The pumpkin wars

The Pumpkin Wars
Courtesy: WWE

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter
Listen to the podcast

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

September is here and many people's thoughts have turned to fall. One of the biggest events on social media has been the launch of all-things pumpkin spiced. Honestly I probably fall in the middle when it comes to the craze. I will drink a pumpkin beer on occasion (it's not my favorite) and I'll add some pumpkin spiced creamer to my coffee from time to time, but I don't embark in the pumpkin Oreos, Cheerios or other pumpkin infused flavors.

But somehow along the way I've found myself in a pumpkin spice war with my buddy Tom Harness and his team at Harness Digital Marketing (look them up for your online marketing needs). Although his team members Eleni and Lynsey are actually on #TeamPumpkin (like me). Because it's all taking place on social media, everyone can participate. We went from using gifs and memes that others have made to creating our own.

So share your ORIGINAL memes or gifs using the hashtag #TeamPumpkin or #PumpkinSucks and get in on the action. Here's a few of the original creations. This "war" with the originals just started, so we expect things to ramp up in the next 51 days (I'm assuming it's over when Halloween is over).

3 Reasons to use Facebook Live

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter
Listen to the podcast

Follow my blog with Bloglovin 

Before Facebook offered its live option to all users, I was fortunate enough to have my professional page verified and was given access to the live feature. In my job as a broadcast journalist I most often used it as a way to give viewers a behind the scenes at the TV station. Engagement levels were low despite high viewership. Most of the comments were "Cool!" or "Thanks for showing us this." 

But I always felt like there was more that could come from the live feature. When the station's Facebook page started using the live feature, many of my colleagues continued using it as a behind the scenes function. Viewers love that, but engagement levels are low. 

About two months ago I started doing a feature on my page What's on your mind? Wednesday. Each week at 7:30 a.m. CST I fire up Facebook Live and sit at my work desk and talk to viewers. I answer their questions and engage in actual conversations with people I've never met. It's not just people watching and making declarative statements. They ask me things about what's happening in the news, what we're working on for future stories and what's my favorite restaurant. It's a great way to spend 45 to 60 minutes a week.

As a blogger, podcaster and YouTuber; I'm trying to employ this feature more. Last week I did a live taste test of BootyO's cereal. Here's an explanation. Having a solid subject to talk about also helps to build that engagement. While the segment didn't have the reach as my professional page, it was successful none-the-less. So why should you try Facebook Live?

1. I've already talked about it, but I can't say enough about the engagement factor. Actually acknowledging the comments (the ones that aren't cries for attention) keeps viewers coming back for more. The end game is to increase your audience. The more people who you interact with during the course of the live stream the better. I also go back and read the comments and type out answers to questions or concerns that pop up. Show some personality too.

2. You get to know your readers, viewers, or customers better. When I talk to viewers and they talk back to me I'm learning more about their lives, their families and what they're wanting to see on the news. I use that input each week to come up with content and story ideas for the newscast I co-anchor. I forward information on to my colleagues. Because Facebook puts more emphasis right now on live content more people are likely to see the video. It's still relatively new and people want to see how it works. On the My 1-2-3 Cents Facebook page last week I picked up a handful of new likes for it.

3. Not everyone can watch the video live and maybe it'll never pop up in your friends' or followers' newsfeed. So that same content can be edited and posted on YouTube and have a more permanent place. While streaming live on my phone, I recorded my review on my iPad. I took that 20 minutes of content and edited it down to about five minutes and posted it to YouTube. 

So, join me on Wednesdays at 7:30 a.m. CST for What's on your Mind? Wednesday and Thursdays at noon CST for talk about what's happening in the world of pro wrestling. (Catchy title pending).

Dear 2006 Kevin

The fam in 2006

By Kevin Hunsperger

@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter
Listen to the podcast

Follow my blog with Bloglovin 

On a recent #AskGaryVee Show he posed this question to listeners. "What would you tell yourself if you went back in time 10 years and could give that person advice?" I instantly knew exactly what I'd say.

Backstory:
Ten years ago I was 33 years old. I was MySpace savvy. I hadn't signed up for Facebook nor Twitter at that point. I'm not even sure if Facebook was even available to the non-college crowd yet. Twitter was in its infancy and I wouldn't start tweeting for another three years. Blogging was a thing, but I dismissed it big time. But by summer 2006 I had started doing it through the app on MySpace. YouTube had been around just over a year.  Now that the scene is set, here's my letter to my self.

July 11, 2006

Dear Kevin:

I'm writing to you from the future. Things are just fine with the family in 2016. Your hair is much more grey now, but having two teenagers and a tween will do that to a person. I'm writing this to tell you to NOT wait to start blogging. You have friends who are doing it. Don't dismiss this idea. It's not a flash-in-the-pan concept. Blogging will actually become a revenue source for you. Starting now will help establish an audience and credibility.

Also, quit watching wrestling videos on YouTube. In a few years WWE will have a whole network of content you can watch everything you've ever wanted. Instead, start creating content on YouTube NOW. It's only been around a year you can be unique and original with your channel and get a good following. 

Twitter

Sign up for Twitter. Yes sounds weird and not many people understand how it works now. But trust me, it will become a valuable tool in marketing your blog and vlog. That pound sign will become a whole new tool too, so understand how it works. You're also going to be doing a podcast eventually. You might as well learn how to do that now and monetize it while the world is still trying to figure out what's up with podcasting. 

2016: The Craftbeericans (@Craftbeericans on social media)

Good luck and keep your chin up. Oh and when you start getting tweets from some strange guy named @iTomHarness, don't ignore him. He's going to become a great friend and teach you some things about how all this social media stuff works. And put down the Bud Light and try some craft beer. Tom will teach you more about that too, but at least go into it looking like you know something.

See ya in 2016.

Randy Orton: Bully or Victim

Randy Orton and the fan in question
Photo from Twitter

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter

I'm sure by now you've heard about the Randy Orton incident with a female fan.  If you missed it, Orton recently retweeted a pic referring to the woman as "Latino Ms. Piggy."  (If you speak or read Spanish, it should be Latina, but I digress...)  This is the exact tweet...

"Look @kimklro I met the Latino Ms. Piggy today at the gym. I wish you were there to have a good laugh with me! #MsPig"

The fan in question has apparently been stalking Orton and his girlfriend for quite some time.  Randy has since deleted the tweet and issued an apology.  


"I apologize if any of my previous tweets offended anyone. The answer to bullying isn't more bullying..."

This is just my opinion, but I think that Randy Orton did the wrong thing by posting what he did about the fan.  I understand that this woman probably has been bugging the hell out of him and his girlfriend on social media and even in real life.  But there was probably a better way to nip that in the bud.

I work in local TV news.  I am in no way comparing the exposure I receive in my market to what WWE Superstars go through.  But I have been harassed online, on the phone, and even in person.  I've never resorted to flinging the insults back at the person in question. Pardon the pun, but it's bad for business.

Orton in action
Photo courtesy: WWE

WWE is a publicly traded company.  They are the creators of the "Be A Star" campaign aimed at ending bullying.  Going on social media and calling this woman a pig has done nothing but make Orton look like a bully.  I get the frustration, but find a different way to deal with it.

Acknowledging fans who are seeking "15 minutes of fame" gives them more fuel to keep targeting celebrities.  I don't know the fan's motive, but it seems like if she's making things public on social media, she's seeking attention.  When a celebrity gives a response, good or bad, it satisfies the fans' need for notoriety and likely encourages others to do the same thing.

I don't want to leave you with the impression that Orton (or any harassed celebrity) shouldn't stand up for themselves when it comes to overzealous fans.  But it's important to do it in a way that doesn't end up backfiring and making the star and the company they work for look bad.  Besides, I've always found that when someone is hating, there are plenty of other supporters to take care of the negativity.

Bottom line, what Randy Orton did was wrong.  And from what I've read, what the fan did was wrong too.  Yes, we're paying customers, but it doesn't justify stalking anyone.  We all know two wrongs don't make a right.  I hope that Randy will be the bigger man next time and perhaps let the WWE and the police (if necessary) handle the situation.