Where there's smoke, there's fire: influencer or fraudster?

Where there's smoke, there's fire: influencers or fraudsters?

AUG 9, 2014. - FEB 1, 2015.

Chrysler Museum of Art:

Celebrating 70 Years of Smokey the Bear

Rudy Wendelin and the Creation of an Icon [SOURCE]

    

The following question was asked of me to answer on Quora [ link ] with response shown here. 

What is your opinion on "social media influencers" who resort to fraud (i.e buying followers/likes/comments) instead of growing genuine engagement? Why do some choose this path over building a genuine following?

Jeannette Marshall, 

studied Marketing & Management at Business

Answered just now

GREAT question: Why do some “social media influencers” resort to shady practices (i.e. buy followers/likes/comments) instead of growing genuine engagement?

Let me answer both questions — hopefully, you will consider them adequate.

First and foremost, the same principles apply when you network using social networking.

Some earn the right to be referenced as an influencer because they fly in the same speed and altitude as many, perhaps spending more time cultivating their connections from a blip on the screen to an everlasting true connection (direct interaction between two members on the same platform is commonly deemed “influencers”.

Secondly, some say “ I am, therefore, am deemed so” (ref to an online influence). They could be transparently sharing the known measurement stick as others, i.e. Klout | Be Known For What You Love or Home.Kred.

Thirdly, those third party algorithm experts are tracking a combination of a potpourri of attributes, to rise up above the crowd and establish her or his self as a topic expert.

Usually, there are tools developed that provide that information about their social media users or engagers. These people use the substantiation of the 3rd parties to pull out the person of having an online “expertise”.

The aforementioned circulate around the name, engage with those with similar interests, by introduction to others who have taken the time to build their skill set in such a way they can provide some knowledge and circulate around many options.

Twitter and Klout show remarkable transparency that allow questions to be answered like:

• what is the chance someone becomes familiar with a champion of a topic or share content consistently on a particular topic that interests others? As you increase posting while others click your posts - leave to go read it, sometimes leading a comment on the linked page that has become a weighty topic; Like how Tump and his communications team run it similiar to business as usual, while he, himself, very specifically isolates a situation and then Tweets on what is wrong, with others usually, his tweets are expressive on his reponses to a headline or communicate his opinion.
• there is only you. you have a pseudonym name that you piggy pack of with your real name, linked to a specific hashtag that seems to go along with the message in 140 characters or less.
• The trend to follow or “like one can change abruptly, usually by a jump in audience numbers. am effective consistency in message, which it be a political standpoint, a philosophical perspective. The spike in followers can come right after.
• Some truly are gurus on the path or journey they are, passionate about, or welfare or concern that they take personal interest in: i.e. anti-bullying right across the board to local important happenings
• Others can be deemed Brand Ambassador. That is a lot greater attempt at being sincere and communicating or expressing their voice, maybe accompanied by a cool article they sourced (reference to the source is standard best practice.
• Online reputation management can be a larger scope by a big major entity that reigns over a specific space: i.e. comedy, art, photography, updates, tribe-filled groups who are supporting that person, brand or identity.
• What you click any where, any time, the likelihood being you are seeking justification on your stand on a topic, express yourself creatively that places you steadily in a certain lane (i.e.education may be the topic classification while the material you post may be dedicated to making education an important topic that others may want to speak to (or Tweet or Facebook post or Pinterest board.
• Kinship. Some groups of individuals are formed that focus on a specific topic, discussed accordingly by following and using the appropriate #Hashtag that it relates to. Lots of “How to’s” and information abounds while remaining consistent under the umbrella of opinion.

Slowly, steady, consistent content is THE BEST way to hail a tribe and start being considered an authority on certain topics. Simply buying followers is not doing anyone any good. You are far better off growing your following steadily and measured, tracked, shown, information or data starts to produce numbers that satisfy the anointment of being considered an expert.

I use a couple of tools, like KRED and KLOUT, that evens the playing field across the board while it emphasizing the topic or communication stream that is easily identified by your profile, your posts and your actions.

For authenticity and credibility, one cannot merely have a blanket statement on their profile that they cannot substantiate. Others participate in online #chats in Twitter that show the hashtag title and falls under “MOMENTS” on Twitter if it explodes with activity, clicks, brand new posts, using brand new features (i.e. GIFs instead of an image) to beat the same drum over and over again.

In summary, there is definitely fun to be had, discussions to become consumed with, information that is identified.

The best guideline: be as honest as safety allows by what you post online. Stay away from controversial topics, unless you get charged up to have a healthy debate on something you feel passionate about.

Finally, as you circulate and engage directly with followers, you discover what information folks gravitate towards hearing from you about. A reward for your diligence leaves you with a road map on what areas appeal to you, varied and situational reactions.

The easiest part is uncovering lots of tools, opinions, quotes, recommendations that you particularly show an interest in.

All this information is available at your fingertips. All the social media sites and business networking sites can help you with fact checking (avoid misleading or untrue interpretations), researching and becoming invested in reading those numbers that will tell you a story::… expunge information for you to tap into and help guide you or lead the way to an area or topic that people react favorably to.

Avoid experts. They say that are an expert at something. You just now need to become more familiar with those third party algorithm genius who prove the beacon to shine on you to be enlightened from. An expert, in my opinion, is when you have steadily grown your reputation and consistently circulate around specific topics or with those who appear to be knowledgeable about it.

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About the Author

Jeannette Marshall

BUZZveloper @optioneerJM blogHER+MOST VIEWED Business Development Writer: QUORA

Worked at E-jeannette

Studied Marketing & Management at Business

Lives in Calgary, AB

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It is possible to hang on to tradition while injecting innovation :: make THINGS great again.

I really don't read or perceive that there has been declared the official winner of the race for CLOUD computing:  one of three things that the technical sector has decided is the cool things we need:

IofT:  Internet of things or intelligence of things?

The best way I would be able to explain to a non-layperson what this acronym means is that you can control things designed to have enhanced technical capabilities.  I would use General Motors as a prime example.  In my view, opinion and limited observation.  I don't have to work there, all I have to do is pick up on the consistency of being on message flowing neighborly along that appeals to the largest percentage of people.  

Again, I've never worked for GM or read any prospectus or proposal on how they were going to prove that they were savable after a big government bail out.

I saw it before, just as a user of products, a major accounts rep, a vendor and a buyer perspective:  Xerox.   Anne Mulcahey (need to check spelling) put some building blocks in place on how they were going to rebuild a once great company from the basement of the downward steps to rock bottom to recovery and rethinking innovation and deciding to self-consciously or corporate self-examination:  what would they be known for?

So a lot of these almost washed up companies are having an injection of innovation or continued creation of a historical identity.  

Most would say that Xerox discovered xerography and became this really big company, until it delved out significant intelligence to Apple and Adobe.  Well yes, that is correct.

My guess would be how Xerox, through stringent quality control, strove to replace dust pollutant of toner dust, toxic for our water systems and ecosystems.  They made new toner that was sustainable, really smartly reusing natural resources that does not upset the universe's eco-structure from emitting toxins.

Safe to say, Xerox is a prime example of something highly identifiable can decoy from staying static and holding true to being innovative.

The best companies in the world, in my opinion are not bricks and motor, factory, industry, on the "try" at the end - see that?  Or maybe I'm psychic and see the pattern emerging.  How?

From watching the numbers.  Looking for patterns.  That information is out there and it is free.  When it goes to the cloud, someone is going to make heaps of money storing their customer's information. 

AI:  Artificial intelligence.  

I guess somewhere, somehow, someone decided that it was hip or cool to include "intelligence" to create an acronym that rings with distinction, like a battle cry to the trod on economic forces blow over.

Robots have been around for decades.  I haven't fact check, however, I'm going to say they started surfacing when more and more companies starting realizing, by looking at numbers with a strong focus on profit, they had to try to get rid of people, which is the highest expense .... yet few would survive without its people.

Has anyone written about a theme of companies who become so bloated with their own ego and self-importance, that complacency would never reside.  Quickly replaced with value, rate of return, key performance indicators.

Disruption.

Is when someone comes up with an idea that totally transforms the way we do or think of things.  Think of the smart phone as a disruption to mobility telecommunications.  

Taking something that we use every single day, is as familiar to us as our television or automobile:  the telephone.  As it evolved from a communications device into a hand held computer that uses wireless or the internet in order to transmit.  

A telegram is something we consider as old, war era communications of great importance has now been developed into something immediate.  Every day is special because we can communicate with others, convey our thoughts or feelings by the click of fingers or twiddle of thumbs.

What else is out there that hasn't been thought up yet or uncovered a need for?  The first things to look at are those every day indispensable items we use and then make them better, causing a ripple effect that requires traditional means to update their technology or capabilities or they will be stuck in the mud at the side of the super highway of happening things.

Want to know what it means to get the PINK slip?

Original content by:*

Jeannette Marshall

@optioneerJM

optioneerJM+

aboutME.com

If you're around my age [ 50 on a good day or 56 on a bad one ] and you have a daughter or niece or granddaughter around the millennial set (is this the Y? Generation? ] fact check [ ) --> i first called it the Y Generation on one of my first INbeTWEENers blog [ via #WordPress ] aka now as YUPPYdom > target audience & readers born 1960 or later, but before the Millennial (otherwise known separately as The Baby Boomers :: those born of the Elvis and 50s era and vibe, became adults of GENX which is sandwiched [aka squeezed] between the Baby Boomers, inBETWEENers (1960-1969) & what I like to  I call the war babies (those babies born after either World War I ] fact check [date when WWI ended?].

Phew, what a mouthful, eh?  Sometimes I get multiple thoughts that run like a freight train, full speed ahead.  It drives a lot of people crazy [the Hunkster Hubster in particular] ::.... sometimes I am telling him something and 2/3 of the way through, I go "um ah" multiple times until he barks at me:  "Um uh!  You didn't finish!  

Luckily for me, and the loyal few, I sometimes take the time to capture some cool moments.  Or, not so cool moments.

The PINK SLIP?

It is when you mess up with your Millennial daughter and she goes ape shit all over you.  If that isn't suffice, she goes into IGNORE mode, and often BLOCK mode.  Thus is the PINK SLIP.

It doesn't seem fair that father's rarely, if ever, get the PINK SLIP.  It seems a
blessing in disguise when the ticked off goes into overdrive.  It is a process.
It is quite inevitable, particularly if you're the "Mother".    Sometimes it can actually be funny, payback for when 2 PINK GIRLS change the Alpha Pink Girl's status under family that "she is adopted".  

That is the distinction between the battle hardy inBETWEENers:  we've been pushing water up hill all our lives [ saying credit to Wade Sparks, former boss and President of a SMB:  Small Medium Business; selling to very BIG companies and running a branch ].

What obstacles don't 1960 to 1965 in particular share with Millennials?  A-LOT!  Remember we were the original hipsters, aka Yuppies, adulting in the 80s [ exact same age as they are in my case - 27(Kyle) etc.  My girls are wise beyond their years and really have some great attributes that I envy if I could only have known back at the same age, how magnificent everything would be.  

YUPPIES:  Eternal optimists
What would this world really be like, if Yuppies weren't born [ other than cult culture of the 1980s skippy high bangs and big hoops and slouch socks with tights, ankle runners, big oversized sweaters, perms galore, fresh eyed trusters after being abolished and quietened by our very loud Baby Boomer siblings [ brother or sister ].   Being the object of teasing at the edge of tormenting their younger, devoted sibling who iconized their every move [ except thinking he is Jimmy Page from Led Zeppelin with his electric guitar and amp turned up to the max, "WAHW.... wahwm .... WAHW" be still my pounding ears:  no wonder I don't like waking up and jumping out of beg:  clear bad memory of when having to do so ].

Yuppies had to prop each other up and really boost each other's morale.  We were either in college or at our first REAL job(s) in the 1980s.  Amidst recessions, world war threats between the US and Russia, joblessness skyrocketed with the increasing temperature of world affairs.  Just graduating from high school, we were surrounded about hostages, capture, and hijacks and we only had the radio or television where we were likely to get our news.  [ Others would say newspapers, but some of us gal Yuppies didn't like how the ink came off on our fingers so we weren't a fan of newspapers but we were the dawn of capitalism in the 1980s, with greed on most corporate executive's manifesto.  Today, layoffs, downsizing, let go, fired, laid off, work force reduction, reorganization, restructuring are more the norm.  

Loyalty has left the atmosphere.  Neither company nor employee get what they want out of the deal and their is a parting of ways.  The Pink Slip was probably coined in the 1980s ] FACT CHECK [.  Another tie in to the nifty headline I was particularly impressed with ( pat on back to Jeannette ).

Another characteristic of those arriving at adulthood, parenthood in that decade is that Yuppies really like recognition.  More sore than any other generation, simply because being sounded out by our louder siblings, who took credit for a clean car [ trick:  ask younger sibling to help wash car and he would drive them around town for "a while"; so you help them and they take you for a drive to main street and back [ in my life, never really that far:: walkable ]. 

So having a Millennial child is about setting and understanding boundaries.  A familiar song we sang as parents coming back full circle upon our ears.  From that really smart child who snaps it up and snaps it out, except louder.  Probably because we likely seethed but didn't shout in anger, or clenched our teeth akin to biting our tongue.  We were born of the parents who believed that how you dressed {stylish and polished} and how you behaved [ impeccable manners ] were a direct mirror into their inner soul.  

Ask a War Baby what it means to go without (ahem, attention Yuppies and Millennials, take note here)?  You better sit down and grab that cup of coffee anyhow because their answer is going to take a while.  What is amazing is when you actually recognize the sacrifice that War Babies had both as children, growing up and as adults, parents:  having to make do with very little.  Appreciating value over squandering money, which Yuppies and Millennials are apt to do.

Wanting to climb the ladder?  
There's a big leap between The Baby Boomers who are retiring to the tipping point beginning of the Millennial leaders, pioneers.  Yuppies and GEN-X likely skipped over.  Why not?  More educated, Millennials can bring fresh ideas, latest technological improvements [ which is a HOAX by GenXers letting others think that Yuppies aren't technologically inclined ].

Ask yourself, when was the birth of the computer?  Technically, it began a long long time ago, before Yuppies were even born.  What I mean is the birth of the personal computer?  Some of us went to school in 1979 to have hands on computer in our post secondary, either by instinct or natural survival mode.  If you want to have someone project manage something to perfection, you would be wise to consider a Yuppy:  they've been coming up with solutions and fixing problems by the time The Beatles broke up (a long long time ago).

Since I'm already in trouble and she doesn't read my blog * giggles *

So I apologized to my daughter.  Fingers crossed the PINK slip won't last long.  I will try to continue to be optimistic that she'll reconsider her reaction (ah-hem scale 1-10 ticked off:  9.5 degrees out of 10.)   

Maybe the next Millennial will read this, think about their mom mostly, or their dad if it happens, tone down the reaction and embrace the differences between you, with the added value of life experience that COULD spare them a lot of grief.  Knowing that rarely is advice heeded.  Swash-buckling their way to their future in their own brave style.

You have to remember, that your Yuppy mom or Yuppy dad, are prone to recognize how well you are doing.  Driving you crazy for posting about an accomplishment or re-sharing a picture, simply because you thought it was beautiful, unconsciously unaware that so many would agree.  They see the inner beauty paired with the outer strikingness as a formidable force, into the stratosphere when it is blended with intelligence and street smarts, common sense.  With a twist of humor, knowing that laughing at one's self is the biggest show of humility.

Even more if they are a Millennial 

STOP MicroSoft from getting rid of Paint in their next release

Someone at MicroSoft is off its rocker!
By Jeannette Marshall
@optioneerJM

___________________________________________

Don't let Microsoft kill Paint - they should educate people better on how to use it so that people will fall in love with it.

I create just about all my content on Paint.  I've gone to great strides of assembling an assembly of fonts that seem to compliment my posts.


I wonder if there is any kind of opposition of any kind, a petition started to force Microsoft​ to keep Paint?  

Why not just Introduce a tablet-only feature that compliments Paint that will only work on a surface pro for instance.

Think of new ways of making Paint hip among the HIPSTERs!   Pspppffftttt p.s. those same 20 somethings and 30 wonderkinds who buy the latest and greatest smartphone.  

You should be embarrassed that you haven't come up with something reasonably functional on a mobility smart phone.  It's been pretty logical since before the mishap into thinking you could make and launch a smartphone that everyone would go agog over.  

First zip on over to Blackberry, to floundering revenue and draining product loyalty at a breakneck pace.  They never thought about how to integrate the best apps onto their systems.  Kinda like what HP didn't do with their tablets, but Apple did from the very start except with extreme standards and double flips that have to be done in order for it to be Apple approved, endorsed and adopted by hosting it on iTunes ..... where sometimes they promote something, other places accumulate favorites identification (which I previously talked about AI "Artificial Intelligence" should be more about the information that smart people scoop up based on where you hang out on line, what you write, where you post, who reads your posts, who shares them, who is easily identified as your supporter).

I think that the cause for alarm here is what AI "Artificial Intelligence" is all about.   Every skips by the news stories about robotics without registering the fact that more and more robots are speaking and attempting to create its own personality, with its own thoughts and opinions.

Where it goes vague, or under cover,  is whether it can emulate a real human being?  For example, make appropriate responses as a human would, except it is not a human saying those things, it is a voice driven by AI to say all the expected things to say, appropriate responses with politeness, manners, permissions, that the most stellar customer service pro would expel.  

Then, think about the grocery stores.  How they are trying new and more clever approaches to have YOU buy/take your own packing bags + scan your own groceries in + provide helpful lookup on produce code all you have to do is enter in quantity then have payment ready to process like a marching soldier.

Me, I'm usually out of rhythm of the whole fiasco.  I like to do things in order:  Buy/shop, go to check out, put items in order of where they will end up in my home (i.e. pantry, refrigerator, space rack, etc.) with expertise of avoiding bread or other items from being crushed by the latest bag wrapper (if there is such a thing, as they dwindle in numbers);  

Now they are asking that you go online and make a list of your groceries, the time you will arrive, and just pick up your order.  I haven't tried that, but I would imagine you have to pay before your order arrives.  

According to my Twitter numbers, I attract a youthful 25-34 group the most who look for quality and value over price and they will shop online if it is the quickest and easiest without any degree in drop in quality.

That's the crew that MicroSoft has given up on.  Instead of using their imagination on how it can be cool and the must-have/use thing going?  

That is where MicroSoft misses the boat that Steve Jobs created:  sell the sizzle knowing that the steak was going to be even better than imagined or needing any boasting.

It's not just about "data" ::.... numbers tell a story

NOW, I remember what I started to do before being sidetracked sideways for a few hours ::... * mon dieu * [my dear] .... maybe I am losing my mind?

by Jeannette Marshall
@optioneerJM

A storyteller is someone who is imaginative
evoking empathy, intellectual connection with a highly *involved crew.  Not always YUPPIES as my egocentric alter ego YUPPYdom on Word Press has developed a pulse.  Thank you for that.  That is the start of how we would define a storyteller, by traditions, teachings, assumptions.  

In my mind's eye I see a storyteller as someone who can write
a story, encouraging the absorption of the tale, definition solely by you.
A storyteller can and often does evoke reaction.
Some positive, others not so.
Tears of sadness that comes with empathy,
chuckles or giggles that express joy and humor [key to our Mental Health].
Intrigue, mystery, literature or entertainment
the writer's gift to the world.
A bond that is established.
A loyalty.
A tribe.

You see, I study the numbers, absorb them, roll them around
in my head.  Then an eruption of ideas explode
from an implosion from within.  A strong
desire to develop writing, a following, 
a brand.

I'm always testing things consciously or subconsciously.  Perhaps that is why my tribe is really very, tres coolio [ translation:  my vibe ].  I had decided from the start to be who I am, be truest to myself.  Cherish my mental wellbeing above all else.  Sometimes failing, sometimes melancholy, other times a fear of despair.  

Have I been spirally downward and only just now realizing it?  Or, in the utter pit of despair, clambering to stay as far away from depression as possible, as I read and absorb that topic:  Mental Health.  

A fascination that compliments my life long love of numbers, hatched at the ripe age of 25.  Yes, the parent of a few Millennials of my own.  Offspring of my heart, soul and love.  Who would have imagined a YUPPIE being able to exude that much love, give up attention, recognition, so yield pride and ego to the exit door.  That should in essence describe the boon of the aging YUPPIES.  The champion of so many things, discoverers of wondrous wisdom, leaders of free worlds, emblematic of racial acceptance and waivers of discourse.  Fashionable statement is the championship of a YUPPIE.  In the 80s or ever since.  Bred of a generation in which appearance meant everything::... if you appeared the cleanest, purest, honest, intellectual, polished, fashionable young lady or man who surfed their way through the 1980s, hitting your 20s in practically, direct unison with the Millennial implosion of population, attitude, aptitude, striving, able, strong hipsters [ born in the 90s when their parents had done a little adulting before diving into parenthood ].

Lucky for me, when someone was showing me and teaching me something in my 20s, it snapped in to my brain, and hasn't really let go.  I think that sales was a science with numbers if I think back on it now.  A way to set up your own intellectual (golf-like) game of improving your own score.

If you are driven with south doubt, there is nothing more soothing than a love story of numbers ::... the characters evolving and changing, the plot rotating, the cast of characters alternating.  What stays true, is the numbers.

There is corruption in numbers.
But far more poetic and entertaining for sure.

I've been hinting at forecasting being critical
over the past number of posts.  Where many of my most devoted readers merge with me, hang out with me virtually, so to speak.  What's appealing to me or something worth a expulsion of thought.  Some pass on.  Others pick up.  

The ones that pick up are part of my crew.
How else could they not be (wow, what a bunch of bad grammar eh?)  meaning they must be my crew, if the followers are attributed to me.  Right?

Let me show you what I mean
while I tell you a story with numbers.
My own numbers.  
No one else.

Derived by really smart people
developing algorithms
that pops with artificial intelligence
of a different kind.

My perception of AI or what is catching on
as "artificial intelligence".
Just recently, Facebook announced 
setting up shop in Montreal.
As its "Artificial Intelligence" Headquarters.

Facebook has really fallen by the wayside when it comes to my interpretation of "Artificial Intelligence" (theory posted without research other than casual reading and dissemination of information available on the web for free) this Monday, September 25, 2017 at 10:30 pm MST Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

Before I started reading up or noticing clips on television about artificial intelligence, I truly thought that how I defined it in my mind to mean to be the right interpretation:  AI for simplicity sake of typing as I've ranted about ACRONYM HELL before (maybe one of my more entertaining rants).

I thought and think that AI is the absorption of personalized information (or aka also known as "data" ) stored to the "cloud" [ which is not an Apple creation as in Xerox still is to photocopiers].  

It makes sense.  
The more faithful I am with certain social media platforms, the more forthcoming they are starting to bring me my numbers.  I commented about Linked In's more intuitive dance that they are experimenting with what I would think is mostly my crew:  the early adopters of online culture and earliest users of Social Media platforms like Twitter and Facebook before getting a special invite to be able to be the first to sign up to Google Plus or G+ as it is affectionately known.

By reading the numbers, I can tell who is my crew.
It's a vibe that resonates and seems to bounce around like an uplifting game of toss the ball, virtually meaning a rallying of support from those who get to know you by your message, your consistent messaging and vibe.

I did go on a rant today, which I really try to avoid.
Nothing destroys a social media following
 more than a rant.
Since people are used to the SPAM and self-promotional garbage,
they're able to tune out that noise and grasp real important stuff.

BUT they avoid rants like a rampant virus.
Toxic and toxicity avoided
so most people run away from toxicity
yet ironically rally around violence or catastrophe.
[You don't have to think that far back
glued to Twitter feeds and 24 hour news
about hurricanes and earthquakes
as most were.]

Nothing deafens your voice faster than a rant.
A misuse of power or a disuse of trust.
That is what I've tried to uphold as an online motto
and a heartfelt belief.

To use the information at your disposal to uplift
educate, elevate anything worthy of a rallying assembly of really smart, gifted, talented, successful, financially stable and morally sound folks.

Those are my PEEPs, TWEEPS, TRIBE, FRIENDS, FAMILY, and FAVORITES.

Looking at the numbers, just defines the spirit of who they are.  See if you can see the story?

Let me float this out one more time:  this is a very telling page of numbers.  I'm wondering if you see what I see?