African Americans and Social Media – The Numbers and Networks
May 15th, 2013 by Nicole
You’re on social media, your friends and family are too. What about the rest? What are African Americans’ numbers in the world of social media? Read some interesting stats and comparisons:
According to a Pew Research Study, African Americans are the largest users of Twitter and Instagram. They are usually, young adults between 18-29 years old, women, and urban residents.
”Twitter, Instagram are popular among blacks. Among black Internet users, 26% use Twitter, far outpacing whites (14%) and Hispanics (19%). In August 2011, 18% of black Internet users were using Twitter.” (usatoday.com)
African Americans and Social Media – The Landscape of Social Media Users
· Urban African-Americans aged 18-29 use Twitter and Instagram more than other demographics. While the study does not include Americans under age 18, I believe many high school students use both heavily.
· Tumblr is a young person’s medium. Most users are aged 18-29.
· Hispanics are heavy users of every social media channel. They are more likely to use social networking sites than Caucasians or African-Americans.
· Urbanity plays a role. Slightly more social media users live in urban environments than suburban or rural ones. Significantly more Twitter, Instagram and Facebook users live in urban areas than other environments. (ragan.com)
Did you notice that the households with the lowest income use social media the most? Why do you think that is?
The study also suggests that women as a whole dominate social media. So why Twitter and Instagram?
These social media platforms are influential, free, accessible, and have a far reach. Wayne Sutton of socialwayne.com has said Twitter enables a level playing field in getting voices heard. Twitter provides an equal channel where one can get their opinions heard and broadcast their thoughts. Users have somewhat of a direct connection to brands, artists, and support.
Another reason why African Americans lead the way in social media interaction is because of their increasing numbers in the use of smart phones. 54% of African Americans own smart phones, which leads to the use of social media apps and consumerism.
Divas Celebrate Mother’s Day On Instagram
May 13th, 2013 by NigelWe all know fashion doesn’t sleep, but there are those times during the year when we put it on the back burner for something a little more important, and Mother’s days was one of those moments. This past Sunday some of our favorite fashion divas celebrated Mother’s Day in style, and of course they did some instagraming so lets take a look at how a few of our favorite fashionistas enjoyed their day, in style of course.
The first lady of GOOD Music Teyana Taylor put together a collage of photos featuring her and her mom and paired it with a poem she wrote.
Celeb Stylist June Ambrose was treated to Lunch on Mother’s Day in some haute shades thanks to her son and daughter, Chance and Summer.
Gabrielle Union snapped a quick pic with her mother in a green frock, and Mom was on trend for spring in black and white stripes.
Mothers Solange and Beyonce posed in front of the camera with their Madre Tina Knowles. Tina and Beyonce rocked prints while Solange colored blocked in hues of pinks, red, and purple.
American Fashion Designer Rebecca Minkoff told all of her instagram followers Happy Mother’s Day with this black and white photo.
Image Courtesy: Instagram
Divas, how did you celebrate Mother’s Day. Did any of your favorite Divas snap a photo with their mom that we missed. Sound off below an let us know.
Diddy and Sean John Make History with the First Instagram Fashion Show
February 8th, 2013 by ChristenAs social media tends to expose more and offer accessibility to events and our lives. It was only a matter of time until a designer would execute the first Instagram fashion show. I mean really, we already have an abundance of “models” showcasing their talents via “selfies” – of course a show during New York Fashion Week was imminent. Fashion maven and Social media innovator Sean Combs creates another first with the launch of the Sean John Instagram fashion show. The viral event will take place today, Friday February 8 at 10:00AM ET.
On Instagram straight FLEXXIN…
”In honor of New York fashion week we wanted to do something that has never been done before,” said Combs. “With Instagram technology we are bringing Sean John to the social media runway where our consumer lives.” – Sean “Diddy” Combs
Fashion maven and Social media innovator Sean Combs creates another first with the launch of the Sean John Instagram fashion show. The viral event will take place today, Friday February 8 at 10:00AM ET. Combs will be posting new looks every 30 minutes from 10:00AM – 5:00PM ET. Viewers will be invited to check out images from the latest collection only available at Macy’s.
How do you get front row access to the latest Sean John Collection? Follow Diddy on Instagram http://instagram.com/iamdiddy.
In addition to making history as the first fashion show on Instagram, it’ll also serve as the longest fashion show EVER! Measuring in at 7 hours long! Sure it’s innovative, but can you imagine the disappointment if none of the revealed looks during this Instagram fashion show makes it to Instagram’s “Popular” page? (*WHOMP*)
You call it – Social media innovation or just a sign of the times? Remember this post New York Fashion Week Goes Digital – Fashion Feat Or Fail? expect to see more designers embracing social media platforms (while saving money on costs) emerging soon. Question is, are consumers going to embrace these changes or ultimately feel cheated out of the designer wooing they’re used to.
About Sean John, a privately held company, was created by music icon Sean “Diddy” Combs and made its fashion debut with a men’s sportswear collection for the spring 1999 season. In 2004, Sean “Diddy” Combs for Sean John was honored by the Council of Fashion Designers of America as Men’s Wear Designer of the Year. With annual retail sales in the United States of over $525 million, Sean John remains one of the most impressive full lifestyle brands in the US and around the world. In May of 2010 Sean John signed a deal with Macy’s to be the exclusive U.S. department store retailer for the Sean John men’s sportswear collection beginning in Holiday 2010. The Sean John product is available online at macys.com and in over 400 Macy’s stores across the country, with additional doors to be added in the years ahead. Learn more at seanjohn.com.
Discover 5 Ways Social Media Can Actually Improve Your Relationships
February 1st, 2013 by Lifestyle StaffTechnology and social media have been said to ruin relationships, and as of late this theory has skyrocketed. We’re bold enough to say, however, that if technology is able to tear your relationship down to its foundation, it may not have been strong in the first place. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Skype are not necessarily the enemy of monogamous relationships (they’re just the ones who bare the blunt of the blame.) Contrary to popular belief, they can actually help relationships – Don’t believe us? Check out a few ways technology and social media can be used to keep a healthy relationship below.
Now we’re no relationship experts, however we have found some tips from our own experiences and seeing what works in other successful relationships. These tips are also taken from lessons learned from observing couples that allowed social media to affect their relationships negatively. It should also be noted that these tips are for those with the goal of monogamy!
Have fun.
If this is the person you may spend the rest of your life with, you should be able to have fun with them. Tell jokes and laugh a lot. Send them all the funny e-cards and quotes that remind you of your partner, even if it’s about their smelly feet! Use your smart phones as tools to have fun together. Challenge your boo in a game of Words with Friends, even if you are sitting right across the room from each other or miles apart.
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Don’t just have date nights, enjoy every night.
Last week I read a blog from a writer who does not believe in date nights with her husband of 9 years. Going into the read I was thrown off by the title “I Don’t Believe in Date Night” but as I continued to read, it all made sense. Couples should enjoy all of their time together, even if they were just arguing with one another. Having a set date night could set the pattern that this will be the only time you both enjoy each other’s company. Use different ‘best of’ apps like Yelp, Happy Hours, and Places to find new and spontaneous outings for regular nights when you both have down time.
Keep your individuality, but limit social media usage.
You can still be on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. even when you’re in a relationship. Use it to send funny and sweet e-cards like mentioned above. Send them flirty messages as if you were just getting to know each other- you know, role play! However, you can’t be obsessed with social media as when you were single. Keep in mind that you now have to manage how much time you spend on social media. Also, don’t leave your friends behind. It’s actually healthy if your partner knows your friends and you all hang out together, they’ll feel more included. Furthermore, it’ll be no suspicions when friends post on your wall.
Communicate.
Communication is key, and with so much technology there is really no excuse! When you’re happy, sad, mad, excited let your partner know. Use your iPhone emojis or e-cards when you don’t have the words. A lot of times the other person doesn’t even know you’re feeling some kind of way, and they certainly should NOT find out through a post or status message. On the contrary, use your status posts to say how much you love them or how happy your boo makes you!
Imagine how special they’ll feel when they stumble upon this. A conversation can fix everything! If you’re both near a computer have a quick Skype chat to work it all out, rather than texting- which can cause confusion of emotions. Most importantly, talk about what you’re both comfortable sharing on social media sites in regards to your relationship and exes, that way you’re in complete agreement and there will be no surprises.
Encourage your partner to be great.
This world can be tough. Having someone to encourage you throughout the day is an amazing feeling. Use Twitter or Facebook to give share some encouraging quotes with your lover. Support all the things they share as well. Don’t just be a “yes man” but actually give feedback. Help them be a better them.
So to be clear, social media itself isn’t to blame for the demise of what was supposed to be happily ever after. Instead, it’s an avenue by which threats can develop if you fail to communicate about them, and one that can heighten problems that already exist. Time to stop blaming social media and use it to your relationship’s advantage! It is possible!
What other ways do you use social media to help your relationship? Tell us below…
Getting On The Vine: Twitter’s New Video Sharing Service IS The New Instagram?
January 25th, 2013 by Christen
Twitter made a huge announcement on Thursday — releasing an app that lets you share 6-second video clips. The new mobile service is called Vine, and it allows users to create and share looping gif-like videos.
“Like Tweets, the brevity of videos on Vine (6 seconds or less) inspires creativity,” the company said in an official blog post. “Now that you can easily capture motion and sound, we look forward to seeing what you create.”
Currently iOS-only, the stop-motion videos can include as many scenes as you can fit in. Video stops and starts when you press on your device’s screen. Your finished product can then be shared just on Vine, or with friends on Twitter or — in theory — Facebook. (Well, that is, until A few moments after Vine’s launch Facebook blocked the service from being able to access your friends lists. *H8TRS*)
I’m wondering how will this affect YouTube views and subscriber services in the future? In the meantime, we’ve created our Vine account and can’t wait to use during the upcoming New York Fashion Week shows. We’ll definitely be bringing clips like this soon:
Vine is available as a separate app, free for download on iPhone and iPod touch devices via the Apple App Store. It’s exclusively on mobile for now. To download the app, click here.
Could Vine become the new Instagram?
Will you be downloading the new Vine app?
Celebrate Your 2012 In Style With Verizon Wireless #My2012Moment
December 26th, 2012 by ChristenWhat’s the funniest thing that happened to you in 2012? What 2012 moment are you most proud of? What 2012 moment do you wish you could relive forever? Join us this Thursday as we kick off My2012Moment and relive the events that shaped our year!
Join DivasandDorks and Verizon Wireless
Thursday, December 27 at 8pm ET
FOR A SPECIAL TWITTER PARTY – Hosted by The Online Mom and Friends
#My2012Moment
Join @VerizonInsider @DivasandDorks @TheOnlineMom and friends this Thursday at 8pm ET as we look back at 2012 and Share Our Favorite Moments!
RSVP and join the party for a chance to win GREAT PRIZES!
(You must RSVP and attend the party to be eligible for a prize.)
To RSVP: Email RSVP@theonlinemom.com subject line: My2012Moment | Spread the word and RT this link on your Twitter feed: http://tinyurl.com/y8trhhf | Join us on Tweetchat or Tweetgrid (#My2012Moment) this Thursday between 8 and 9pm ET | Tell your Twitter followers!
Join DivasandDorks and Verizon Wireless
Monday, December 31st at 8pm ET
FOR A SPECIAL NYE PARTY IN THE HEART OF TIMES SQUARE
Tag you photos, tweets and more with #My2012Moment and you could appear on MTV’s Video Billboard in Times Square!
#My2012Moment
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The People Have Spoken! Instagram Back Pedals From “New Terms” To Original Agreement
December 21st, 2012 by Christen
After the public outcry of “FAIL” against Instagram’s New Terms agreement, the photo sharing giant has announced that maybe they’ve made a few premature changes afterall. As previously reported earlier this week, Instagram had planned on instating new terms of use which would require users photos to involuntarily become property of Instagram for use in ads, promos and more. The terms of that user agreement said, “You agree that a business or other entity may pay us to display your user name, likeness, photos (along with any associated metadata) and/or actions you take, in connection with paid or sponsored content or promotions, without any compensation to you.” Since the announcement, journalists, celebrities and users gallore have taken to Facebook, Twitter and even Instagram to share their distane for the new terms and even threatened to delete their Instagram accounts altogether.
In the aftermath of the uproar over changes to Instagram’s privacy policy and terms of service earlier this week, the company back-pedalled late Thursday. In a blog post on the company’s site, Kevin Systrom, Instagram’s co-founder, said that where advertising was concerned, the company would revert to its previous terms of service, which have been in effect since October 2010. “Rather than obtain permission from you to introduce possible advertising products we have not yet developed,” he wrote, “we are going to take the time to complete our plans, and then come back to our users and explain how we would like for our advertising business to work.” Users had been particularly concerned by a clause in Instagram’s policy introduced on Monday that suggested Instagram would share users’ data — like their favorite places, bands, restaurants and hobbies — with Facebook and its advertisers to better target ads.
Following a reaction that included customers defecting to other services, Mr. Systrom told Instagram users on Tuesday that the new policy had been misinterpreted. “It is our mistake that this language is confusing,” he wrote, and he promised an updated agreement. That statement apparently was not enough. With more people leaving the service, the company, which Facebook bought for $735 million this year, reacted again by returning to the old rules. Acknowledging those concerns late Thursday, Mr. Systrom wrote: “I want to be really clear: Instagram has no intention of selling your photos, and we never did. We don’t own your photos — you do.” Mr. Systrom said the company would still be tweaking its privacy policy to quell users’ fears that their photos might pop-up on third-party sites without their consent.
The day before Instagram announced changes to its terms of service, Flickr’s mobile app was ranked at around 175 in Apple’s overall iTunes app charts. Since that day, the application skyrocketed to #7, only three spots behind Instagram #4.
Were you worried about Instagram’s new terms of agreement? Have you already downloaded the new Flickr app?
What Social Media Trends Are Taking Off in 2013?
December 20th, 2012 by Tech Staff
(Source: TwinEngine. Social media image via Shutterstock.)
Here is what some experts predict:
Social Search - “Search based on social signals. Facebook will change the search game -
They know what people want because they have been collecting data around comments, likes and engagement.” (Stephen Murphy of Get Busy Media)
Contextualizing of Experiences - “Facebook´s latest updates to the open graph will create a ripple effect, allowing companies to create social apps that tap into users’ social real-time actions and engage them in new behaviors. Expect to see real-time contextualizing of experiences, offers and content that go beyond the simple ‘like’ button. For B2B brands, LinkedIn will enable new and more meaningful ways of social engagement.” (Jonas Klit Nielsen)
“The rise of the Online Recommendation Culture – Moms’ rapid embrace of social media translates into blogs, Facebook, and Twitter becoming the new ‘picket fence,’ where Moms connect with one another to make friends, hear trusted recommendations, and gain first-person perspective.” (Stacy DeBroff of Mom Central Consulting)
Mobile is the way of the future to how we communicate across multiple channels to multiple people. To keep us interested there must be cutting edge, sophisticated social/mobile experiences and engagement that will keep us stimulated as well as incentives to keep increasing our usage of social media.
What’s the Latest in Social Media Trends?
December 19th, 2012 by Tech Staff
With all the advantages that mobile devices offer there’s know wonder that social media will continue to explode in the years to come. We reach for our smart phones to send email, text, snap photos, and check social media several times a day. Looking at “The Everyday Life of Today’s Connected Consumer” infograph, we are connected all day everyday with a constant stream data being generated, shared, saved, processed, activated, forwarded, posted, linked, and liked.
Mobile first is the new normal. Fastcompany.com has noted that by 2015 mobile Internet usage will exceed wired Internet usage. Businesses will undoubtedly take advantage of this with better services, engagement, and incentives. Social media and mobile devices are codependent and will continue to rely on each other for the best digital experience.
User Behavior
We have become comfortable with our mobile devices multitasking and roaming the web while also listening to music, posting photos to Instagram and Pinterest, updating our status, and tweeting. No longer are we buying items online via our desktop computer, the trend is moving forward to mobile transactions and financial exchanges at lightning speed. With the advent of PayPal people are starting to buy gifts through social networks and setup storefronts for themselves. Also, we are getting smarter with our online purchases – meaning, the power of digital tools is helping us make better purchasing decisions right at our fingertips. Price comparison has a whole new meaning now and retailers know this. There are so many apps available to find product availability, which retailer has the best price, best time to buy, and whether it is available online or in-store for pickup. Mobile users are now setting the standard of how businesses market their products.
What Media Will Dominate
Media that makes engagement and communication easy, especially be integrating social media platforms and apps. Users of social media have high expectations and limited patience. Content that is available anytime, anyplace, on-demand is what we expect.
Rohit Bhargava calls it the shoptimization of social media, apps that make shopping easier, quicker, and more convenient. Just look at the apps ShopSavvy, Wish Want Wear, Key Ring, and Macy’s in-store GPS. We all want to shop and share what we bought or what great item we found. Retail and software giants are integrating the purchase, exposure, and sharing of items into integrating applications that you can tweet, Instagram, post to Facebook, and ask for advice from your followers.
Banking is another area that is poised to explode in the coming years. As we get more comfortable with banking via a desktop computer online and now via apps, banks are now letting us scan check deposits with our phone without ever having to physically deposit the check. That’s right use your banking app to scan your checks and it instantly post to your account.
Cloud Services – Smart phones, tablets, and cloud services are converging to create an easy, on-demand access to shared software applications for consumers without the need for more space and memory on your mobile device.
Near Field Communications – A set of standards for smart phones to establish radio communications with each other by tapping them together to exchange information or transactions. The new iPhone 5 does not currently have this service, but I predict with new models of most popular smart phones will have this feature.
Instagram’s New Changes Are Causing Some Users To Say Buh-Bye!
December 18th, 2012 by ChristenAre you on Instagram? You may want to re-think your decision after reading this…
Instagram has just released a few new updates that’ll be taking affect next year in January. (Via Instagram) ”We’re making some improvements and updating our Privacy Policy & Terms of Service. Read more about our changes.” < — Chances are, you’ve seen this message, but didn’t investigate what those changes mean to you and your Instagram account. Discover why these “improvements” are causing some Instagram users to say bye-bye for good.
1. Your data will be used for ads. Ads are coming to Instagram. This isn’t a surprise. However, the new terms outline the fact the ads will use your data, photos and even the metadata (read: geo-location data), for targeting purposes. As The Social Times says, “Get ready for some ads starring your friends and you.” In fact, your data may be used as a way to endorse sponsored content or promotions. This part is described in the Rights section of the new terms. IT GETS WORSE. Ads may not be marked clearly. You may not even know that ads are ads. (new Instagram Rights section says: ”You acknowledge that we may not always identify paid services, sponsored content, or commercial communications as such.”)
“Wait a minute… Instagram ads will suck up my data…AND I MAY NOT EVEN KNOW WHICH UNIDENTIFIABLE ADS ARE RESPONSIBLE?”
2. Instagram can use your photos. You own the content you post, but Instagram can use any of it without any issues. The Rights section says specifically: ”you hereby grant to Instagram a non-exclusive, fully paid and royalty-free, transferable, sub-licensable, worldwide license to use the Content that you post.”
“How did my picture get used in this ad? I’ve never used viagra in my life! – What if my friends see this!?”
3. Be aware of your responsibility when you post new photos. You are responsible for any issues involving content you post, not Instagram. Instagram does not have any obligation to prescreen, monitor, edit, or remove any Content. If your Content violates these Terms of Use, you may bear legal responsibility for that Content.
“Wait, what happened to my photo!? I just uploaded it yesterday and now it’s gone!”
4. Backup your photos. You might want to back up your photos periodically. There’s no guarantee they’ll always be there. As the new Rights section writes: Instagram is not a backup service and you agree that you will not rely on the Service for the purposes of Content backup or storage. Instagram will not be liable to you for any modification, suspension, or discontinuation of the Services, or the loss of any Content.
Have you begun weighing the pros and cons of Instagram’s new terms of service? Is Instagram right for using your photos, data plans and more in exchange for you using it’s service? Are you thinking about quitting Instagram and using other photo sharing apps like Flickr instead? Share below…
