Week 2 Part 1

        Social media has many platforms. Some I think are geared towards just business, some are more personal and others combine both quit smoothly. Things have changed drastically since aol.com and myspace days, and continue to change and grow every single day. 

       Good ol' Snap Chat, what almost disappeared has seem to make a comeback. When snap chat first came out it seemed like it was more of a "sexting" app. You could have personal conversations and have the proof erased with ease, so whether you were doing something naughty or that you didn't want to get caught doing, Snap Chat was the place for you. Fast forward and you see it being used by moms, dads, teens and everyone in between. The snapchat dog face gets saved and used on Instagram and other social media platforms because it seems people cant get enough of these filters. BUT SnapChat has also found its own way to incorporate businesses and sales on the main page by giving you stories to companies or people who I imagine pay to be on their. By no means do I think this is the best place for businesses though, more so 'influencers' and a fun place for people to play around and showcase their everyday actions (with cute filters).

      Facebook seems to rollercoaster up and down as well. It started out very friends and family and has expanded to very sponsored, ads every few seconds when scrolling. The 'like' button took us from just liking friends pictures to businesses and movies and hobbies. Connecting people with common interests, but more importantly connecting businesses with people who have a common interest in something THEY sell. It can come off quit creepy how something you have been looking up or thinking about buying now comes up in your feed. But thats because Facebook is on top of the business game. For me personally, its annoying and I don't spend much time on FB because of the obnoxious ads.

      Personally, Instagram is my favorite and the combine business and personal very smoothly. You can easily pick and choose what you see and who you follow, you can block ads that bug you and its just pictures- unless you decide to read captions of course. I love the simplicity. I also love the fact that you can run a business page from Instagram and see instant analytics. You get the opportunity to connect with your customers and potential customers. You get to utilize word of mouth and correct any issues fast with the feedback. I feel like Instagram has helped take the "fake-ness" that many companies used to sell goods before. 

      Pinterest is another platform that lets personal users use it but it wouldn't really be there with business being the main reason its there. People can scroll, get ideas and learn new DIY trick, BUT behind ever pin is someone selling something. Selling themselves as a brand, selling something they personally make or sell OR linking products they used so they can benefit and make money through an affiliated link.  Pinterest is a great tool for personal business owners and for the person cooking or redecorating. The ads are hid in the pins and it flows very well. Big Pinterest fan over here, and honestly need to start utilizing it more for my own business.