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Social Media is an Opportunity for Media Diversity

WeAreMore This week I had the opportunity attend Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.'s Congressional Black Caucus forum on improving images of Black women in the media. It was a lively discussion that raised a lot of questions about not only the media images Black women are chosen--and sometimes choose--to portray but also which images we choose to consume.

The part that really stayed with me were comments from Shari Nycole Welton, who is a producer of TVOne's News One Now. When asked about what we can do to combat negative images of Black women on TV and Movies, Shari reminded the audience that social media has created a platform for users to create their own content. If we don't like the images we see in the media, we are only a few clicks away from creating our own content to consume. And if we choose to, we can create content that shows positive images of Black people in general and Black women in particular.

I was ready to disagree at first. Yes, people of color can and do create their own content, and social media makes that much easier than it was in the past. But then you have to take into account that production companies have the money, power, and influence to create media portrayals of Black people and make them ubiquitous. And we already know that it is extremely hard to make a video go viral.

Even with all that said, I ended up nodding my head when Shari said that. Social media gives people a great opportunity to be the change they want to see in the world, especially as it pertains to combatting negative images and stereotypes about Black women. 

I wouldn't say that if there weren't already countless examples of young Black content creators doing their own thing and developing new images of their people. Issa Rae's Awkward Black Girl is one example of this for sure, but it doesn't stop there.

The Whip and the Nae Nae has become a staple when we talk about Black youth culture, has it not?

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZe3V8wJMX8[/embed]

And Vine and Instagram has become a testing ground for some of the funniest, most talented up-and-coming Black comedians and actors.

[embed]http://vine.co/v/ej1IheXLFxa[/embed]

Social media gives us more power than we think.

If you are using social media, whether you are a manager/consultant or whether you are "just tweeting," you have the opportunity to shift the dialogue about how people of color are portrayed in the media. So create your content wisely - and remember to have fun. 

#Trillectro2015: A Study in Audience Engagement on Social Media

My cousin Tyler and I at Trillectro this past weekend. This weekend I finally got to Trillectro, an annual music festival in Columbia that showcases up and coming artists, mostly in hip hop and R&B. Ever since I went to Made in America I've been hooked on the vibe of a big festival filled with music I love, so I'm really glad I had the chance to see great acts like Chance the Rapper and Cashmere Cat at a venue not far from DC.

Being the social media marketing geek I am, I left with some interesting takeaways about audience engagement that I wanted to share. While the way they curated tweets throughout the day could've been better (perhaps a live display of #Trillectro2015 on the jumbo screens instead of just the same 20-30 throughout the day?), I have to say that people who brought us Trillectro did a great job of engaging their audience and curating a fun experience.

Know your Audience. This seems like common sense, but you'd be surprised how many brands fail at this step. The Trillectro team knew what kind of acts they wanted --up-and-coming artists who are perhaps at the brink of hitting it big but already have a following--and knew the kind of people who would want to pay money to see said acts. Knowing your audience--who they are, what they like, and what kind of engagement they respond positively to--helps you to curate an authentic experience that they will not only enjoy but will support again and again.

Make your audience feel like they are a part of your vision and your goal. What I loved most about Trillectro besides the artists was the fact that I felt like I was just as much a part of the experience the festival created as the performers were. In between acts, the Mistress of Ceremonies and the Dj worked together to keep the energy levels high by playing the songs that the audience--mostly young people under 30--were going to get up and dance to.  Some of it is due to the nature of Black music --audience participation is a major characteristic of hip hop and other genres--but some of it was very intentional decisions made to ensure that audience involvement was a top priority.

Young people matter. Listen to them and take them seriously. I have encountered a lot of organizations and brands who either have no real strategy for engaging youth and young adults, or think they know everything about "what the kids are into" and are failing miserably. Neither approach is sustainable. Young people have buying power but not only that, when they feel a brand or a campaign is loyal to them and is listening to them, they will support it in whatever way they can. It can be as small as tweeting using a hashtag or as big of an investment as buying a ticket to a festival. But more often than not, companies and non-profits alike take young people for granted. One reason for that may be the assumption that young people don't care about the brand. Sometimes, that's correct--young people may not care about your brand. But the truth is, you won't know until you try to engage them (that is, if it makes sense for your campaign goals). Don't just assume young people won't be into whatever you're trying to do. Do your homework and find out what they like and what they respond positively to. That includes talking to them. Then, build a strategy for engaging them in an authentic way.

While you're talking about "those lazy, entitled Millennials" and peppering your Twitter timeline with references to "bae," young people are using technology and social media in ways you may not have even thought of. There's more to the youth demographic than selfies and slang. It is your job as a digital strategist/marketer to find out what that "more" is.