Using Snapchat and Google as ways to Broadcast

     Wednesday night our class is expecting a visit from the Vice President at Collaborative Communications Group, Cameron Brenchley. I decided to do a little research to learn more about his profession. When visiting his twitter, I found an article that I thought was very interesting called 5 Reasons Your Organization Should be Paying Attention to Snapchat. The reason why I was drawn to his post is, as mentioned in the article, Snapchat has become a huge social media app that expanded over a short amount of time. I have been a Snapchat user for over a year, and I was interested to read about the apps future potential. According to this article Snapchat has only 100 million users but is delivering the same number of video clips a day as Facebook. As Snapchat continues to grow it is becoming increasingly appealing to advertisers as well as other professionals. After future modifications it could be used as a powerful tool for live broadcasting by organizations looking for new resources. The White House has even utilized the app to provide a way for people to engage with the government. It is evident Snapchat is another great network that can help expand the quality of your PLN.

 

       And speaking of live broadcasting! You can stream to a live audience through YouTube using Google Hangout. If you are not familiar with Google Hangout, it is a communication platform developed by Google which includes instant messaging, video chat, SMS and VOIP features. You can download the app on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. According to the article How To Use Google Hangout Broadcasts To Build Your Business, it ties in with Google+ not only to publicize your hangout, but to affect your search engine rankings too. Google Hangout has created the opportunity for you to become a TV producer, to interview celebrities, and to broadcast conferences during your profession, all without the expenses of actual equipment. This is another great resource that organizations can use as a tool to reach their audience. A current Doctorate student, Ashley Cross, who is also an educator in Tennessee, also touches on Google Hangout in her presentation on Google Tools. She discusses how Google Hangout can be used to connect with scientists, authors, and other educators and classes around the world. I recommend this presentation to anyone who is struggling with how to get started on Google Hangout. She provides a step by step tutorial for new users with Gmail accounts and explains how to use other useful google apps. These apps include google maps, google drive, google voice, and google reader. They are all effective ways to work collaboratively with others students and professionals.  

       Google has not only provided a way to broadcast live using Google Hangout, but has provided college students with support for connecting, learning, and sharing through Google+. A short presentation I watched called 31 Ways to Use G in Higher Education, highlights some very useful tips that college students can use in both their academic and social life. One thing that I have found to be difficult as a college student, is staying in constant communication with your colleagues and other professionals because of your busy schedule. It is sometimes a hit or miss. Google+ has made it easy to communicate on the go and even work with groups from home. You can also promote student groups and publicize different events that may benefit your entire campus. This has been an extremely informative presentation that I encourage not only college students to watch, but faculty, administration, and staff as well. Thank you for reading!