Chapter 14: Social Media and Mobile Communications

Question 1

What percentage of Canadians have a Facebook profile?

Answer 1

84 per cent of Canadians have a Facebook profile

Question 2

What social media platform has the highest usage among Canadians?

Answer 2

Facebook has the highest usage among Canadians of any social media platform

Question 3

What are the usage rankings of social media platforms for Canadian millennials?

Answer 3

Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, Reddit, and Twitter rank highest in usage among Canadian millennials

Question 4

What is the trend in Twitter usage among Canadian millennials?

Answer 4

Twitter usage is falling among Canadian millennials. In 2019, only 29 per cent of millennials used Twitter on a weekly basis, compared to 41 per cent in 2017.

Question 5

Which social media site is the most popular for interacting with businesses in Canada?

Answer 5

Facebook is the most popular social media site for interacting with businesses in Canada.

Question 6

What are some benefits of using social media for businesses?

Answer 6

Some benefits of using social media for businesses include enabling the broad, rapid spread of marketing materials and product information, promoting open participation and dialogue with consumers, promoting communication with stakeholder groups, shaping consumer opinions and attitudes, providing a purchasing venue, and offering a means to evaluate the post-purchase experience through feedback systems.

Question 7

What are some benefits of using social media for consumers?

Answer 7

Some benefits of using social media for consumers include convenient access to product information, product comparisons and reviews, forums for asking product-related questions, online shopping, and consumer support.

Question 8

What is the major risk associated with embracing social media?

Answer 8

The major risk associated with embracing social media is the loss of reputation, which can have a negative effect on competitiveness, customer and stakeholder loyalty, positioning, media relations, and the legitimacy of operations

Question 9

How does media scholar Henry Jenkins define participatory culture?

Answer 9

Henry Jenkins defines participatory culture as a culture with three elements:
(1) a person being both a consumer and a producer,
(2) low barriers to creative expression and civic engagement, and
(3) support and mentorship among members for each other’s creations

Question 10

What are the ways in which members can participate in a participatory culture?

Answer 10

Members can participate through

affiliation (joining groups such as Facebook or Twitter), expression (producing creative forms such as videos, zines, and mash-ups),

collaborative problem-solving (working in formal or informal teams to develop new knowledge or complete tasks, such as through Wikipedia), and

circulation (shaping the flow of media through blogging, micro-blogging, or podcasting)

Question 11

What social skills and competencies are important in the participatory culture?

Answer 11

The social skills, competencies, and “literacies” important in the participatory culture include

judgment (evaluating reliability and credibility of information sources),

networking (searching for, disseminating, and synthesizing information),

collective intelligence (pooling knowledge and comparing information for common goals),

transmedia navigation (following the flow of stories across multiple media platforms),

appropriation (remixing and reconciling conflicting pieces of data), and

negotiation (discerning and respecting multiple perspectives shaped by cultural differences of diverse communities).

Question 12

What are the common tasks associated with social media?

Answer 12

The common tasks associated with social media include posting and sharing information, conducting conversations, and delivering and exchanging publicly available media content created by end-users.

Question 13

How has social media changed the way individuals stay current and get creative?

Answer 13

Social media allows individuals to see and share events as they happen, providing immediacy and spontaneity. It has changed the way individuals stay current and get creative by enabling them to share their thoughts, opinions, and content in real-time, and to respond to breaking news stories or trends quickly.

Question 14

How has social media changed the way businesses collaborate, network, and communicate?

Answer 14

Social media has changed the way businesses collaborate, network, learn, market themselves, recruit employees, share ideas, and communicate with customers, employees, and stakeholders.

It has provided opportunities for businesses to generate traffic, develop a following, attract recruits, create brand awareness, facilitate interaction and engagement, generate revenue, and respond to and mitigate crises.

Question 15

What are some benefits of using social media for external and internal communications in a business?

Answer 15

Some benefits of using social media for external communications in a business include improved customer care, interaction, and outreach, decreased marketing costs, and the ability to mitigate negative publicity and brand crises.

Internally, social media has helped to alter and soften traditional business hierarchies, improve communications, and promote social learning and a positive organizational culture.

Question 16

What is a blog?

Answer 16

A blog is a web page managed by one person or a small team, with date-stamped entries in reverse chronological order. It allows for social interaction, engagement, and feedback through the posting of visitor comments in response to the blog entries.

Question 17

What is the purpose of corporate blogs?

Answer 17

Corporate blogs are used to keep employees, customers, and shareholders up to date on important developments, reinforce and build the company’s brand, improve transparency, and promote positive perceptions of corporate social responsibility.

They are also useful for content marketing, promoting events and products, and boosting trust and involvement.

Question 18

What are some guidelines for bloggers to make a greater impact?

Answer 18

Some guidelines for bloggers include writing consistently and committing for the long term, identifying a valuable niche, optimizing keywords for search engine optimization (SEO), choosing the right type of post for effective content delivery, treating posts as articles with appropriate titles and headings, aiming for authority and credibility, being authentic and relatable, incorporating images, videos, and other media, inviting interaction through comments and guest bloggers, and keeping up to date with similar blogs for networking and reader attraction.

Question 19

What are some best practices for corporate blogs aimed at external audiences?

Answer 19

Best practices for corporate blogs aimed at external audiences include writing about topics that matter to customers, providing trend and industry news to educate customers, offering a personal perspective rather than a seller’s or brand-message perspective, and providing a distinct point of view that complements other brand-based communications.

Question 20

What are micro-blogs?

Answer 20

Micro-blogs, such as Twitter, are services that enable users to send and read short messages called tweets. On Twitter, users can post tweets with a maximum of 280 characters and engage with other users by following their accounts and responding to their tweets.

Question 21

How is Twitter typically used for business purposes?

Answer 21

Twitter is used by business professionals and organizations for various purposes, such as promoting products, services, and brand awareness, monitoring the competition and public perception, sharing and finding professionally related knowledge and resources, supporting employee and management communications, monitoring customers and engaging new ones, watching industry trends, and prospecting and recruiting new hires.

Question 22

What are some guidelines for using Twitter effectively for business purposes?

Answer 22

Guidelines for using Twitter effectively for business purposes include maintaining a professional and likeable presence, asking questions and responding in real time, using the appropriate format for communication (tweets, replies, mentions, direct messages, retweets), being selective in what you tweet (focus on industry news, professional development opportunities, or professionally related content), following relevant stakeholders and accounts, making content accessible and shareable, retweeting followers’ posts when appropriate, using hashtags to keep posts searchable and encourage participation, incorporating photos and links for added value, driving traffic to your blog or website, using Twitter’s “Advanced Search” to connect with users in your area, and being strategic in the pace and timing of your tweets.

Question 23

How can businesses make their tweets more engaging and shareable?

Answer 23

Businesses can make their tweets more engaging and shareable by keeping them conversational and free of “marketing-speak,” crafting tweets that are inspiring, intriguing, newsworthy, or appropriately witty, incorporating interesting photos and links to articles and videos, and thinking of tweets as invitations for readers to learn more.

Question 24

What should businesses consider in terms of the pace and timing of their tweets?

Answer 24

Businesses should strive to keep followers interested without overwhelming their feeds. It’s important to find a balance in the frequency of tweets and consider the timing to maximize engagement with the target audience.

Question 25

What are podcasts?

Answer 25

Podcasts are audio files that can be downloaded or streamed, usually on a subscription basis, from websites. They are part of a series, with new episodes released on a regular schedule, and can be listened to on web-enabled devices

Question 26

What are some purposes of podcasts?

Answer 26

Podcasts can be used to educate customers about industry trends and developments, position the content creator as an expert, provide entertainment, information, motivation, inspiration, or education to hold listeners’ attention.

Question 27

What are some best practices for creating high-quality audio podcasts?

Answer 27

Some best practices for creating high-quality audio podcasts include using a professional-quality recording app like Audacity, GarageBand, AudioBoom, or SoundCloud, following a loose script to stay on track while allowing for natural delivery, engaging in dialogue or conversation with co-presenters or guests for a dynamic experience, promoting the podcast on social media and seeking out active users who can share it, and finding an appropriate podcasting style that reflects the individual and brand personality.

Question 28

Why is it important for podcasts to sound polished and professional?

Answer 28

It is important for podcasts to sound polished and professional because it enhances the listener’s experience and perception of value. Well-written and rehearsed podcasts free of technical glitches and background noise help hold the listener’s attention and contribute to a positive impression of the content creator.

Question 29

How can podcasters engage with their followers and promote their content?

Answer 29

Podcasters can engage with their followers by promoting their content on social media platforms, actively seeking out users who are interested in the podcast’s topic, and encouraging listeners to share the podcast with others. Interacting with followers through comments, feedback, and discussions can also help foster a sense of community and connection.

Question 30

What is a social networking site?

Answer 30

A social networking site is a website that facilitates communication and social interaction between people. Users can create personal profiles, connect with others, send messages, and share various forms of media such as photos and videos

Question 31

How do businesses use social networking sites like Facebook for marketing purposes?

Answer 31

Businesses use social networking sites like Facebook to create brand communities, keep stakeholders and shareholders updated on products, promote products and services to targeted demographic groups, publicize events and product launches, and carry out marketing research.

They can also benefit from word-of-mouth marketing, engagement with audiences, and influencing friends of fans.

Question 32

What are some best practices for designing a Facebook page or group for a business?

Answer 32

Some best practices for designing a Facebook page or group for a business include choosing privacy settings carefully, updating the page frequently, staying on topic and focused on the business, keeping the message brief and relevant to the target audience, maintaining a clean design that highlights the brand, ensuring the accuracy and appropriateness of content, adopting a spontaneous and informal tone, showcasing the company’s expertise, making the experience interactive and engaging through feedback and interaction, and providing exclusive content on Facebook.

Question 33

How can LinkedIn be utilized by business professionals?

Answer 33

LinkedIn, the world’s largest professional network, can help business professionals strategically increase their online presence. Best practices for optimizing a LinkedIn profile include customizing the profile URL, making the profile public, completing the summary and experience sections, staying active by posting updates and engaging with others, connecting and networking with a diverse range of contacts, soliciting recommendations, and using LinkedIn to stay informed about industry trends and news.

Question 34

How has LinkedIn been used in recruitment and hiring processes?

Answer 34

LinkedIn can be a valuable resource for recruiters and job-seekers.

Recruiters can use LinkedIn to advertise job openings, search for specific qualifications, and make targeted and successful hires.

The site’s message service, InMail, allows recruiters to establish conversations with potential candidates who may not be actively searching for job opportunities but have relevant qualifications and interest.

LinkedIn offers a platform for networking, showcasing professional expertise, and staying connected with industry trends.

Question 35

What are photo- and video-sharing sites?

Answer 35

Photo- and video-sharing sites are websites that allow users to post and share photos, videos, and other multimedia content with a wide audience. Examples include YouTube, Vimeo, Pinterest, Instagram, and Flickr.

Question 36

What are the risks associated with photo- and video-sharing sites?

Answer 36

One risk is the sharing of copyrighted material, where major brands may copy designs or content from independent artists or designers without proper permission or compensation.

This can lead to lost revenues for smaller creators and provoke backlash on social media. It highlights the importance of respecting copyright laws and ethical practices

Question 37

How do organizations use photo- and video-sharing sites?

Answer 37

Organizations use these sites to share press announcements, keynote speeches, company photos, public service announcements, commercials, recruiting videos, and to gather feedback from clients, customers, and the public.

They also encourage users to post company- or product-related videos, often for contests, to promote their brand.

Question 38

How should organizations approach the use of photo- and video-sharing sites to protect their brand and reputation?

Answer 38

Organizations should be mindful of copyright laws, avoid copying or using others’ content without permission, and properly credit and compensate creators. They should also monitor and moderate comments and feedback to ensure a positive brand image. Encouraging user-generated content and engaging with users can help foster a positive and interactive brand presence on these platforms.

Question 39

What is user-generated content (UGC)?

Answer 39

User-generated content (UGC) refers to content that is created and shared by online users, highlighting their role as both producers and consumers.

Examples include videos, photos, reviews, and other forms of content created by users on platforms like YouTube, Yelp, and Flickr.

Question 40

How do businesses use user-generated content (UGC) in their marketing campaigns?

Answer 40

Businesses utilize UGC campaigns to encourage users to create and share content related to their brands and products. UGC campaigns can help build interest, engage customers, and make them feel involved.

An example is Starbucks’ “White Cup Contest,” where customers were invited to doodle on a cup and share a photo for a chance to have it featured on a limited edition cup.

Question 41

What are some best practices for running a successful user-generated content (UGC) campaign?

Answer 41

Best practices for UGC campaigns include considering the audience’s interests and technical skills, looking for marketing potential in the submitted entries, offering enticing rewards to participants, making participation simple and straightforward with clear instructions, ensuring the legal aspects and rights associated with submitted content, and consulting with a lawyer if needed.

Question 42

Why is user-generated content (UGC) valuable for businesses?

Answer 42

UGC is valuable for businesses because it provides an opportunity to tap into the creativity and enthusiasm of their customers.

It can generate authentic content that resonates with others, enhance brand engagement and loyalty, and serve as a powerful form of word-of-mouth marketing.

Question 43

How can businesses ensure the legality of user-generated content (UGC) in their campaigns?

Answer 43

To ensure the legality of UGC, businesses should consult with a lawyer to determine the rights associated with the submitted content. It’s important to clarify who holds the rights over the content and obtain any necessary permissions or releases to use the content in marketing campaigns.

Question 44

How popular is social media?

Answer 44

Globally, Internet users spend an average of 136 minutes per day on social networking sites, indicating the widespread popularity of social media platforms.

Question 45

What are the potential benefits of using social media for businesses?

Answer 45

Businesses can benefit from social media in various ways, including internal and external communications, customer identification and profiling, customer care and relationship building, brand awareness and promotion, recruitment, crowdsourcing, increased website traffic, event organization and promotion, feedback monitoring, and impact measurement.

Social media also provides valuable data for businesses to analyze and better understand customer needs and preferences.

Question 46

How can social media enhance internal communication and productivity within a company?

Answer 46

Social media platforms can strengthen connections among colleagues, enhance productivity, and facilitate information sharing. Employees can use social media to seek information, ask questions, and make professional connections within and outside their organization.

Question 47

How does social media provide an advantage to businesses?

Answer 47

Social media allows companies to establish a more human connection with customers, bringing them closer to their favorite brands. It enables direct engagement between marketers and followers in creative and interactive ways.

Additionally, social media has transformed word-of-mouth marketing into a global phenomenon, allowing businesses of all sizes to reach millions of people instantaneously and spontaneously.

Question 48

What are the risks and challenges associated with social media?

Answer 48

The risks and challenges of social media include time theft, negative employee comments, leaks of proprietary information, damage to brand reputation, outdated information, use of personal social media by corporate executives, corporate identity theft, fraud, and legal and regulatory violations.

Improper use of social media can lead to damage to corporate reputation, strained employee and customer relations, and non-compliance with regulations.

Question 49

How can social media impact employee productivity?

Answer 49

Social media can be a time-waster and lead to decreased productivity if employees spend excessive work hours on personal social media use.

The need for constant communication and fear of missing out can distract employees from their work responsibilities.

Question 50

Can employers check employees’ social media profiles?

Answer 50

Employers may check viewable Facebook profiles and even request access to a job applicant’s Facebook page before making a hiring decision.

However, in Canada, labor laws protect job-seekers from employers asking for personal information, including social media passwords.

Applicants have the right to refuse such requests, but employers can search for publicly available employee information

Question 51

How can social media posts impact a person’s professional reputation?

Answer 51

Social media posts and comments, even those made long ago, can have a lasting impact on a person’s professional reputation.

Inappropriate or offensive content shared online can lead to negative consequences, such as termination of employment or damage to professional relationships

Question 52

What are the risks of losing control over messages and conversations on social media?

Answer 52

Social media platforms make it challenging for organizations to control their message and manage conversations about their products or activities.

Negative comments or complaints from customers or employees can quickly spread and influence public opinion, potentially harming an organization’s reputation.

Question 53

How can a social media campaign cause damage to a company’s reputation?

Answer 53

A failed social media campaign or one that sparks backlash can be difficult to recover from. Controversial, misleading, or offensive content can spread rapidly and lead to public outrage, even after the content has been removed.

This can result in lasting damage to a company’s reputation and public perception

Question 54

What is social media analytics?

Answer 54

Social media analytics is the gathering and analysis of social media data to determine usage trends and measure customer interest.

Question 55

What are some metrics that businesses can track to measure social media performance?

Answer 55

Businesses can track metrics such as increases or decreases in the number of followers or friends (consumption or reach metrics), the sharing of content among users or the number of one-on-one engagements (sharing and engagement metrics), and the conversion from social media consumers to paying customers (conversion metrics).

Question 56

How can companies track what people are saying about competitors and their brands?

Answer 56

Companies can track brand mentions and conversations about competitors by using social media monitoring tools.

Question 57

What are some popular social media measurement tools?

Answer 57

Some well-known social media measurement tools include Google Analytics, Hootsuite, and HowSociable.

Question 58

Why is social media measurement important for businesses?

Answer 58

Social media measurement allows businesses to gauge their effectiveness, improve their performance, and understand how they are reaching out to customer communities. It provides insights that help improve site content and strengthen brands.

Question 59

What is an example of a practical use of social media analytics mentioned by Michael Wong?

Answer 59

Michael Wong envisions using social media analytics to identify relevant conversations where the company can provide advice and benefits to customers, thus enhancing engagement and prospects

Question 60

What is the concept of connectivity in mobile communication?

Answer 60

The concept of connectivity in mobile communication refers to the ability to stay constantly in touch and be “always on” through mobile devices, allowing for communication from anywhere at any time

Question 61

How has mobile communication transformed the ways we work and interact?

Answer 61

Mobile communication has given rise to the mobile network society, enabling workers to work from anywhere, facilitating mobile youth culture and flash mobs, and transforming how we work, find work, play, shop, socialize, volunteer, and form communities.

Question 62

What are some areas of business where the mobile advantage has been realized?

Answer 62

The mobile advantage has been realized in areas such as recruitment, remote workforce management and decision-making, project management, training, and providing support to field workers or sales representatives.

Question 63

What are some guidelines for designing and writing messages for mobile devices?

Answer 63

Some guidelines for designing and writing messages for mobile devices include ensuring readability without the need to zoom in, placing important information at the beginning, using a linear structure from most to least important points, keeping subject lines and headings short, positioning tap targets effectively, optimizing links for mobile viewing, keeping messages short and specific, and testing the message on a mobile device before sending it

Question 64

Why is mobile optimization important for e-mails?

Answer 64

Mobile optimization is important for e-mails because a significant portion of e-mails are now opened on smartphones or tablets, and failing to optimize e-mails for mobile devices can lead to readability issues and reduced engagement.

Question 65

What are some considerations for writing promotional messages for mobile devices?

Answer 65

When writing promotional messages for mobile devices, it is important to be succinct, focus on the offer and its benefits, create a sense of urgency and timeliness, clearly communicate the company and brand, and make the reader feel special and exclusive.

Question 66

Why is it important for websites to be optimized for mobile devices?

Answer 66

It is important for websites to be optimized for mobile devices because the majority of mobile searches now occur in individuals’ homes or workplaces.

Mobile optimization ensures faster loading, easier reading, and a more satisfying user experience, avoiding frustrations such as slow loading times, small text, and difficult navigation.

Question 67

What are some sources of frustration for users when accessing websites on mobile devices?

Answer 67

Some sources of frustration for users when accessing websites on mobile devices include small text that requires zooming, tiny or closely placed links that are difficult to tap, content that is too wide for the screen and requires horizontal scrolling, and slow loading times.

Question 68

What are some characteristics of a mobile-friendly website?

Answer 68

A mobile-friendly website has text that is large enough to be read without zooming, sufficient contrast between text and background, links and tappable objects positioned for easy tapping, content that can be viewed without scrolling or zooming, and limited reliance on text input. It should also have a responsive design that adapts to different screen sizes and rearranges content based on importance and screen size.

Question 69

What is responsive design and how does it improve user experience on mobile devices?

Answer 69

Responsive design is an approach to web design that aims to provide the same functionality and content on all devices, regardless of screen size or other limiting factors.

It breaks down site content into smaller cells and rearranges them based on importance and screen size.

Responsive design ensures that users have a consistent and user-friendly experience across different devices.

Question 70

What is the guiding principle of mobile design?

Answer 70

The guiding principle of mobile design is simplicity relative to the limitations of the device, communication channel, and user.

It takes into account factors such as screen space, information transmission and display, and user attention and memory capabilities.

Mobile design focuses on providing an effective and streamlined experience within the constraints of mobile devices.

Question 71

What is instant messaging (IM) and what makes it suitable for short, urgent messages?

Answer 71

Instant messaging (IM) is the real-time transmission of users’ messages with added network-based collaboration tools. It is highly suitable for short, urgent messages because of its fast, easy, low-cost, and unobtrusive nature. It mimics conversation and allows for quick exchanges on matters of urgency.

Question 72

What are some purposes for which instant messaging (IM) is used in organizations?

Answer 72

Instant messaging (IM) is used in organizations for workplace collaboration, including text exchange, voice, video, and screen-sharing features. It can be used for offline messaging, group chat, video chat, desktop sharing, bulletin boards, and document management

Question 73

How are texting/SMS applications used in various industries?

Answer 73

Texting/SMS applications are used in various industries for different purposes. They are used for account security on social media platforms, confirming purchases and providing shipment information in marketing and e-commerce, communicating alerts and updates in travel and transportation, authentication and financial services in banking, and service change and payment confirmations in customer service divisions.

Question 74

What are some guidelines for writing effective text messages?

Answer 74

When writing text messages, it is important to be concise and specific, considering the purpose and audience of the message. Avoid colloquial language and abbreviations when communicating with bosses and managers.

Consider the effect on the reader and choose an appropriate tone.

Keep messages short and to the point, use a friendly tone, maintain privacy, double-check messages before sending, and consider the frequency, timing, and location of messages.

Question 75

How can web content be optimized for mobile devices?

Answer 75

Web content can be optimized for mobile devices by ensuring faster loading, easier reading, and a more intuitive user experience.

This includes using larger text, enabling pinch-to-zoom for users with visual impairments, formatting content to fit the screen without scrolling or zooming, providing accessible announcement and validation messages, ensuring sufficient contrast, positioning links and tappable objects appropriately, minimizing text input requirements, and designing for responsive layouts that adapt to different screen sizes