Introduction
Social media is the most common technological trend of today. Its usage has been overwhelming across different sectors of the economy. This platform has gained entry in sectors like education, health, security, and business (Lepi, 2014). There exist varied social media platforms through which people can interact.
Some of the common sites include Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, Flickr, and Pinterest. Different firms use social media to make their services and products known to the public. The marketing department is at the forefront of utilizing social media in attracting customers and retaining the ones it has already acquired.
The Business Perspective
From a business perspective, social media platforms are good environments for businesses to meet new partners in the process of advertising their products and services. This has been possible with the high rate at which businesses have been taking their services and products online in order to expand their market presence.
In addition, the platform has reduced the cost of acquiring information about products that most businesses deal in given the comparably low cost of accessing the internet to making physical visits, as well as the possibility of accessing the sites from any location (Lepi, 2014). Twitter as a social network platform has been useful in keeping people updated on incidences that occur. Clearly, social media help one to know the existence of products and services from organizations at a cheaper cost than actual visits to corporate premises.
Educational Point of View
Markedly, before getting into classrooms, students have to go through the admission process. Social media, therefore, has been a significant tool in the educational system of the 21st century. Facebook as another example has three key categories of accounts: profiles, groups, and pages. At the same time, social media has helped educational institutions to communicate effectively to students. An example is evident in Professor Michael Menchaca of the University of Hawaii.
He instructs his learners to create 15-seconds videos on the popular site Instagram to ease familiarisation among themselves (Friedman, 2014). Besides, Professor Menchaca encourages the use of Google Hangouts and Twitter for sharing of classroom materials and discussing classroom projects. From this case example, it is clear that social media has brought numerous progress in the online learning system. Students are able to connect easily with their parents and the community, as well as develop professionally as elaborated in this case.
Social Media at Cape Breton University, Canada
Learning institutions like Cape Breton University (CBU) can use the site to promote significant events, announce it’s opening and closure dates, and provide vital information in order to influence new students to study different programs in the institution. In creating different Facebook pages, the institution intends to capture the interests of all students, as well as those in the Basket Ball Team – GO, Capers. Social media has enhanced the creation of awareness among key stakeholders at the CBU in Canada.
In addition, the institution has given procedures to follow when delivering messages through different platforms. The sender has to define his/her goals clearly and directly. In the second stage, the sender has to identify the audience to whom the message is targeting. Lastly, there is the creation of a content strategy.
This stage is vital as it helps the sender to create important information to pass to the targeted group. In using the CBU’s social media pages on Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook, students have to be respectful by using polite languages. Additionally, the students have to be careful not to share their personal information and any other information they consider private.
At the same time, the institution invites parents and students around the Island to an evening event so that they can develop strong connections with the institution (CBU Welcomes Future Students for University 101, 2012). During the event, parents and students can interact with all faculties in the institution. Other key areas include acquainting parents with the institution’s admission procedures, student life, and campus language.
References
CBU Welcomes Future Students for University 101. (2012). Web
Friedman, J. (2014). Social Media Gains Momentum in Online Education. Web.
Lepi, K. (2014). How To Use Social Media In Education (Part 2 of 2). Web.