Chapter 5: Social Community

I can’t believe that I am now blogging about chapter 5. I have blogged halfway through the textbook!! Chapter 5 is about the fist zone of social media: Social Community or what the authors call the relationship zone. When I first came to I America (13 years ago), I communicated with my family and friend through letter, email, and phone. It took a while for them to respond to my letter or email and it was quite expensive and troublesome to buy a calling card. Today, I connect with my friends and family through the app called LINE. The app is similar to WHATUP app. However, LINE is quite popular in Asian while WHATUP is popular in South America. Through LINE, I can text messaging (individual or group – up to 99 people), call, and video chat. The app is very easy to use, even my father can use it. What I mean to say is that I agree with the authors that this zone can be called relationship zone. While social community is about relationship, it’s a bit hard for me to initiate a new relationship through social media. I think I can initiate a professional relationship. In my opinion, it’s awkward and hard to really get to know someone in digital world.

The authors mention four presence indicators in page 104. I seldom utilize mood icons and status updates. If I have a choice, I will turn off the availability icons and friend lists. I don’t have a good reason why I prefer not to let people know much about me through social media. A possible explanation is that I have known so many negative stories and can see danger from using social media improperly. I want to establish a line between personal and professional. I wonder how often you use these indicators. In addition, if I want to talk or share with someone, I prefer to use directed communication (message) than post directly to that person. I don’t want others to see or know even though the messages are not secret or inappropriate. May be I am a private person. That’s interesting!! I never consider myself a private person before. Maybe I am a private person in a digital world.

Oops, I think I talked too much in this entry. Here are the questions:

1. Please summarize main ideas of the chapter. 
2. Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the chapter. 
3. Discuss 5 terminologies that you never heard of before. 
4. Should a social network own our social data? Is it an invasion of privacy for social networks to collect and use the information we leave as we deposit digital footprints in a site and around the web? 
5. Is it a good thing to “friend” your professor? Why or why not? 
6. Are Facebook friends the same as real friends? Are Facebook fans real fans? Please explain.
7. Analyze a brand profile of your choice on Facebook. Identify all the brand assets on the page. What techniques are being used by the brand to engage consumers? Do the brand fans seem passionate and engaged? Why or why not? How could the brand improve its profile?
8. Did you feel the chapter helped in your understanding of how to use social media in merchandising and marketing? Explain why or why not. Did anything confuse you? Did the chapter leave more questions for you?