Final PowerPoint (Dynasty Nerds)

As a final project for MKTG 347, I launched an organic social media marketing campaign for Dynasty Nerds. I also happen to be a paid staff writer for Dynasty Nerds, so this project was particularly important to me.

Please view the results of my project below:

Conversion Tracking

This semester, I created a site on Weebly to test conversion tracking. I figured that it would interesting and potentially insightful to share my experience.

The link to the site that I created can be found here: http://coryevans.weebly.com

As you can see from this screenshot, I created "Home", "About", "Contact", and "Thank You" pages on my Weebly site in order to generate clicks and potential forms of conversions: 

In addition, I linked my Weebly site with Google Analytics for conversion tracking purposes. The results can be viewed below:

As you can see, I was able to generate insightful information from simply creating a website off of Weebly, and then linking it to a Google Analytics account. For instance, I was able to determine that my website generated 340 sessions and 342 page views with absolutely no paid advertising, but instead organic posting. 

For specific conversions/goals, I created a "Thank You" page to see how many visitors submitted a form on my site. Although I did not have actual results, it was still a rewarding experience, as I was able to expand my overall knowledge on how to track conversions on Google Analytics:

After completing this exercise, it is clear to me that conversion tracking is a necessary skill to hone as a business professional. In other words, in order to determine if a company, website, product, or service is profitable or being advertised towards a proper target audience, it is essential to utilize conversion tracking through a service such as Google Analytics to measure ROI. 

WCIYP (A Guide To Dealing With Your Feeling While Out Of Work)

According to What Color Is Your Parachute, there are various techniques to consider in order to deal with your feelings while out of work. Although I have personally never been unemployed, I can very well imagine that it is an unpleasant time. However, after reading Appendix B, I am now prepared to cope with unemployment in the event that I ever encounter such a struggle in the job-hunting process.

In fact, below are ten ways to cope with unemployment or a general struggle in the job-hunting process, courtesy of What Color Is Your Parachute:

1.) We Can Catch Up On Our Sleep

Whether it be in the form of a nap or being well-rested, sleep can go a long way in changing our mood or overall feelings while unemployed. Quite honestly, catching up on sleep is nearly as important as maintaining a positive attitude during the job-hunting process, as each contributes to finding happiness.

2.) Keep Ourselves More Physically Fit

Be sure to regularly exercise, eat healthy, drink water, and keep yourself physically fit in order to deal with unemployment in an appropriate manner.

3.) We Can Do Something About The Physical Space Around Us

Ensuring that the environment around us is clean, neat, and orderly can vastly improve our chances of feeling less upset about being unemployed. This can be as simple as placing clothes in a hamper, or merely cleaning up the dishes after dinner.

4.) We Can Get Outdoors Daily And Take A Good Walk

Taking a daily walk can surely brighten someone's day. Even more, moving around will allow you to feel less down about a situation, even unemployment.

5.) We Can Focus On Other People

If unemployment is truly bothering you, it may be helpful to focus on someone else's problems instead of yours. In doing so, you will alleviate the stress that is surrounding unemployment.

6.) We Can Go On Fun Mini-Adventures

Going on mini-adventures can greatly help you improve your stance on unemployment. This may include visiting tourist attractions that you have always wanted to see, or even re-visiting places that bring you a sense of comfort.

7.) We Can Deal With Our Feelings

Expressing how we feel can help aid with unemployment, but learning something new can also be a sound tactic to dealing with our feelings.

8.) We Can Talk

Talking with family, friends, or close colleagues can be a sound strategy to overcoming the emotions that come with unemployment.

9.) We Can Deal With Our Anger

This may sound silly, but utilizing a punching bag or set of pillows can go a long way in alleviating frustration and anger that is often associated with unemployment.

10.) We Can Make A List Of Things That Make Us Grateful Or Happy

Understanding and appreciating the things that we are grateful for helps put things into perspective, and will allow you to proceed in the job-hunting process.

WCIYP (The Blue Pages: Appendix A)

In the Blue Pages of What Color Is Your Parachute, Appendix A is devoted to understanding and finding your mission in life. Richard Bolles, the author of the book, takes a religious approach to explaining how to find your mission in life, which actually blends quite well with understanding the job-hunting process.

Before jumping into the details surrounding how to find your mission in life and apply it to the job-hunting process, it is first important to pinpoint exactly what a mission in life should entail.
According to Webster's Dictionary, a mission is defined as "a continuing task or responsibility that one is destined or fitted to do or specially called upon to undertake". Two synonyms often associated with mission are calling and vocation, both of which imply the presence of God. In fact, in Appendix A of What Color Is Your Parachute, it is stated that 89% of people in the United States believe in God, further demonstrating that there is a distinct relationship between job-hunting and finding your mission in life.

I personally am Catholic, and found the relation of job-hunting to finding your mission in life to be a rather insightful comparison. This is especially true when the author offers three main parts to finding a mission in life, which I will list below:

1.) "To seek to stand hour by hour in the conscious presence of God, the One from whom your Mission is derived"

2.) "To do what you can, moment by moment, day by day, step by step, to make this world a better place, following the leading and guidance of God's Spirit within you and around you?

3.) "To exercise the Talent that you particularly came to Earth to use-your greatest gift, which you most delight to use, in the place (s) or stetting (s) that God has caused to appeal to you the most, and for those purposes that God most needs to have done in this world"

Clearly, finding a mission in life is an important step in the job-hunting process. It can become an even easier process if you allow your faith to be a driving force for it.

WCIYP (How To Start Your Own Business)

Becoming an entrepreneur is no easy task. You have to posses a certain personality for it in order to be successful. You have to be willing to take risks, be your own boss, and be prepared to fail before you ultimately succeed. Nevertheless, What Color Is Your Parachute offers tips and a thorough explanation on how to start your own business, that is if you have the passion and determination to do so.

To begin, the book suggests that there are four main steps to consider if you plan on starting your own business, which are to write, read, explore, and get feedback.

1.)  Write

Writing in order to determine if starting your own business is a sound idea involves understanding what it is exactly that you enjoy doing. This can be achieved by completing the aforementioned Flower Diagram exercise that I have mentioned in previous blog posts. Upon completing this exercise, you should be able to clearly identify what you like to do and who you are as a person.

2.)  Read

Before you take the step of actually starting a business, be sure to read about the industry that you plan to enter first. By doing so, you will be able to determine if your passion towards a specific brand, product, or idea will actually be successful when launched as a business.

What Color Is Your Parachute recommends the following websites as important to read if you are thinking about becoming an entrepreneur:

• Free Agent Nation
• Working Solo
• Small Business Administration
• A Small Business Expert
• Business Owner's Toolkit
• The Business Owner's Idea Cafe
• Nolo's Business, LLCs & Corporations
• Home Businesses 

3.)  Explore

The book offers three areas to consider while exploring how to start a business, and are characterized as "A", "B", and "C".

• "A" involves exploring the skills, knowledge, or experience that is required to make running a business work.
• "B" relates to developing a list of the skills, areas of knowledge, or experience that you have
• "C" is derived by subtracting "B" from "A", and will help you determine the skills that you lack, or need to improve on

4.)  Get Feedback

Asking for and receiving honest feedback about yourself is a critical step in starting a business. For example, if you plan to start a business that is based off of selling goods, but you have no accounting background, then you will likely need to hire someone to help you with the financial aspects of your business. 

WCIYP (The Five Ways To Change/Choose Careers)

Contemplating a career change or actually pursuing one can be an exciting journey. However, being cautious of common obstacles involved with a career change is nearly as crucial to consider. Moreover, the following list identifies eight cautions to be aware of that relate to choosing or changing a career according to What Color Is Your Parachute, and I believe that each offers valuable insight to topics that are often overlooked in the job-hunting process.

1.)  Go For Any Career That Seems Fascinating Or Interesting To You

It is always a good idea to follow your dreams and desires, but make sure to actually interview or question people who are already in the line of work that you plan to pursue, at least to make sure that it is something worth investing ample time into. Also, do not be afraid to ask those in a specific industry the best techniques to secure a position, as it could be very valuable information.

2.) In Moving From One Career To Another, Make Sure That You Preserve Constancy In Your Life As Well As Change, During The Transition

Basically, don't change everything about yourself, especially the values and beliefs that define you as a person. These may include your character, faith, values, or skills.

3.) If You Can, You'll Do Better To Start With Yourself And What You Want, Rather Than With The Job-Market, And What's "Hot"

In other words, adopt the "Parachute Approach" to job-hunting in order to demonstrate your passion towards potential employers. If an employer notices your enthusiasm or drive to succeed, it becomes that much more likely that you can earn a position.

4.) The Best Work, The Best Career, For You, The One That Makes You Happiest And Most Fulfilled

Below is a list of traits that are most commonly associated with happiness in the workplace. Usually the traits involve using or understanding:

• Your favorite transferable skills
• Favorite subjects, fields, or knowledge
• Preferred environment and people
• Preferred working conditions
• Preferred salary
• Preferred goals and values

5.) The More Time And Thought You Can Give To The Choosing Of A New Career, The Better Your Choice Is Going To Be

There is no need to rush into selecting a career path. Take your time, and be sure to find something that you are passionate about. There is nothing worse than taking a job simply to say that you found work. It is better to extend the job-hunting process as opposed to being miserable at a place of work that does not match your skills or interests.

6.) If You Are Young, Or Relatively Young, It's Okay To Make A Mistake, In Your Choice

The only way to learn from your mistakes is to inevitably make them. So, do not fret over the past, but instead learn from your past mistakes to improve on them in the future.

7.) Choosing And Then Finding Employment In A New Career That You Find Really Fancy, Should Feel Like A Fun Task, As Much As Possible

Although the job-hunting process can be frustrating at times, it should ultimately be a fun experience if you are doing it correctly. After all, the whole goal of finding a job is to locate a company that matches your interests, beliefs, or skills.

8.) One Final Caution Here: If You're Just Graduating From High School, Don't Go Get A College Degree In Some Career Field Just Because You Think That This Will Guarantee You A Job! It Will Not

The book stresses this point greatly. Instead of going to college to merely earn a degree that is known to land a job, its is more beneficial to find something that you are passionate about. For me, that passion is marketing. More specifically, I have a strong passion for sports marketing and wish to find a job with a professional sports organization or agency.

WCIYP (The Five Ways To Choose/Change Careers)

According to What Color Is Your Parachute, by Richard N. Bolles, there are five main ways to consider for choosing or changing a career. In order, the five ways include the internet, tests, using the flower exercise, changing a career in two steps, and finding out what the job-market will need. In order to gain a better understanding of each technique, I will list and explain them below in greater detail.

1.)  The Internet

As you may have guessed, the Internet has become arguably the most prominent resource for finding a career or job. There are countless options to choose from online in terms of finding information about a potential job, but O*Net Online is recommend from the book, and I have to admit, it is extremely helpful. The site allows users to search for an occupation by industry, which usually relates to a set of interests. Once an occupation is narrowed down to a particular list of companies, O* Net Online offers a Content Model, in which bundles of information are available for each position. Nevertheless, the Internet is an essential resource to utilize during any job-hunt or career change, as it offers invaluable information that is difficult to locate without the assistance of search engines.

2.) Tests

The type of tests that you take to find a career path are not necessarily similar to the ones that you would take while in school, mainly because they are considered instruments or assessments instead. A large majority of career tests will involve the identification of personality traits, which will pinpoint interests and skills. Personally, I have taken the Myers Briggs test and can safely assert that it does an excellent job at funneling questions to determine what job or industry match my personality traits. All in all, tests can be a helpful tool in the job-hunting process, but are best served as a resource for identifying individual characteristics, as opposed to actually finding a job.

3.) Using The Flower Exercise

I briefly touched on the Flower Exercise that is thoroughly explained in the book in a previous blog post, but it is relevant to revisit for the purpose of choosing or changing a career. In short, the Flower Exercise provides you with the necessary steps to identify and hone transferable skills. Once you identify the skills you are capable of performing, it is then easier to match those skills with the a company or field of interest that you are passionate about. After the Flower Exercise is complete, you will then be able to confidently express your skills and abilities articulately during an interview, which will hopefully allow you to earn a desired job.

4.) Changing A Career In Two Steps

In order to successfully choose or change a career, it is vital to grasp that a job consists of two components: a title and a field. Basically, a title is a symbol for what you do at a job on a daily basis, whereas a field represents where you complete your work at a job. Being able to distinguish between the two career components provides lucidity in the form of paving a clear path to locating an occupation. For instance, if you have worked as an accountant for ten years, and wish to become a marketer, it is important to define what kind of experience you have in relation to marketing in the event that an interviewer questions you about it.

5.) Finding Out What The Job-Market Will Need

The final way to change a career involves using projections to find out what the job-market will need in the near future.

 According to a list from Forbes, the following industries are expected to have the most openings, or at least are projected to:

• Software Developers
• Accountants and Auditors
• Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists
• Computer Systems Analysts
• Human Resources, Training, and Labor Relations Specialists
• Network and Computer Systems Administrators
• Sales Representatives 
• Mechanical Engineers
• Industrial Engineers

WCIYP (How To Deal With Any Handicaps You Have)

One of the most common handicaps a job-hunter will experience is shyness. That's right, shyness is arguably the most profound obstacle an individual will have to overcome in the job-hunting process. Although some people will not admit it, almost everyone becomes nervous or shy at some point in the job-hunting process. An ideal way to overcome shyness, at least according to What Color Is Your Parachute, is to use enthusiasm as a cure. For example, I am passionate about sports. To limit my shyness during an interview, I may bring up how sports are a major passion of mine. Fortunately, I am seeking a job in the sports marketing industry, so not only will my enthusiasm about sports be appropriate to discuss, but it could also help me appear less shy during an interview.

Another alternative to overcoming shyness is through the implementation of the PIE method. In the method, the "P" stands for pleasure. During the "P' phase, you should practice interviewing people you are comfortable talking to, such as family or friends. Once you feel comfortable talking about a career with someone, it is time to advance to the "I" stage, which stands for informational interviewing. As I have mentioned in previous blog posts, informational interviewing usually involves reaching out to a bridge-person who can possibly offer advice or a connection to a company that you wish to work for. After sufficient interviewing has been done, and you are comfortable speaking with strangers about your career aspirations, then the final stage "E" can be approached. The "E" phase of the PIE method involves an actual employment interview with an individual who has the power to hire you. 

For a visual perspective on the PIE method I explained above, please view the following images:

Overall, it is important to understand tactics to overcome shyness in order to succeed during an interview. Also, anyone involved in a job-hunt should be able to distinguish the difference between self-esteem and egotism. It is alright to be confident in yourself, but is a completely different story to be self-centered. Employers will surely make assumptions about you based on your personality during an interview, so it is critical to display the best version of yourself in order to prove that you can add value to the company you are interviewing for. 

WCIYP (How To Deal With Any Handicaps You Have)

As you venture on the job-hunting process, you may come to the realization that you lack the ability to perform certain skills. According to What Color Is Your Parachute, the lack of such skills are considered to be disabilities. Hence, it is critical to determine what skills you possess and articulate them to potential employers. The book goes on to argue that everyone is handicapped in some sense, as no one person can perform all tasks or skills in the world. A key distinction between owning a skill or failing to have the ability to perform it is the understanding how the perspective of a job-hunter differs than that of an employer. Often, job-hunters do not have the ability to carry out some skills. Although this is common among many individuals, employers are often prejudice if someone falls into a certain category.

For example, the book credits employers for falling subject to the following prejudices regarding job-hunters:

1.) Out Of Work Too Long

2.) Age

3.) Returning Veterans

4.) Ex-Offenders

5.) Former Patients

6.) Others

Although some of the prejudices listed above could clearly limit someone from earning a job, it is arguable that employers are simply looking out for the sake of their company. Still, it is important to understand the difference between a disability and prejudice in order to deal with any struggles you might encounter in the job-hunting journey.

One way to determine what you can or cannot do is to look at a list of transferable skills, as it will allow you to pinpoint what you are capable of. In fact, the following image offers 246 skills that employers often look for in an applicant. I strongly recommend sifting through the list and noting the skills that you believe you own. I actually completed the exercise myself and found it surprisingly rewarding, since I was able to list and articulate my transferable skills upon completion.

Here then, is the aforementioned list that any job-hunter should consider glancing at:

WCYP (You Get To Choose Where You Work)

After reading my last blog post, it should be clear that identifying what you are passionate about, and then pursuing that passion in a career is of the utmost importance during a job-hunt. Three more aspects to consider towards the end of a job-hunt are thank-you notes, job offers, and contacts.

First, thank-you notes should be a considered a requirement for anyone that has received assistance in the job-huting process. This may include a bridge-person who helped you earn an interview, a representative from a company, or even the person who actually conducted a formal interview with you. It is recommended to send both a digital and physical thank-you note, and doing so will surely separate you from other candidates applying for the same job. A thank-you note does not have to be long in nature, as two or three sentences will suffice.

Second, it is important to understand the proper ettiequte in accepting or rejecting job offers while gathering information about a company. Most of the time, a company will not offer a job if you are simply inquiring about working for them. However, it is possible. Hence, you should be ready to have a prompt response prepared in the event that such an opportunity presents itself.

Third, it is imperative to develop contacts in both a social and professional environment. Studies have shown that the more people you know can directly translate into networking your way into earning a job. A perfect example of a contact is a bridge-person, or someone who works for a company that you wish to by employed by. One of the best resources available to grow your contact tree on is LinkedIn, where you can reach out to friends, family, colleagues, or peers.

WCIYP (You Get To Choose Where You Work)

The beautiful aspect of adopting the Parachute Approach to job-hunting is the fact that you get to choose where you work. Now, it's not always as simple as finding a dream job. Instead, it could be a rather long and rigorous process that involves extensive research and effort.

Nonetheless, What Color Is Your Parachute, by Richard N. Bolles offers five helpful steps for job-hunters that are looking to find a place to work. Before listing and explaining the five steps, it is important to note that curiosity and informational interviewing are necessary requirements to increase networking efforts.

Without further delay, here are five helpful steps to supplement your job-hunting efforts:

1.) You Need to Find Out What Careers or Jobs Your Flower Points To

• Remember that flower exercise that I discussed in a previous blog post? Well, it's actually very useful and will allow you to determine your favorite fields of interest and best transferable skills. 

2.) You Need to Try On Careers Before You Decide Which Ones to Pursue 

• Identifying a career, or at least a career path is one of the first steps in the job-hunting process. Keep in mind, it is never considered a bad idea to look for a career-change, especially if its towards an industry that you're passionate about. An ideal way to research multiple careers before ultimately choosing to select one is through informational interviewing, otherwise known as asking people in a particular industry about the details of their career.

3.) You Need to Find Out What Kinds of Organizations Have Such Jobs 

• This kind of research can be done in various ways, but I have found LinkedIn to be one of the best resources to utilize. 
• Examples of the kind of information you should research regarding an organization;
• Places that employ part-time or full-time
• Places that take consultants 
• Places that are profit or nonprofit

4.) You Need to Find Names of Particular Places That Interest You

• Keep in mind, people who usually find success in a job-hunt seek positions that do not necessarily have vacancies. Hence, if you are persistent enough in the job-hunting process, companies will begin to realize that you can provide value and will become a top-of-mind candidate for any potential openings.  

5.) You Need to Learn as Much as You Can About a Place Before Formally Approaching Them

• Understand a company's corporate culture before heading in for an interview, Identifying a company's goals or working environment is essential, especially if you are asked a question about the company during an interview. 
• Make sure to determine where you would like to work. Even more, do so before you accept a job. This can be accomplished through extensive research, including referencing the following resources:
• Friends and Neighbors
• People at the organizations that you are considering
• The Internet 

CASA Marketing (Social Media Monitoring and Analytics)

Social media monitoring and analytics are two important tools to consider for social media marketing purposes. In short, social media monitoring revolves around initiating conversations and posting content to social media platforms. Most importantly, social media monitoring should involve social listening, that is, searching for feedback from customers. On the other hand, social analytics refers to the ability to measure performance metrics, such as likes or conversations.

Delving even further into this topic, social media monitoring and listening can be broken down into two components; owned media and earned media. Owned media relates to properties that you control, such as a personal Facebook or Twitter account. On the opposite side of the spectrum, earned media contains conversations or shares on a social media account that you do not control. In either facet, learning how to use tools like Facebook Insights, Twitter Analytics, or Radian 6 is an integral part of the social media monitoring experience.

An ideal time to utilize social media monitoring is during a time of social media crisis, similar to when Target suffered a data breach. During a fragile time like this, social media enables a company to respond to harsh situations that could potentially tarnish its image. This is especially true if a company does not have a Public Relations department, as social media allows messages and conversations to spread at an almost uncontrollable speed. Consequently, this can either positively or negatively a company's financial position in a specific industry depending on how its followers respond to a particular crisis.

Finally, social media monitoring is useful for a company when a customer complains about a product, raises a question, or wishes to engage in a conversation online. Overall, utilizing social media monitoring and listening truly helps improve customer service efforts for a business, which can also have an impact ROI as well.

MKTG 347: Hootsuite

Hootsuite is an excellent tool to utilize from a social media marketing perspective, as it allows users to post content simultaneously to multiple social media platforms at once.

With this idea in mind, I recently utilized Hootsuite to post a recent article I wrote for a fantasy football company, which is Dynasty Nerds.

To begin, I selected Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter as social media accounts that I wanted to post my article on:

After I composed a short preview of my article, I then proceeded to post it to Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter directly from Hootsuite. The results are pictured below:

After using Hootsuite for the first time, I can personally admit that the service does an excellent job of simplifying the process of posting content on social media.

WCIYP (You Need To Understand More Fully Who You Are)

In Chapter 7 of What Color Is Your Parachute, it is necessary to take a self-evaluation in order to learn more about yourself. Once an inventory is completed, you will have a much better understanding of your preferred characteristics and traits, including which employers match those that you're interested in.

As a part of the inventory process, Richard N. Bolles recommends filling out seven "petals" to a flower that will help define you as a person, while also identifying your skills and passions in the process.

Without further delay, here are the seven "petals"of a flower that should be defined during a self-inventory process:

1.) My Favorite Knowledges Or Fields Of Interest 

• These may include areas of knowledge, functions (transferable skills), or traits
• Three questions/statements to ask yourself:
• What you know from your previous jobs
• What you know about, outside of work
• What fields, careers, or industries sound interesting to you

2.) My Preferred Kinds Of People To Work With

• It is important to determine what type of working environment you work most efficiently in, including what personality types you blend with as well
• There are essentially six main working environments, and it is necessary to determine which of the following you best fit in with:
• Realistic
• Investigative 
• Artistic
• Social
• Enterprising
• Conventional 

3.) What I Can Do And Love To Do (My Favorite Transferable Skills)

• Transferable skills can be best described as your skills with people, data, or things in a general sense. In other words, transferable skills are those that are innate, or that you are born with and have refined since

4.) My Favorite Working Conditions 

• Once you identify you ideal working conditions, you will be able to determine work settings that will make you happy and allow you to be the most productive

5.) My Preferred Salary And Level Of Responsibility 

• This needs to be accomplished in order to determine a desired salary, in addition to what is a realistic amount of money to earn relative to your field of expertise

6.) My Preferred Place To Live

• Understanding where you want to live is a major decision that will ultimately define where you take a job. Therefore, it is imperative to live somewhere that will make you happy and allow you to have a successful career  

7.) My Goal, Purpose, Or Mission In Life

• Defining a goal, purpose, or mission in life will provide a sense of guidance or direction, especially where a career is concerned
• Per the book, here are the "Nine Kingdoms of Mission and Purpose", which can help in the self-inventory process:
• The Mind
• The Body
• The Eyes and Other Senses
• The Heart
• The Will or Conscience 
• The Spirit 
• Entertainment 
• Our Possessions
• The Earth

WCIYP (You Need To Understand More Fully Who You Are)

According to Richard N. Bolles, the author of What Color Is Your Parachute, it is critical to take an inventory of yourself in order to fully understand who you are as a person, and how the results can impact job-hunting as a whole. By doing so, you will be able to learn more about yourself and find answers to the following seven dilemmas provided by the book:

1.) By doing this homework on yourself, you learn to describe yourself in at least six different ways, and therefore you can approach multiple job-markets.

• Instead of being arbitrarily known as an "accountant", you can instead describe yourself as a person with certain skills and experiences that ultimately shape who you are as an individual.

2.) By doing this homework on yourself, you can describe in detail exactly what you are looking for.

• By doing so, you will be able to more effectively communicate with family, friends, or colleagues for assistance in your job-hunting process.

3.) By ending up with a picture of a job that would really excite you, you will inevitably pour much more energy and determination into your job-search.

• Once you have a dream job in mind, you will undoubtedly become determined to earn the position, or at least be persistent until you do so.

4.) By doing this homework, you will no longer have to wait to approach companies until they say they have a vacancy.

• Utilizing a bridge-person to connect with an employer is an ideal way to approach a company without any widely known vacancies, and more likely than not results in you finding a job. 

5.) When you are facing, let us say, nineteen other competitors for the job you want-equally experienced, equally skilled- you will stand out because you can accurately describe to employers exactly what is unique about you, and what you bring to the table that others do not.

• In other words, you should be able to articulate the traits or skills that differentiate you from others for a job opening.

6.) If you are contemplating a career-change, maybe-after you inventory yourself-you will see definitely what new career or direction you want for your life.

• Conducting informational interviews, or simply taking an inventory of yourself will surely provide insight into what you are passionate about, and can help determine if a career-change is necessary. 

7.) Unemployment is an interruption, in most of our lives. And interruptions are opportunities, to pause, to think, to assess where we really want to go with our lives.

• If you adopt the "Parachute Approach" to job-hunting, which I have discussed in great detail in previous blog posts, then you will definitely be able to determine who you are and what you love to do. In fact, taking an inventory of yourself can help you grow as an individual, in addition to finding a job that you may find interesting. 

CASA Marketing (Hootsuite)

Can you imagine if there was a resource that allowed you to simultaneously post content to multiple social media sites? Well there actually is, and it can be done from a site called Hootsuite. Essentially, Hootsuite is a tool that enables users to manage social media accounts by developing and posting content to multiple platforms at the same time. For instance, if I worked for a social media company and wanted to promote a new service, I could theoretically use Hootsuite as a form of marketing to generate buzz for my company across Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter all at once. Although this may seem overwhelming at first, Hootsuite is an excellent tool to utilize from a business perspective. It is especially important as it relates to sustainability, particularly where content and return on investment are concerned.

If you have never used Hootsuite before, there are various ways to become familiar with the site and its abilities. Fortunately, Hootsuite has a free version that can be used as a test to determine if the site will work for a marketing campaign.

As as new user, Hootsuite's welcoming screen will look like this:

As you can see, the site appears to be very user-friendly. From its main page, Hootsuite allows users to sign in to various social media accounts or even create products/plans as a business. Due to the fact that Hootsuite can be rather intimidating to a new user, the site has an engaging help section that will surely guide you through any questions, including live webinars for those who enjoy a visual learning experience. In addition, more information can be learned at Hootsuite University, with video tutorials available on YouTube.

After you have pondered through Hootsuite and believe that you have a firm grasp on how to use the site, I recommend to then create an account. To begin, creating a free account should more than suffice. Once an account is created, Hootsuite will guide you through the process of adding social media networks to your account. After all of your accounts are connected to Hootusite, you will be able to post content simultaneously to social media platforms. The final step in the Hootsuite configuration process is to practice using the site's features in order to become familiar with navigating around the platform. Overall, Hootsuite is an important tool to gain an understanding of to develop a continuous stream of content that will deliver information about a product or service, with the ultimate goal of generating a return on investment from marketing efforts.

WCIYP (What To Do When Your Job Hunt Just Isn't Working)

As mentioned in my previous blog post, there are two main forms of job-hunting, which include the "Traditional Way" and "Parachute Way" of finding a position in a field of interest. Below, I will list and explain the twelve best and worst ways to look for a job, including the percentage of the time in which each way works. Additional information regarding these concepts can be found in Chapter 6 of What Color Is Your Parachute. 

Example:  Way "X" (10% Success Rate)

1.) Looking for employers' job postings on the Internet (4%)

• Common job-boards are Monster, CareerBuilder, Glassdoor, Career Bliss, US.jobs, LinkeIn, Twitter, and Facebook
• Although uncommon, it is possible to find a position from looking for a job directly from a employer's website

2.) Posting or mailing out your resume to employers (7%)

• This often results inquiries from companies, but not necessarily a job offer
• Another issue with posting a resume online is that it can never be removed, so if you fabricate information a future employer could potentially find out from a simple Google search

3.) Answering local newspaper ads (5-24%)

• Look for "Help Wanted Ads" 
• The fluctuation in success rate depends on the level of salary that is desired

4.) Going to private employment agencies or search firms for help (5-28%)

• Employment agencies do in fact place jobs across all industries, not only office positions 

5.) Answering ads in professional or trade journals, appropriate to your field (7%)

• Search for professional journals that relate to your desired profession 
• Respond to ads that interest you

6.) Job Clubs (10%)

• Actual "Job Clubs" treat finding a career as a full-time job, that is, job-hunting from 9-5 everyday until a position is found
• It is always easier to work on something with more than one person, and the same goes for job-hunting 

7.) Going to the state or federal employment office (14%)

• Visit a local federal/state unemployment office, CareerOneStop business centers, or American Job Centers to find leads or learn how to improve your job-hunting process

8.) Going to places where employers pick up workers (22%)

• This tactic works best for union workers, especially those who are involved in the trade or construction industry 

9.) Asking for job-leads (33%)

• Ask via friends, family, or colleagues (LinkedIn)

10.) Knocking on the door of any employer, office, or manufacturing plant (47%)

• This strategy works particularly well with small employers (25 or less employees)

11.) Using the Yellow Pages (65%)

• Utilize the Yellow Pages to find companies or fields on business that interest you, and then call each firm to setup an interview 

12.) The Parachute Approach (86%)

• The Parachute Approach involves putting yourself first, that is, understanding what you love to do and then finding an employer that matches your passion and beliefs 

WCIYP (What To Do When Your Job-Hunt Just Isn't Working)

Essentially, there are two different ways to hunt for a job. According to What Color Is Your Parachute, there is a "Traditional Way" and a "Parachute Way" to search for a job. If your job-hunt simply is not going well, it may be time to adopt a new approach. Either way, it is important to never give up during the process, as hard work and consistent effort to find a position that matches your skill-set will eventually work itself out.

Nevertheless, understanding the difference between the two methods of job-hunting is necessary in order to find success. The "Traditional Way" of job-hunting relates to creating a resume and posting it online in hopes of landing a position. Under this approach, a job-hunter is likely to take any position available, as exposing a resume online allows any recruiter to find it. On the other hand, the "Parachute Way" of job-hunting refers to finding out what you're passionate about as an individual, and then pursuing that passion in the form of a career. Although this approach may take more time and research, it is more rewarding since you will ultimately find an organization that matches your interests and beliefs. To find success with the "Parachute Way", it is vital to find a bridge-person for a company that you're interested in working at. In short, a connection with a bridge-person will enable you to communicate with a representative from a company that you hope to work for.

Since I am in a job-hunt and graduating in December of this year, I have begun to utilize the "Parachute Way" approach. My passion in life is sports and I have a degree in marketing, so my career goal is to find a position that links the two fields together. Ideally, this would mean that I work for a professional sports organization, such as the Chicago Bears, in a marketing position. Fortunately, studies have shown that the "Parachute Way" of job-hunting works 50-86% of the time. I find those to be pretty good odds if enough time and research is invested into a position that you're passionate about.

For a visual representation of how the "Traditional Way" and "Parachute Way" differ in structure, please consider the image below:

CASA Marketing (LinkedIn)

LinkedIn is an extremely useful social media outlet, especially for B2B (Business to Business) companies. From a B2B perspective, LinkedIn allows companies to target other businesses or organizations on a social media landscape. Yet, it also holds value for personal use, as it is a great resource to build a brand for yourself on. This can be accomplished by consistently updating your profile to showcase projects, talents, or work that is related to your area of expertise. From a B2C (Business to Consumer) perspective, LinkedIn is used for recruiting and posting available jobs. In either facet, LinkedIn offers various forms of ROI, but establishing a presence alone is half the battle.

I personally utilize LinkedIn as a job-hunting resource, as it a valuable tool for connecting with recruiters. However, it is even more appealing to businesses that create a LinkedIn page to develop and share content in order to earn credibility and generate ROI. A sound strategy for any company that is looking to establish a presence on social media is to begin using Hootsuite, in which all content can be posted simultaneously to Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn. Under this approach, a company can post all of its content on social media at once and appear reputable in the process by creating a consistent marketing campaign.

In terms of advertising on LinkedIn, it is arguable that running ads on the site is more costly than that of Facebook or Twitter. Hence, LinkedIn is best suited for building an online presence as a social media marketer or business professional.

As a form of self-promotion, the screenshot pictured below is from my LinkedIn profile. Feel free to connect with me if you're also interested in the field of marketing, particularly sports promotions.

WCIYP (Secrets Of Salary Negotiation)

In my previous blog post, I listed and described the six secrets to salary negotiation. For this particular post, I am going to focus in on one of the most useful secrets, that is, to "Never Discuss Salary Until the End of the Whole Interviewing Process at That Organization, When (and If) They Have Definitely Said They Want You".

The most challenging aspect of this secret is knowing exactly when the interview is coming to an end. Hence, when this time is near, you will likely want to begin discussing salary propositions with an employer. An apparent sign that an interview is going well for you, and that it's time to bring up a negotiable salary, is when an employer subtly asks what kind of salary you would expect from a position similar to the one you're applying for. In order to to gain leverage in the salary negotiation process, be sure to come prepared with various answers to a salary range question. This means that thorough research is required to properly pinpoint an appropriate figure.

Per What Color Is Your Parachute, salary should not be discussed during an interview until the following criteria have been met:

• Ensure the interviewer understands your skills and what value you can bring to the company
• Make sure you would be comfortable working at the place you're interviewing for. Don't take a job to simply have one, it is more fulfilling to find work for something that you're passionate about
• Know exactly what the job entails, including its full job description
• Determine if your skills match those required for the job
• Make sure you have made it to the final interview. You do not want to prematurely mention a salary if others are more likely candidates for a position 
• Decide if you actually want to work where you have applied 
• The employer has expressed interest in your abilities and finds that you will be an excellent match for the available position 
  
  
  
  
  

WCIYP (Secrets Of Salary Negotiation)

According to What Color Is Your Parachute , by Richard Bolles, there are six secrets of salary negotiation that every job-hunter should consider. For this blog post, I will list all six secrets and provide a brief analysis from my point of view as a current job-hunter.

1.) "Never Discuss Salary Until the End of the Whole Interviewing Process at That Organization, When (and If) They Have Definitely Said They Want You"

• It is critical to determine how the interview is going before even mentioning the word salary. In addition, you need to be sure that you would like to work for a company before a salary is ever discussed.
• Below is an image of the best and worst times to negotiate salaries during an interview

2.) "The Purpose of Salary Negotiation Is to Uncover the Most That an Employer Is Willing to Pay to Get You?

• Negotiation is essential in order to find range in which you and a potential employer can agree upon. 
• Ideally, you will walk into an interview with a range that is is in the middle or above an average salary for your industry, in hopes that you can convince an employer that your skill set is worth a salary that is on the larger end of the spectrum. 

3.) "During Salary Discussion , Never Be the First One to Mention a Salary Figure"

• It is best to let an employer ask about salary during an interview, as the person who brings up a salary figure first typically falls on the losing end of negotiations.

4.) "Before You Go to the Interview, Do Some Careful Research on Typical Salaries for Your Field and in That Organization"

• Conducting research about salaries related to a job that you're interested in is a critical step in the job-hunting process.
• Salary research comes in two main forms; online and offline.
• Online Examples: jobstar.org, salary.com, bls.gov, or salaryexpert.com- to name a few.
• Offline Examples: Talk to people for insight, especially individuals who currently have a job in the field that you're interested in.

5.) "Research the Range that the Employer Likely Has in Mind, and Then Define an Interrelated Range for Yourself, Relative to the Employer's Range"

• This can be a rather difficult process, but understand that you want a range to base salary negotiations off of, or else an employer will hold all the power during the end of an interview if they chose to offer you a position.
• If you invest enough time and research, the ultimate goal of this step is to create a range that begins at an employer's highest offer, so that there is less ground to lose during a negotiation.

6.) "Know How to Bring the Salary Negotiation to a Close; Don't Leave it Just Hanging" 

• An ideal way to bring salary negotiations to a close is to discuss employee benefits, such as health plans or holiday time. This will enable you to close a negotiation by summarizing what is important to you. Please note, it is recommended that an employer signs the agreed upon terms, or else it is an unofficial contract. 

Gerbil Liberation Front Activity

Today in class, I found the Gerbil Liberation Front activity to be rather interesting. To begin, I visited the GLF website, which is created off of a Google site. Outside of Wix, Google Sites are easily one of the best options to consider for developing a site for free. After visiting the website, I ventured on to its Facebook page to research more about what the Gerbil Liberation Front had to offer. I discovered that GLF is musical group formed by gerbils, whose genre blends between hip hop and metal.

Soon after visiting the GLF Facebook page, I continued to Zazzle, which is a online retailer that allows users to customize merchandise with unique designs. As a part of its social media marketing efforts, the Gerbil Liberation Front has a Zazzle account and enables its fans to purchase t shirts to support the group. The merchandise looks to be made of high-quality, as you can visualize in the picture below:

Finally, the Gerbil Liberation Front also utilizes mailchimp, which is a resource that can be used as a way to gain subscribers via an emailing list. I found mailchimp to be an ideal alternative to creating a Facebook page for a company, as it can be used as a channel to regularly distribute content to users or fans. Overall, I thought that the GLF class activity was very helpful, as I was able to learn about new social media marketing tools and resources, such as Zazzle and mailchimp.

CASA Marketing (Ecommerce Analytics)

Understanding how to analyze ecommerce analytics is a necessary tool for any social media marketer. By doing so, you will be able to track ROI and utilize conversion tracking to your advantage to decipher the best forms and channels of advertising related to your business. In order to use conversion tracking, it is a requirement to find an ecommerce platform that tracks such data. Unfortunately, there are very few, if any, ecommerce sites that are free. Therefore, in order to conduct real conversion tracking, specific resources will need to be used.

For the purposes of ecommerce anlaytics, Google Adwords and Shopify are two reputable tools to use for conversion tracking. Shopify is roughly $30 a month, whereas Google Adwords varies depending on how much you plan to advertise. Adwords can be a very rewarding resource, especially if you're interested in how much revenue is being made off of select advertisements. The beauty of Google Adwords is that it syncs with Google Analytics. Hence, all the valuable metrics available on Google Analytics will automatically analyze content from Adwords for your viewing pleasure. Experimenting with both of Google's aforementioned platforms will provide a sound understanding as to how to properly utilize conversion tracking for a business to measure ROI.

Even more, Shopify is also a superb tool to reference for live ecommerce tracking, particularly where products are concerned, Below I will list some of the many features and benefits available through Shopify, which I suggest you consider since Google is a major proponent of the company.

Shopify Features/Benefits:

• 14 day free trial (Determine if the site is worth your money)
• Ease of payments
• Payment plans
• Customization 
• Product Diversity (Physical, Digital)
• Conversion Tracking with Adwords
• Live ecommerce site

CASA Marketing (Twitter)

In previous blog posts, I have looked at different social media channels, such as Facebook, to determine the likelihood of earning a return on investment. This week, I will focus on Twitter in particular, in order to see if it is a recommended channel for social media marketing.

Similar to Facebook, Twitter is one of the more popular social media channels for a brand to promote itself on. Although users may not have purchase intent while surfing through Twitter, it still stands as a major resource to advertise on. As a company or individual, Twitter allows you to promote ideas or topics, but you can only do so with a 140 character limit. This limitation makes it difficult to implement marketing strategies at times, but it is also advantageous in the sense that less information could appeal to a target audience that is overwhelmed with information overload from other social media sites. It is also important to note that Twitter is used extensively as a customer service outlet for companies, as it allows businesses to directly interact with customers for the general public to see, which can positively impact a company's image.

But how do you use social media marketing techniques on Twitter? That's a fair question, and I have an answer to it. A popular option is to promote a tweet, that is, pay Twitter to make a post appear in the feeds of other users. Sound familiar? It should, since Facebook has a similar business model for boosting content on its platform. Regularly posting on Twitter alone could return a profit on advertising efforts, but to effectively measure ROI it is necessary to analyze how many people actually make a purchase on a website after clicking a link from Twitter. As a result, consistently positing quality content on a social media platform like Twitter is critical to engage users and attempt to earn a return on investment from marketing efforts.

Since I have discussed multiple social media platforms to date through my blog post, I figured it would be relevant to discuss how often you should post to each channel. According to an article on buffersocial, there actually is a recommended amount of content to consider for each and every social media platform. For full details, be sure to read the article I provided a link to above. If you simply wish to see a brief overview of the article, please view the picture below as an insightful resource. As you will see, three posts to Twitter is widely viewed as a safe amount of content to publish on a daily basis, especially from a business perspective.

WCIYP (Tips About Interviewing For A Job)

In Chapter 4 of What Color Is Your Parachute, a comprehensive list of sixteen tips for interviewing for a job are listed and explained. For the purposes of this blog post, I will list each of the sixteen tips below, as I found them to be very informative and beneficial for the job-hunting process.

Here then, are the tips I recommend taking a look at:

1. There is no such thing as "employers"
2. An interview should be prepared for, before you ever go in
3. Honor agreements
4. An interview for a job is a lot like dating
5. Questions to expect from them, then questions you can ask 
6. During the interview, determine to observe "the 50-50 rule"
7. If answering the employer's questions, observe "the twenty-second to two-minute rule"
8. The employer is primarily concerned about risk
9. It's the small things that are the killers, in a job interview
10. Be aware of the skills most employers are looking for, these days, regardless of the position you are seeking
11. Try to think of some way to bring evidence of your skills to the hiring interview
12. Do not bad-mouth your previous employer (s) during the interview, even if they were terrible people
13. Throughout the interview, keep in mind: employers don't really care about your past; they only ask about it, in order to try to predict your future (behavior) with them, if they decide to hire you
14. As the interview proceeds, you want to quietly notice the time frame of the questions the employer is asking
15. Before you leave the (final) interview, there are five questions you should always ask
16.  Thank-you notes must be sent after every interview, by every job-hunter

My personal favorite tip among all sixteen offered from this chapter is surely number 15, as I have found it sometimes difficult to end an interview. Below are the five questions that you should always ask before you leave an interview:

• Can you offer me this job?
• When may I expect to hear from you?
• Might I ask what would be the latest I can expect to hear from you?
• May I contact you after that date, if for any reason you haven't gotten back to me by that time?
• Can you think of anyone else who might be interested in my skills and experience? (Only ask this if the employer responds not to the first question)

WCIYP (Tips About Interviewing For A Job)

I found it rather interesting that there are various forms of interviews in the business world. As discussed in Chapter 4 of What Color Is Your Parachute , there are three main forms of interviewing. First, there are interviews for fun or practice. This type of interview is usually comfortable, as the person you're speaking to is likely passionate about the same field of study and is available for to assist you. Second, there are interviews for information. Typically, interviews for information include conversations with employers, specialists, or experts who are familiar with the industry that you're interested in. Third, and the most important type, is an interview for a job. Here, you should utilize all of the information you have learned from your practice interviews in order to apply that experience into earning a position.

Since I'm on the topic of interviews, the following list represents the ten most common mistakes that are made during job interviews, which is based on a list compiled from WCIYP:

1. Going after large organizations 
2. Hunting all by yourself for places to visit
3. Doing no homework on an organization before going there
4. Allowing the Human Resources department to interview you (This is an easy out)
5. Setting no time limit when you first begin the interview, and then overstaying your welcome
6. Letting your resume be the only agenda discussed during the job-interview
7. Talking primarily about yourself throughout the interview, and what benefit the job will be for you
8. Failing to give examples of the skills you claim to have
9. Approaching the employer as if you were a job-beggar 
10. Not sending a thank-you note right after the interview

CASA Marketing (Facebook Ads)

As I have learned this week, Facebook Ads are an ideal resource to utilize in order to increase reach towards an intended target audience. The two main types of Facebook Ads are those that appear directly in a news feed or the kind that are placed on the right side of a web page. For the purposes of social media marketing, Facebook Ads that appear on the right side of a web page are typically the most common. Once you pay for a Facebook advertising campaign, it will begin to appear in news feeds, especially those who find interest in the subject manner that you are promoting.

The ultimate goal of advertising on Facebook is to entice individuals to click on your ad, in hopes that they will like your page in the process. Once you begin regularly posting about your website or blog via Facebook, in addition to running an ad, you can further promote content by "boosting" it, that is, paying an additional fee to Facebook to increase the online presence of your posts.

Curious what a promoted post looks like on Facebook? Fear not, I have you covered with this screenshot pictured below:

Notice that once a post is boosted, Facebook provides in depth information that you would be otherwise unable to view, which includes data related to organic reach, paid reach, and post clicks.

In the event that you're ready to create a Facebook ad, I recommend following a few of the following pointers to guide you through the process:

• Monitor how many clicks your page/content receives, especially the click through rate (CTR) 
• Make sure to target a specific target market that would be interested in the content that you're promoting 
• Be sure to add interests to your Facebook advertising campaign to hone in on a particular audience 
• Decide whether you want to run an ad on a Lifetime Budget or Daily Budget, and add corresponding start/end dates if necessary
• Understand the concept of CPC (cost per click)
• Add images to enhance content
• Keep content simple and offer a value proposition to differentiate your brand from others 
• Consistently monitor the ad campaign to track progress and results 

CASA Marketing (Reviewing Performance Of Campaigns)

Reviewing performance campaigns on Google Analytics and Facebook is arguably one of the most important components to monitor as you begin becoming familiar with digital marketing. Even more, understanding how to analyze information on Google Analytics or Facebook is critical as well. Before you decide to pay Facebook for advertising your content, it is essential to practice using the features available on the site. In addition, learning how to use Google Analytics to your advantage to measure ROI is an important skill to learn and refine.

I believe that the following terms/topic provide the best insight into how to review the performance of a campaign on Google Analytics or Facebook:

• Session: this term corresponds with a visit to a webpage.

• Bounce Rate: indicates the percentage of sessions with only one user interaction or page view. It is better to have a lower bounce rate than a higher one.

• Trending: monitoring how themes or concepts perform over a period of time.

• Traffic: the amount of people that are visiting a webpage. Look out for "bots", which could be responsible for generating spam traffic. Also, it is important to decide if the content you're posting is better suited for mobile or desktop, as this could affect the flow of traffic to your posts.

• Dashboard/Reports: tools that enable users to manually find items or pieces of information.

• Export: the ability to share content with friends or colleagues.

Speaking of Google Analytics, please view the screenshot pictured below for an inside look into the terms and topics that I have discussed above. In particular, notice how a high bounce rate can negatively impact a performance review. 

Facebook Ad

This past weekend, I created a Facebook Ad that is linked to this exact blog. The ultimate goal of creating an advertisement on Facebook is to send people to a specific website. In this case, that website is my personal marketing blog.

I specified social media marketing as an interest while developing my Facebook Ad in order to ensure that I was reaching out to the correct target audience. With a clearly defined target market, it is easier to reach certain segments within the Facebook community. 

I also made sure to create a Lifetime Budget of $20.00, which is planned to run for approximately a week. After the advertisement runs its full course, I will have a much better understanding of how Facebook advertising can benefit a company in terms of overall ROI. 

After beginning my Facebook Ad on 9/25, I have noticed results starting to compile. The following images represent various results I found interesting from the early parts of my Facebook campaign:

Although my Facebook advertising campaign is still in its initial stages, some insightful data is available to analyze, which includes:

• I have 12 website clicks as of 9/28
• Males and Females between the ages of 18-24 appear to represent my largest reach in terms of demographics
• My link has only been clicked on by people in one country, which is the United States 
• My ad campaign has resulted in 4,214 impressions as of 9/28
• As of 9/28, my Facebook Ad has an overall reach of 2,359 people
• CPM as of 9/28 = $2.47

Below is a glimpse into the results of my completed Facebook Ad campaign, after it ran its course for a full week:

WCIYP (There Are Over Eight Million Vacancies Available Each Month)

The mere fact that there are over eight million job vacancies available each month contradicts the belief that it is becoming increasingly difficult to find an occupation in the United States. According to What Color Is Your Parachute, the job-hunting experience has not changed in essence since 2008, but rather in behavior. In fact, I dove into this very subject in my previous blog post pertaining to this exact topic. In short, the fear of not being able to find a job is more of a misconception than people think.

If you're currently a job-hunter, or simply considering the idea of a career change, be sure to examine the following five statements that can be found in Chapter 3 of What Color Is Your Parachute:

• Job-hunting is not a science; it is an art
• Some people are adept at finding a new job, while others struggle. The good news is that there are resources available to assist everyone in the job-hunting process.

• Job-hunting is always mysterious
• It can be very difficult process to job-hunt, and sometimes it may seem cloudy in terms of actually finding a position. However, it is important to keep a positive attitude throughout the entire process, as you will eventually find a job. 

• There is no "always wrong" way to hunt for a job or to change careers
• There are likely ideal ways to find a job or change careers, but nothing is necessarily set in stone. People find different ways to succeed in life on a regular basis.

• There is no "always right" way to hunt for a job or change careers
• Similar to how there is no "always wrong" way to hunt for a job or to change careers, there is no"always right" way to go about the process either. Therefore, it can be considered a subjective manner.

• Job-hunting is, or should be, a full-time job
• If you find yourself struggling to find a job, this may mean that you need to invest more time into the job-hunting process. As it is with anything in life, the more time that you devote to something, the more likely it is that you will succeed. The same goes for job-hunting, especially if you're serious about landing a position. 

Speaking of job-hunting, I am currently seeking a job in the sports marketing industry and have found that LinkedIn is one of my favorite resources to find work through. It's simple and offers a clean look. If you don't believe me, be sure to check out the following image where I am searching for jobs at ESPN:

Facebook Activity

Today in class, I liked the following two pages on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/npoex and
http://www.facebook.com/freedomsongs.

After doing so, I was granted administrative access to each Facebook page to in order to determine if a return on investment was being made. To measure this, I navigated through each page's activity and insights tabs to decipher if boosting posts resulted in a larger overall reach for the intended target audience. Once I completed the class activity, it became clear that boosted posts clearly reach more people on Facebook than do organic posts.

The NPOEx Facebook page had quite a few posts boosted. In comparison to organic posts, it was rather evident that boosted posts reached more people. Typically, this resulted in more post clicks for the page, which is the ultimate goal when investing in advertising on Facebook.

The Freedom Songs page did not appear to contain many boosted posts. However, the page was useful to analyze information pertaining to what type of people view the page, including what countries they reside from.

Here are some notes from what I discovered on the Freedom Songs Facebook page, which focused on user information:

• Top 3 Countries 
• Egypt
• Bahrain
• Yemen

• Gender/Ages
• Men- 53%
• Women- 46%
• Most popular age group: 18-24
• 26% Men
• 24% Women

Although the United States was not the primary country that dominated likes for the Freedom Songs page, I found it interesting that English was still the most popular language.

Overall, this exercise was very rewarding, as I now have a better understanding of how to navigate through Facebook pages as an administrator in order to determine if advertising efforts are resulting in a ROI.

For an inside look at the one of Facebook pages I have discussed within this blog post, please look at the screenshot pictured below:

CASA Marketing (Getting Traffic For Analytics)

A key component of web analytics is learning how to generate traffic to a blog or website. Sharing a link on social media, such as Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn is one of the most basic forms of social media marketing. When posting on social media platforms, it is recommended to include visuals in order to enhance a viewer's experience. Also, if you plan on using a blog for analytic purposes, it is important to regularly post (once a week) in order to have enough data for Google Analytics to process.

Once you have content to post on social media, it is essential to promote it. Facebook enables users to promote posts by simply paying the company advertising fees. After a post is promoted on Facebook, each of your posts are being paid for to gain exposure. In addition, Facebook will list each promoted post as "sponsored" after it is paid for, which not only makes content appear more credible, but also increases the overall reach of your content to an intended audience. Hence, once a post on Facebook is promoted, it will appear across a variety of news feeds, as opposed to only those of friends or colleagues.

Another sound strategy to gain traffic for analytic purposes is to make an advertising campaign on Facebook. This will enable you to control who your posts are exposed to, especially where demographics and geographics are concerned. I have also learned from experience that adding an image to an ad campaign is a unique way to differentiate a brand from other competitors in a market. This will also assist you in selecting a target audience, as you will want to advertise towards a select number of segments that will be interested in your product or service. If a target audience is not clearly defined, the money you invest into an ad campaign on Facebook will be unsatisfactory since it will be exposed to individuals who may not be interested in what you have to offer. Once a target market is defined, it is imperative to decide what type of ad budget should be implemented. For example, creating a lifetime budget on Facebook will likely mean that you plan on continuously advertising at a nominal rate. However, if you wish to take an aggressive approach to advertising, you can switch to a "per day" payment in order to accommodate peak times to promote a product.

It should now be clear that Facebook is an excellent resource to utilize in order to generate traffic and analytics from. The ability to analyze data from a social media marketing campaign is a strong skill to possess, especially with how prevalent technology is in today's society due to the reliance that placed on social media platforms.

The following screenshot illustrates how simple it is to create an ad campaign on Facebook: