MY STORY:

• Utahns finding success for personal brands and business is largely thanks to their social media presence

MY BLOG:

My story idea came from a long term interest in social media and the things I’ve noticed while living in Utah for the past two years. I had noticed a correlation between media success and users in Utah before I had even lived here, so my fascination only grew once I was in the middle of it all. I had high hopes of reaching out and connecting with people I really wanted to talk to, but it wasn’t as easy as that. As can be expected, many of the popular Utah social media users whom I was hoping to interview were very busy with their work, which entails lots of travel and tight scheduling.

Even though it was hard to get interviews, I was able to recognize how their travels are their jobs, so it makes sense that they are busy. The interviews I did hold were contacts made through networking. I got a lot of suggestions of people to reach out to from other people I had contacted, which was very helpful. The three sources I ended up with were very interesting and helped to develop my story. I was able to get multiple different perspectives and learn something new from each of them as well. Since I struggled to get sources, the focus was the biggest issue I had after that. My original format wasn’t going to work with the interviews I had then acquired. So to refine my story, I sifted through the information I had gathered and made sure to keep considering the two major themes of Utah and social media.

Once I had enough information, writing came pretty easily. I knew what I wanted to say and what quotes and interview material I planned on including. This article process gave me a lot of respect for reporters and journalists because articles aren’t easy tasks, especially doing multiple stories under tight deadlines. I now have a new ice cream place to enjoy and know where to get new home decor. I’m really glad I stuck with my story idea as I feel like I learned a lot about new people and their businesses in Utah.

ABOUT ME:

I am currently a sophomore at the University studying Strategic Communications. I was born and raised in California, which I love and miss everyday when I am away from it. However, I have been visiting Utah for the past fifteen years, so I do consider it my second home.

I have always loved the creative arts. Photography and dance have been passions of mine ever since I was little. As I got older I became well versed in social media very quickly and like to use it to show my photos and designs. I hope to use this interest and my schooling to pursue a career in media marketing and content creation. Some dream positions would be working for a sports team or a media company such as GoPro or Havas Media Group.