In the midst of people upset over Facebook’s sudden interface changes and others saying these people just can’t deal with change, I have come up with four methods Facebook could have used (and should use in the future) to improve its relationships with its audiences.
1. Announce changes in advance – if I remember correctly, Twitter announced changes to its interface in advance of rolling out the new interface. They also transitioned groups of users instead of all users at once. Facebook could have easily plugged in an overview of its coming changes a week ago to give people time to look it over and get used to the coming changes. Surprise isn’t always a good thing.
2. Provide users the option to use the native interface – again I must use Twitter as the example. While Twitter did eventually phase out the ability to use the native interface, they gave users about a year to get used to the new interface with the capability to switch back and forth.
3. Provide users the ability to turn off the scroll bar – maybe I’m just missing this feature, but I think if Facebook provided users the ability to turn off the scroll bar, people would appreciate the flexibility to customize their Facebook experience.
4. Be original – I think the biggest issue Facebook needs to address is that it is trying to provide users an experience just like using Google+. The problem with this is that we already have a Google+. Rather than trying to differentiate its brand from Google’s platform and sending a message that people should use both platforms, Facebook is positioning itself as competition to Google+. I think this is a mistake. I don’t think the two platforms are in competition at this point. There are many people not yet ready to add a new social media to the mix and they are sticking with Facebook because that’s where they are comfortable and that’s where their friends are. Also, did Facebook not read the messages that some find Google+ and its circles confusing? This alone leads me to not understand Facebook’s actions. I have been curious – do any of the social platforms use focus groups for research? Regardless, now would be the time for Facebook to show itself as different from Google+, not more of the same. And unfortunately, the changes have made many people uncomfortable with Facebook, giving them more of a reason to switch platforms.
While I’m at it, I must admit, Google+has its own problem – it has no identity yet. Twitter and Facebook have distinct characteristics, both in how they are used and why people use them. For me, I use Twitter for more of a professional profile and Facebook for more of an intimate profile. My problem with Google+ is though I love all its features, I don’t really identify with it yet. I’m not sure what to say on there. I think part of the problem is that I don’t know enough people on Google+ yet, and the people who are in my circles are not yet posting. Although I’m pretty good at talking to myself, I have to say it’s not much fun. I mean, who wants to go to the club and be the only one dancing?
While I’m at it, I have to say a little something about the folks on Google+ who seem to emote a sense of superiority over Facebook users who “don’t understand circles.” I’m pretty sure the point of social media is to be inclusive, not exclusive. Am I wrong – does Google+ have an identity, one that most people want to avoid?
What do you think about Facebook’s changes? What are your thoughts on Google+?
When I was in eighth grade, I would often say to my algebra teacher, “Can me and Kim …” I don’t remember the various things I would ask for, but I do remember her response was always, “Who?” And I would repeat the question, except I would say, “May Kim and I …” I am still amused that one of my greatest grammar lessons came from my math teacher.
Apparently I am not the only one who was repeatedly taught to say “and I” as opposed to “and me.” It’s an important lesson in subject pronouns. However, I have also noticed that people misunderstand the concept and say “and I” in all uses when there actually are appropriate times to say “and me.” While I commend people for trying, this is certainly one of the most common grammar mistakes I read and hear, and I’m hoping I can help teach the concept.
The pronoun “I” should be used when you are referring to yourself as the subject of the sentence. The subject (or subjects) is the person doing something in the sentence (yes, I’m going remedial here.)
The pronoun “me” should be used when you are referring to yourself as the direct object in the predicate of the sentence. The predicate of the sentence is the verb and pretty much any other parts that are not the subject. The direct object is the thing or person the verb is acting upon. The subject is the one doing something. The direct object is the one to whom (another grammar lesson for another time) something is done. Although it really does boil down to who versus whom.
Now, maybe you’re still scratching your head and saying, “Huh? You lost me at predicate.” So, here’s a very simple way to help you know if you should use “I” versus “me” when referring to yourself and someone else. Pretend you are only talking about yourself and say the sentence only using “I” or “me.” I rarely hear those misused when being said alone. If you know the sentence should use “I” when you are talking about just you, the sentence would also use “I” when talking about you and someone else. And if you would say “me” in the sentence, then it’s not only ok but it is also correct to say “and me.”
Here are some examples:
Kim and I are going to the movies.
At the movies, Kim and I ate popcorn and candy.
On our way to the movies, at the redlight, Kim and I stopped.
The movie was scary to me and Kim.
On the way out, the door hit me and Kim in the rear.
People laughed at me and Kim.
Well, even if the concept is lost, hopefully you’re at least laughing.
My big boy is only four months old! (Photo on JoPhoto blog.)
My husband, children and I met up with JoPhoto at the Worlds Fair Park in Knoxville for a family photo shoot. While I am about to give a rave review for JoPhoto, I also want to point out some tips that might help you on a photo shoot no matter who your photographer is – or even in just selecting a photographer. As someone who is interested in photography and whose aunt and cousin did family and wedding photography a short time ago, hopefully I have some useful insight.
JoPhoto is a husband and wife team, recently married, who we are close friends with. Kathleen and I go back as far as high school friends. But friendship is not the only reason why we wanted to do a photo shoot with Kathleen and Joe. I like their photography and their prices are really good.
I could rave for hours about how much I love our family pictures by JoPhoto. I always think of getting pictures made as a stressful thing, but we had a blast on this photo shoot. Scheduling was super easy even though it’s wedding season, and Kathleen answered all my questions. At the shoot, I could tell Joe was completely at ease with his equipment and it shows through our beautiful pictures. And I can’t say enough about how great it was to have Kathleen there to help guide us. I think all of the photos captured our personalities perfectly. There was hardly any posing. It was more like having play time with a photographer there to capture a great family moment. Some of my favorite pictures are the ones Joe caught during those “in between” moments. With JoPhoto, you definitely get more than you pay for. I can’t wait to do it again!
Based on my experience with JoPhoto, here are my tips:
1. Find a photographer who’s easy to communicate with. I want to again point out that I contacted them to do a family shoot during wedding season – and not just any wedding season, they were also getting married. And scheduling (and then rescheduling due to weather) was no sweat. Also, Kathleen answered all of my questions, such as “Will mineral make-up cause my face to wash out?” (The answer: no!) She also gave me tips on what not to wear. And while this didn’t fully come into play for us because we already knew Joe and Kathleen, communication is also super important so the photographer can get to know you and have an idea of what you want to get out of the photo shoot.
2. Find a photographer whose photography style you like. At the end of the day, photography is still art and the beauty is still in the eye of the camera holder. If you choose a photographer solely based on price/package, you may walk away disappointed.
3. Find a photographer who has the right amount of experience. My dad was a magician when I was a little girl, and after seeing him do his tricks so often, I started to see the “tricks.” I would also suggest that since I’ve recently become a photography addict, I would have thought I would notice Joe do lens changes or something similar. But I didn’t notice any interruptions at all for Joe to “fiddle” with his camera equipment. He was completely at ease using his camera (as opposed to photographers I’ve seen who spend more time looking at their histograms and settings than they do taking photos.)
4. Have some ideas of what you want at the photo shoot. This partially relates to number 3. Photographers with a decent amount of experience will be able to guide you in their vision for photos. But I have seen photographers who are asking “well, how do you want to pose?” So, with that in mind, I went to the shoot with a few ideas and a few props – things that were “us” because that’s what I wanted out of the photos, pictures that really showed off our personalities.
5. I suggest a photographer who has an assistant. This relates to numbers 3 and 4. While I came to the shoot with some ideas, having Kathleen there was amazing because she also had some ideas and helped us keep moving. She was able to think ahead while Joe was snapping away. And she probably would have been great at holding the reflector … if my daughter hadn’t been dancing on it!
And my last comment – all of the things I mentioned above typically relate to paying higher prices, which for me is ok. I’d rather walk away with a few amazing photos with wow factor than a disc full of photos that are good. Which is why I’m going to say photography companies like JoPhoto are a crazy-amazing value. I now have a disc with many wow-factor photos (and printing rights) that I would definitely be willing to pay more for.
I am currently searching for a WordPress theme for my new blogazine, KandiKreatives Mag. Even though there are several free ones out there, through a little research, I’ve decided to buy one. Sure, I could take the time to customize my own theme, but face it, I’m a busy working mom trying to run two blogs. Who has time for extras right now? But why pay money for something I could get for free? Because programming takes time and I want to use one that is done well and will save me time in the long run. From what I’ve read, the freebies often are less user friendly and require more manual manipulation on the back end. So far I’ve seen themes as cheap as $10 and as much as $50, but I haven’t found anything that fits just right yet.
So, how will I make KandiKreatives Mag “Pieces of Me” me by using a pre-packaged theme? Easy … sort of. First, I’ll customize my design. I already have a “look” in mind, and hopefully I won’t complicate it too badly. Second, my blogazine will be uniquely me through my content. Afterall, that’s what “Pieces of Me” is really all about.
Just this morning I realized my vocabulary must be slim because I haven’t learned a new word, well, since my first one. In needing inspiration, I did a quick Google search for a random word. Guess what I found! (In case you’re like my husband, I will give you a moment to guess.)
I found a Random Word Generator! It’s awesome! I can generate a random word, a random phrase, a random sentence, or a random paragraph. Just think how interesting you could make your writing by sneaking in a random paragraph and working it into your story, article, or essay.
Since a random word is on my agenda, let’s see the tool in action. First, I will choose a word type. I think I will go with adjective. You can never have too many adjectives to choose from. Next, I will choose complexity. I will go with uncommon in the hopes of getting a word I’m unfamiliar with. Generating …
My random word is “Ridgy.” Cool. Let’s use it in a sentence.
Ruffles potato chips, which I am craving, are ridgy.
So, the journey to a wider writing vocabulary begins. My first word of the day is (cue drum roll)
bedizen
\bih-DY-zuhn\ , transitive verb;
1.To dress or adorn in gaudy manner.
I love this word – it’s already got me thinking about my current favorite movie, The Blind Side, which I watched for the first time Sunday night … “I will not wear that gaudy orange!”
And now for my first sentence:
Sports fans unfamiliar with Vol-Nation probably think Vol fans bedizen themselves for football games.
What sentence have you thought of using bedizen?
Do you have a word you think I should learn for my Word of the Day expedition? Be sure the share it with me!
Two weeks ago, I had a triumphant victory over my Canon Digital Rebel XT. I learned to shoot photos in manual mode. Determined, I dressed my daughter in her new red dress, set my camera to take an optimal photo in the living room, and began chasing my daughter around the house snapping photos (while trying to stop her from putting the lens cap back on the camera.) I wanted a picture for a Christmas card.
I downloaded the photos to my laptop and found the perfect shot – my daughter hugging her teddy bear. I visited the Photo Center on walgreens.com and began searching for an appropriate Christmas card design (which was no easy task, most of the designs do not say “Merry Christmas” these days.)
Saturday, I picked up my photos, and to my horror, they were bright red – except for my daughter’s red hair, which looked bright orange.
This is when I learned two lessons. The first is that for printing photos, you should first calibrate your computer monitor and then you should calibrate Adobe Photoshop to your computer monitor, otherwise your photos may print differently than they looked on the monitor. The next thing I learned is that the Walgreens Photo Center has an exceptional customer service policy.
With several people waiting in line, the young woman working in the photo shop took the time to try to color correct my photo. Then, she reprinted my card and didn’t charge me any additional money, even though the Kool-Aid-colored photo was my fault. This is Walgreens policy: 100% satisfaction guaranteed. See it on their Web site.
Congratulations, Walgreens Photo Center. Your are my PR Winner of the Week for your outstanding customer service policy and the excellent service provided by your employees.
Taking pictures in manual mode: check.
My next challenge: mastering monitor color calibration.
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