7 Days Social Media Talks: Snapchat.

So this is the last post about 7 Days Project, and I dedicate this post to Snapchat.. a pointless mobile app.

I, uhm, used to be one of those people who don't get Snapchat. But now that's changed and I'm embracing it with open arms.

Snapchat is a mobile application that allow its users to share messages, photos, and videos with private recipients but the post is temporary and exists for only a moment in time. Nothing is permanent so Snapchat doesn't introduce friction when creating and sharing content.

This is weird, but once you try it with a couple friends it's immediately clear why it's fun to use: because this app is UGLY, I feel as if the pictures I take or the messages I send can be ugly too. I like sharing pictures for fun - and I HATE being very serious all the time. The fact that Snapchat can send the same message I want to send but in a funny way makes this app is my #1 daily tap. I don't have to strive to take a perfect picture.

And yes, Snapchat has no "popularity contest", just fun: it gives you freedom - no need to worry about the number of Likes you'll get, because there's no Likes. It's simply a mode of communication.

Snapchat also has Discover section where selected Publishers (Buzzfeed, Cosmo, almost all of my favourite Publishers) have their own space to share news and features in un-advertising way. I love reading "magazine" on Snapchat so I started unfollow their Facebook Pages and Twitter! :D

But hey, Stories is where the real fun is! I'm planning to use it for my Australia trip "live report"! I can't wait!

♥, Me.

Photo credit: Say Hello Photography [link].

7 Days Social Media Talks: Your Fake Profile.

If you hang around this blog for any amount of time, you will discover that I really, really do not love lists! I couldn't finish my 100 Happiness Project, and 7 Days Project just turned into a 7++ Months project. Ten years, and I realised that blogging is one of those career where you are responsible for self-motivation.

And speaking of blogging, Nadz Nidz Nudz just made a new blog. It's her fourth blog in about 10 years. I told her to get her personal domain, and so she did *MEHEHEHEHE* Link here [click]. Also, as you can see it, today I made theme change!

Back to the main subject about social media.. Shall we?

A few weeks ago, I overheard two Indonesian beauty or life style bloggers curhat to each other about their lives (they talked too loud at a restaurant and I was sitting beside them eating my curry rice). They were talking about the idea behind beauty and life style blog, and I heard something like this:

I gotta admit that behind the smiles displayed in Instagram and Blog when endorsing products, lies some lies. I'm an ordinary woman, and currently I am badly in need of repair. But this is my job - I'm only allowed to display the positive to endorse products and impress viewers.

So is she tend to be less-than-genuine on her social media?

I know her so I immediately searched her Instagram account. Lovely woman with more than 5K followers. I read people's comments and everybody was like "You're so beautiful..", "My inspiration..", "I love your smile..", "Can you show us how to do your hair?", and blablabla. Based on what I saw that day, her spirit didn't quite measure up to her awesome Instagram feed.

What if, behind one of her "Facebrag", she had ten depressing things that have happened to her that day?

While they may not be intentionally faking "it" online, I think they need each other to stay true, like admitting to a disappointment or frustration so they can help each other realise they are not alone.

And for us.. We tend to forget that what we see on social media is the highlight reel. Sometimes, what we see are the curated bits of their daily living. Social media will let you to curate your life to your heart's desire. If you believe that a picture may be worth a thousand words, you have to understand that social media doesn't tell the whole story.

♥, Me.

7 Days Social Media Talks: Selfie.

Once upon a time there was a magic in our hands: light, compact, high tech, and was possible to make all people in the world know how beautiful they are as human being. That magic was called  a built-in camera, on your cellphone.

My first camera phone was a Sony Ericsson K310 with a VGA camera, and my parents bought it for me about 10-11 years ago when I was in high school. Nowadays as many of us carry our "cameras" almost constantly, one particular style of picture is becoming ever more ubiquitous.. a photo that you take of yourself a.k.a selfie.

While selfies can be viewed in a somewhat negative light, they can also play a very positive role in people's lives because they help people portray a version of themselves to the world.

(I love seeing and examining people's selfies *LOL*)

At times selfies are simply something that help people get through the day, while at other times, it can be very powerful statement to inspire people through social media. People are constantly trying to stand out, whether it's by the clothes that they wear or cause they're involved (such as #Movember or #NoMakeUp-related selfies that support cancer awareness program). It is a statement to the world. It allows people to stand out among the masses.

But remember the consequences. What people do not aware is that sharing some information in your selfies with others might as well put them in danger and unintentionally help stalkers find their location based on their "selfie behaviour". So as you post a selfie on the Internet and social media, sometimes you're not only giving out personal and surrounding's information (family or friends). While you think you are only doing something fun, selfies do reveal a lot about your physical appearance, therefore, you are also sharing with a stalker or a potential criminal the places where you and your friends tend to hang out or activities you pursue. I've written about the importance to keep your private things private here [link]. :)

I am so happy that social media has given us a lot to live up in terms of body image. What selfies have taught me is everybody is unique and beautiful. It's okay to have a gaping mile between your teeth or a two yard square forehead - you're just achingly cool and have just the "aesthetic" that we should all be aiming for. But now as you are more aware of the possible dangers, you might need to consider ways of protecting yourselves against the dangerous consequences of sharing too much information online.

Be wise :)

♥, Me.

Photo credit: Say Hello Photography [link].

7 Days Social Media Talks: Endorsements.

Social media endorsement can be advantageous since this low cost strategy may increase brand's and Endorsers' exposure. Back in early 2011 when I signed up Instagram, everybody there was just trying to be a still-life photographer. Everyone wanted to let their followers see what they see - that's why choosing the right filter-and-frame was obligatory. Instagram was beautiful and simple and inspiring.

Now it's 2015 and it's been a year of countless endorsements and hashtags. Many Indonesian Lifestyle Blogger, who are take a serious job as a full-time Blogger, have landed endorsement deals to promote a product on their personal social media, including blog and Instagram. The products that they shill on social media tend to repeat a small range of categories: skin care, make up, and homemade organic juices.

Endorsers are intended or paid to communicate their positive experience or finding about a product or service. Since Endorsers in social media usually celebrities or bloggers with large followings, the real problem is it's impossible to know if it's an authentic plug or if they received commission to say nice things about it.

Technically, if we are an Endorser, we shouldn't talk about our experience with a product if we haven't tried it, right? Endorsers shouldn't make claims about a product that would require proof they don't have. From the followers' perspective (who also sometimes happen to be consumers), lines get blurred on social media where it's hard to tell from a photograph and testimonial whether the product did magic or The Endorser got 24 free facial treatment with placenta session in exchange for her fabulous post endorsing the brand.

Even though endorsements has become a tool for advertisers, I think the message have to be truthful and not misleading, especially for celebrity endorsement (Bloggers tend to be truthful because they tried the product). So both of advertisers and "The Endorsers" are advised to use representative testimonials and accompany the endorsement by information describing what consumers can generally expect from use of the products or services. :)

♥, Me.

Photo credit: Say Hello Photography [link].

7 Days Social Media Talks: Ssssh! I'm a lurker.

 

The most popular quote from Toni Morrison is: "If there's a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it." So.. Maybe I should write about how to not abandon my social media presence!

Since I am a pretty private person, I don't feel the need to share events via social media but would rather share with a few close friends and family directly. I've signed up to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Path, Pinterest, Linkedin, and downloaded those apps to my phone. Although I acknowledge that there are benefits of them, I think that there are a lot more negative effects when you're oversharing. So yeah.. I found myself being a constant lurker. :)

Everybody apparently has their social media of choice. Perhaps Instagram from the photo sharing, maybe Path for it's addictive inner circle interaction. But this is my basic run down day-to-day digital walking.

Path

Path is very popular in Indonesia but necessarily not the best. It's kind of like your digital mood boarding that close to Tumblr's concept. The UI is so-so although is smooth and simple. Path's focus is on the user's intimacy so it limits the circle to 150 friends. This app tells me I signed up over 3 years ago and shared 659 moments, which means I post 15.5 moments per month so far.

I honestly can't get into this social media. This is the only social media where I can find the most dangerous overshared moments *which is sad* and every time I log in, I always log out feeling uninspired. But surprisingly, today it's the fastest platform to help spread messages and awareness in Indonesia, especially when it's all about missing person or dog.

Instagram

This is my favourite social media. Since waking up I check my Instagram feed, start searching random images through hashtags, and begin an endless cycle of scrolling and refreshing. I had an idea of moving my blog to Instagram but then I realised I've never wanted to change my Instagram account to a "keeping up with misswhadevr" mentality.

My Instagram account is set to private. I believe living a simple, minimal life where you can focus on the present moment and share things with a close group of friends rather than projecting to strangers feels amazing.

I joined Instagram about over 4 years ago and have posted 605 photos, meanings.. I post about 11.2 photos per month. Apparently I'm not that into this thing LOL.

Twitter

The only time I get on Twitter now is to shouting or tweeting random things. I love Twitter but I don't do conversation through Twitter because I want to have the ability to look back to the old memory. I treat Twitter like a blog. A teeny tiny blog. :)

I took a year break from Twitter from February 2014 to 2015. This long break has taught me to utilise the site differently: to use it a lot for news. I've started following a few actual inspiring news or storie real accounts and do find it one of the easiest way to get real-time information without typin' in Google's search box. All I have to do is scroll and click.

I signed up to Twitter on December 2009 and I've shared 1,810 tweets. That's 26.6 tweets per month, including a year break? That's very amazing for people like me!

Social media is very powerful. What kind of social media you're using, kindly ensure it will bring joy and fun to your days. Quoting "Social" (written by Matthew D. Lieberman), our need to reach out to and connect with others is so powerful that it is one of the primary drivers of our behaviour, in every aspects of our lives. Social media apps are great mediums, even for people like me.

Have a nice day everyone!

♥, Me.

Photo credit: Say Hello Photography [link].

7 Days Social Media Talks: "Vintage social media" helps us to improve our writing skills.

Almost ten years ago, I decided to move my online diary to Blogger.com (formerly Blogspot.com) from Friendster's Blog. That day, blog is treated as a diary and most people agreed on one thing: if you didn't blog at least twice or better five days a week, you were putting the nails into your own online coffin.

Fast forward to 5 years.. and 10 years later.. a lot of things have changed. A blog has been replaced with modern social media than can easily be accessed with our cellphone that offer an easier way of posting our thoughts, hourly ramblings, even images and videos. Despite a general decrease in blog activity over the past years because of oh-so-revolutionary-modern social medias, I still recommend people to get a blog (feel free to associate blog with physical diary - so if you already own a diary, I'm proud of you!).

Why would I recommend you to get a blog? Blogging requires sign up, choose name, sign in, blah-blah-blah.

So these are my reasons:

While short posts and images are great to deliver your thoughts to your audience, a blog can still be effective to improve your writing skills, which are very important skills in life.

When you create a blog post, you don't feel the pressure to aim for perfection in your writing. You don't expect likes or loves.

Blogging obliges you to reflect on your life while writing, thereby consolidating a big picture of thoughts and feeling you're experiencing/imagining. Most of us do not think in complete sentences but in self-interrupted and looping thoughts. Writing cultivates the ability to observe our thoughts and feelings, therefore will help us track our spinning thoughts and feelings.

Writing is a small movement but it is incredibly powerful when you are writing down what is in your mind in a proper media. With a blog, you'll become a better person and a better writer. :)

♥, Me.

Photo credit: Say Hello Photography [link].

7 Days Social Media Talks: Keep private things private.

What makes us want to update our status on Facebook, have a new tweet on Twitter, or share a real-time moment on Path?

Personally I truly believe that as humans we're generally social creatures. We have moved on from vintage social networking site to mobile social media applications to stay in touch with one another (FYI people in my generation used to update our status on MSN/MySpace or sent random Q&A through Friendster's bulletin board). With the advances in technology, it's becoming easier to stay in touch with one another and share our thoughts.

On the flip side, social media sites/apps have opened door to a host of problems that never existed before. Social media literally invites us to step beyond the boundaries of privacy and share the highlights, and even mundane details of our daily lives. Somehow it's understandable because (again, as social creatures) everyone enjoys positive feedback every now and then, and with Facebook and Path, we can get exactly that. I realised, today everybody is not only post about a status update about getting a new haircut or their visit to the dentist, but that most updates are about innocent blasts of personal information.

When posting updates, it can feel it's only about you and your mobile phone. But generally, we're writing or drawing something in a big wall in public area. Passerby can ignore but some of them just stop and choose to read it. Sure thing is the problem will arise when an interested regular passerby puts pieces together and start to assume things.

According to this journal, your audience is 4 times larger that you think [link]. "Posting to a social network site is like speaking to an audience from behind a curtain. The audience remains invisible to the user. While the invitation list is known, the final attendance is not."

So remember this simple rule: It's a status, not diary or ears to hear. Your private life is your private life and you keep it to yourself.

♥, Me.

Photo credit: Say Hello Photography [link].