Chris Stone
I tweet crap, spend countless hours on Facebook idly strolling, refreshing, and indolently flicking back up as if the world had somehow gone through a major apocalypse in the last few seconds, stalk people and brands on Instagram, and video-feed my life on SnapChat, so people can know how many pancakes I had for breakfast (none actually, because well I made them and they looked much better than they tasted) and the chelsea boots that I am planning to pair with my forever 21 ruffle trim crop top this morning (again, a hand-me down but no one needs to know that)!
Wanna guess who am I?
I am a social media aficionado!
There are two things that I cannot change about myself. First, I am a Millennial, which is pretty self-explanatory and speaks volumes about why I am how I am, and second, I’m a social media buff whose lifeline is a reliable internet connection.
When I was growing up, I wanted to become a lawyer or maybe an engineer, but I decided to switch lanes down the road, and embarked on the fork that led me to become a social media addict. It’s a rather informative vocation, considering that I know everything conspiring in the universe this very second! You want to know who the girl next door is secretly hooking up with; I am the person you come to! Curious to know when that dress, you had been dreaming of wearing to the prom but your wallet says otherwise, is gonna go on sale? Again, I am your best friend! I am fabulous right! Better tweet about that!
Social media is not just a part of our lives, it is a tapestry that connects each of us, a thread, with the world as a whole. Has dopamine got us hooked on tech? While some consider social media as a welcome reprieve from the daily grind of life, some crazy souls like me have built a career around it.
If you don’t check your phone first thing in the morning, I salute you. I mean really, you are in the 46% of the population (who needs to get a life, seriously). The rest 66% of people reach out for their phones before even batting open both eyes.
A staggering 26% of Americans use their phones while gouging on their waffles and bacon in the morning. The Journal of Nursing & Care conducted a study which revealed that glutting on social media is associated with anxiety, depression, and even poor sleep quality, things that will eventually rear their ugly heads down the road.
Despite tons of evidence that hint at the lethal repercussions of a social media overuse, I am here to present you with some confessions. Admissions that would help brands comprehend my race better and target their marketing to ring a bell with me!
Confession #1: I now think everything in 280 characters
For reasons yet unbeknownst to me, I now think in 280 characters. Be it a business idea, the next startup pitch or even jotting down my to-do list. I do everything which can fit-in 280 characters. I even speak less so that people can get what I am talking about. And the best way to do so is to limit my thoughts to 280 characters.
Confession #2: I label non-millennials as a ‘curse’
All right all right. You grew-up different, a world depletes of social media. Just people talking to each other on the corner of your street. So perhaps you don’t know how to use social media and drive traffic to your website? You can always learn, right? While there are still people out there who are using phones that need an aerial to work or people who are using desktop computers with Windows 98 as an operating system. Good for them. But, I consider these people as a curse to the society. I can’t even stand the sight of a stick-in-the-mud brand. I mean the Kermit meme has gone obsolete, literally out the window, a stuff of nostalgia, so when I see a brand posting it now, well I feel short of breath! Unfollow! We social media buffs are aware of the latest technological and digital advancements and want our favorite brands to be the pioneers of the digital revolution!
Confession #3: Not responding to me, is my insult!
I don’t know about you, but if you don’t respond to me on social media, I will hunt you down. I will stalk you on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram and sit there like a hawk. I will get back to you with anger and harsh behavior.
If I tell you that my fried chicken was undercooked, you better respond (ideally with an apology, or even better, with a promise of a recompense) before I go berserk and go on an accusation tirade across all my communities. If I commend you on a new product launch, I accept you to get flattered, retweet, or like my comment. If I see a pair of loafers that catch my fancy, you better answer me if they are available in my size before I start perusing through the pages of other brands. Staying silent only tells me that I am not important while valuing my suggestions and feedback will make me love you even more.
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And it’s not just me. 84% of consumers expect companies to respond within 24 hours after posting on social media, while 72% of Twitter complainants expect a response within an hour. In fact, Millennials are 43% more likely to call out a brand on social media as compared to other generations.
Confession #4: I Want Brands to Talk to Me directly
If you are in the throes of a controversy, a rumor, or an unfavorable news, I would want nothing better than for you to come to the forefront, craft a stellar narrative, and directly respond promptly before I hear unsavory renditions from naysayers and haters. Because trust me, as much as I love a good gossip, if you are my favorite brand, I would be secretly hoping for a reassurance, a word of apology from you.
For instance, when rumors swelled about Beyoncé’s marital problems, she posted photos of her happy family on Instagram to nip the rumors in the bud, and we all breathed a sigh of relief! Or when the Model S sedans built by Tesla Motors caught fire, Elon musk took to social media to assure us of the safety of the cars.
Confession #5: I will stalk you on every social media channel
It doesn’t matter if you’re my friend or a foe, or someone I have just met. If I came across your name, the first thing I will do is to stalk you on every social media channel. Not because I care about you, but because I have a nag about getting a true sense of the personality of people and brands.
On social media, people are usually honest and authentic, and if you know where you can get particular data about people, you’ll be able to crack down their personality. I do the same with brands. If I hear the very mention of your brand somewhere, I’ll try to stalk you. And god forbid, if I can’t locate you on social media, you will be a “stranger danger” to me and I will never trust you. If I do locate your profile and find out that it hasn’t been updated for years or even months, I’ll be sure to say a little “RIP” prayer for you.
Confession #6: Without Twitter, there is no breaking news
Even if the world is about to end, the first thing I will do is to verify it on Twitter – the hashtag #WorldIsEnding – and if there isn’t one, I will create my own. Twitter is the fastest medium to gather news about the world. For me, it the ultimate source of information. If there is a breaking news anywhere in the world, I will check Twitter to gather data on it. Seeing what my source of all news is, brands will be prudent to keep me abreast of new developments on Twitter. Be it a new product launch, an oncoming sale, or a burgeoning news, if I don’t hear about it on Twitter, or if enough people aren’t raving about it, it’s probably ain’t happening.
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Confession #7: My crush-list on social media
Even though I know that people rarely put-up their real pictures on social media, I often find myself falling in love with people. There is not just one, but several crushes on social media. It is like building a virtual crush on people. There is actually a list I keep on Twitter (of course it is an encrypted list) in which I manage all my crushes.
If I am following your brand and it is replete with a string of eye candy pictures of your products and solutions, I’ll ooh and AAH and keep coming back for more, because let’s face it; I live off eye-capturing graphics, even if I am not interested in an immediate purchase. Your Instagram would become my new mecca if it leaves me riveted!
Confession #8: I keep my phone on my bedside
This is not just me. Everyone who owns a smartphone can vouch for this addiction. As a social media manager, I need to stay up-to-date with the most up-to-the-minute trends in the market. And whenever a new trend pops up, we need to cash in on the trend with all of our might.
And you never know, maybe, someday my crush just might notice me. Till then, I am keeping the phone with me. As a brand, you must know that I am compelled to jump to my phone on every pinge or beep. As such, you can keep me on my toes by posting in regularly, and rest assured, I will see them all. But remember, I follow more pages than there are stars in the sky, so even if I don’t hear from you in a day or two, you tend to elude my mind altogether.
Especially, if you are hosting a thriving event or something thrilling and I cannot be a part of it, I’ll want to be kept in the loop. I’ll constantly wait for your snapchat stories or behind the scenes sneak-peak to get a feel of actually being there.
Incredible crowd!
R42#ColdplayBuenosAires pic.twitter.com/rpGbgdskuL— Coldplay (@coldplay) November 16, 2017
Even though I couldn’t make it to Buenos Aires, the mesmerizing symphony of the throng gave me goosebumps!
Confession #9: I love a good Tease
In a world of information overload, nothing leaves us hanging on the edge anymore, but oh, you can. If you have something in store for me, you can start building the right buzz around it, way before the launch, piece after piece, to cash in on the eclectic anticipation. Brands are already getting into the teaser game, and you would be wise to stretch your storytelling out in small pieces to get the maximum value out of your content.
If you are thinking of innovating a new pizza flavor that is found to leave our tongues tantalized, start by building a compelling story around each unique flavor element perhaps, or posting ambiguous and blurry teaser videos, asking your audience to venture a guess. You know what we would love even better, if you could offer free giveaways to the winners. It would simply make our day!
For instant, Tailor swift left us with our jaws hanging open when she wiped out her online presence in the August of 2017. She relaunched with snake videos which whipped her fans into a frenzy and each new video hinted at a new album. When her single, “Look What You Made Me Do,” was finally released in early September, it broke all records. This is because her fans were already so worked up, they couldn’t wait to jump on the single the minute it came to being.
And, as you can see, I am still online, just invisible. It’s a hard pill to swallow, which makes it an even harder habit to break – and an even worse emotional withdrawal. What you do on social media is entirely upon you. You can either use it or misuse it. But, in the end, it is all about the legacy that you’ll leave, your digital imprint that will matter to the generations after you.
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