5 Helpful Resources For Navigating Social Media
In our hyper-connected digital era, it's difficult not to be involved with social media in some way. That's why it's more important than ever that we be conscious of how we're using the Internet, and that we understand its effects on our lives and on society at large. Fortunately, the resources listed here, valuable for both individuals and businesses, can provide such help in navigating this tricky virtual landscape. This video was made with Ezvid Wikimaker.
5 Valuable Resources for Improving Your Social Media Experience
| Name | Highlights |
|---|---|
| Yonder | Combats disinformation by providing cultural context for online materials, working to preserve brand integrity and better handle the role of virtual groups |
| The Social Media Lab | Uses research, training, and services to advance public understanding of the positive and negative aspects of social media |
| iSociology | Features the writing of Dhiraj Murthy, an academic who specializes in the study of social media, digital research methods, and race and ethnicity |
| Cortex | Employs artificial intelligence to streamline and optimize content creation and social media marketing, helping organizations grow their brands |
| Paul Gillin Communications | Assists organizations in using social media tools and strategies, offering access to educational seminars and training programs |
The Right Way to Use Social Media
Most Popular Digital Social Networks Worldwide
| Platform | Monthly Active Users |
|---|---|
| 2,230,000,000 | |
| YouTube | 1,900,000,000 |
| 1,000,000,000 | |
| Qzone | 563,000,000 |
| 376,000,000 | |
| 336,000,000 | |
| 330,000,000 | |
| 200,000,000 | |
| Ask.fm | 160,000,000 |
| Tumblr | 115,000,000 |
A Twitter History
In Depth
The twenty-first century has seen an explosion in the number and popularity of different social media networks. Now more than ever, the virtual terrain is a complex place to navigate successfully, for individuals and businesses alike. Accompanying this increase in social websites and accounts is an equally large field of tools and experts dedicated to helping demystify the Internet and all that it offers. If you are interested in learning more about this topic, then here are, in no particular order, five useful resources to improve your online experience.
Coming in at #1 is Yonder. Established in 2017 and based in Austin, this software company confronts the tricky topic of disinformation by providing cultural context to materials found online. Founded by a team of experts on issues ranging from machine learning to counter terrorism, Yonder partners with brands to help them forge authentic connections with their customers.
Taking a proactive approach, Yonder, formerly named New Knowledge, believes that working to understand a controversy is generally better than having to recover from one. To accomplish this, Yonder offers services that detect, monitor, and mitigate what are called "influence operations," in an effort to preserve brand integrity and better handle the role of Internet factions, which drive online conversation.
Taking a proactive approach, Yonder, formerly named New Knowledge, believes that working to understand a controversy is generally better than having to recover from one.
In the #2 spot is the Social Media Lab, housed within the Ted Rogers School of Management at Ryerson University in downtown Toronto. A multi- and interdisciplinary organization, it works to increase public understanding of the positives and negatives of social media adoption through a combination of research, training, and service. A leader in its field, it was established in 2010 by Dr. Anatoliy Gruzd and Philip Mai.
Composed of research associates, students, and visiting scholars, the Social Media Lab runs numerous research initiatives in areas such as academia, information privacy, and online communities. The Lab also has developed user-friendly apps and tools for students, educators, and researchers around the world. Each year, it convenes the International Conference on Social Media and Society; past conferences have covered online virality and big data.
At #3 is iSociology, the website of Dhiraj Murthy. An academic and a professor of journalism and sociology, Murthy specializes in the study of a number of topics, including social media, digital research methods, and race and ethnicity. As of 2019, he teaches at the University of Texas at Austin, where he founded and directs the Computational Media Lab.
An academic and a professor of journalism and sociology, Murthy specializes in the study of a number of topics, including social media, digital research methods, and race and ethnicity.
A frequent writer, Murthy has penned numerous articles and has edited special issues published by "American Behavioral Scientist" and "International Journal of Organisational Design and Engineering." His book "Twitter: Social Communication in the Twitter Age" was the first scholarly study on the platform, about which Murthy often researches and writes. He also makes occasional posts on topics such as social media activism and gives talks, having spoken at Occidental College and the University of Cambridge.
Coming in at #4 is Cortex. Based in Boston, this company helps organizations build their brands. With a platform powered by artificial intelligence, Cortex streamlines and optimizes content creation and social media marketing. In the past, it has done work for well-known brands such as Anastasia Beverly Hills, Heineken, and Toyota.
Cortex offers a variety of services to its clients, each designed to improve customer engagement. A content audit evaluates how a brand's messaging and styling connects with its audience, while visual vocabulary identifies the language of emerging trends. On the social media front, Cortex provides actionable insights derived from millions of data points. The company also runs its own blog, with posts on topics ranging from brand storytelling to artificial intelligence.
A content audit evaluates how a brand's messaging and styling connects with its audience, while visual vocabulary identifies the language of emerging trends.
Last but not least, at #5 is Paul Gillin Communications. Run by Paul Gillin, a speaker, writer, and marketing strategist, this service helps organizations navigate the tools and tactics of social media. With over a decade of online-focused experience, its founder offers groups and individuals strategic counsel and access to a number of educational seminars and training programs.
Gillin worked in traditional media for fifteen years before establishing himself as an authority on social media. His past books include "Attack of the Customers" and "The New Influencers," which has its own companion website. Additionally, he has written hundreds of articles on topics like cloud security and culture change at companies. He also gives speeches and presentations, having delivered more than 130 since 2006 to such clients as Volvo and The Walt Disney Company.
