4.Website improvements - Social Media

Research

• This week I started a lot of research on social medial, and I will compare the differences between them.

https://www.techopedia.com/definition/4837/social-media【Accessed 18/10/2017】

•  In this research , I will do survey and comparison on Facebook, Twitter and Google+, because they represent today's more popular and practical Social medial, and there are a lot of similarities between them, for example, they can establish a circle of interpersonal relationship between people. Users can establish the circle through adding friends or following somebody, because they can search users to link to each other. And they can show their works in their own accounts.

https://www.impactbnd.com/blog/the-difference-between-facebook-twitter-linkedin-google-youtube-pinterest【Accessed 18/10/2017】

Facebook is a popular social networking software with a large number of users. Many designers would like to create a Facebook account, because they can publish their articles, works, videos as well as comments on Facebook. At the same time, they can extend their public relations circle and follow the users they interested in, and interacting with other users on this platform.

 

https://www.impactbnd.com/blog/the-difference-between-facebook-twitter-linkedin-google-youtube-pinterest【Accessed 18/10/2017】

However, Twitter is known for its fast-paced. Hence, in this social networking platform, users can post information, works, and reviews, browse the latest news, follow other users and communicate with them.

https://www.impactbnd.com/blog/the-difference-between-facebook-twitter-linkedin-google-youtube-pinterest【Accessed 18/10/2017】

Google+ is similar with Facebook. Users can post their blog and articles and express their views. They can also publish their own work and the process and details of the work. Therefore, many designers choose Google+ to display their ideas and works in a more diversification and all-around way.

• Then I investigate three different designers’ Google＋.

 https://plus.google.com/102407528040831558639

The first is Mike Lane, he is a product designer. He has 7489 followers and lots of Blog post. As you can see, his avatar and background is his photos. This will give other users a first impression. Then click on his profile, with a simple self-introduction, and he introduced his design style and philosophy. This enables other users learn more about him more quickly.

 https://plus.google.com/+MistyMcPadden

The second is Misty Belardo, she is an Illustrator. She has 11016 followers. She uses her own photo as avatar, but the difference is that her background is her illustrations. This is a good opportunity to display her Illustrator skills, which can leave a profound impression to other users. Although her profile is not particularly detailed, users can also learn about her design from her blog post.

                                                          https://plus.google.com/112025209852076779883

The third is Mike Rohde, he is a user experience designer and book Illustrator. He has 3751 followers. His blog post sharing many of his designs and work experience. His avatar is also personal photos, but he has no design on home page background and does not have much introduction.

• Google+ is the main social media that I want to show, because it can create group study circle more quickly, and I can share my articles and my study process, such as my own design ideas, concepts and digital works, more conveniently. So I'm going to further improve it, my plans are:

• 1. I will add self-introduction on my home page.
• 2. I will share my post from my blog.

So first, I entered the "modify profile" page, and then add self-introduction in this page.

Then I modified the "settings" page to set my Blog article as open.

This is my Google+ after the completion of the home page. My personal information is more complete than before, so users who viewed this page will know me more quickly, and they can view my work that I share in my blog post.

To summarize,Social media gives designers a wonderful platform to show themselves, especially Google+. In the process of designing my own Google+, I found its design is very quick and easy, and you can create and join interest groups and study groups, you can increase your personal insight. And the design of your own personal home page is very simple, designers can design their own home page according to their interests and preferences with freedom and share their blog post to other users. I also designed a personal home page according to my research, retaining personal style and enriching my personal information.

Reflection

On the home page design of Google+ , I added my personal information, and shared more blog posts. It make my page looks more professional. Other users can learn more about my ideas and designs.