Week 6: Facebook Business

Post reach is how many people have scrolled through when your post was on their feed, and potentially had an opportunity to see what you posted. Post engagement is when someone likes, comments, or in some way interacts with your post. Knowing the difference is important when deciding what the best method of advertising is for the money. Usually you’re paying per reach or per engagement. A business on Facebook can use Facebook Insights to better serve their customers by tracking what your audience is interested in and so they can post more content that receives better feedback. 

Week 5, Post 2: Target Market

My target market is geared toward all adults who have realized they either need to make a change in their health/have health problems, want to promote healthy aging, need to lose weight, or are very active and would like to maximize their endurance levels.

It takes realizing you need the right fuel for your body to understand the need for the nutrition I promote, so educating people on health and nutrition is a large part of what I will be doing and offering, which comes in the way of health coaching.

Any age, gender, or demographic would potentially be my target audience, however I have found that when we begin feeling the effects of age, extra weight, or haven’t kept up our bodies the way we should have, people begin to look for help and answers. This usually comes after age 45.

My kids even use the nutrition, but it’s going to be their parents who make those decisions, so mainly I would be targeting the decision makers (parents), people who need help with their diet choices, or athletic people who want more effective workouts and support for pre and post workout drinks.

Week 5, Post 1

Although both Armstrong Gardens and Myrtle Creek Botanical Gardens are both selling plants and offer classes and events that are garden related, their websites are different in several ways.

Armstrong seems to appeal to the homeowner, offering landscape design and installation. Their website appears to be more professional, using bold and bright colors and photographs, and they seem more like a well established franchise. They are more of a retail store that also offers contractor services. The overall tone and message of Armstrong is helping home owners have a manicured and well designed landscape for their yard.

Myrtle Creek Botanical Gardens website is more simple and looks as if it’s a family owned, quaint, one of a kind place. They are more of a botanical garden to come and enjoy lunch, coffee, or a tour of the grounds. They seem to appeal to families since they have baby goats and garden activities for children. The overall tone and message of Myrtle Creek is a relaxing place to get away from the city and enjoy a day in the country.

Week 4: Pt 2: Two Websites I Frequently Use

Two websites I use frequently are Carlsbad City Library www.carlsbadca.gov and Ebay www.ebay.com I think each is effective in different ways. 

Carlsbad library website employs good design by their alignment of text and buttons, neutral colors, and a focal point that displays their upcoming events. Their goal is to educate and enrich and the website communicates that well.

Ebay is not as well designed, in my opinion. Their homepage is very bright, colorful, and flashy, with moving pictures and large images. Lots of marketing front and center. But the main part, the search bar, is front and center and easy to find.

I come back to each because neither has a good competitor and I like what each site offers. I have to use Carlsbad Library to renew books I’ve checked out, but I can also borrow ebooks or takes classes online through their site. Ebay is great when I’m looking for a great deal on something I found in the store that I want, but don’t want to spend that much money on it.

Carlsbad Library’s page could be improved by making it easier to find the correct resource. There have been times that I’m looking for a certain class and I can’t remember which resource it’s under, so having descriptions by the tab would be helpful.

Ebay could be improved by better alignment of their images and smaller pictures, maybe only some with bright colors so you can decide what to look at when you first land on their page. I guess what they’re doing is working though, since it seems to be a successful company.

Week 4 Post 1: Aesthetics, Design, and Branding

http://jamilin.com/
http://gatesnfences.com/

Both of these sites are so crowded with text and multiple pictures that it’s hard to know where to look first. Neither communicates professionalism and the jamilin.com screams “scam.” Both of these don’t direct the reader to the most important information and have way too many links which leads to confusion. So, based on the lecture notes, these both lack Contrast, Proximity, and Alignment, to name a few.

Some things that could be improved on these websites are the font type and size, the text and photo alignment, and the color contrast. The font can help readers read the info on the website better and find the important information quickly. The alignment also can make finding key info easier and tends to communicate order and professionalism. The color contrast can be easier on the eyes and subconsciously allow readers to stay on the site longer.


https://www.headhunterhairstyling.com/
http://artcenter.org/

Both of these websites have a focal point, a menu that’s easy to find, and images that are easy on the eyes. They also have aligned their text and photos in a pleasing way and the key information is easy to find.

Good design and aesthetics makes me want to stay on the site and click around a bit. Beautiful photos capture my attention, and a font and branding that are well done are pleasing to the eyes and communicate attention to detail, which could lead a customer to trust the brand.

Week 3: Social Media Use by Businesses

Kennedy Brothers Window Washing

http://kennedy-bros.com/

Facebook, Google+

Facebook said this page was not found, Google+ is no more. They have a nice website, but looks like they are not utilizing social media at this time. It is a local business and it looks like they advertise through word of mouth, Yelp, Thumb Tack, and NextDoor. 

Succulent Cafe, Carlsbad

No website, but searches bring them up being talked about on community pages

Instagram, Facebook

Facebook last post unknown, but people tag them in photos frequently. Instagram last post was July 15.

Looks like they don’t keep up on social media, but they would do well to use Instagram more, since they have a beautiful place! It would also be good for them to have a website or blog.

Salon Amour

https://salonamourcarlsbad.com/

No links to their social media on website, but a search found them on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn

Facebook last post was June 22, 2019; Instagram August 21, 2019; Twitter June 9, 2014

LinkedIn didn’t have much info and their company website link didn’t work

They would do well to use Instagram and/or Facebook more often with before and after pictures. As it is, they are not very active on social media, but seem to use Yelp and Groupon to advertise.

Fahrenheit 451 Bookstore

No website found

Not on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn. They are on Instagram with the most recent post being November 2018.

It seems to follow, being a used bookstore, that they wouldn’t be online much. However, we need to keep used bookstores alive and one way they could make known that they are there, is by posting on Instagram. It’s a great place for cool pictures. It would also be really good for them to have a website or blog for their business.

Nektar Juice Bar

https://locations.nekterjuicebar.com/ll/US/CA/Carlsbad/2525-El-Camino-Real

Facebook, yesterday at 10am; Instagram 3 days ago; Twitter Sept 2, 2019; LinkedIn 3wks ago.

I think they are using the social media platforms that will serve their customers best and doing it well.

Analysis

I chose to compare smaller or more local businesses (excepting Nektar) to see how they use social media. I found that they really don’t use it much at all and was surprised to see that. I assume they don’t have the funds to hire a social media marketer and that they succeed more by word of mouth recommendations. No surprise, but Nektar was the one that used more platforms and most consistently compared to the other businesses I chose to look at. I do think that using Facebook or Instagram can be a huge benefit and it really doesn’t take too long to post a picture or deal of the day and could really boost their business, ensuring they stay open and profitable longer.

LinkedIn and Twitter were the least used, Instagram most commonly used. I think Instagram makes most sense because photos are eye catching and memorable and for the one posting, it’s easy because you don’t have to come up with written content. 

Several of the businesses didn’t even have a website, which I think is the most basic thing a business should have just so they’re searchable and can explain who they are and what they offer. Then social media can be used to promote and market. 

Comments

--I commented on Christina Brady’s, Stephanie DeSouza’s, and Allison Vincent’s posts.--

Week 3: Part 1 Communicating with Businesses

Sometimes communicating with a business is an ordeal: you call and are transferred to multiple departments and wait on hold for half an hour, only to be disconnected or rerouted to another person who still can’t answer your questions. I have had this problem, especially when dealing with certain Health Insurance companies. I have often felt like giving up and that so much time was wasted, that I don’t want to try again. Thankfully, there’s a way to get questions answered or bounce ideas off others who have gone through something similar, on the business’s social media site or even your own Twitter or Facebook profile!

I haven’t really used social media yet to communicate with businesses, but after reading the first chapter in the book we were assigned, I definitely am going to start doing that.

If I had a business on social media, I would want to know what negative or positive comments were going on about my business so I could resolve them, make changes, or address concerns. Social media almost breaks chains and gives freedom to consumers, where we had no recourse before, except to write in to the local paper and hope our letter got published, or just tell all our friends by word of mouth. Now we have a quick, effective way to communicate with the business, or let others know to either go check them out, or warn them to stay away.

Week 2, Part 2: Blogs I commented on

Anthony's blog: https://csit155-fa19-apagatpatan.blogspot.com/2019/08/week-2a-social-media-for-personal-or.html?showComment=1567629112548#c5884374241436495017

Allison's blog: https://csit155-fa19allisonv.blogspot.com/2019/08/week-2-part-1.html?showComment=1567629339491#c7168826535105629508

Darius R's blog: https://csit-fa19-dariusr.blogspot.com/2019/08/social-media-and-marketing-making.html?showComment=1567629571333#c8131801888354061753