Now that you have a better understanding as to why it's so important to keep current with the latest media technologies, let's review a few that you may or may not be familiar with:
1. Twitter
For you die-hard social networkers, this is old news, and you probably love it. Initially, I had a hard time understanding the new Twitter craze. Upon initial investigation, it appears to be a forum to post your status updates, like Facebook, but without the rest of Facebook. And all the "@"s were confusing me. It seemed like it was merely serving a purpose that was already being met.
Communication expert George Siemens had the same hesitations with the social networking site at first. However, upon trying out Twitter, he was quickly won over for several reasons. This article on masternewmedia.org will open your eyes to the benefits of Twitter. Siemens defines it as a "living network", an ongoing conversation of sorts. He explains how it allows him to connect with his online network in a way that is simply not possible through his blog. By having access to their casual status updates, he received a much deeper understanding of the composition of his audience, who wouldn't otherwise post such menial (but telling) information in their blogs. It also provides him with up-to-the-minute information about what's going on in the world, often before the news even picks the story up. Furthermore, he found it allowed him to share quick information (such as a link) with his network without having to do a whole blog post on the topic.
Why should you tweet? Because your online audience will thank you for it. It's appealing for the same reason that people love texting and the continuous newsfeed scrolling at the bottom of all our news channels now- it's quick and to the point. So American! The faster the better, right? You can post links to your website or blog, slide shows, images, anything really. It's a great promotional tool, and one that's easy for your audience to follow.
Siemens decidedly calls Twitter "A fundamental shift in how we communicate." What do you think? Are you a fan?
2. Smartphones
Have you been surviving without a smartphone? Granted, it is possible, but why would you skimp in this arena when the benefits are so numerous? According to degreescout.com, more and more students and professionals are using their smartphones for quick access to information, and the phone's ability to download and use apps is making them a necessity for business-minded, tech savvy folks who need to (or like to) stay connected.
Maybe I've lost you already. Let's go over what makes a smartphone smart:
- An Operating System
- Beyond the Basics Software (Apps that let you work on Microsoft docs or edit photos)
- Wi-Fi Internet Access
- QWERTY keyboard
- Messaging (including video and syncing of multiple emails)
Basically, it allows you to be connected at all times. It's easy to see how this can be beneficial to professionals, but what's it going to cost you? PCWorld breaks it down here. To make a long story short, no matter which phone you choose, it's going to cost you about $3,800 over 2 years, or about $160/mo. Sound worth it to you? Want to research it a little more before you commit to spending that kind of dough? Do some comparison shopping at: http://www.consumersearch.com/cell-phones/best-smartphones.
3. Widgets
I first began hearing this fun little word a few years ago as an infant blogger. It turns out, widgets are not only fun, but really useful to anyone who wants to find success in the ever-expanding blogging world. Basically, they allow you to customize your blog to your audience or topic. A widget, which comes in the form of a chunk of code that you add to your blog in the "design" page, can take the form of anything from a clock or a timeline, to a funny picture or gas prices. Check out the blog you're viewing right now. I have a poll widget (to get feedback from my valued readers) and a map widget which displays where all my visitors are logging in from.
Where can you find these little blogging gems? Well, there are several popular widgets in your Blogger or Wordpress "design" page, but many more options abound. A favorite site I constantly return to to improve my blogs is http://www.mashable.com/. They have quite a large selection of widgets (and plenty of other blogging tips as well). A simple Google search will provide you with more than you know what to do with.
Not only do widgets make your webpage cool, they can also be very useful for the professional blogger. This site discusses 3 must-have widgets that potential employers will find useful when deciding whether or not to hire you (and they will Google you!):
- A Twitter Feed (make sure it stays clean!)
- A Summary Widget
- LinkedInABox (you are LinkedIn, aren't you?)
Now that you know about widgets, get to work improving that blog!
Tip: Don't overload your blog with widgets, it can be distracting and take away from the solid, useful content of the page.
4. Google Translate
Thanks to the world-wide web, we have all gone global, like it or not. Your blog, if it's not private, may be read in China, South Africa, probably Canada, maybe Australia..you get the picture. How will they understand it in China? you may wonder. Google translate is your answer. This amazing technology, which can be found at http://www.translate.google.com/, allows any google user to translate text from dozens of languages into, well, dozens of languages. Go try it out, right now. Give it a shot. Then come back.
What does this mean for professionals? It means it is easier than ever to keep up with what's going on on the global stage, and how it could affect our business. It allows us to get connected with individuals in our field that we would otherwise be at a loss of words with. It opens doors! What it can do:
- Instant translation of web pages and docs
- Build global business by advertising across languages
- Add translated captions to Youtube videos, building your int'l audience
- Also offers a translated search
Pretty cool, isn't it? How could you benefit from Google translate?
And that wraps up my review of a few of my favorites in media technology. What is your favorite media technology, the one you just can't live without? Share it with us!
