Georgetown University- Social Media and the Digital Disruption: It’s Been Real!
It’s funny….I look back at my very first post on this blog and see how I just walked into this whole idea of blogging with an “we’ll see what happens” type of approach. If I don’t say so myself, I think this blog has evolved quite nicely! I’ve been pleased in noticing that I’m attracting more readers through various social media channels and it’s domino effect via “check this out” type of references.
As we wind down into the final days of the semester, I can honestly say that blogging has allowed me to bring out a portion of my creative side and hone in on areas that I honestly didn’t know that I had that much of a strong interest in. When I first started this blog, I proclaimed that it was going to be one of those “random,” any subject matter type of blogs. But as I’m looking over my posts thus far, MOST of them have been arts related (whether it be music, fashion, performances, etc.).
So, I guess the big question is….will I continue blogging? Honestly, I think so. Like I said in my first post, I had always toyed with the idea of blogging but I just seemed to put it off. Now that I’ve got one started, I might as well keep it going right??
All in all, I just want to say a big “THANK YOU!” to Mitzi (My Social Media Professor) for all of cool and interesting tools and engines that are out here in the Social Media world and for finally bringing out the blogger in all of us! Anytime I want to get some of those random off the wall facts about the world of social media, I’ll just refer to our famous hashtag of #mppr850 lol :-p ….
Till Next Post!
Dueces!
Blog Highlight: The Fashion Bomb Daily!
One of my favorite blogs to follow is The Fashion Bomb Daily. This blog stands out because It focuses on a very specific target and demographic: fashion for women of color. In August 2006, journalist Claire Sulmers took her passion for fashion and created this blog to delivering daily doses of savvy style. The blog doesn’t solely focus on celebrities; it relays information about fashion and beauty at large so that people can see how everything in that industry relates to them personally. The blog has a distinct feature called “Fashion Bombshell of the Day.” This allows readers to send in their pictures to be featured on the blog and it’s become one of the most popular topics.I think this is a great way to connect with readers, while keeping them involved in the evolution of the blog.
There is another section called “Breaking into Fashion,” which provides readers with resources to excel in their careers if they choose to go into the fashion industry. “My Favorite Things” was created to find out what some of our favorite celebrities keep in their closets/makeup bags. The “Snapshot” category was created to highlight editorials and ad campaigns featuring men and women of color. The engagement factor of this blog is highlighted because of these blog-specific features. According to Black Enterprise, The Fashion Bomb brings in more than 127,700 unique visitors a month, and has been recognized by media giants like Teen Vogue, Upscale, and Uptown.
Twitter: @thefashionbomb
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/thefashionbomb
Give Back: 2011 Help the Homeless Walkathon
This past weekend, I had the pleasure in participating in Fannie Mae’s annual Help the Homeless Walkathon! It begins (and ends) at the National Mall. I did it for the first time last year and I really enjoyed it. My friend and I were there bright and early on the corner of 7th and Madison! I was so happy that it was a nice day, just cold! I wouldn’t allow myself to complain too much about the cold because after all, our homeless neighbors are vulnerable to the cold every day and night they spend on the streets. Unlike us, they don’t have the luxury of waking up in a toasty bed. Sadly, this is the last year that the event will be taking place. Instead, they will invite people to participate solely through local mini-walks (Yeah….I don’t get that). Once I found that out, I knew I had to do it again this year.
There are almost 12,000 homeless people in the Washington metropolitan area. The walk is designed to raise awareness and funds for Washington, DC area organizations that strive to end homelessness — with an emphasis on programs that help homeless people return to independent living.
The participants are highly enthusiastic! There’s even a pep rally with the Redskins Cheerleaders and lots of music beforehand. Even as you walk, you can enjoy live entertainment from local school groups.
If anything, it’s also a good excuse to go sightseeing, since you pass a lot of monuments during the walk.
MLK Memorial
Lincoln Memorial
Washington Monument
It’s a shame that I’ve lived in the area my WHOLE life and have never taken the time to visit more of these landmarks outside of a class field trip. That’s going to change soon because I was in awe of everything that I had the opportunity to run into.
Was this walkathon worth it? Of course! It’s always fabulous to give back.
For other weekend happenings in the Washington, D.C. area, check out my classmate’s blog New Around Town for different and exciting things to get into!
Versace for H&M
The “Versace for H&M” line will be H&M’s eighth with a designer since it started selling clothing in November 2004. Why is this a “big deal?” Prices range from $149 to $249 for dresses, the staple of the collection. Coming from Versace, that’s affordable. Prices go as low as $19.99 for jewelry.
I NEED this Dress? Someone get it for me... My Birthday is coming up! 😉
The collection goes on sale at about 300 stores and online in select countries from Nov. 17th (the official H&M website says Nov. 19th…hmm). The limited-edition is sure to create a mob-like scene at stores…I can’t even imagine!I guess H&M decided to be two steps ahead– they’ve actually set some rules for combating the frenzy. So if you plan on actually being out there amongst the other shoppers, make sure you have your game plan set up. They should’ve had this line available for online purchase as well! Last I heard, they were in talks to make the line available for online purchase….we shall see. I’m almost certain that would kill off some of the frenzy that they’re anticipating.
Here in the D.C. region, you can find the collection at the 11th & F St. Location.
Will I be there? Honestly, probably not. Lol…as much as I would love to get my hand on some of those items, priorities (code for “Work”) always takes prevalence. I could go on my lunch break, but I’m pretty sure everything will be gone.
The Fashion Show took place at Pier 57 in New York City on Nov. 8th. Check out some pieces from the colorful collection and highlights from the show in the video below.
From Barracuda Film & TV
Get Smart With Your Smartphone
App: “Cards” from Apple.
We now live in a digital world. E-Mails, “Happy Birthdays” via text, Facebook, Twitter, etc. have sadly become the norm. To me, it seems like personalization has become a lost art. When was the last time you actually sat down and wrote a letter? Or sent a greeting card in the mail? I know if I were to get apersonal letter in the mail I’d be estatic!
How it works: You snap a photo with your phone, personalize it with your own text, and submit it. Within a few short days, an elegant, original, letterpress card arrives in the mailbox of your recipient—perfect for birthdays, gratitude, and more—all for $2.99 with postage included in the U.S. Since it was just released last month (October, 2011), I’m sure many more occasions, colors, and designs will be added over time. This app is free and available in the iTunes store.
App: “ShowHopping”
For music and concert lovers like myself, I think everyone should take a gander of this app. If you want to get more connected with the local music scene, or if you’d just moved somewhere and want to check out local shows this is a nice little source.
How it works: ShowHopping uses data from Last.fm to map out upcoming concerts and live shows on Google Maps. Users can search by location and radius, or have the browser give their current location, and the webapp will map out all live shows in the area within a defined set of dates. Band or artist names can also be entered to narrow the search, and multiple names can be searched at once to make things easier. Available on Android, iPhone, and iPad.
**Sidebar: So the “Watch The Throne Tour” Feat. Jay-Z and Kanye West came to DC on Nov. 3rd…can I just say that it was phenomenal!! I’d hate to be that person who wasn’t at the show and then regretted it later. Anyone that was there got their money’s worth. It’s evident that the saying of the year is “That Sh*t Cray!” I might have to make a separate post on that later. Anyway, I digress…
App: “Shopstyle“
I personally love Shopstyle because its a place where I’m able to find great deals that I might’ve overlooked. ShopStyle Mobile is the perfect way to get your shopping fix on the go.
How it works: Browse the latest fashions by brand or category including women, men, bags, shoes, furniture and kids clothing. You can use the keyword search feature to search within the category you’re viewing or across all products. ShopStyle Mobile lets you purchase directly from the retailer. Click the “Buy” button on any product and go straight to the store’s purchase page. You can e-mail, publish, or tweet your favorite products to your friends, your family, and/or yourself. Available for iPhone and iPad.
Stay Connected!
Tags, Tags, Tags…as I look at the stats of this blog and observe how people have been directed to here from search engines, I noticed that they happen to type in the tags of certain entries as keywords in the search. I’ve come to learn that one of the biggest sources of traffic to a blog will be search engines, particularly Google. It really goes to show that tagging your posts makes a great difference in bringing traffic to your blog.
A great tool for seeking out popular keywords is Wordtracker. It allows users to survey keyword traffic and keyword competition. Doing so will allow you to optimize your posts as you write. Although there are other keyword research sites such as Wordze and Keyword Discovery, Wordtracker is the first (or one of the first if I’m not mistaken) keyword research site. If you want to compete with other bloggers operating within the same niche, then you need to be using keywords effectively because it makes a huge difference. I always write my entry first, with my keywords in mind…not the other way around. It just seems more logical to me that way.
Who knew something so simple, could maximize the flow of traffic onto a blog?
I’m always stressing engagement when it comes to blogging, because without engagement your blog won’t thrive. A blog is a success if it has loyal followers who read, interact, and share the posts that you create. This is a two-way party here, you can’t just throw your information out there and expect people to instantly gravitate to it simply because it’s there. You must interact with your readers. Many of us have come across blogs simply because a reader decided to share a post with their own network. It’s a domino affect. A lot of the big blogs have a regular presence on social media sites without even trying. I’m actually going to try to make this a focus now…steering more people to my blog. What tips do you have for optimum blog engagement?
Love On Top!
Last week we had the pleasure of being dazzled with one of Beyonce’s lastest videos, “Countdown.” I echo the sentiments of my fellow blogger Life With Flair as she stated, “B is by far, the most prolific artist of our generation. And what makes her videos a must-see, is not for the display of talent or beauty but for her uncanny ability to showcase today’s hottest fashions.”
Umm yeah, pretty much.
I was particularly thrilled when I got word that the full video for my FAVORITE single on the “4” album, “Love On Top”, was finally out! She gave us a little tease and snippet of this video around the same time that the “Countdown” video was released. This song just has such a feel good vibe. It almost like you can hear her smiling as she’s singing the song. Also, we can’t forget to mention that this is the same song that Beyonce used to announce her pregnancy at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards.
The video has a fun and carefree vibe and it’s a refreshing nod to New Edition’s “If It Isn’t Love” music video. I just wish the second verse wasn’t cut out. 
I’m loving that Beyonce seems to be rolling out a video anthology of some sort. Word has it that she has a music video for every single on the “4” album! What do you think the next video should be? I say “Party” or “End Of Time!”
Random Fun Fact: The guy in the back with the red dot on his shirt tried out for “Making the Band” and was one of Michael Jackson’s dancers in “This Is It.” Yes, that’s the dance nerd in me.
…..and to take a glance at where the inspiration for the video came from, here’s New Edition’s “If It Isn’t Love” music video.
October: Breast Cancer Awareness Month
October is officially known as Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I’m sure many of you have seen and worn the color Pink since the month of started. During this time, cause marketing goes into overdrive. According to the American Cancer Society, there are 2.5 million breast cancer survivors living in the United States. Almost everyone I know, including myself, has been touched by breast cancer in someway, shape or form.
Ladies, feel your boobies! Not just this month, but EVERY month! 70% of women with breast cancer discovered the lump themselves. Remember, routine self-exams, screenings, and mammograms save lives. Lovers, husbands, whatever…this is the time when you wanna cop your feels in all in the name of breast cancer awareness month! Wear something pink, or wear the pink ribbon and help save lives by encouraging early detection!
Grammy Award Winning Artist Musiq Soulchild, recently announced his new role as an Ambassador for Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Circle of Promise, a movement designed to further engage black women around the globe in the fight against breast cancer. Check out his latest video, “Yes”, a very touching sentiment reaching out to breast cancer survivors.
A beautiful video with a beautiful message.
Afro-Blue!!
Afro-Blue
Afro-Blue is a vocal ensemble from Howard University (HU!! You Know!! Sorry, *ahem*) in Washington, DC. They actually started as a class in the music department at Howard in 2002. The current version of the group has been singing together since 2009.
They are currently competing in “The Sing Off,” season 3. It airs on Mondays at 8/7 central.
Now this arrangement right here…..*smh*….WOW!!! My jaw fell to the floor! I absolutely love their jazz and acapella combination. Its refreshing to hear true musicianship and orchestration. I loooove scatting, and it was done so effortlessly in this clip. I almost want to kick myself for not seeking them out more while I was a student at Howard Univeristy. They are just dope! Such a talented group of artists! Ever since this episode aired on Monday October 3, 2011, I have to listen to this version at least once a day. Here’s a jazzy remake of Estelle’s “American Boy.”
Take An Intermission 
