It Was an Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny....

...piece of content that she shared with her audience. Yes, folks, we're talking about microblogging.

What is microblogging? So glad you asked. Excellent questions, readers, keep 'em coming. Our friends at Sprout Social define microblogging as "a combination of instant messaging and content production. With a microblog, you share short messages with an online audience to improve engagement." If that sounds confusing, that's understandable, because it sounds like AIM with pictures.

Microblogging includes platforms like Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, and Tumblr, also according to Sprout Social. Her Campus utilizes a few different microblogging platforms. Most of these are the brand's social media, so I'm going to make my best effort to not repeat myself and find new ways to analyze this!

They don't have a Tumblr account, so that they are admittedly not utilizing well. They are using the other forms of social media/microblogging, though!

For the most part, the Facebook of Her Campus reposts a lot of articles, which are super important and definitely get the word out. I'm not sure if it exactly counts as microblogging since the messages are within their larger blog posts (which we will get to NEXT WEEK!), so they could technically be said to utilize Facebook for other purposes other than microblogging. They do things here and there that definitely count, such as posting the link to their conference with an empowering, happy caption.

That's probably the best example of microblogging on the Facebook page as of recent. Everything they post is within their brand, within their mission, and is pretty par for the course, I'm just not sure what exactly constitutes microblogging as opposed to regular blogging or posting. Open to discussion, @ anyone who is reading this! 

Twitter definitely feels like the better microblogging form because of its nature. The messages are very small - around 140 characters or less. That's very "micro." Their twitter is a great example of microblogging. They retweet some, create original others. Example: 

Relatable microblog post: "imagine being rich lol" That definitely reaches broke college women wanting to be living their best life and getting opportunities. They are exhausted from finals and done studying, so this GIF is also relatable! And then a tweet about coffee, which is also entirely on brand for their company. They don't have many likes and favorites, so I'd say perhaps use more hashtags or engage on Twitter more to maximize the potential there. They definitely follow the formatting of a microblog; it's just the engagement that could be better. Microblogging has so many different opportunities and ways to connect with audiences because it's so quick and easy.  

Regina Luttrell, in her book Social Media: How to Engage, Share, and Connect, says, "According to a survey from Muck Rack, 70 percent of journalists see Twitter as a valuable social media tool." The industry understanding is that Twitter can do big things, and so I'd love to see Her Campus do more with it!  

The Her Campus Pinterest, like their other forms of social media microblogging, is very in line with their brand. The colors, content, general aesthetic. Their Pinterest is mainly, if not entirely, original content reposted from their website. This shows us once again that Her Campus blends traditional blogging and microblogging very well, which is important in the age of ever-evolving technology.  Like I mentioned in last week's post, the boards range from Dorm Decor,  to Hair Ideas, to What We're Buying (my personal favorite) Pinterest is definitely a more visual form of microblogging, and Her Campus keeping each post in line with their branding makes their boards as a whole more aesthetically pleasing and thus more appealing to their audience of consumers.

This GIF sticker is from Her Campus! HOW COOL! 

Their Instagram does precisely the same thing (snaps for flawless topic transitions, thank you). The Her Campus Instagram is my favorite of all their microblogging platforms. Flawless branding, funny and relatable content...every meme they post, my inner collegiate feels it within her soul. It's always just enough to keep them in your mind so that you remember they exist. You're thinking about them, you're talking about them, and you didn't have to read a long article for it to happen. It's perfect for this day and age of Go Go Go Go Go! 

This SPOKE to me. And guess what? I went and followed their beauty account, so the microblogging technique worked.

Her Campus has an amazing grasp on microblogging and how best to use it. Microblogging connects well with millennials and especially collegiate, who are so busy that sometimes a quick scroll is all they have time for. By keeping the content branded, relevant, and in line with their patterns and mission, Her Campus ensures that their microblogging efforts reach their exact audience in the way that they should. There's a few tweaks they could make, but I think they have a great grasp on the technique. And if you think THIS was great, just wait until we talk about their TRADITIONAL BLOGGING!