts. While I don't remember exactly what happened (whether the time or date of the All-RA meeting was changed), we were able to attend the OL welcome banquet (and I did make it through the rest of the year with my RA job intact).

Almost 13 years later, I still stand by my sentiments...however, I'd like to think I'm mature enough to recognize that the way I went about venting my frustrations left much to be desired. I guess I'm sharing this now as a reminder that comments made on social media can still have very real consequences.

      

                                                                   Cheers!

                                                          -Ello (he/him/his)

Crowdsourcing Experiment: Send me your Book Recs!

**UPDATE 6/13 23:47**Without reading the class blog first, I apparently posted about something that we are already going to be doing in the class group! I still invite you to leave comments to my post, but more importantly I look forward to interacting with you on yet another social media platform!

Hey Y'all!

As a little experiment in crowdsourcing, I thought I would solicit book recommendations from you!

I love to read, and while I honestly don't really have the time or desire to pick up a book at this particular moment, I know the craving will hit soon! I hadn't been as active on it before lately, but I am a member of goodreads.com -- basically Facebook for book nerds! Here, you can track books that you have read/want to read, set annual reading goals, leave book reviews, join virtual (and sometimes IRL) book clubs, and even enter giveaways for advanced copies of books (I have actually won a strange amount of these over the years)!

Just to get the conversation started, here are a few recommendations of books I have recently read or that have been favorites for a while:

• Mexican Gothic, Sylvia Moreno-Garcia (Fiction)
• Out East, John Glynn (non-fiction, LGBTQ+)
• The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue, Mackenzie Lee (Fiction, LGBTQ+)
• An American Marriage, Dr. Tayari Jones (Fiction)
• Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, John Berendt (Non-Fiction)

My tastes are pretty varied, though I do generally veer toward fiction; however, I can always be persuaded if the book is compelling. Let me know your thoughts, and let's get a summer reading list together!

Also, if you happen to be on goodreads and/or wish to discuss this online community, you can find me here!

                                                                    Cheers!

                                                                  -Ello (he/him/his)

"On This Day"

 So today, Facebook reminded me that "On this day" two years ago, I was in London for a concert (The Spice Girls Reunion Concert...that is a story for another day, and possibly an entire blog post on its own). Instantly, I felt a rush of feelings -- memories of the trip, nostalgia for 90s pop music, and an intense desire to book a flight literally anywhere.

I personally love the Memories function of Facebook -- those little reminders of moments in time -- whether they be pictures, status updates, or check-ins and an event. It's also an interesting way to see how the functionality of the platform has changed over the years.

 "On this day" 13 years ago, my status said I was "listening to music" -- Does anyone else remember when statuses were just [Name] is [insert mundane task here]? I would literally go about my day informing people if I was listening to music, going to the gym, or working on homework, and for some reason I actually thought people would care! Eventually, as I became more involved on campus, I would use my status as free advertising space to alert people of meetings and events going on.

"On this day" 10 years ago, I decided to quote from a BBC series, "Being Human," that I loved at the time.

"On this day" 7 years ago, I was in North Carolina for a wedding, and I taught a bunch of people how to do "The Wobble" (I'm a sucker for a line dance, and you will ALWAYS find me on the dancefloor at any wedding or event).

Earlier today I was having a conversation with the roommate regarding the Memories tool and "Timehop" app, and how she wishes there was a way you could alert the tool to not show memories from certain times. To her, there are moments in her past that she would rather not remember, and she wishes there were ways to block it out. We laughed about her example of "Hey! Remember when you were fired from your job three years ago, and you went to a Mexican Restaurant and had three margaritas and an order bottomless chips and salsa alone? Weren't you healing from that pain and trying to forget? WELL REMEMBER IT NOW!" 

While it was funny in the moment, I wonder if there's some truth to what my roommate was saying. Should we be able to block out some memories, or is it best to just let them come up "On this day"?

                                                                          -Ello (he/him/his) 

                                                                        

Sunday Reflection: Keeping in Touch

 Happy Sunday, fam!

As we round out yet another week, I just wanted to take a moment to reflect on the impact social media has had in maintaining relationships. Yesterday, I attended the wedding (technically vow renewal, as the couple actually got married last year during the pandemic) of a former coworker. I was so honored to be in attendance, and I had a great time catching up with the couple, as well as other former coworkers who were invited. It's crazy to me to think, but the bride and I (who started working at the hotel around the same time) hadn't actually worked together in almost four years! Thankfully, through the wonders of modern technology, we have been able to keep in touch. I have learned over the years that it can sometimes be incredibly difficult to make friends as an adult, and even more difficult to maintain relationships once established. And while there are some people in your life with whom you may call, text, or see regularly, it can be unrealistic to expect that to be the norm for some friendships.

I'm once again grateful that, even if you don't see or talk to someone every day, you can still find ways to cultivate meaningful connections with people through other platforms. 

Sum It Up Sunday

Happy Sunday, fam! As a follow-up to this week's twitter challenge, please find the below compilation of my tweets! While this was a fun little challenge (and I greatly look forward to more), I am also thankful for the tutorial on how to embed directly into a blog -- I will undoubtedly be using this feature more in the future!

Anyway, here we go!

#MemeMonday -- I couldn't participate in a challenge without including a meme from one of my favorite TV Shows! as an aside, I highly recommend "Schitt's Creek," and I'm happy to talk about it with anyone looking for reasons to start it!

Happy #mememonday to my #eme6414 Fam —let’s see y’all’s memes pic.twitter.com/gWYHB1CwtA

— Ello (@Borrello_FSU) June 1, 2021

#ToolboxTuesday -- postable truly was an invaluable online tool for me this past year. It sounds silly, but Christmas cards have become a way for me to get through the often tumultuous holiday season. I have only used it as an address book, but there's a service where you can schedule to have cards mailed on your behalf directly through the site! 

For this week’s #toolboxtuesday, let’s shoutout @Postable, an awesome online address book. It has made Christmas card season much easier! #eme6414

— Ello (@Borrello_FSU) June 1, 2021

#WonderingWednesday sparked a great twitter conversation! 

#WonderingWednesday question for #eme6414: what is something that Facebook doesn’t do that would make your life easier/better?

— Ello (@Borrello_FSU) June 2, 2021

#TBT also got people taking and sharing -- apaprently quite a few of us have a hard time letting go of old textbooks! 

#tbt to DVD players AND textbooks from undergrad. Did anyone keep a bunch of their old college textbooks? #eme6414

— Ello (@Borrello_FSU) June 3, 2021

My #FollowFriday post was late, but hopefully still counts -- As a recovering Literature major, I have truly enjoyed the humor Sparknotes has infused into classic literature with their use of memes. 

Ah shoot, 19 minutes late for #FollowFriday! Anyhoo, follow @SparkNotes for truly hilarious (and literature-based) memes and tweets #eme6414

— Ello (@Borrello_FSU) June 5, 2021

Another late post, but my #ShoutOutSaturday was to @Disceverum 

Shoutout to @disceverum for this week’s late (again) #shoutoutsaturday —we had a great Twitter exchange this week #eme6414

— Ello (@Borrello_FSU) June 6, 2021

The Power of Pronouns: Creating Inclusive Environments

**UPDATE 6/13/21 -- I JUST realized I didn't include the video I had intended to with this post last week. I have included it now!**

Happy Pride Month, everyone!

I just wanted to share a quick anecdote from this weekend...

Yesterday, I attended a birthday dinner for a friend (yet another FSU alum!). When I arrived at the restaurant, I was seated next to one of her friends whom I had never met before. As soon as I sat down, I was greeted with "My name is [NAME], and my pronouns are They/Them." I am going to be completely honest with you, I was a little taken aback. Not at all because they shared their pronouns with me -- on the contrary, I'm so glad they did -- I was actually surprised because this was one of the first conversations I have had like this IRL!

I am fully comfortable using the pronouns I was assigned at birth, but that does not give me the right to assume the same for others. I also cannot imagine that it's fun or comfortable having to alert everyone you meet what pronouns you use to identify -- so if someone is going to take the time to constantly put themselves through such scrutiny every single time, it must be very important to them (and should be respected). More than anything from that conversation yesterday, I'm still kicking myself that I didn't follow their greeting with "Nice to meet you! My name is Ello, and my pronouns are He/Him..."

I was proud to see recent changes in the online community that have made the sharing of one's pronouns more accessible. A few weeks ago, Instagram added the ability to add them to your profile, and even FSU added the function to Canvas in May; I have even noticed at work that external e-mails from some clients are coming in with pronouns listed as part of their signatures (I actually need to follow up with HR and see what our policy is on including them in our own signatures).

As I prepare to embark on my Instructional Design journey, I need to be especially mindful of practices that promote exclusivity and uplift marginalized folx. The biggest thing I can do, especially as a cisgender male, is to not assume how people identify. Perhaps examples I use in future instruction will also include gender-neutral terminology. I am so curious to spend some time digging a little deeper to learn more about such practices and how they have developed over the past few years -- please feel free to share any particularly insightful ones you may know of!

For now, I'd like to leave you with a link to a brief video from speaker/activist @thejeffreymarsh regarding the use of "They" as an inclusive pronoun.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jeffrey Marsh (@thejeffreymarsh)

                                                                      Cheers!

                                                              -Ello (he/him/his) 

Time Spent in the "Real World" Part 2

Well hello!

Here we are a week since my last post, and I still feel like I didn't engage as much as I planned to. I worked through the weekend for month-end (even for the Memorial Day holiday on Monday), drove to and from Florida on Tuesday and Wednesday, then worked Thursday-Saturday...how fun! However, there were some more interactions that occurred IRL this week that were not only important to my own life, but were also compatible with this course and its objectives.

On Tuesday, I surprised one of my best friends by driving down to Jacksonville to attend a secret pop-up dinner he was hosting at his house. I have known Josh for 15 years (we met at freshman orientation at FSU): he is also an alum of the ISLT program, and he's one of the reasons I'm in this program today! During the day he uses his instructional design background as a product owner for a medical tech company, but his true passion is as a home chef and baker. This pop-up dinner -- his very first such endeavor -- was a partnership with a Jacksonville-based food blogger, and a huge opportunity to advertise his services (private chef, meal prep, cooking classes). I, along with seven other total strangers, were treated to what was honestly a unique, entertaining, and delicious experience. I was a paying customer, but more importantly I was there to support my friend and hype up this opportunity. I took pictures of EVERYTHING (especially since I knew Josh wouldn't have an opportunity to document the night himself), and at the end of the evening I posted highlights of the dinner on my IG story (being sure to tag both Josh and the blogger he partnered with so they could share to their stories as well).

I know I've said it before in past posts, but I feel that social media really shines when it can be used to raise people up in their community -- in this case, by allowing someone to highlight their passion and generate exposure. On the other side, I also love that the food blogger hosts events like this. He has become so influential in his community that he can convince random people to attend a dinner at a total stranger's home, and his followers trust that they will have a safe and enjoyable dining experience. 

 

Just a few pics of my surprise visit with Josh!

-Ello