Vanessa's CSIT 155 - Spring 2025 Class Blog

  Advertising in the Digital Age: A Love-Hate Relationship Lately, I've been seeing a lot of ads on Facebook especially about gyms, fitness apps, and supplements. It’s obvious that Facebook knows what I’ve been searching for, and I have to admit, I kind of like that. Thanks to cookies and tracking, the platform shows me exactly what I'm interested in. When I’m scrolling, their ads actually catch my attention because they feel relevant. The images are sharp, the messages are clear, and the call to action is usually something like “Join now,” “Claim your free trial,” or “Get started today.” And honestly, I’ve clicked a few! But that doesn’t happen to me on all platforms. Instagram feels more like a place to see friends and content I chose to follow, and the ads don’t really connect with me. I just scroll past them without paying attention. And YouTube? Don’t even get me started. For me, YouTube ads are the worst. They interrupt everything, and even when they’re skippable, they ...

  Blog Post – Learning from My Classmates’ Online Tool Discoveries This week, I had the chance to read through several posts from my classmates, and I was really inspired by the creativity and intention behind the tools they chose for their businesses. Even though each of us is working on something different, I noticed that the tools we select reflect the heart of our brands  whether it’s about community, storytelling, or just making our daily work smoother. In April’s post, I learned about using LinkedIn and MeetUp to connect with professionals and like-minded people. I liked how she emphasized the importance of human connection, especially when working from home. It made me think about how I could connect with other entrepreneurs or bakers, even if it's just to exchange ideas or support. From Aleida’s post about launching a Pilates studio , I discovered how helpful tools like Google Business and Yelp can be for building credibility and staying visible in the community. ...