Week 2 Part B - Business Research

 DRAX Social

https://draxsocial.com

    DRAX Social is a short-form video strategy and production service. Their headquarters moved from Las Angeles to Las Vegas and they organize shoots nationally. They are a small business that’s been growing rapidly. Their social media platforms are found easily at the bottom of their website and are currently using Facebook, Instagram, X, TiikTok, and YouTube. 

·      They don’t appear to be consistent on platform X, with their last post being June 28, 2024. This appears to the personal page of the CEO of the company and has 3,315 followers.

·      Their Facebook page has 3,100 followers and appears to have daily posts. The last one was posted on January 30 (yesterday). 

·      Their Instagram account has 7,792 followers and appears to post daily. The last post was published on January 30 (yesterday)

·      Their TikTok has 439 followers and appears to have a bit of an inconsistent posting schedule but still multiple times per week. Their last post was published on January 29, 2025.

·      Their YouTube channel is also linked to the CEO’s personal YouTube channel, which has 1.42 million followers. This channel appears to have aa daily posting schedule as well with the last one being posted yesterday.

They do a good job at leveraging their social media platforms to share social media tips and hacks. They do a great job at interacting with their followers and creating content that answers the questions their followers ask. They do well with staying relevant and consistent on all of their platforms except X. As a social media agency; I’d say that they have a pretty good strategy they follow and create content that is relevant, new, and informative.

 

Alphalete Athletics

https://alphaleteathletics.com/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=google_search_brand_us-14415485172&utm_content=125215249094&utm_term=kwd-302354506553&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAACWHViBtZX2iLcDArKDKYqxZTlsxt&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIrs2W64ChiwMV99bCBB0GKQ_TEAAYASAAEgIJ2PD_BwE

                  

    Alphalete Athletics is an athletic clothing brand company located in Houston, Texas. They are a medium-sized company that went international only a few years ago. Their social media platforms are found easily on their About Me page at the bottom and are currently using Instagram, X, Facebook, and YouTube.

·      Their Instagram account has 1.3 million followers and appears to be posted on almost every day. Their last post was two days ago.

·      Their X account has 62.4 thousand followers and appears to be inconsistent with their last post being published on September 7, 2024.

·      Their Facebook page has 100k followers and appears to have a relatively consistent posting schedule with their last post being published on January 28, 2025. They appear to post every few days.

·      Their YouTube channel has 79k and doesn’t appear to be consistent with posting. Their last post looks to be published about 6 months ago.

They do a great job at leveraging social media for brand awareness, especially with the amount of influencers with huge followings they work with. I noticed they do an ok job with their communication with their followers, I feel they could do better but seeing as they are a pretty large brand yet still medium, I’m assuming they don’t prioritize responding and focus more on the quality of their clothing. 

 

Hootsuite

https://www.hootsuite.com/?srsltid=AfmBOoqla_FrBjZMi5ubuGChCJfFlk--oxYkj97yttmsHncSIf0T-X9_

    Hootsuite is a social media and content management system that has integrations with the major social media platforms to help streamline and batch the posting process for businesses and professionals. They are an international brand that I would consider to be large in size. Their social media channels are easily found at the bottom of their main page. They are using Instagram, Facebook, X, YouTube, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and TikTok.

·      Their Instagram has 215k followers and has a daily posting strategy. Their last post was published only 10 hours ago.

·      Their Facebook page has 953k followers and has a daily posting strategy, with their most recent post being published only 10 hours ago.

·      Their X account has 7 million followers and appears to have a multiple times-a-day posting strategy. Their most recent tweet was published 4 hours ago.

·      Their YouTube channel has 60.5k followers and has an active posting schedule. They seem to post every few days on this platform, with their most recent post being from 3 days ago.

·      Their LinkedIn has 512k followers with a daily posting schedule. Their most recent post was from 4 hours ago.

·      Their Pinterest has 19.3k followers with a slow posting schedule. It looks like their most recent post was from 3 months ago. 

·      Their TikTok has 78.6k followers with a daily posting schedule. Their last post was published 4 hours ago,

I think they do a great job at leveraging all of their platforms and creating content that is both relevant and fun. I would assume this to be the case with them as they are a social media-focused company, so it’s great to see them put their system to use for themselves. They do a great job of communicating with their audience in a fun and friendly way, which is cool to see. Most companies stick to a professional-sounding communication style, but Hootsuite adds personality, character, and humor.

 

Dolls Kill

https://www.dollskill.com/?srsltid=AfmBOooWfPNjxFDaYW1zQGG_BKFpYgGO2DV4PvX39C0Atdu9Gbeq7vwx

    

    Dolls Kill is a clothing brand and boutique located in Los Angeles that delivers globally. They are a medium-sized company that has seen a lot of success over the last few years. Their social media channels are easily found at the bottom of their page, and they are currently only using Instagram and TikTok.

·      Their Instagram has 3.6 million followers and posts content multiple times per day. They posted 3 times today alone.

·      Their TikTok has 1.9 million followers and has an irregular posting schedule. They appear to post every few days.

I think they do a pretty good job at communicating with their followers and have a unique communication style that I would consider informal yet on-brand for them. I think they are using their channels properly but feel they are missing an opportunity by not being on Pinterest as that’s where many people go for their fashion inspiration.

 

Lil Sunshine Boutique

https://lilsunshineboutique.com

    Lil Sunshine Boutique is a fashion brand focused on festival attire, dresses, raveware, and jewelry that was created by an influencer. They are a small company located in Houston Texas that sells globally. Their social channels are easily found at the bottom of the page and are currently only using Instagram.

 

·      Their Instagram has 9,777 followers with an irregular posting schedule that appears to be every few days. The last post was published 4 days ago.

As a fashion brand, I feel they are missing a huge opportunity by not leveraging more social channels like TikTok and Pinterest, as those are both great platforms for fashion brands. Their communication style with their followers feels very warm and personal, which I think is great and matches the brand really well. 

 

After reviewing all of this information, I realized how important it is to be consistent on all the platforms you choose to use. I noticed the ones that posted more regularly had a higher following which leads me to believe their regular posting is a huge factor in growing pages. 

 

I noticed a few of the fashion brands weren’t utilizing Pinterest which I see as a missed opportunity. There are many people who use that platform for fashion inspiration, including myself. There are many companies promoting ads through Pinterest and I find it brilliant because when I’m scrolling, I can click the ad (if I like the item) and get sent directly to the website.

 

I also noticed that the companies that are considered medium to large, that respond to their followers in a more human and fun way, had more followers. Like Hootsuite, they have a solid marketing strategy and follow through, from consistent posting to personality and humor, to being relevant with their jokes, and their cross-promoting on almost all social media platforms.

 

This has opened my mind to the importance of both communication and consistency. I felt more connected to the companies who posted regularly than to the ones who didn’t, therefore I am inspired to create a strategy for myself that can mimic that. I believe if I can manage to become omnipresent in a consistent way, and manage to hone in on my communication style and ensure high response rates, I believe I will be able to grow quickly.

Wk2: Positive Comments

    There are two companies I really enjoy, so I decided to leave a review for them both. One is a well-known fast fashion company, Shein. I know I've heard both good and bad experiences with this company, but my personal experience has been great. For them, I chose to leave a review on Trustpilot. I decided to leave a positive review because I genuinely enjoy their options, prices, and ability to keep up with the fashion trends. Below is my review.

    The next company I chose was a recent Amazon purchase I made, a protein powder called Dymatize Elite 100% Whey in the flavor rich chocolate. I decided to give my feedback directly on their website but couldn't get a screenshot as the review is in review (haha that is funny to me). I did copy what I wrote though! I titled it "Love" and gave it 5 stars. Below is the review I left.

"I’ve been using this for a while now and absolutely love it. It’s hard to find high proteins that have good flavor and good texture. This isn’t chalky and the chocolate isn’t too crazy sweet! I’m an avid gym goer and determined to reach my goals which requires a certain amount of protein per day. This is the perfect addition to my daily meal plans to help ensure I reach my protein goals daily. Will be buying again!"

Week 2 Part A: Business & Consumers: Communication and Reviews

     Before I purchase anything, I have a habit of doing extensive research to ensure my money is well spent. The most important things I look for are the sizing guides (if it's clothing or shoes) and REVIEWS! Ooooh boy are the reviews important! The easiest way is always done on the website directly, but I've noticed some companies don't have that embedded (huge fail on their part), thankfully, social media has made it easier than ever to find reviews from people. It has been a game changer for businesses in both accountability AND brand awareness. As an avid social media user, I've found most of my favorite brands through platforms like Instagram. 

    Before the birth of influencers, we relied on written reviews by people who normally wouldn't post photos of themselves in the clothes or show them actually using the products. Now we get to see what they look like on real people who give their feedback on their likes AND dislikes. For companies, this makes it a lot easier to see who is really using their products and for customers to see how brands publicly handle negative feedback. In my opinion, when handled correctly, this can gain loyalty and respect for those brands on a much broader scale.

    Upon my research today for written reviews, I expected to see more negative comments but was surprised at the amount of positive AND helpful comments I read. Users can post on sites like Amazon (if purchased there), Reddit, or even review sites like Trustpilot. I'll use Reddit for the more unfiltered comments around the products/places, with the knowledge that it will be a community-based conversation rather than a review for the company to see and respond to. Trustpilot is great for seeing how companies handle their customer reviews; when they respond to all comments, both good and bad, I find myself respecting the brand more and even slightly influenced (says the influencer, haha) to try them out myself. However, I noticed some reviews that were a bit harsh and rather hateful, which I don't understand. But the majority of the comments were honest about their personal experience. For example, a negative review would be about how the shoe doesn't support their lack of arch, so it didn't work well for them. A positive example would be how they think the shoe is great for HIIT workouts but needed to size half a size down.

    Me though... I've never been one to leave a written review, whether good or bad. I do, however, leave reviews on my stories for my followers to see. When I do decide to share my opinion, I've noticed I tend to leave positive and honest reviews for the products I do like. If I don't like a product, I simply move on. But after reading in our assignment description, "your positive review can really help a small business grow," I realize I should expand my positivity through written, more PERMANENT means as I know I tend to rely more heavily on those when I'm looking to purchase, than Instagram stories. Those are fleeting anyway, and only visible to my followers and the company stories (if they respost) for 24 hours.

    When asked, "How would I respond to positive or negative comments?" I get stumped. Since I have a personal brand already, I've had to pivot on this strategy many times. But I love that I'm in a social media for BUSINESS class because now I'm challenging myself to see myself as that rather than just a person. I have always responded to positive comments with fun emojis and "thank you" (with a ton of happy emojis to follow hehe). I think I would continue that strategy even when I start selling products or services. I love companies with personality and aspire to be like them. 

Fun fact: X and Threads are the BEST places to follow brands/businesses for inspiration on how to be a company with personality - check out Gymshark on X, or Sour Patch on Threads. Example: On 1/19/25, Sour Patch posted a thread in response to TikTok being taken away saying, "tiktok really said sour, sweet gone." SO FUNNY! 

     My responses to negative comments have been my struggle. They have ranged from loving responses to no response to apologies to sarcasm. (at one point I started getting hurt by some of the things people would say to me, especially when they didn't know me at all). But after learning from this assignment, it has me thinking I should go back to my "pre-influencer" stage of responses, where I chose to respond with kindness and understanding. Since I'm not selling a product at the moment, I should continue to let my true self respond and not allow the negative and unnecessary comments to get to me. I would like to maintain the understanding that hurt people hurt people and are normally the ones who need love the most.

    When I move into more of a business, I feel I will want to keep the same integrity and kindness while ensuring the customer is heard and taken care of in a professional way. My mission in life has always been and always will be to spread love and understanding because the world needs it more today than ever before. Whether it's my name or the name of a company I create, I choose to be a company that responds with a human heart. 

Week1: Blogs I Commented On

I was unable to comment on anyone's actual blog, which has been frustrating, but I commented on their entry within Canvas. Below are the student's names and the comments I made. 

The first blog I posted on was for Jose Luna:

    "Hi Jose! I think you did a great job with your website, and I can tell you're a landscape architect by the pictures you chose! Also, congrats on this being your last semester! I bet that feels good. I can tell you like it simple and did a great way of expressing that on your page. Love it. I look forward to this class with you this semester."

Next was for Michelle Winkle:

    "Hi Michelle! I tried commenting on your blog but for some reason, my blogger won't allow me to post. I absolutely lvoe your page and how you designed it! The art colors are so beautiful and it's very clean and easy to read. Also, the personal drawing from your children fits perfectly with the theme. It is also a very good piece of art that I genuinely thought was a real painting; it's very abstract. Also, I can't help but notice you and Matthew have the same last name so I'm curious if that is the husband you were talking about in your blog. If so, it's really cool that you guys share a class together. Excited to share this class with you!"

The last was for Matthew Winkle:

    "Hi Matthew! I love the simplicity and readability of the website design you chose! I think you did a pretty good job replicating Apple's vibe. I am the same way, something about their aesthetic is so satisfying. I also see that you and your wife are in the same class and I think that's so cool! I look forward to this semester with you both!"

Week1 B: Social Media Use Today

        `My thoughts on social media use are very wide-ranging as that is how I make my living. I am a social media manager and content creator for companies and help them gain brand awareness by keeping up with trends remaking those trends for my clients, and making them relevant to their products. So naturally, I am a big fan of how social media has created jobs for creatives such as myself. 

    My most used platform has got to be Instagram, it was the first platform where I gained a massive following and the beginning of me making money from my own creative concepts, and also allowed me to work with companies who saw my skill in growing accounts. 

    I do, however, use all platforms and enjoy the different uses of each. Snapchat is unfiltered, more of a day-to-day and direct social sharing platform. Same with TikTok. YouTube is great for knowledge sharing or dance tutorials. Pinterest is great for aesthetic and design inspiration. I have a different use for each so the algorithms stay in alignment with my tastes in each area of interest.

    On the flip side, I think there is a level of toxicity in the use of social media. For those who use it personally, I've noticed they tend to fall into comparing themselves to others' lives. If they are content creators who put themselves out there, like myself, there can be a level of hate spread on their pages by strangers that can really mess with someone's mental health.

    If the dark side of the online world can be controlled internally and mentally blocked out by personal users, then I think social media is a great tool for businesses AND personal use. I have been able to meet people I could only imagine meeting before, all simply by posting and reaching out. Once I controlled the way the troll's words were harming my mental, I was able to see the true power of the platforms. 

Week 1A: My Blog Theme Choice

   I was surprised to see that the first assignment for our social media for business course was to create a blog post. I was nervous at first, but then I read the depth to which we were going to go and got excited. Lately, I've been obsessed with the colors blue and orange and the way they work together, so I knew those colors would be the branded colors for this post. I was also aware that I wanted an interesting picture in the back to be visible. Once I had the vision, that's when I began to create.

    I chose this template because I'm a fan of darker, more moody images and knew I had to have a transparent text box. Once I started playing around with the features, I found the option to either scroll or not scroll with the background and chose not to scroll because, to me, that's sexy (hehe). Then, I moved on to the fun part.

    THE BACKGROUND -yummy. I am in love with music and all things creative and just KNEW I had to find a way to showcase that, but I couldn't find anything suitable enough within the stock options, so naturally I turned to ChatGPT. I told it what I wanted: to include an artistic image that incorporated creativity, music, and a sense of intelligence, and BAM, the perfect background... well... after giving it a few notes and letting it try again and again... and again. haha. Ok, so maybe AI had to try 9 times, but when I have a vision, I become determined.

    Now that the background had been tested a few times to see which one I liked best, I moved on to the blog title. Orange was the only option because, as I mentioned, orange and blue together are just so satisfying. However, the way the title sat at the top and the default font wasn't working for me. I made it just small enough to fit onto one line and chose Georgia as the text style. I only saw three options, but Georgia was the prettiest to me, so here we are.

    The hardest part was figuring out how I wanted to write my blog. There are so many options! Do I want to sound like a researcher? Do I want to sound professional? No, I want to tell it in story form with a LOT of personality. As I was writing this post, I realized I couldn't publish without changing this style to Georgia, too. There are many more options here but I decided to stick with this font simply because I enjoy cohesion. 

    I would have to say I thoroughly enjoyed this project and the creativity it inspired. I used to want to be a writer, so this brings up memories from my youth when I used to work on my own novels. I never published them, but this project has inspired me to pick it back up and see where it goes.