Social media is an evolving tool, students say they use it to keep in touch with old friends, to post new pictures, share ideas and promote themselves. Aimee Barker, a senior and art major from Bountiful, Utah, said, “Social media is a hobby for me, but it is now a lot more than that. It has grown into a way to market my business of photography. It is a good way to have people see my portfolio and I have been able to make countless business connections. I have been able to make travel connections, friends, and business deals all from social media.” Some of the main social media sites are Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and Blogger. The stigma that social media is just a waste of time is being left behind. With the rapid growth of these sites, it has created a free way to promote, advertise, and connect with audiences. Businesses, musicians, and athletes, to name a few, are some of the people who have tapped into the social media world to further promote themselves to millions internationally. According to buisness2community, 80 percent of social media users prefer to connect with brands through Facebook. Allison Smilanich, a junior and business major from Provo, Utah, said, “I really like social media because it’s a good way to keep in touch with people. I like it because when you are really far away from your family and friends it's fun to see what is going on in their lives rather than just hear about it on the phone. I recently joined Twitter. I like it but I am always worried about how anyone could Google me and find out personal information.“ As social media continues to grow and evolve, its uses will also expand. There are different workshops, websites, and how-to guides for users to learn how to promote themselves on social media. Zach Fackrell, a senior from Sandy, Utah, and communications major, said, “I feel like people use social media to keep up with everyone else. They want to appear like they have an interesting life. They will see something online as a picture then it will make them want to do something unique. It’s inspiring and makes you want to document things. It's good for promoting and spreading the word about things on all levels.”
Writer: Lisa Tuttle ~ Multimedia Journalist
