Journal 7: Jing Onscreen Video Project

For my Jing onscreen video project, I have chosen to create an instructional video for Scrapblog (http://www.scrapblog.com/). I found the website on www.go2web20.net in the fall of 2010, when I was taking ENG 204 with Ms. Cosgrove.

Scrapblog is a Web 2.0 site that allows users to create online, digital scrapbooks for free. The tagline for the website is: “Create a world for your pictures.” As an avid real-world scrapbooker, I was hooked the moment I created my first Scrapblog digital scrapbook. Using Scrapblog, a scrapbook addict like me can save hundreds of dollars every year by using free digital scrapbook supplies provided by the site.

As to why such a video would be useful, it would help many enthusiastic but less-than-technologically-savvy Scrapblog users to enjoy an exciting feature of the site. Since the site targets a demographic similar to traditional print scrapbookers, a significant portion of the site’s users do not know how to utilize all of Scrapblog’s many features.  That doesn’t mean they don’t appreciate the tools that the site provides, just that they may need some help utilizing those features to their full potential.

What attracted me to Scrapblog, even more than its convenience and money-saving potential, was its ties with Facebook and other social networking sites. This is where my onscreen video project comes in: I would like to create a video tutorial explaining how a Scrapblog album can be shared on Facebook. I feel confident that I am familiar enough with both Scrapblog and Facebook that I will be able to successfully create an easy-to-follow onscreen instructional video.

There are also methods for sharing Scrapblog albums on a blog as well as with a specific e-mail correspondent, but I think that all three options would require a longer video than the assignment requires. Thus, I will go through the process of sharing one of my Scrapblog digital scrapbooks with my Facebook page in my video. Of course, I will try to make the process as entertaining as possible with my signature witticisms and lighthearted banter (yes, one can banter with a computer).

Oh, and I won’t complain about having an excuse to create a new Scrapblog digital scrapbook, either.

Renee Boettner

Journal 6: 13 Best Practices for Restaurants on Facebook

The Mashable article, “13 Best Practices for Restaurants on Facebook” was a very interesting read. Since I have a Facebook account for my jewelry business, Tutterfly Designs, I found the article very applicable. Though it is about restaurant pages on Facebook, the concepts addressed are concerns with any business Facebook page.

One of the Facebook pages that I frequent most often and model my business’s page after is Fire Mountain Gems & Beads. They are an online jewelry supply wholesaler. One of my favorite things about Fire Mountain Gems & Beads is their commitment to customer service. Before they had a Facebook page, they were known in the jewelry community for their excellent telephone customer service. Now that they have moved into the social networking era, I am impressed at their ability to be just as personal online as they are by phone.

For my own business Facebook page, I already employ several of the practices listed in the article. I think the second practice listed, “you must respond,”  is the most important. Every time someone “likes” the Tutterfly Designs page, I write a personal message on his or her Wall, thanking them for their interest. This kind of personal attention has helped Tutterfly Designs gain a reputation as a customer-oriented enterprise. Also, adding a link to the Tutterfly Designs page in every thank-you post exposes the link to an ever-broadening audience. This method is the online equivalent word-of-mouth advertising.

I also employ practices three, “educate your fans,” and five, “don’t just sell — be interesting,” occasionally. However, the article’s arguments for these two inter-related practices are so strong that I have decided to implement them on my page. Posting informational items that are not directly self-serving is a great way to share what I love with my fans, and to earn the trust of my customers. It also reinforces my credibility as a knowledgeable member of the jewelry community. Not to mention, it’s a fun way to start conversation among fans, which makes the page feel personal and interactive. And interactivity is valued highly by a modern audience.

The article provided helpful suggestions, presented in an engaging format. The inclusion of photos in the text was a stylistic choice that added to the overall effectiveness of the article, rather than distracting from the main point. If I was grading this Mashable article as a teacher, it would definitely get an A!

Renee Boettner