Comments on Classmates' Blogs

Amy's blog discussed how VitaminWater utilized Facebook to conduct an experiment. The company deleted its official website and replaced it with its Facebook page. The company received important information about opinions from consumers regarding their products. A Facebook application called "Flavor Creator Lab" generated increased fans on the company's Facebook page from 400,000 to 981,000. This experimental usage of social media was clearly successful in the case of VitaminWater. This post was really interesting because I had not heard about VitaminWater's extensive usage and reliance on facebook. This example shows the true value and importance Facebook plays in today's communications efforts and success.

Francesca's blog discussed the benfits of using experiments in social media to see how effective, or not, the social media has been for the client. She expressed the ability of PR practitioners to set up an experiment to measure the precise value of social media to the client. This can help practitioners gain insight into utilizng the best social medium to achieve its public relations objectives. I think in today's frenzy of social media, it is best to utilize a combination of social media and not just one. An experiment can be conducted to pin-point a specific social medium as "best" for achieving PR goals, but it seems that unecessary time and effort would be put into this experiment when we already know that a combination of social media is best for communications efforts.

Google Experiments to Benefit Customers & Corporation

On Google's official blog, the corporation announces an experiment they plan to conduct. Google wants to "build and test ultra high-speed broadband networks" in a few "trial locations" across the country. The corporation is interested in having a trial period for delivering internet at speeds 100 times faster (than most Americans have access to) to "at least 50,000 and potentially up to 500,000 people." The goal is to "experiment with new ways to help make Internet access better and faster for everyone."

The company hopes to develop "next generation apps." Also, through experimentation, the company strives for "new deployment techniques." With these new techniques, Google wants to find "new ways to build fiber networks" and to share the lessons learned with the world. They also hope to add "openness and choice" to give users the choice in providers with multiple services. Google states they don't think they have all the answers, but they hope to make a contribution to the goal of delivering faster Internet through the trial. Google is utilizing an experiment to gain research and further insight to better their field.

Google Shows the Importance of Survey Research

On Google's corporate website there is a job description for a "survey research scientist." This shows how important research is to every industry. Corporations utilize research to gain feedback and promote new ideas, products, themes, etc. The role of this particular survey research scientist states they "will have the opportunity to design, execute, and analyze complex surveys across the most important parts of Google's business and products, globally." Emphasizing the importance of "applying the latest research methods to complex surveys and combining results with transactional data to improve understanding."

Requirements of the position are to accomplish the work in a "fast changing business environment" and to collaborate with other analysts, associates, managers, etc. It is necessary to apply statistical methods, apply and research the latest survey methods, work with complex data sets and to COMMUNICATE the findings to a wide variety of colleagues. It is very helpful and encouraging to see that this is a growing field and is essential to the success of any corporation.