Multimedia Messages

Have you ever been to a baseball game where there was very few runs scored? What about a football game that turned into a defensive battle?

As a die hard sports fanatic, I believe most sports fans do not like these types of games as much as the other games where more points are scored. The reason, one common theme: There isn’t enough action!

Adding multimedia to our communication is like a sports game with a lot of points. Multimedia brings action!

The old saying “a picture is worth a thousand words” still holds true today. People can relate to images. An audience may read a story and imagine it in their head, but when they see a picture of the action, they are able to connect the dots themselves.

Multimedia messages can be more than pictures. Videos, graphs, charts, and animation can all be examples of multimedia messages.

I recall being a teenager when the first cell phone came out that could take pictures. These were a hot commodity. Everybody wanted to share their life story with images.

As we take advantage of the Internet and Social Media sites, it is important to give readers what they want. ACTION!

Graphs, charts, and animation can be used to prove the authors point. They supplement the long paragraphs and boring words.

Some multimedia techniques are more effective than others. Ultimately, the most effective tool is what the audience is looking for. This means, it depends on the situation. First off, who is your audience. Based off this answer, they may want a youtube video. If they are an older audience, a historical picture might do the trick.

If your audience is a well-educated audience, you may want to consider slides. Give them something to teach themselves.

Lastly, authors should consider what their overall objective is. Sometimes you need help proving your point. This is when you need graphs and charts. You need supporting evidence. Other times, you may just be trying to create a fun blog that will cause your readers to come back. For this, you could post a link with audio.

I have posted a link to a blog that I enjoy. You will find many pictures, images, and other multimedia tools. http://www.sportsblog.com/

Being Good at Blogging

I have to admit I am no expert when it comes to blogging. I have a couple sports blogs that I read from time to time. With this being said, I wanted to learn what makes a good blogger. After concluding my research, I wish to share a few ideas.

As I began to analyze a blog, I first noticed I must have a completely open mind. I wanted to view a blog that I have never seen before. I asked my wife for a url address to one of her favorite blogs. http://www.mamalaughlin.com/

This author, mama Laughlin has a great name. People can relate to her. This a theme for all moms.

Point number 1: Have a great name and theme

Mama Laughlin does an excellent job of knowing her subject. She motivates people to lose weight. She has shared a story that many can relate to. Her blog is interesting (for women) because they can find good workout routines, meal plans, clothes, and everything that comes with trying to be an attractive woman and mother.

“In a nutshell, the key ingredient for a successful blog is to create great content that teaches people something.”

Point number 2: Know your subject

Writing a blog can be difficult because it is often the same type of material. It is important that a blogger is constantly giving their audience something new. You must find a system to create new ideas. Write things down! When you see something interesting, make a note of it.

Point number 3: Find a way to create new material

Writing a blog can be fun. It is great to dream about having thousands of followers. However, you have to start somewhere. You can have the best content in the world, but if no one knows about your blog, you won’t have many followers.

Point number 4: Put key words in your blog that will help search engines direct readers toward

Once people are at your blog, you must make it as convienent as possible for them to inform others about your blog.

Point number 5: Post links to social media sites where people can login and discuss your blog. This will generate traffic.

Mama Lauglin has a great logo. It is simply a picture of her, with a few defining words. As her blog continues to grow people will recognize it by simply seeing a picture of her.

The one area of improvement for this blog is better social media links. With this being said, she is doing a fantastic job. This goes to show that everyone has a story. Anyone can create a blog. Make sure it’s a topic you know and enjoy. Then go have fun with it!

My research was retrieved from : http://www.dailyblogtips.com/steps-to-successful-blog/

Choosing Social Media Sites

Social Media tools can be used to reach different audiences. When deciding what type of tool you want to use, you must first ask who you are trying to reach. Once you know who you want to reach, you must decide what the best outlet is to reach your audience.

If you want to reach your friends in a casual atmosphere, Facebook may be your best option. Facebook has a high reach. This means a large number of people will see your post. This is also a great choice if you want a lot of interaction with your audience. Facebook usually invites others to respond to your message.

LinkedIn is a great tool if you want to display a message to other professionals. Usually this is a medium of choice for more serious messages. This can be used to post a link to a blog or another website. LinkedIn may not have the same high reach, but it does market to a specific audience.

Blogs are a great way to cover a message with great detail. Blogs usually have a lower reach. This means fewer people are likely to see the message. However, this may be the best resource to discuss a topic that requires several words.

Ultimately a combination of different social media sites is the best option. When choosing the best tool, you must ask who you are trying to reach. Once you have your audience you can make a better decision.

Joe Paterno Has Passed

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Mr. Penn State, Joe Paterno has passed away

State College, PA USA- January 22^nd 2012

Joe Paterno has passed away at a nearby Hospital. Coach Paterno’s struggle with lung cancer has ended after a hard fought battle. Joe Paterno leaves behind his wife Susan, 5 children, several grandchildren, and hundreds of players

For several years college football fans have seen only one man running the sidelines for the beloved Nittany Lion football program. Joe Pa taught his players the importance of being quick. It may be fitting, that the legend has applied the same principle and passed right before our eyes very quickly.

Months ago nobody would have guessed we would lose Joe Paterno. Despite his age, he seemed to be doing okay. He was doing what he loved. He was teaching, he was coaching, and he was helping.

Tragedy struck at state college weeks ago. Despite the questions regarding the situation, this is not the time to attack.

Paterno will be remembered as “the coach”. The man who instructed practice at Penn State for longer than any other coach in history. He began his career at Penn State in 1950 as an assistant coach and became the head coach in 1966. He made Penn State University’s football program what we know it as today.

Penn State has been a model for many other college football programs in the country. Coach Paterno believed in more than football. He preached the importance of education. The on campus Paterno Library is evidence.

Paterno expected the most out of his players. He was able to build life-long relationships with his players. He was a role model, and in some cases a father figure.

Our heart is with the Paterno family, and to you JoePa we say Thank You!

Penn State University Athletic Department

Contact Kevin Andersen. 949-701-9069 KevinAndersen25@gmail.com

  

FaceBook Post:

The last few months at Penn State University have been turmoil. Confusion, disgust, disappointment and anger are common words expressed by those familiar with the situation. Many want to speak with Coach Joe Paterno regarding the allegations. News today tell us the only people who can now ask Coach Paterno questions are living in another life. Mr. Football has ended his struggle with lung cancer. We will always remember JoePa and his ability to change the game. Nobody else expected more out of his players than “the coach”. Thank you for the last 46 years as head football coach.

Unrestricted Web Publishing

The World Cup has been viewed in many living rooms across the world over the last few weeks. My passion for international sports has caused me to research some news that is being released regarding the situations in Brazil.

I visited the New York Times and read the following article.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/06/sports/worldcup/world-cup-2014-in-an-amazon-village-built-for-buoyancy-the-game-of-soccer-plays-on.html?ref=worldcup&_r=0

Much of this inspiration was credible. As I challenged what the author was writing, I had no reason not to believe the information that was being presented.The following links were used to support his claims.

http://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/amazonia/facts/basinfacts.cfm

http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/destination/stadiums/stadium=5007289/

The author has been writing since 1993 and has experience on the subject. He has covered international sports, primarily within the Olympic games.The article was written on July 5^th 2014, so it is relevant and timely.

Many people would read this article and have no reason not to accept what is being stated. Could you imagine if this weren’t true. As Americans we may believe that flooding was happening, when in all reality there is no water at all!

Unrestricted web publishing negatively impacts the world. Since the author who wrote this article is not in Brazil, he must be able to support his claims. We can use this same principle      and compare bigger issues. We are left only to our imagination to try to comprehend the outcomes.

I am a firm believer that every individual learns by listening, seeing, and doing. Most things that I have learned in life, I have learned from others.

Young children learn by asking their parents questions. Sometimes they are simply able to teach themselves new things by watching other people, and then doing the act themselves.

As we become adults in life, we practice these same principles to gain our own knowledge. With technology advancing and Social Media becoming more prominent, we must ask ourselves if “social media is reliable for obtaining credible information?”

One of my favorite hobbies is to view my twitter feed. Today I learned that there are 71 more days until kickoff for the NFL season. Because this information was released by the NFL Network, I believe it is true.

Some might challenge the information I learned today. They could say this information is not true knowledge and it is just interesting information. Others would say this is great, but tell me something about the economy or advancements in the world.

My example of the NFL and the NFL Network is specific to my life. Much of my Social Media consists of following my favorite sports and heros. What about people who visit LinkedIn frequently? People are always posting links to articles about valuable information in the world.

Social Media sites are reliable for obtaining credible information. We, as readers, must constantly evaluate what we are reading. We should challenge the information and then reach conclusions after checking the original sources.

Different forms of new media have made society greater consumers of media. This definitely holds true to my daily life. Every day I use my smart phone, explorer the internet, and use social media. Each of these is considered new media.

My smart phone gives me the ability to do almost anything I want, and where ever I want. I am able to send text messages and look at apps while sitting at the park. Most of my apps are designed to give me discounts when I shop, or provide sports related updates.

I enjoy visiting websites and browsing the internet with some of my down time. Before I buy something, I will always make sure that I have done my research. Online review sites allow consumers to make more informed decisions.

My biggest use of Social Media comes from twitter and LinkedIn. I am eager to see what one of my biggest sports hero’s is going to say. I must admit that I follow a few sports blogs that are out there. This shows me what other sports fans are saying.

Social Media has influenced my perspective of events because I am able to see what sports stars are saying about major sporting events(twitter). LinkedIn discloses what other people are saying about different companies. Public Relations disasters are made known to me, and if it weren’t for Social Media, I probably would never know of the event.

Social Media usually has a negative impact on my perspective. I am usually told what companies are doing that people do not like. Occasionally, I believe Social Media does have a positive impact on my perspective. If I read a good blog review, then my mindset changes for the better. For the most part, Social Media will often have negative impacts on society’s perspective. For every good thing that happens, someone will tell 1 friend. For every bad thing that happens, someone will tell 10 friends.