We hash-tag, comment, share and like, from formal emails to friendly chats, Web 2.0 has revolutionized the entire world, and in this post I wish to discuss the ups and downs of this phenomenal invention and how it has transformed the dance industry!
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| A few logos of Web 2.0 dependent brands |
I mean, just as I sit here typing this blog post, I am reminded that without such an incredible tool, I would not be able to do my degree... Well I wouldn't have a way of writing this "blog' at all! I have been lucky enough to grow up with the internet, have lessons on how to use this amazing recourse, be lucky enough to develop vast virtual networks and absorb the vast amount of knowledge that is accessible with just a simple click. However, I wish to focus on its uses within the dance industry and I hope to discuss and develop my knowledge of how I can use it to my advantage and also inform others as well!
Take 2.0
I for one, and potentially many other people, did not actually know what Web 2.0 was, despite being an avid internet user. So naturally the first thing I did was type it into Google and do some research...
Safe to say I came across vast articles, as I sifted through web page after web page trying to educate myself, I had many thoughts! The first one being that I am so glad I chose dance and not IT because it is really hard and secondly there is no real conclusive definition of Web 2.0 but I feel that just reflects the vast potential and never ending uses of Web 2.0! One quote that I did find was from the inventor of the World Wide Web himself, Tim Berners-Lee:
"Web 1.0 was all about connecting people. It was an interactive space,
and I think Web 2.0 is of course a piece of jargon, nobody even knows
what it means. If Web 2.0 for you is blogs and wikis, then that is people to people. But that was what the Web was supposed to be all along."
developerWorks Interviews: Tim Berners-Lee
Web 2.0 is limitless, it completely revolutionized social interaction! There is a lot of stigma behind the internet, especially from the older generation, from a 19 year old's perspective I would argue that anyone who disagrees with the vast, amazing capabilities of the web, are very backwards! However, with the requirements of a well rounded argument, I do understand there are some downfalls and flaws in how reliant today's society is on the web. In some cases there are almost issues with addiction and then of course there are awful cases of cyber bullying. Yet I feel that with the constant development of the web there is also constant education in terms of correct and safe usage or "netiquette" as it is fondly known as.
Like, Share and... Poke?! The development of Social Media
Social media websites, such as Facebook or Twitter are probably the center point of everyday social media usage! They are now integrated directly into our mobile phones, used by commercial companies and even in some cases schools! It has almost become a stage of friendship, a transition from acquaintances to "Facebook friends", social media has grown and is growing exponentially! But what is social media and how does it affect us?
Well essentially, in terms of Web 2.0, social media is all about interaction, it adds another dimension to media, gives a chance for you to voice your opinion or thoughts, whether it is read by select group of friends or public information accessible by everyone! User interfaces, such as Facebook and Twitter, revolutionized social media with mediums such as a "Wall" or a "Feed", constant, almost tangible information there at your finger tips. A newspaper or magazine article is a 2 dimensional one way street, you cannot communicate with it, where as with social media you can communicate with everyone!
Although I wouldn't substitute social media for physical social interaction. There is a lot of stigma between teenagers and social media sites, and where I agree entirely that as a generation we can be too reliant on the web, you would be ignorant to deny the vast advantages of Web 2.0 and social media!
Putting the dance industry aside for a second, and looking at industry as whole, the capabilities when it comes to social media is astonishing. According to blog enthusiast Jeff Bullas, 72% of all internet users have an active social media page - think of that as a demographic, the entire online population, there and ready to be dazzled with product advertisement and it works, 34% of companies now make successful leads using twitter! Look at the almighty Beyoncé, she bypassed all "generic" media and instead announced her new album on instagram to her 8 million followers... She then proceeded to smash her previous sales figure!
For privacy or "netiquette" purposes, I have blanked out the user names and comments, although it being public, I do not feel it fair to broadcast it on my blog. This is just a perfect and recent example of the use of social media to completely revolutionise marketing and sales!
Even from a non fiscal point of view, the improvements now being made to customer service is remarkable. Direct contact and help available from companies from just a simple tweet:
In my opinion, this makes a company approachable and it adds a really nice personal touch! You would be stupid to not utilise the easily accessible mediums of customer contact, at the end of the day just as we network, companies need to network to build up a clientele. Brand loyalty would vastly improve if more companies approached customers in a familiar and effective fashion.
A 5,6... Like and Tweet?
An incredibly cheesy title I know, but I have just discussed and briefly highlighted the benefits of social media as a whole but what about the industry that we care about the most... The arts! Well that's easy, the question I am personally asking is how did we cope before social media? Part of my degree work is developing my understanding of the uses of Web 2.0 within the industry, but firstly looking back at my previous understanding, it made me realize just how just how dependent I was on web 2.0. I got audition notifications direct to my twitter feed, I was accepted onto the Facebook group the Hustle (which if you haven't already got yourself added to, I highly recommend it) where all things artistic were discussed, advertised, questions could be asked and answered - a ready made network of people with the same ambitions and needs!
We spend our time training being told we need to network and the importance of contacts, well social media and Web 2.0 offers the building blocks to make a world wide network, virtual, but effective! Being relatively computer savvy I do pride myself on being pretty knowledgeable when it comes to resources out there. Yet there is always room for improvement, I still have a lot to learn and consider.
Lets take "The Hustle" for a second, focusing primarily on that, it is easy to see an amazing network of dancers and actors and like minded people, working together, it is incredible to see, there is almost a buzz you get from just scrolling! Yet I have to ask, why is it not developed beyond the realms of Facebook?! A network that substantial could easily be transformed into its own website or smart phone app! I feel that this is potentially down to cost, or maybe I am biased in thinking how amazing the group is but I also do feel that Facebook has become almost integrated into our lives in such a way that using it as medium is almost too convenient to come away from, the statistics are there in black and white, Facebook user figures grow by the second, why try to separate off from such a fantastic tool!
We've got netiquette, If you ain't got netiquette, you can never ever carry it off!
While I am all for social media and Web 2.0 I do realize with such an awesome tool also calls for awesome responsibility. I feel that society is becoming more and more aware, but horror stories of identity theft (or catfishing), cyber bullying and internet scams still haunt every internet user. I think that Web 2.0 requires an almost hypothetical social contract that everyone agrees to, but that is being way too idealistic. So educating yourself on correct and safe internet usage is a must. Privacy is probably the main thing: Do not advertise information online that you wouldn't disclose otherwise, sometimes its in innocence and sometimes in stupidity but people have been caught out using social media! If you're going to pull a sicky, don't brag about it on Facebook because employers will see it, simple as! Being more serious, keep personal information private, if you can lock your profile do so, if not, I would not recommend posting addresses or numbers online! Passwords should be complex and secure, computers these days have so many useful tools, my Mac for instance has a keychain capability which securely remembers complex passwords for me and make it very hard for it to be hacked!
Photos - Well with all the celebrity scandals going on with photos at the moment I hope it makes people consider the importance of photos! Photos leave a digital foot print, they can be saved, used, taken and therefore it is important to consider the legalities behind using photos. Make sure you have permission to use them online, do not publish photos online that you wouldn't want your mum and dad to see because you do not know where they could end up!
Cyber Bullying - We are all guilty of occasionally being a bit of a keyboard warrior, but just because the confrontation is not direct doesn't mean it does not cut just as deep! Cyber bullying is now seen as a form of abuse, so in short, just don't, but also be aware of who to turn to! There is amazing help available online at
http://www.internetmatters.org/issues/cyberbullying.html?gclid=CLuOi6ONisECFbPJtAodGjQAag
All of the above are just simple forms of "Netiquette"! It is vital that as we network online we realize the digital binding contract. There are some malicious people out there and we need to help stop it, just as doctors take a Hippocratic oath, I feel as internet users its our place to make sure our virtual playing field is fun, friendly and fulfilling, helping reach its maximum potential!
Back to BAPP
So far I have explored and explained the meanings and uses for Web 2.0, highlighted how I have used it to help progress my career and touched on safe internet usage! But how is this all relevant?! Well without Web 2.0 I could not write this and in short I could not do my degree!
As reliant as I feel society is becoming on Web 2.0, I feel that positives by far outweigh the negatives. I have demonstrated just how social media has had an impact on not only our industry but industry as a whole! While I still have much to learn, exploring up and coming mediums such as Pinterest and discovering ones I have over looked such as Flickr I feel that I am pretty confident when it comes to Web 2.0 and look forward to using it to develop an extensive network of contacts to help rocket my career! I would recommend whole heatedly that anyone looking to network who hasn't already should seriously look into the uses of Web 2.0 and would love to answer any questions or perhaps discuss some arguments against this platform I so highly recommend. But for now I am signing off and wish to lave you with this amusing (and perhaps true) "hierarchy of needs" that I found on my digital travels!
Like, Share and... Poke?! The development of Social Media
Social media websites, such as Facebook or Twitter are probably the center point of everyday social media usage! They are now integrated directly into our mobile phones, used by commercial companies and even in some cases schools! It has almost become a stage of friendship, a transition from acquaintances to "Facebook friends", social media has grown and is growing exponentially! But what is social media and how does it affect us?
Well essentially, in terms of Web 2.0, social media is all about interaction, it adds another dimension to media, gives a chance for you to voice your opinion or thoughts, whether it is read by select group of friends or public information accessible by everyone! User interfaces, such as Facebook and Twitter, revolutionized social media with mediums such as a "Wall" or a "Feed", constant, almost tangible information there at your finger tips. A newspaper or magazine article is a 2 dimensional one way street, you cannot communicate with it, where as with social media you can communicate with everyone!
Although I wouldn't substitute social media for physical social interaction. There is a lot of stigma between teenagers and social media sites, and where I agree entirely that as a generation we can be too reliant on the web, you would be ignorant to deny the vast advantages of Web 2.0 and social media!
Putting the dance industry aside for a second, and looking at industry as whole, the capabilities when it comes to social media is astonishing. According to blog enthusiast Jeff Bullas, 72% of all internet users have an active social media page - think of that as a demographic, the entire online population, there and ready to be dazzled with product advertisement and it works, 34% of companies now make successful leads using twitter! Look at the almighty Beyoncé, she bypassed all "generic" media and instead announced her new album on instagram to her 8 million followers... She then proceeded to smash her previous sales figure!
 |
| The Instagram post announcing her new album |
Even from a non fiscal point of view, the improvements now being made to customer service is remarkable. Direct contact and help available from companies from just a simple tweet:
 |
| XC Trains live twitter feed |
An incredibly cheesy title I know, but I have just discussed and briefly highlighted the benefits of social media as a whole but what about the industry that we care about the most... The arts! Well that's easy, the question I am personally asking is how did we cope before social media? Part of my degree work is developing my understanding of the uses of Web 2.0 within the industry, but firstly looking back at my previous understanding, it made me realize just how just how dependent I was on web 2.0. I got audition notifications direct to my twitter feed, I was accepted onto the Facebook group the Hustle (which if you haven't already got yourself added to, I highly recommend it) where all things artistic were discussed, advertised, questions could be asked and answered - a ready made network of people with the same ambitions and needs!
 |
| Example of uses for The Hustle, happening live while I'm writing this post! |
Lets take "The Hustle" for a second, focusing primarily on that, it is easy to see an amazing network of dancers and actors and like minded people, working together, it is incredible to see, there is almost a buzz you get from just scrolling! Yet I have to ask, why is it not developed beyond the realms of Facebook?! A network that substantial could easily be transformed into its own website or smart phone app! I feel that this is potentially down to cost, or maybe I am biased in thinking how amazing the group is but I also do feel that Facebook has become almost integrated into our lives in such a way that using it as medium is almost too convenient to come away from, the statistics are there in black and white, Facebook user figures grow by the second, why try to separate off from such a fantastic tool!
We've got netiquette, If you ain't got netiquette, you can never ever carry it off!
While I am all for social media and Web 2.0 I do realize with such an awesome tool also calls for awesome responsibility. I feel that society is becoming more and more aware, but horror stories of identity theft (or catfishing), cyber bullying and internet scams still haunt every internet user. I think that Web 2.0 requires an almost hypothetical social contract that everyone agrees to, but that is being way too idealistic. So educating yourself on correct and safe internet usage is a must. Privacy is probably the main thing: Do not advertise information online that you wouldn't disclose otherwise, sometimes its in innocence and sometimes in stupidity but people have been caught out using social media! If you're going to pull a sicky, don't brag about it on Facebook because employers will see it, simple as! Being more serious, keep personal information private, if you can lock your profile do so, if not, I would not recommend posting addresses or numbers online! Passwords should be complex and secure, computers these days have so many useful tools, my Mac for instance has a keychain capability which securely remembers complex passwords for me and make it very hard for it to be hacked!
Photos - Well with all the celebrity scandals going on with photos at the moment I hope it makes people consider the importance of photos! Photos leave a digital foot print, they can be saved, used, taken and therefore it is important to consider the legalities behind using photos. Make sure you have permission to use them online, do not publish photos online that you wouldn't want your mum and dad to see because you do not know where they could end up!
Cyber Bullying - We are all guilty of occasionally being a bit of a keyboard warrior, but just because the confrontation is not direct doesn't mean it does not cut just as deep! Cyber bullying is now seen as a form of abuse, so in short, just don't, but also be aware of who to turn to! There is amazing help available online at
http://www.internetmatters.org/issues/cyberbullying.html?gclid=CLuOi6ONisECFbPJtAodGjQAag
All of the above are just simple forms of "Netiquette"! It is vital that as we network online we realize the digital binding contract. There are some malicious people out there and we need to help stop it, just as doctors take a Hippocratic oath, I feel as internet users its our place to make sure our virtual playing field is fun, friendly and fulfilling, helping reach its maximum potential!
Back to BAPP
So far I have explored and explained the meanings and uses for Web 2.0, highlighted how I have used it to help progress my career and touched on safe internet usage! But how is this all relevant?! Well without Web 2.0 I could not write this and in short I could not do my degree!
 |
| The Facebook group we have made to communicate easily |
As reliant as I feel society is becoming on Web 2.0, I feel that positives by far outweigh the negatives. I have demonstrated just how social media has had an impact on not only our industry but industry as a whole! While I still have much to learn, exploring up and coming mediums such as Pinterest and discovering ones I have over looked such as Flickr I feel that I am pretty confident when it comes to Web 2.0 and look forward to using it to develop an extensive network of contacts to help rocket my career! I would recommend whole heatedly that anyone looking to network who hasn't already should seriously look into the uses of Web 2.0 and would love to answer any questions or perhaps discuss some arguments against this platform I so highly recommend. But for now I am signing off and wish to lave you with this amusing (and perhaps true) "hierarchy of needs" that I found on my digital travels!
This was a great read, thanks! Just like you, I had to do exactly the same and spent some time researching what Web2.0 actually meant...and then felt pretty horrified at myself when I realised that my life is completely reliant on it!
ReplyDeleteI think it's really interesting how you have looked upon 'The Hustle' group on Facebook. I am a member too, and have often thought the same...why is this on Facebook?! Especially when then are some great accessible casting sites. But then, similar to you, I scrolled through and started to see a different side to the group. A supportive, encouraging and enthusiastic group of like minded professionals pulling together in one place. I find it crazy how, even though you've never met somebody before, you feel completely connected over text on a page, or a funny picture. Which Is pretty much what were doing here? I'm having this conversation with you because I've related to what you've written. How easy Web.20 has made our lives to connect with people!!
I also love the point you made about convenience....it's got me thinking about whether things are almost too accessible? Searching for answers are just a single click away (I googled Web.20 too!) and because they're instantly placed in front of us, maybe we don't delve any deeper as we would if the answers were buried and a little trickier to come across. Whilst we may find the answer we were looking for, the journey there is now simple and straightforward and therefore missing any little pathways that may occur when really having to search for an answer or connection.
You've got my brain ticking, thanks :)
I found your post really interesting. I too wonder how we coped before social media although when I graduated 7 years ago I was still relatively new to Facebook and it wasn't really being used as a tool for professional networking like it is today! It is amazing how Web 2.0 has changed networking in our industry so much!
ReplyDeleteYou mentioned wondering why The Hustle hadn't left Facebook to maybe start a webpage. I don't know the answer but DanceCast (which is now TalentCast and a great tool for people in our profession!) started as a Facebook group too. Since they expanded into a website I think it left room in the market for a group like The Hustle on Facebook. (The Hustle might have been around before I'm not sure but it definitely expanded when DanceCast became a website)
I've received jobs through Facebook. I think it is fantastic that everything is so accessible; but it has taken the formality out of employer/employee interaction. Adesola mentioned in the Skype induction about remembering that everything you post online is out in the world for everyone to see and I think a few people on The Hustle forget that. It's a great place to discuss auditions etc but I think maintaining a professional demeanor is important. Any thoughts? X