SOCIAL MEDIA

High Point Furniture Market: Interview with Sheilah MacSporran

May 1, 2012 by Katie Williamsen 1 Comment

Another High Point Furniture Market has come and gone and your next chance to visit is not until October. If you are wondering where to get your interior design fix until then, look no further than the online interior design mood board creator, Olioboard. At the market I met the wonderful co-founder and CEO of Olioboard, Sheilah MacSporran.

About Sheilah
Sheilah and her partner, Cole Mackin, live in Vancouver, Canada. Together, they also run a successful web design business called Keele UX. After creating successful websites and mobile apps, they wanted the chance to create something for themselves.

About Olioboard
Olioboard was conceptualized in late 2008 and launched in June 2010. Users have created their own digital interior design mood boards. Users browse a product library of over 150,000 products, including West Elm, Crate and Barrel, CB2, Ralph Lauren, and more. Select any item, drag it onto your mood board and create a 3-D space. Users are also able to shop for all products used in their mood boards.

Where did the idea for Olioboard come from?
I love interior design just as much as I love web design. This lets me combine both of my loves. I wanted to create a site I would enjoy and have fun with. We created a project I really enjoy and others like it as well! I’ve already designed my ideal home ten times over.

Who is using Olioboard?
Design enthusiasts love Olioboard. It is a great tool for people who just bought home and want to design the interior. It is easy to do that on Olioboard and no need to commit until you are happy. There is also a large community of professionals who use it to conceptualize, work with budgets and present the end idea to the client.

How many are currently using Olioboard?
Currently, there are over 65,000 users. We gained a lot of new users when Olioboard appeared on the Today Show and the Nate Berkus Show. I had an interview on the Nate Berkus show in New York. It was my first time on TV, it was very exciting! Nate was so sweet and made it a nice easy process. After the show launched, the users started piling in.

Olioboard is open to anyone. Just create a username and password and begin to design your dream home. If you are an interior designer, there is also a Pro plan for a small monthly fee.

Connect with Shielah via Twitter @olioboard.

Filed Under: HIGH POINT FURNITURE MARKET, LIFESTYLE, OLIOBOARD, SOCIAL MEDIA, TECHNOLOGY Tagged With: High Point Market, Interior design, Mood board, Olioboard, Sheilah MacSporran

High Point Furniture Market: Interview with Jaime Derringer

April 25, 2012 by Katie Williamsen 17 Comments

High Point Furniture Market takes place twice a year, in April and October. On Saturday, I had the pleasure of attending my first market and had the opportunity to interview bloggers and editors covering the market.

When I found out Jaime Derringer of the wildly popular Design Milk was attending market, I knew I wanted to get in touch with her. She took time out of her busy schedule to talk to me about her blog and her first experience at market.

About Jaime
Before Jaime began blogging, she worked as a project manager in marketing, advertising and publishing for medical and pharmaceutical companies. In 2006, when she and her husband moved into a townhouse in suburban New Jersey, she discovered blogs and her passion for design.

About Design Milk
Design Milk is a blog dedicated to modern design and boasts a global audience. It focuses on art, architecture, interior design, furniture and décor, fashion and technology.

How did you start Design Milk?
In 2006, I had a job with a lot of down time and was online a lot, looking for furniture for our new home. I discovered design blogs around the same time and used my own blog to catalogue items I was finding for my home. Then I started to find other cool things and began posting about them. More and more people started to read it and people liked the things I was posting about. I did it part time for three years as I worked full time, then I quit my job to follow my dreams. Design Milk is my passion, 110 percent. I wake up everyday happy I’m doing it.

What do you like about High Point Market?
Market is different than what I normally write about on the blog. I try to spot trends and new design innovations that are accessible to everyone when shopping for their home. The products at market are what we deal with everyday.

How do you use social media?
Social media is the single best thing I have ever done for my blog. Not only does it drive tons of traffic to the site, but it allows readers to easily access the content and pick and choose what they want to read so they do not have to be bombarded with their RSS feed. Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest are valuable tools. They can be a challenge to manage, but at the end of the day those are the best tools I’ve ever had for my blog, bring readers in and keep them interested.

Look for Jaime’s market posts on Design Milk, complete with video in the next few weeks. You can connect with Jaime on Twitter @designmilk.

Filed Under: HIGH POINT FURNITURE MARKET, LIFESTYLE, SOCIAL MEDIA, TECHNOLOGY Tagged With: Design Milk, High Point Market, Interior design, Jamie Derringer, Social Media

High Point Furniture Market: Interview with Roxy Owens

April 23, 2012 by Katie Williamsen 2 Comments

High Point Furniture Market takes place twice a year, in April and October. On Saturday, I had the pleasure of attending my first market. I had the opportunity to interview bloggers and editors attending the market.

I sat down with Roxy Owens, founder and designer for Society Social, and the writer behind the delightful blog, My Cup of Te.

About Roxy
Roxy grew up in a small North Carolina town, just an hour away from High Point, and received her undergraduate degree in marketing from North Carolina State University. Roxy made the move to the Big Apple to pursue an MA in marketing from Parson The New School for Design. She started off in the fashion world, working at fashion week and interning with Donna Karan. After graduation she became a buyer for Belk. When the economy started to fail, she found herself stuck in an office crunching numbers and not feeling creatively fulfilled, and so her blog My Cup of Te was born.

About Society Social
Society Social boasts a line of fun, festive cocktail carts, tables and chairs and accessories introduced in summer of 2011. You can visit Society Social at High Point Market hosted by Acacia Home & Garden, IHFC, Wrenn Wing #346.

How did you enter the blogging world?
I’m one of those crazy, idealistic people, if I’m not happy, I’m not going to do it. I quit my job, I was unemployed for a year. I was happier, I was poor, but happier. During that time I started my blog. I really felt like my blog brought me back to who I was. I read other blogs like Design*Sponge and other interior design blogs and Rue came out and I knew, this is what excites me.

What is the focus of your blog?
My Cup of Te chronicles my personal journey. I blogged about the whole process of starting Society Social. I think that is what helps sets the brand apart. People want a personal connection.

Where did the idea for Society Social come from?
As I read interior design blogs, I saw a gap in the market for fun designer bar pieces at a price point people in their twenties can afford. Personally, I love to entertain and hangout with family and friends. The bar cart is where it all started.

How do you use social media for your blog and business?
I am a huge advocate of social media, which stems from my marketing background. I am always sharing. People like to connect. As a small business owner, I can’t afford an ad in House Beautiful, so I use social media to market my business. It’s genuine and I love to connect.

It was wonderful to meet Roxy and I wish Society Social success at the market!

You can connect with Roxy on Twitter @SocietySocial or @MyCupofTe.

Filed Under: HIGH POINT FURNITURE MARKET, LIFESTYLE, SOCIAL MEDIA, TECHNOLOGY Tagged With: High Point Market, Interior design, North Carolina, Social Media

Wayfair : Bringing Nobility Back to “Homemaker”

March 22, 2012 by Danielle Hatfield 2 Comments

Kristine Kennedy is on a mission. Since becoming the Editorial Director of Wayfair.com, the largest online-only retailer of home furnishings, she has made it her mission to bring the pride and passion back to the label of “homemaker”. . . one blog post at a time.

With a dynamic approach to building the Wayfair brand and a fresh digital presence, Kristine has made social media content her main focus by creating a growing community of loyal brand advocates and “She is committed to offering inspiration, ideas, advice and conversation to everyday people.”

The Wayfair brand is offering customers, who are passionate homemakers, inspiration and value as well as information. Committing to an active online presence on social sites such as Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter as well as having a stable of industry influencers like Kate Smith, president and chief color maven at Sensational Color, Matthew Mead, former style editor of Country Home magazine and Erika Johnson, the voice behind Radiant Republic blog (just to name a few) Wayfair shares with readers a colorful and active community of inspiration with ‘My Way Home’.

Kristine shared quite simply that Wayfair is committed to bringing nobility back to the moniker ‘homemaker’. “We want it to be a description about those who are passionate about their home, and we all are passionate about our home.”

Note: Special thanks to High Point University for hosting the 2012 Knabusch Shoemaker Seminar where Kristine Kennedy was the keynote speaker.

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Do you blog about your ‘homemaking’ adventures? If so, what makes your house a home?

Is an active online presence key to making you more loyal to a brand like Wayfair?

Were do you look for home inspiration online?

Filed Under: LIFESTYLE, SOCIAL MEDIA, U.S. NEWS, Uncategorized Tagged With: CSN Stores LLC, High Point University, homemaker, Knabusch Shoemaker, Kristine Kennedy, my way home, Wayfair

Top 5 Piedmont Triad Resources for Small Business Owners

January 6, 2012 by Danielle Hatfield Leave a Comment

When it comes to owning your own business, finding resources that actually help you succeed without requiring a huge investment of time or money are rare.

This list is meant to inspire business owners to think outside of the box when it comes to what may not be traditional resources to most.

Help to a small business owner comes in many forms.

1) Ed Mckay’s Book Store – Learning about your industry and where you can grow your business is crucial to making the changes you need to survive. Ed McKay’s is one of my favorite places to invest in books for my business library. I can stay in my budget and come out with an amazing selection of books that keep me up to date, inspired and focused on success.

2) Habitat Restore – Whether you are building your home office or furnishing one off site, Piedmont Triad area Habitat Restore Store outlets are a great place to shop for chairs, desks and any thing else you may need to make your space work ready. Not only do you save money – you also support a great cause!

3) Public Library – The public library is an amazing community resource. You can take computer classes, access their premium business databases, receive planning consultations as well as receive direction in career development. It is as simple as contacting your local business librarian.

4) Board of Advisers – Having a trusted Board of Advisers that you can turn to as you make decisions for your small business will help you grow and learn faster that going it alone. It’s recommended to include people that are outside your area of expertise so that you can learn from their unique perspective and see the bigger picture of where your business can grow. Inc.com has an amazing article on How to Assemble a Board of Advisers.

5) Attend Local Social Events – Professional Networking and Educational Groups that offer FREE memberships such as Linking Greensboro and Linking Winston Salem are great examples. They offer social events that share the best and brightest from in and around the Triad on a regular basis. Not only to you get to network with other area professionals and small business owners – for the price of lunch, you get to learn from Triad’s brightest leaders who speak on a wide range of topics. They also offer networking online via Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin Groups – so even if you can’t make their events, you can still connect and benefit both personally and professionally!

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As a small business owner, what have been your top 5 resources to grow your company?

What resources have you discovered that are free or have little to no cost to you and your company?

Filed Under: BUSINESS, DIY, FACEBOOK, HOW TO'S, LINKEDIN, RESOURCES, RESOURCES, TWITTER, Uncategorized Tagged With: Edward McKay Used Books & More, Habitat ReStore, Linking Greensboro, Linking Triad, Piedmont-Triad, small business advice, small business resources, Triad Resources

High Point Market Makes Planning Easier With Event Calendars

October 19, 2011 by Danielle Hatfield 1 Comment

This year, planning which events to attend during High Point Market just got easier with their Social Events and Educational Events calendar!

Deciding which social and educational functions to attend during Furniture Market is always challenge. These calendars are an amazing tool to keep you in the know and on time!

Here are just a few Highlights from each day thanks to High Point Market website. Please visit the Social Event / Educational Events Calendar for the full daily listing of events)

Friday ::

High Point Market Kick-Off Party

When: 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM

Where: Center Stage, Between the Transportation Terminal & Showplace

Summary: The official kick-off to High Point Market Week presented by IHFC, Market Square & Suites, Showplace, Plaza Suites, Furniture Plaza, National Furniture Mart, Hamilton Market, 200.320.330 North Hamilton. Sponsored by: Shelba D. Johnson Trucking, Ashley Furniture, Furniture Today and Home Accents Today.

Saturday ::

Breakfast in Bed with Leslie: Waking Up to the Power of Social Media

When: 10 AM – 11 AM

Where: Market Square, Antique & Design Center – Mezzanine Level Seminar Space

Summary: Featuring Leslie Carothers, The Kaleidoscope Partnership. Sponsored by Pandora de Balthazar. There’s one topic currently befuzzling the minds of designers, retailers and manufacturers everywhere: How do you measure the return on investment (ROI) of social media? Does it really work to get new sales? Secure new clients? Attract media attention? If you’re wondering whether your investment is truly paying off, join social media expert Leslie Carothers for a rousing wake-up call on social media metrics. Chock full of insight, specific tips on how to measure a program’s effectiveness, and real-world examples on how to connect the dots between sales, client acquisition and the kind of media exposure that leads to further financial opportunities, this presentation will kick off your Market and get your social media strategy on track faster than a double-shot espresso. Complimentary breakfast served.

Industry Mixer

When: 4 PM – 7 PM

Where: IHFC, The Phillips Collection IHFC – C 202, sponsored by ASFD, ART, SFC, YHFP, WithIt

Meet Rachel Ashwell – Shabby Chic® Founder

When: 4 PM – 6 PM

Where: Miles Talbott, 1690 English Road

Summary: Come early and receive a signed copy of Rachel’s newest book, Shabby Chic Inspirations and Beautiful Spaces. Cocktails and hor d’oeuvres.

IMC Opening Night: featuring the B52s

When: 7 PM – 9:30 PM

Where: Center Stage, Between the Transportation Terminal & Showplace

Summary: Please join International Market Centers (IMC) as we make our debut at the High Point Market with a concert and celebration co-sponsored by the High Point Market Authority. IMC will present The B-52s, the World’s Greatest Party Band.

Sunday ::

WithIt Educational Breakfast

When: 7:30 AM – 9 AM

Where: IHFC, IHFC Green Wing, 11th Floor, Ballroom A

Summary: “The 10 Things You Need to Know About Apartment Therapy”, presented by Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan. Maxwell is an interior designer, author and the founder of Apartment Therapy Media, a network of blogs devoted to helping people make their homes beautiful, organized, and healthy. Today, Apartment Therapy is the web’s leading source for all things design and the most-trafficked blog in the design space. Maxwell’s talk is a compelling history of his personal story, the humble beginnings of the brand, and a general roadmap for understanding design and the role it plays in our lives. Sponsored by IHFC and WithIt. Breakfast and Seminar are free of charge. Reservations are required by email (please see event page for email details) or www.withit.org.

Dwell Studio’s Christiane Lemieux – Growing a Business in Today’s Digital Age

When: Noon – 1:30 PM

Where: IHFC, Green Wing, 11th Floor ballroom B

Summary: Dwell Studio founder Christiane Lemieux will delve into how today’s small businesses can get ahead and compete with the big brands by being creative with the resources they have and the free technology available to everyone. The key to growing a successful business in today’s economic, digital and sonsumer-driven age with topics ranging from sourcing to marketing to media and design trends. Sponsored by IHFC and IFDA, Carolinas Chapter. $20 includes lunch. Advance registration recommended. Reservation is secured upon receipt of payment. Mail check to IHFC, Attn: Holly Allred, PO Box 828, High Point, NC 27261. You can request a credit card authorization form via email. (Please see event page for email details)

David Easton Book Signing

When: 3 PM – 4 PM

Where: Market Square, Safavieh, Suite 120

Summary: Renowned architect and interior designer David Easton and rug maker Safavieh will introduce Easton’s new Indian Sojourn collection of ikat carpets for Safavieh Couture with a celebration and book signing on Sunday, October 23, 2011 from 3:00 to 4:00 PM. The designer will sign copies of his latest book, “Timeless Elegance” at Safavieh’s Market Square showroom, Suite 120. Wine and Indian-inspired refreshments will be served, and Easton will present the collection with insights into his extensive studies of weaving crafts in Silk Road Cultures.

American Furniture Hall of Fame Induction Banquet

When: 6 PM – 10 PM

Where: IHFC, Green Wing, 11th Floor International Ballroom

Summary: Each Fall Market, we induct industry leaders into the American Furniture Hall of Fame, the furniture industry’s highest honor. Cocktail reception begins at 6pm, dinner at 6:45pm. Tickets are $125 a piece. To purchase tickets, please call 336.882.5900 or purchase online at www.furniturehalloffame.com

Monday ::

Reception with Kathy Ireland

When: 11 AM – Noon

Where: IHFC, Pacific Coast Lighting – M430

“Modern Design in the 21st Century” by Dwell Editor Amanda Dameron

When: 6:30 PM – 8 PM

Where: 220 Elm, Leif Petersen Showroom 328

Summary: Appetizers and cocktails followed by the Dwell presentation.

ASFD Pinnacle Awards Banquet

When: 6 PM – 9:30 PM

Where: IHFC, Green Wing, 11th Floor ballroom

Summary: Winners in 16 home furnishings categories will be presented by Furniture/Today and Guest Retailers at the 16th Annual ASFD furniture design awards dinner. For more information: info@asfd.com or www.asfd.com

UPCYCLE Textile Runway Show

When: 7 PM – 9 PM

Where: Market Square, Courtyard

Summary: In conjunction with Dstripped Magazine, ITMA – producers of SHOWTIME, and Market Square & Suites, we’re putting on a fashion show like no other! Designers from the apparel, footwear, jewelry, furniture and set design industries are collaborating to showcase their talents. Come see these designers’ creative solutions light up the runway with recycled fabric swatches. Join us for live entertainment, food, beer and wine.

Tuesday ::

Julia Rosien of Social North – “The Digitally Savvy Retailer – Using Emerging Technologies to Engage Shoppers (and sell more stuff!)”

When: 9 AM – 10 AM

Where: IHFC, Green Wing, 11th Floor ballroom B

Summary: In 2011, consumers can know as much about your products as your sales staff before they step foot inside your store. Your business survival depends on creative and inexpensive initiatives for you to leapfrog past the competition and grab the spotlight. Do you know how to break through the clutter and capture your customers’ attention? Fortunately, a virtually limitless supply of new technologies, tools and networks are available. Social Media Strategist, Julia Rosien, will help “demystify” some of the more exciting new technologies like location-based marketing and social media marketing. It’s not rocket science but it is the smartest way to get and keep your competitive edge. “If you’re not doing business online, you’re just not doing business…” ~ Julia Rosien. Complimentary Continental Breakfast Provided. No reservation needed.

Currey Honors ASID

When: 4 PM – 6 PM

Where: IHFC, Currey & Company, M-110 Streeet Leve

Summary: Currey takes time on Tuesday to honor and support the American Society of Interior Designers. National ASID Board members will be on hand from 4 to 6 PM to answer your questions about ASID and to provide extensive information on this very important organization. Italian food & wine will be served –music will be a provided by Four For One Jazz Quartet and Martha Bassett & Friends.

Wednesday ::

“Market Trend Wrap-Up” Presented by Jenny Heinzen York – Home Accents Today

When: 9 AM – 10 AM

Where: IHFC, Green Wing, 11th Floor ballroom B

Summary: The editorial team from Home Accents Today spends each High Point Market seeking out all the latest product styles and trends. Editor in Chief Jenny Heinzen York leads this exclusive review of the hottest trends from the October 2011 show. Complementary pastries and coffee provided. No reservation needed.

Designer Luncheon

When: Noon – 2 PM

Where: French Heritage, Inc., 1638 English Road

Summary: Spend some time with Henessey and Jacques Wayser as they introduce over 60 new items for market and enjoy a Classic French Lunch in our Bistro. 336-882-3565

Courtyard Cookout

When: 7 PM – 9 PM

Where: Market Square, Market Square Courtyard

Summary: Pull up a chair and kick back under the stars and join us for our traditional Market cookout. Connect with colleagues enjoy food, drinks and live entertainment on the last night of Market!

Thursday ::

Complimentary Buyers Breakfast featuring Starbucks Coffee and Krispy Kreme donuts

When: 8 AM – 10:30 AM

Where: 330 S. Wrenn St.-The Platinum Building, Platinum Decor

Complimentary Buyers Lunch

When: Noon – 2 PMWhere: 220 Elm, Leif Petersen -328; Jesper Office – 324; Linon – 202; Outer Limits/TemaHome – 311

What #HPMkt events are you most looking forward to?

How will you use social media during High Point Market?Want to write a guest post on Furniture Market for Linking Triad? Leave a comment and we will work with you to share your High Point Furniture Market Experience!

Filed Under: BOOK SIGNINGS, BUSINESS, HIGH POINT FURNITURE MARKET, LIFESTYLE, LIVE MUSIC, RESOURCES, SOCIAL MEDIA Tagged With: American Furniture Hall of Fame, ASFD, Ashley Furniture, ASID, B52's, David Easton, Dwell, Dwell Studio, Furniture, Furniture Today, High Point, HIGH POINT FURNITURE MARKET, Home Accents Today, HPmkt, Julia Rosien, Kathy Ireland, Leslie Carothers, My Market, NC, North Carolina, Pandora de Balthazar, Rachel Ashwell, Shabby Chic, Shelba D. Johnson Trucking, The Phillips Collection, Timeless Elegance, Withit

Yes Weekly and Social Media : Covering Greensboro City Council

October 12, 2011 by Danielle Hatfield 1 Comment

Yesterday I had the pleasure of interviewing Jordan Green (aka @jordangreenyes) News Editor of Yes Weekly. Many of you may already know that Jordan covers (brilliantly I might add) the Greensboro City Council Meetings via live tweets as a member of the @yesweekly twitter team.

Why is he live tweeting you might ask? Well in his own words . . . “social media allows me to perform a unique service.” And it’s true.

With traditional print coverage it would take days to get the story out due to print cycle of a weekly paper – but with social media, Yes Weekly is live streaming the discussions of Greensboro City Council as they happen and (hopefully) in the process inspiring a new generation to become more involved in local government as well as spark discussions with older generations who are pressed for time and who are looking to feel informed and engaged via social media.

“It takes time to acquire the expertise to become and active citizen“, Green says and adds that “any political coverage starts with the current elected officials – social media helps me share information with our readers immediately.”

On behalf of a grateful community – Thank You Jordan Green and Yes Weekly for your commitment to keeping us informed via social media!

Pick up the print edition of Yes Weekly in and around the Triad and stay up to date on local news and events. Connect with them across the web ::

Greensboro City Council meeting can currently be attended/viewed via Channel 13, you can follow the meetings via Twitter (follow @yesweekly) as well at watch it live streaming on your computer (warning for Mac users :: you must have Silverlight installed in order to watch streaming meetings on your Mac.) Be sure to stay up to date on the next Greensboro City Council Meeting and review past meetings.

You can learn more about Greensboro City Government and Council Members, and if you’re on twitter you can follow @greensborocity for sporadic postings of Greensboro events.

How do you learn about local government news?

How has social media changed the way you engage with your local community?

Filed Under: POLITICS, RESOURCES, SOCIAL MEDIA, TWITTER, Uncategorized Tagged With: Channel 13, Greensboro City Council, Jordan Green, Live Streaming City Council Meetings, Local Government, Politics, Social Media, Twitter, Yes Weekly

Social Media, Parenting and (Lack of) Common Sense

September 29, 2011 by Kristen Daukas 7 Comments

I was running around Facebook, as I frequently do throughout the day, when I came across a business page running a contest. Nothing odd there, right? Lots of businesses run contests and incentives to increase their traffic and number of “likes”.

Except this one was different. This Facebook page was for a medical practice that caters to pediatrics.

“So what?” you may say.

Here’s what.

This is the post from the page:

Support your child and their school today by entering them into our ______ CONTEST! To enter, simply post your child’s name, along with the name of their school. The school with the most entries will win $1,000 for their school! The runner up will win $500 for their school!

Did you catch that? The page was asking for not only the names of the kids but where they went to school. As if that wasn’t bad enough, the parents were doing it! There were entries upon entries upon entries of parents who not only gave up their kids names, but they also where the kids went to school. The only thing they didn’t do is offer up their kids schedules.

There they were… parents who wouldn’t dream of leaving their child alone or drive around the block without a 5 point harness system were offering their kids safety up all for the chance of winning $1,000 for their schools. Yes it was a nice gesture to give some school $1,000 but seriously? Could we not figure out some other way to collect information than pimping our kids and the names of their schools out?

I don’t fault the parents entirely. A serious finger wagging and “shame on you” goes to the business owner for not thinking this one through. As a marketing professional and consultant I truly hope there wasn’t a self proclaimed “guru” at the helm of this brilliant plan because if so, I would not hesitate to hunt them down and read the riot act.

It honestly all boils down to this…

Think twice and then once again before you offer up your information. Don’t get me wrong.. I have slipped a couple of times myself. Just last week I tweeted a photo that included my address and didn’t even notice it until a kind, fellow tweeter pointed it out to me. I immediately removed it but who knows how far it traveled in those 3 minutes. My husband checked into our kids school on Foursquare… once. After I pointed out to him that the entire world (okay.. 58 followers isn’t the entire world but still) knew where our kids went to school, it wasn’t long before he quit checking in to anywhere.

Social Media is fun and at this point, it’s a way of life for most. But we have to remember that we’re getting these services for free because these sites know one thing. They know that we’re going to offer up a wealth of information and that they in turn, can mine and store that info until they need it a later time. It’s one thing to “like” the Crest page because you love whitening strips but quite another to “like” your kids doctors office and give 800 Million users the intimate details such as their names and where they go to school.

The bigger lesson here is to watch what you post, watch where you check in and if your kids are using social media watch what they’re doing every step of the way.

What “travesties” have you seen along the way in social media? Have you done something that you immediately knew you shouldn’t have?

Filed Under: FACEBOOK, INTERNET SAFETY, SOCIAL MEDIA Tagged With: children, Contests, Facebook, Parenting, Personal information, Social Media

Social Media: How Much Time Do You Spend Online?

August 4, 2011 by Danielle Hatfield 1 Comment

I recently posed a question to via Facebook asking, on average, how much time people spend online per week on social networks.

Here are the results thus far. . .

It’s not surprising that the majority of those polled responded with 5+ hours per week. Many citing that there should have been another choice of 11+ hours.

A few who responded are online because of the nature of their business. But to me, that is irrelevant. As a wired society we are all spending more and more time ‘plugged in’, and it will be interesting to see the new usage statistics come out for 2011.

As we all have seen, so much can happen in very short period of time on the web. Case in point : Google+ Growth Rate Shattering Competition. Yep, you read right – it took Google+ only twenty-four days to reach twenty million users. 24 days.

Just a year ago Adam Ostrow shared in a Mashable post that Social Networking Dominates Our Time Spent Online. Adam mentions that 2010 stats from Nielsen show that sites like Facebook and Twitter account for 22.7% of time spent on the web. And a 2010 study by comScore Media, shows that the average American spent 32 hours per month on the Internet.

As with any study there will be a ‘heavy users’ group where a small percentage make up the majority of time spent online and since the number of mobile-only households overtook the number of landline-only households in 2009, that means that the average time spent online on sites like twitter, facebook, and now google+, will continue to grow as the global internet penetration rate continues to climb.

Currently 56% of Americans Check Online News Daily with 24% going to four or more unique online news sites daily. Think about it. Where do you get your news? Do you read an article shared by a Facebook friend? How about click a link while you’re on Twitter? The way information travels to us is through our networks. Who we follow, fan or watch.

Check out these 20+ Mind-blowing social media statistics: One year later. It really puts in perspective how much the internet and social media has changed our personal lives and the way we do business.

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While researching for this post, I found this Press Release dated 2002, July 12 : Carnegie Mellon Study Reveals Negative Potential of Heavy Internet Use on Emotional Well Being

Though it’s 9 years old, it poses questions and concerns that are still relevant today. How much is too much? Are you monitoring your children’s time spent online? Are you substituting online relationships for interaction with family and close friends?

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So how many hours do you spend online per week?

Where do you spend most of your time online? Email, Social Media, Games, Movies or News?

Do you “unplug” on a regular basis?

Filed Under: SOCIAL MEDIA, TECHNOLOGY, Uncategorized Tagged With: 2011 Social Media Statistics, Average Time Spent Online, Heavy Internet Usage, Mobile Only Households, Online News, Piedmont-Triad, Social Media

Friday ::

Saturday ::

Monday ::

Tuesday ::

Wednesday ::

Thursday ::

What #HPMkt events are you most looking forward to?

How do you learn about local government news?

How has social media changed the way you engage with your local community?

Tweet Tweet Triad!