Ramblings of Reese

     As many of you may know from my blogs from the past two weeks, my grandpa just recently passed away on April 8. I know this might not be what people want to read about, but he was a huge part of my life and his death has really been taking a toll on me. I wish I had something more fun to write about, but this has consumed my life for the past couple of weeks. Since I don't know what else to talk about, I'm just going to talk about my Papa.      When I think of my Papa, I remember things like his sarcasm and his funny little sayings, like if you burped, he would say, “Did you get any on ya?” or “Bring it up again and we’ll vote on it.” I remember his crazy metaphors that nobody understood — or at least as a kid, I didn’t understand. Like, “I need to go see a man about a horse.” I’m sorry, what? What does that even mean? I knew that he was the guy to go to if you needed help with your grass, but also the guy whose grass you were afraid to step on. I also...

     The first time I ever saw The Social Dilemma on Netflix, I was expecting yet another documentary that bashed social media as the root of all evil in the world. What actually resonated with me, though, wasn’t necessarily that these sites are addictive or bad for our mental states — it was that if you’re not paying for it, then you’re the product. That actually put me in perspective.      We all realize that social media is “free,” but the documentary made it very clear that it’s really not free in the least. Instagram, TikTok and YouTube are businesses. They make money by selling ads. So, essentially, what they’re doing is selling our attention to advertisers. Every time we scroll, pause on a video, like a post or even just briefly hover over something, that data is collected and used to keep us on the app longer. The longer we’re on the app, the more ads we get to see and the more money they make. The algorithm is smarter than you think    ...

     TikTok has quickly become one of the most powerful platforms for marketing today. With over a billion monthly active users and an algorithm built around content discovery, it offers brands a unique chance to reach massive audiences — especially younger ones. As a college freshman studying marketing, I’ve been learning how platforms like TikTok are reshaping the way brands connect with people. Chapter 11 of Essentials of Social Media Marketing is where it breaks down specifically how brands can effectively utilize TikTok. The bottom line? TikTok success lies in genuine, innovative content — not in conventional advertisements.      TikTok has its own culture as well, and users are not hesitant to swipe away content that feels fake or overly promotional. To succeed, brands need to take a read on what's trending, how folks engage with content and what feels native to the platform.      For example, language learning app Duolingo has garnered...

     This weekend was much better than last weekend. If you read last week's blog, you know that my grandpa was in the hospital with a brain bleed over the weekend, and unfortunately passed Tuesday morning. Having a better weekend than that was not very hard. That being said, I did have an amazing weekend with my girlfriend and my sister.     Of course, I started my weekend off working Friday evening. While I was at work, my parents dropped off my sister, Piper, with some of my friends, who hung out with her until I got off work. When 7:00 rolled around, I left work and went straight to the musical on campus, Hello Dolly. My friends and Piper were already there when I arrived. I got to catch up with my sister for a bit before seeing a fantastic production. I honestly forget sometimes how much talent we have on this campus. It was truly an amazing show. After the show, we all went back to my friend's dorm and hung out until my girlfriend, Katelynn, arrived. When ...

     I had a great start to my weekend! After attending the very well-organized and informative social media workshop, and a nap break, I headed to The INN for the PRSSA Alumni Dinner. Upon arriving I was shocked to see my parents sitting at my table. When I asked them what they were doing there they just told me that they were invited by Dr. Aggie. Little did I know there was a much bigger reason for them being there. We talked and ate dinner and eventually, it was time for awards. The first award being given was the Outstanding New Member Award. As the description of this award was being read I realized that it sounded a lot like me. I then began to look around and saw that I was one of the few whose parents were invited. Then it dawned on me. Maybe I was the one receiving the award. Just as this went through my head I heard my name get announced. I was so excited to receive the award especially since I wasn't expecting any of it. Once the dinner was concluded I got pic...

     Let's get real—filming a YouTube video takes a long time. You record hours and hours, then edit and cut, then pick the right song, write up a description and make a thumbnail, all to have it get, like, 12 views. And worst of all, half of those are probably your friends and your mom. This is where YouTube SEO is crucial. SEO stands for "search engine optimization," and what it does is help your videos show up when people are searching for something on YouTube. It's basically how you get found without having to pay for ads. So if you're trying to create a channel or just want your videos seen more, here's what I learned about YouTube search-optimizing content.      Before you record anything at all, think about what people are actually searching on YouTube. For example, instead of titling a video "My Workout Routine," title it "10-minute beginner workout at home." More specific and therefore much more likely to be search returned. TubeBu...

     My weekend was much more eventful than last weekend, solely because I got to see my girlfriend, Katelynn. It kicked off Friday night. After my shift at Vancrest, a shower and finishing some homework, I finally left the dorm around midnight, putting me at her house at 2:15 a.m. We were both tired as we both had work, so we talked for a couple of hours and then went to bed.      Saturday, we woke up around noon and had breakfast and coffee. We hung out and watched Instagram Reels for a couple hours before she had to go to work at Master Pizza. I went to work with her and did some homework in the dining room during her shift. When the end of her shift finally came around she cleaned up the kitchen, and then we used the extra dough to make ourselves a pizza. We made a pizza with garlic butter as the sauce and topped it with cheese, chicken and onions. After we finished making the pizza Katelynn closed the store and we sat in her car eating and listening to...

     In the modern digital age, social media sites have a great influence on customer behavior and brand interaction. Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok are perhaps the top priority for most marketers, but Pinterest is an underutilized but effective site for businesses. Essentials of Social Media Marketing Chapter 8 highlights that Pinterest is a visually oriented discovery site and therefore a great site for brands that plan to merchandise products, generate traffic, and gain a loyal customer base.      Unlike the other social networking websites filled with social and conversational messages, Pinterest is a discovery visual engine. People come to Pinterest purposefully—they actually search for inspiration, ideas, and solutions. That is good news for businesses because it allows them to reach intending buyers who are ready to purchase. Internal Pinterest studies show that 85% of users purchasing something every week due to Pins they discovered due to brands. ...