Social Media Portal interview with Dr. Lynda M. Froebel

Social Media Portal profiled interview with graduate student Dr. Lynda M. Froebel

Social Media Portal (SMP): What do you do in your normal day-to-day job?

Lynda M. Froebel  (LMF): I?m a graduate student and my professional background is in US government contracting and international marketing.

SMP: Briefly, tell us about the research and dissertation that you recently finished?

LMF: The research I recently completed is titled ?Social Media as an Advertising Technique for Online Programs.?  This research looked at the various Social Media sites used by universities to advertise their online programs.

SMP: Why did you decide to write the dissertation on this subject matter and what does it address?

LMF: When I decided to further my education, I searched the internet for universities that offered online programs and did not find any one particular source.  This led me to wonder what types of online advertising were being used by universities to let potential students know about their programs.  Since the gain in popularity of social media I decided to research how universities are using it for advertising purposes.

SMP: What markets and/or industries did you focus upon and why?  

LMF: The industry focus was on educational institutions and online programs.  Education is important for everyone, young or old, and information about the programs that are available should be readily available.

SMP: When did you start the research and when did it finish?  

LMF: My research began in April, 2012 and was completed in June, 2012.

SMP: Who are your target audience for the dissertation and why (and why would it be of use to them)?  

LMF: The target audience is any potential student or current student seeking information on online programs for educational purposes.  This dissertation results are because it tells people where to find information about universities and the programs available.  The information on social media sites is not just that provided by the educational institution, but opinions and experiences of current and previous students.

SMP: How has online advertising changed and what sort of impact has social media had upon advertising channels?

LMF: Online advertising has evolved from simple banner advertising or pop ads to more use of Social Media where customers can provide real life experiences with products or services.  Customers can post videos on YouTube or start blog posts about a particular product or service they are passionate about.  The impact of consumers having access to actual customer experiences is very important - companies can no longer control what is said about their products or services through the media.

SMP What are the main social media advertising channels and why?

LMF: In my research I found the main social media channels used by universities are Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.  This coincides with previous research showing these three Social Media platforms are the most popular.

SMP: What are the low moments of what you have been doing so far (and in regards to the dissertation)?  

LMF: The low moments were, of course, when things didn?t go smoothly or as quickly as I wanted them to.  

SMP: What are the high moments of what you have been doing so far (and regards to the dissertation)?  

LMF: The high moments are when you reach the milestones in the program such as completing a chapter (the dissertation consisted of five chapters), data collection, or analysing the results of the data collected and finally seeing the end result of the months of hard work.    

SMP: What were the biggest challenges and opportunities regarding the dissertation?  

LMF: One of the biggest challenges was time management.  I am a single parent working full-time so juggling work and family with the demands of school is always a challenge.  I believe the opportunities will be endless.  Now that I have achieved my Doctoral degree I am seeking a career in online teaching and research.  It is also a great feeling to have reached this level of education.

SMP: What?s going to be the most interesting aspect regarding social media / technology throughout 2012 and into 2013 (and for advertising)?

LMF: In my opinion, the most interesting aspect of social media/technology will be if it maintains its current popularity and continues to grow. Another interesting aspect will be new platforms being developed in the social media realm.  If popularity holds more companies will utilize it as an advertising medium.  

SMP: What are your top five predictions for social media advertising throughout 2012 and into 2013?

LMF replies with:

• Use of social media advertising will continue to grow as long as popularity continues to increase.  Wherever the consumer is, that is where businesses will be advertising.
  
  
• New social media platforms will continue to be developed.  Everyone wants a piece of the social media craze especially if they can tap into the most popular one, Facebook.
   
  
• More mobile apps will be developed for social media users.  The easier it is to access and use social media the more its popularity will increase.
  
  
• Businesses will pay more attention to content placed on social media.  Concern about keeping a positive image in front of the consumer is a priority for most business.  Therefore monitoring content on social media sites is important.
  
  
• ROI of social media advertising will become a focus for business.  ROI for social media is difficult to measure.  Many businesses hesitate to invest in social media because firm numbers are hard to obtain in this type of advertising.  If the finance and marketing departments can see the advantages of social media advertising in dollars and cents, more companies would use it.

SMP: What are your top five social media tips for organisations considering advertising?

LMF replies with:

• An obvious tip for organizations considering advertising via social media is to do your homework.  Whichever social media site you are considering using for advertising study, look at it over several weeks to see what type of content is posted and how often.
  
  
• Another tip would be change the content of the site often.  This keeps readers or consumers coming back often to learn the latest about the product or service.
  
  
• Make the social media page easy to navigate and easy to post comments/opinions.  If consumers have positive things to say they need to be able to post them.
  
  
• On the flip side, the social media site should be monitored often to remove any negative or hostile comments that may be posted by disgruntled consumers.
  
  
• Be sure to include the option for consumers to share whatever is posted on the site with friends, family and acquaintances to take full advantage of word-of-mouth marketing opportunities.

SMP: Where interested parties read or download your dissertation?  

LMF: The dissertation can be accessed in the Argosy University library or the Library of Congress.  Interested parties can also contact me via e-mail for a copy.

SMP: Is there anything else we should know, or is there anything that you?d like to share?

LMF: I would like to encourage any company or individual that does not advertise via social media to do so.  It is a very inexpensive and convenient way to advertise products and share knowledge.

SMP: Best way to contact you and to let people know about the dissertation?  

LMF: I can be contacted me on LinkedIn, Twitter and via e-mail lmf9184 @ yahoo.com or on my cell phone.


SMP: What did you have for breakfast / lunch?  

LMF: Muffins and fruit.

SMP: What?s the last good thing that you did for someone?  

LMF: Cleaned their house.

SMP: How many hours to you work a week?  

LMF: I generally work 40 ? 50 hours per week.

SMP: If you weren?t working at your current organisation what would you be doing?  

LMF: I would be doing research full time on social media and a variety of other topics.  I enjoy learning immensely.

SMP: When and where did you go on your last holiday?  

LMF: My last holiday was a visit to see my daughter who lives in California.

SMP: What?s the first thing you do when you get into the office of a morning? 

LMF: The first thing I do when I arrive at the office is get a cup of coffee and start prioritising e-mails.

SMP: The best online advertisement that you?ve seen?

LMF: One particular advertisement does not stick in my mind; however, I think the most interesting ones that I have seen were on YouTube.

SMP: If you had a superpower what would it be and why?  

LMF: If I could have a superpower I think I would like to have the ability to know what other people are thinking.

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