Whether using it for business purposes, personal reasons, or out of sheer boredom, Digital Media has become an intricate part of our daily lives. I use digital media to stay connected with my family and friends, keep up with the latest news stories locally and nationally, and to maintain daily operation of my business. In a brief Q&A, I want to give you a peek into my thoughts concerning the state of digital media.
Q: What sites and/or applications do you visit most often? Describe the sites and applications that you identify.
I use Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube in a healthy mix of personal entertainment and business-related activities. With Facebook, I alternate between communicating with friends and family, and sharing the latest activity with my business. I use Instagram mostly for business purposes. A good portion of my income comes from marketing myself on Instagram through content creation, collaboration with brands, and interaction with my audience. Pinterest is my go-to when I need creative inspiration for content. I use YouTube for personal entertainment and to watch tutorials to help build my skills.
Q: Do you have positive or negative reactions when using certain types of digital media?
I feel like my reactions are based upon what I’m looking for. I don’t think that people don’t intentionally seek out things that cause a negative reaction, but rather it kind of just happens. At the height of the pandemic, there was a notable rise in what is known as “doomscrolling”. It felt like no matter what platform you used, coming across some bad news was practically unavoidable.
In an interview with WWLP News 22, Sharry L. Woods, Licensed Clinical Social Worker for the State of Connecticut stated:
“Reading anything that doesn’t have to do with you can just be a way of distracting yourself from your own real emotions. In terms of reading bad news, it’s a form of entertainment that people can sometimes relate to which can ultimately attract you to read more. The more time you spend on it, the more impact it has on your life” (Woods, 2020).
I think ultimately monitoring what we choose to view on social media may be a great start to lessen the negative impacts that it can sometimes inflict on us.
Q: Do you find that your needs are satisfied using one type of digital media over another?
Despite its endless (and sometimes annoying) updates, I still feel that Instagram satisfies my business and personal needs over all other platforms. As stated earlier, a sizeable chunk of my audience derives from Instagram and I feel that adjusting my content to suit the ever-changing platform, while time consuming, is necessary to maintain relevance with my audience and target market.
Q: Do you receive emails from companies? If so, what types of email catch your attention? What do you look for?
Most emails that I receive are for collaboration opportunities with brands and vendors. The emails that catch my attention the most are the ones that took the time to check out my platform and offer me opportunities that relate to that the most. In emails I check for correct grammar, whether the deliverables match the price that they are trying to offer me, and if they are willing to negotiate if they can’t meet my rates that I suggested for the deliverables.
Q: What do you notice about the use of digital media in marketing today? Explain.
As it relates to Marketing, Digital Media is constantly evolving and shaping the way we view the world today. While most businesses have embraced the digital media platform, there are still those outliers that want to hold on to the old regime of traditional media and marketing. While that isn’t necessarily a problem, consumers are less likely to engage with businesses that don’t have any sort of digital footprint, even if that is something as simple as a website.
References:
Woods, S. (2021). Digital First: Effects of social media addiction, “doomscrolling”. Retrieved 29 October 2021, from https://www.wwlp.com/news/digital-first/digital-first-effects-of-social-media-addiction-doomscrolling/.