Eco-Friendly Digital Marketing Internship

Trending on social bookmarking sites and blogs is the subject of Facebook and women’s privacy. Mashable published an article last week on some shocking statistics found by Oxygen Media and Lightspeed Research. A study of over 1600 people was conducted regarding their social media usage. The company found that the majority of young women check Facebook first thing in the morning even before the bathroom and 42% of women feel it’s “okay” to post pictures of themselves drunk. With so much time being spent on the internet and the little effort to protect one’s own privacy, Facebook can ruin careers and reputations.

Last week I went to a networking lunch and met a very nice accounting student. She was friendly, intelligent and seemed like she’d be a great contact. I asked her name and told her I’d be looking her up online to connect later on. My first stop was Facebook. Her profile picture displayed ample cleavage, the page was littered with profanity and her photo albums included multiple pictures of alcohol and drugs… I went no further and decided not to befriend her online.

The Eco-Friendly Internship has put together a checklist to make sure your Facebook is not only clean, but also easily found. These tips are relevant to males too, but are geared especially towards young women.

The Facebook Clean Up Checklist

1. Get rid of all alcohol and drug related content.
2. Monitor pictures others are posting of you. Anything remotely questionable, delete.
3. Defriend anyone you don’t know personally. The use of fake profiles to steal information is growing.
4. Go through your applications and get rid of any you don’t need or trust.
5. Edit your interests to things that will promote your talents and strengths instead of hurt you.
6. Make sure all of your information is complete
7. Communicate with others effectively and professionally: People, brands, pages.
8. Keep notes and videos relevant and re-post worthy.
9. Create a URL tag that matches your other social media profiles (http://facebook.com/yournamehere.)

Photo Credit: Flicker user Marisa beth

Facebook is about marketing yourself and connecting, so do your best to advertise yourself well because all of the information is going to be shared (no matter what Facebook says otherwise.) Employers will be looking at this information so target to them as well. You wouldn’t show up to an interview drunk or in a micro-mini, so don’t let those images be the first thing someone sees. Once you’ve made sure your content is clean, ensure that you are found easily. Facebook pages are no longer just to keep in touch with John Wewenttopromtogetheronce. It’s an effective marketing tool so that you can promote yourself without a single word leaving your lips. Remember: first impressions are crucial and YOUR first impression may happen online without you knowing.

Social Media, Twitter, Blog, RSS, many words and phrases used today to describe components of digital marketing. But maybe you are wondering what these words and phrases mean, or maybe you are having a hard time explaining it to someone else.

If that is the case, I introduce you to, Common Craft, a company based out of Seattle, Washington that produces simple, short and informational videos “in plain english.” Each video features paper cut outs, increasing the ease of comprehension.

Simply put,  Common Craft, is a simple company, that gives perfect explanations, and that is all there is to it. This video is one of the many technology related videos on the website, and will explain “Blogs in Plain English:”

Now that you have see the Common Craft explanation of a blog,  visit other Ingenex blog pots:

• The Digital Bus, to learn about digital marketing from the professionals at Ingenex
• Eco-Friendly Internship Blog, to find out what is new in digital marketing and eco-friendly from the interns at Ingenex
• New Media Drivers License, will feature posts by students as they learn about new media in the course instructed by Derek Mehraban, Ingenex CEO

This Saturday, June 5, will mark the start of the fifth semester of  Michigan State University’s New Media Driver’s License Course. At 9 AM students will fill the Walsh College Campus in Novi, MI to begin their semester long social media training. As a past student in the course, I can honestly say that enrolling in this course is a decision that you will not regret.

With only one semester gone by since my completion of the course, I have already seen the benefits for myself, not only as an advertising major, but as a college student striving to build my personal brand and network for the life after graduation career search. And while the course did not do this for me, it taught me how.

During the social media training, students will learn to effectively use social media outlets (i.e. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, etc.) to benefit themselves and their future employer, or business. They will also build writing skills through weekly blogs about all things new media and learn to participate in online communication. That being said, it is also important to learn to monitor and track your digital involvement and the outcomes. No worries, the new media drivers license will cover that too!

If you missed the enrollment for this semester’s social media training, no fear, the Fall section will begin just a few months from now! And do not be discouraged if you are not an Advertising major, this class is beneficial for everyone. Yes, it may help future advertisers to better understand the realm of digital, but as digital evolves it is becoming increasingly important in every industry. Don’t pass up this amazing opportunity to build the opportunities of your future.

Without a doubt, one of Twitter’s most defining features is the @Reply, which allows you to in a sense “notify” another user within a tweet for the purpose of sharing information or just communicating a message. Just this past week, Facebook introduced a copycat feature by allowing you to “tag” other users in wall posts, links, statuses and even private messages. At first glance, one might say what is the use of this feature; I can already post directly on peoples walls. The biggest advantage of Facebook’s new @reply feature is the ability to share information more efficiently. You can in a sense now do mass wall posts in one status update by tagging multiple people and the recipients will all receive notification updates. The heart of social networking is the ability to establish networks and share information and Facebook really hit the mark with this latest update. Already in the week that this feature has been available, my friends and I have jumped on it. Not only is it a great way to share media with a multitude of people, its a fun way to to interact with people on wall posts and status updates. The only real difference between the reply feature in Facebook and Twitter is that Facebook actually posts the reply the tagged person’s wall, whereas Twitter merely notifies the user that they were mentioned in a tweet. Facebook has really stepped its game up in the past 6 months, shifting from being a site focused on finding people, events, and pictures to a real time source of relevant media and information.

So I’m writing this post nearly 4000 miles away from a little city in Spain called Granada. These days, one doesn’t have to be at home to stay close to the events of the week or even to work. With modern technology, specifically social networks, I am able to not only sufficiently complete my work remotely abroad from Spain, but I am able to stay up to date with my social circle and inform my family of my doings and whereabouts. Here are some of the tools I use and how I use them while traveling and working abroad…

Twitter: Without a doubt my favorite and most efficient tool. In the past, I kept a log of my travels via a blog, but it turned into a narrative of cathedrals and bars. I think the best parts of traveling are the little things you encounter, the things you don’t really remember to put in your blog. By connecting Twitter to my mobile phone, I can let my family and friends live my travels as they happen in real time simply by tweeting my experiences for the entire world to see. I did however run into a bit of trouble though when I promised my family I would tweet that I was safe as soon as I was done running with the bulls. My phone ran out of euros and I wasn’t able to let anyone know I was safe, chaos ensued and my parents and girlfriend started calling hospitals in Pamplona and everyone thought I had died. Have no fear I’m still here and am NOT writing this post from 6 feet under.

Skype: In my opinion, this is the best video chat application on the market. Not only can you chat for free Skype to Skype, but for mere fractions of a penny I can call anyone in the world. Skype has given me the ability to stay close with my family and friends without costing me a dime. As a messaging utility, Skype is fast, robust, and lightweight. Skype also allows me to have the ability to SMS anyone in the world for some outrageously cheap rates. Another amazing snippet about Skype, they have opened their communication protocol for others to use. In laymen’s terms, other software engineers can integrate Skype’s VOIP technology to offer even more incredible features in the future.

Wikitravel: This is without a doubt my favorite website for traveling. Everyone loves Wikipedia, but Wikitravel takes it a step further and specializes the information strictly for traveling. Don’t k

now where to go for the weekend? Simply hop on Wikitravel and start surfing until you find that hidden little gem nestled deep in the woods or on a beach miles from civilization.

Facebook: This is an obvious one. One of the depressing parts of traveling is not knowing what is going on at home. Facebook’s mini-feed does an incredible job of making me feel like I am still sitting on my couch in East Lansing. Through traveling, I try and friend nearly everyone I meet. I have established my network around the world which I will be able to rely upon in the future. Too often people limit themselves to a close social network, my intention is to establish small networks all over the world and leverage them all as one. The possibilities are simply endless, upon my return next year I will have friends in just about every country imaginable.

Socrates once said: “The more I learn, the more I learn how little I know.” ages before my time, but could he possibly be foreshadowing the feelings of anxiety and discovery of students constantly searching for ways to get an edge on their competition?

The “cutting edge” is expanding at speeds rivaling to the Indy 500. Students hoping to break out into the large scale agency scene are faced with newer and bolder challenges than our predecessors- especially for creative types.  As a Senior about to graduate from one of the top undergraduate advertising programs in the nation, I still feel like its my first day. Getting hired by a large agency feels a lot like auditioning for Broadway. If your not a triple threat with a killer head shot, you better have a plan B, C and D.

So whats an ad geek to do? Diversify.

When the economy is down the specialist suffers.  The more skills you posses the more profitable you are to an agency and your clients. Unfortunately, at the end of the day its not your beautiful copy, artwork, and strategy that matters – its whether or not you made the client additional profit.

I decided to stick to three areas of study to use as a jumping point to exploit my skills to present myself as profitable new hire: Style, Substance and Rock’n'Roll. The Style aspect being all things design ranging from traditional print to interactive media. Substance, well that’s everything needed to keep everyone on task, trafficking, account and media planning. I don’t work at chach-chi’s so wearing 30 pieces of flair isn’t mandatory, but the one piece of flair I can’t ignore is my crazy imagination and love for music.

I’ve recently started reading the book: Chasing Cool. “How to infuse [the product] with that very desirable, nearly unobtainable factor.” the very essence of the craft. how do you present a product or service fuming with that factor making it the flame your target market is drawn to. parallel to that to a job search and you could possibly take over the world…ok not the world, but anything is possible.

So the challenge still stands can you present yourself as a brand across several mediums creating flow and uniformity to your prospects?  You can’t do it all, it is nearly impossible to be a expert at a large majority of the disciplines required to create an all inclusive campaign for your brand and those you hope to advertising. This is where the real test begins, how well can you network? Of course in advertising its not necessarily what you know but who you know. Being able to network with experts in the field you need help with is as esseintal as being proficient in that field.

As they say in show buisness be nice to the people you meet on the way up the ladder, you’ll see them on the way back down.

Mutual of Omaha prides itself on being the official sponsor of the “aha moment”. I will be waiting patiently by the mailbox for my sponsorship check. I’ve never wanted to pull my all my hair out in frustration as much as I had this past week, – I take that back, I have, but that’s another story for another blog. After raiding libraries and bookstores looking for my answer my quest for the missing FBML code took me back to the Internet. Hidden in plain sight was my golden fleece.  While I don’t plan on changing my name to Jason anytime soon., I am positive I jumped at least a foot in the air of sheer pride after finding the correct code for a Facebook Page I was working on.

I used the Static FBML application to create boxes which can be place through out your Facebook Page via the drag and drop method. FBML: the four letters keeping me up late at night, -ok not really, but nonetheless interesting.

According to Facebook reference Wiki “Facebook Markup Language (FBML) enables you to build full Facebook Platform applications that deeply integrate into a user’s Facebook experience. You can hook into several Facebook integration points, including the profile, profile actions, Facebook canvas, News Feed and Mini-Feed.” This HTML language enables users and developers the tools to create ads and applications for pages and profiles. Call up your friends and bring your own extension chord it’s the makings of a party!

Using the Developers Platform you can create ads and applications and this test console will allow you to double check your code so that is up to snuff with FBML.

Since I’m sure I owe the universe a big thank you for this discovery I will share it with you. step by step

1. Download the “Static FBML” application for you Facebook Page

2. Chose edit and then this screen will pop up

enter your code in the provided space and don’t forget to include a title, this will be the title of your soon to be created box. Should you wish to create a hyper-linked banner ad like myself you’ll want to follow these guidelines in you coding

<a href=”Website you wish to link to ad” title=”Title of the Box”>
<img src=”Image you wish to use as banner ad”/>

3. Click save and your box will automatically appear to the left of the wall, should you like to move it simply grab the box and drag it to your desired location.

4. (Optional) should you need to create several custom boxes/applications you can organize them by utilizing the “Boxes” tab.
Facebook is no longer just a way to connect with friends and waste time when you should be paying attention in class. Its becoming a jumping point for interns the world over. Soon we will be able to create customized URLs make it that much faster to connect with users. Facebook was my best friend and the bane of my existence the past week, but I accepted the challenge and my confidence was restored.

PS click here to see the outcome of this process in real time and maybe learn a bit about Ingenex Digital Marketing in the process!

Back in the good ol’ days (the 1990’s for me), video game consoles and computers were largely separated. However, that all changed in 1999 when Microsoft revealed they were creating the Xbox. Gamers and techno-enthusiasts all over the country were gushing about the possibilities of a half-computer, half-console. When the original Xbox was released in 2001, many were disappointed that it was just another game system; and Microsoft listened to their cries releasing the Xbox 360 in 2005. The 360 can connect seamlessly with another computer to share photos and video and even has the power to download movies and games. However, no browser software existed that could be used for the Xbox 360, so checking your Facebook and Twitter from the comfort of your HD television has been impossible. Until now…

At this years Electonic Entertainment Expo (or “E3″, as it’s most commonly known), Microsoft revealed that Xbox Live members will be able to use Facebook and Twitter through their Xbox 360’s. Both tools will be downloaded and used directly from the 360’s interface as opposed to a browser. To give you a glimpse of what this will look like, here’s an example:

The new interface has been custom made for the Xbox 360 and seems to be very user friendly. Users will be able to view their friends, news feeds, photos, status updates, and wall-posts. They will also be able to add their own comments and updates, but I highly recommend investing in a keyboard that can be integrated with the Xbox 360, as using the contoller to type can be very frustrating and time consuming. It seems that the main feature Microsoft has been talking about is the Friend Linker which will allow players to link their Xbox Live profile with their Facebook; updating their gaming achievements directly to their Facebook profile. Also, if a player decides to go on Facebook through a taditional browser, they will be able to view which friends are playing online at that given moment.

And if Facebook isn’t enough for you, how about Twitter? Twitter for the Xbox 360 will be released the very same day Facebook is this Fall. This version of Twitter has been built from the ground-up to give users an experience like no other. Here is an example of what it will look like:

Any updates you make on Twitter 360 will be updated instantly to all of your followers, and vice-versa. Anyone you are following can update their status, and it will instantly be posted on the Xbox’s interface.

Both of these services are in early stages of development and the only information so far has come from the E3 Expo. Is it too early to think that this may be helpful to digital marketing? Or is it just another excuse to have an Xbox 360 in every digital agency in America? I’ll tweet you when I have the answer (and it won’t be from my laptop).

— Dave

Commonly referred to as a micro-blogging site, Twitter is a world wide conversation where each individual voice is clearly heard. My Mom always told me to “dress to impress” but when your having conversations with people all around the world and down the street, its hard to look your best through a computer screen, right? Try again. Your twitter page should be a visual summary of yourself version of you, your company or your organization’s persona in 800 Kilobytes of information or less.

Like most web design, its not the pretty pictures that matter- it’s the content. However, I find the higher the quality the image or graphics the more likely I am to linger on a page. A picture is worth a thousand words, at least that’s what I hear.

As a former Adobe Student Rep I am a big fan of the creative suite and its tools, but as long as the image you plan on posting for your (non-tiled) twitter design is 1208×1024 pixels any design software will work. My legal version of CS4 is updating itself as I type. There are three main sections to work with, the top banner and the two gutters to the left and right of the twitter content. When designing your image its best to leave plenty of room for your twitter content. How you choose to design from there is entirely up to you. If  you’re designing for an organization or yourself, keep in mind your branding strategy. Knowing who you are as a person or organization and be sure your design fits the personality you are trying to convey.  I can appreciate when brands take that extra step to make sure everything flows with the same feeling over several media outlets, it helps me to recognize the brand faster. Keep in mind colors that work well together to tie your background in with the rest of the site, you have the options to change your text, links and sidebar colors of the twitter content. Keep the theme alive. Keeping the theme alive can be the difference between a nice background and a great overall design. Don’t be afraid use your imagination, it won’t bite.

The beauty of twitter is the freedom to design your own background and the opportunity to take part in the worldwide conversation that is the twitter-sphere, giving you the chance to follow and be followed. (not in a creepy way of course.)

It’s that time of year again – the annual rite of passage when new graduates begin to lose their minds because they’ve entered into one of life’s no-man’s lands – the time between the end of college and the beginning of a career.

This time in one’s life can best be described as being somewhat like purgatory. You know you’re not quite in Hell because you’re relieved from the stresses of finals, proud of yourself for getting that degree, and happy to return back to Ma and Pa’s for a bit once the lease is over to hang with all your leftover high school friends while you search for gainful employment (true story).

But about one month in you realize something isn’t right, you can’t shake this gnawing feeling, and you finally realize what it is – you don’t get to go back to school in the fall.  “There are no more excuses.”  “This is your life.”  “A new chapter is about to begin.” A dozen other clichés. You have no answer for everyone when they ask that unbelievably annoying and patronizing question, “So what’s next?”  It’s even worse when you realize that employers aren’t just going to knock on your door because of your fantastic college resumé and that the job market is way down due to the recession. To be honest, it sorta feels like this:

So what’s a college grad to do, short of searching for Mrs. Robinson?  Well the answer for some may be right in front of them.  Just as graduates are beginning to look for jobs, current college matriculators (is that a word?) are also beginning another rite of passage – the summer internship (or their third or fourth such position for the ambitious).  The internship used to be seen as a way for college students to get experience and credit while employers scout the talent and take advantage of inexpensive labor.

Not anymore, my friends.  The internship is now for everyone.  With the current job market as tight as it is, an internship can be the cure for the occupational blues.  For current students, it’s still the tried and true way to get a leg up on your peers while putting to use what you’re learning in the classroom.  For the newly graduated, it provides a plethora of positives.  For starters, it’s a morale boost for those who haven’t yet found the career their looking for.  It’s also another notch on the resumé belt and an opportunity to show your stuff to an employer for when they eventually (and hopefully) resume the hiring process.  And, perhaps most importantly, it can serve as a bridge over troubled water stirred up by the recession.

An especially beneficial opportunity is that of the digital internship. The digital internship (especially the Eco-Friendly Internship – no hyperlink necessary.  You’re already here!) combines the best of traditional internships past and the necessary skills of the future (which is really now).  With the digital internship, you still head down to the office once in awhile, so your office social skills remain primed, but a lot of what you do can be virtually accomplished (and you save gas, which is Eco-Friendly).

In a digital internship (yes, I realize I’ve said “digital internship” quite a bit, but it’s important) (and I’ve used an abundance of parentheses, but I like them) you learn the crafts of blogging, social media as a business tool, podcasting, Google, and the innumerable other spheres of the Internet that are being introduced to the lexicon of businesses on a daily basis.  Becoming versed in these techniques will give you a leg up on the competition for jobs over those who don’t possess the requisite technical abilities of the future.  Not to mention you can deepen your writing and communications skills, which has been a growing complaint of employers regarding the lack thereof amongst college students and recent graduates.  Oh and so as not to end this paragraph on a boring note like writing skills, digital internships are super cool and fun.

The bottom line? Digital internships are where it’s at!  Fun times, job skills, way of the future, resume placeholder, occupational peace of mind…whatever you’re looking for, they fit the bill.  So quit sitting on the couch, playing PS3 and Wii (guilty) or acting like mowing the lawn is grounds for a successful day (again, guilty), and start scouring the Internet for one.  Oh yeah, and as this blog entry began, a regular internship is cool too…just not as cool.