~ datzecho ~

Social Networking as taken over the world. What started out as a simple way to create your own little space on the internet to share yourself with the world has become a huge business. Far gone are the days of simply going to Myspace to see your friends updates. Today, when you log on to update your status or see whats new, you are constantly being monitored. Information is being gathered and profiles of your preferences as a consumer are being compiled. The more you log in, the more accurate it gets. Do you know why?

Corporations and big businesses love social media.It is a very easy way to do many forms of Marketing  research. Fifty eight percent of companies are using some sort of social media, be it Facebook, micro blogs or twitter. This number is increasing by the day. The question I ask is, is this a bad thing or a good thing?

On the bright side of this double edged sword, consumers have a wealth of information on these companies. You can look up almost anything with the right now how. Another benefit is, many of these new technologies begin to filter unwanted ads, and you begin seeing ads reliant to your desires and interest. Lets face it, advertising is not going away. At least it can be tailored to your likes and needs right?

On the dark side of this double edged sword, your information is always at risk. Your privacy is always questionable, and it constantly feeling  like someone is watching you. And guess what. They are! But here is the kicker. You want them to!!!! Yes, you. The guy posting thirty pictures of him with no shirt because hes exercising. Perfect to send health ads too. Or the girl who takes a million selfies. Lets send her some beauty ads.

In the world we live in today, privacy is a unicorn, and everyone wants to ride it, but never takes the steps to make it happen. We post every step of our lives online and big business will use that information to create more focused marketing plans, and as a future marketer, I love it!

In today’s world, we have so many options to obtain information. Two distinct ways to gather information on any given subject are either a Wiki or a Blog. Both platforms can contain valid and useful information at a few clicks of a keyboard. The question is, what separates the two? What makes them different? Which one should I use? The answers to these questions are simple. Use them both!  There is no right or wrong. Its a matter of taste and preference. Lets take a little time to separate the two.

A Wiki is in my opinion a more formal and sterile form of information. It is group controlled and edited, but the information is more straight forward. In a Wiki, you can have several editors contributing to the creation of a page. Adding information, deleting information and so on. A wiki can be a great way to look up information, just do not try to reference it in an academic paper. Professors do not like that =))

A blog is usually written by a single writer. They are solely responsible for what goes into their work. Blogs can be information based or simply personal writings. It is still a form of news, as anything that occurs, to someone world is deemed “news”. A blog also has a more personal feel to the writing. You get to experience a unique flavor of the mind of the writer. I find blogs to be more opinionated and they are a great tool for looking up specific subjects where facts might not be needed. An example is if say, I’m a gamer and want to read some reviews or gather info on a game. I might not want to use a Wiki because the Wiki will give me mostly factual data. I want information like, is the game fun. Whats the setting feel like when you play. Does it lag?

These are the differences that come into play when deciding to read or write a blog or a wiki. No go enjoy some reading!

Today marks the beginning of the end of my adventure attending Brooklyn College. It is my final semester and thus far I have consistently impressed myself. Don’t get me wrong, I’m definitely not bragging. I’m a Father of four. A Husband. A Manager of an Animal CLinic full time. All these roles fill my plate, and yet I have managed to punch through College at full force (in my thirties none the less) and maintained above a 3.8 GPA.

Here’s a toast to another semester to enjoy, sweat over, stress about, fear failure, and CONQUER!