Kirien Sangha

Great news! 

What's the difference? 

The answer.

But, if I did all those things, in the "post-consumers column" it would just be 1 click. As this column accounts for unique clicks. 

So there you go, please tell me I'm not wrong. 

Being born in 1989 I have grown up with celebrities. I can only remember the world as been obsessed with them, think you're not? Remember Spice Girls in the 90's? How about J-Lo in the noughties? Ask your friends about Britney in 2007. 

We're so obsessed.  

Since 2007, when social media exploded, celebrities have taken on more power. 

As big power players who influence things such as what we wear, where we shop, which charity we donate to, and how we should behave, I'm curious to uncover how they're using their social media channels, and in particular, Facebook. 

For this post, I'm going to look at Lady Gaga - a global icon. I want to see what she and her team are posting to her 60 million fans and how she's using the platform to enhance her brand and drive sales. 

I will look at posts she has made between 28th October and 3rd November 2013 

Quick stats  

This post is very different from the ones we see in the rest of the week; I’m guessing this is from Gaga herself. She is known for her stance on anti-bullying and she is using the leverage of her Facebook page to act on this. It shows her using her power to try and do some social good. 

And next..

With the approach of her album release date the team is trying to get fans excited. They provide an external link to Spotify, a huge platform for artists.  They clearly state the benefit of following Gaga on Spotify: you get notications as soon as new music is released. 

Getting users to follow Gaga on Spoitify is the same as an e-commerce websites attempting to get fans on their mailing list. I think this is a good approach by the team, they give you a good reason why you should click on the link. With almost 30, 000 likes, it seems it worked. 

This is clearly a celebratory post and affirms Gaga's popularity and status. Big power players like Beyonce, Justin Timberlake and Kerry Washington have appeared on SNL. 

She includes a clear instruction and it's something that resonates with her fans, she receives over 60, 000 likes for this post and almost 1,800 shares. What do we take from this? Fans love when their icons are doing well, share your success with them.  

THEY'RE SO ON THE MONEY WITH THIS POST. Right?

We know Gaga as a provocative pop-star and this image fits that description of her perfectly. Her bruised thighs, high-end (not so wearable) clothes, in your face look can't help but be noticed. 

The post is a clear statement, there's no call to action, she just wants to announce something. It's the most engaged post of the week with 111, 205 likes. We see that, provocative image + announcement results in a high engagement rate amongst her fans.  

Conclusion

Her community management team are mixing things up very well; we see posts driving sales, posts that appear to be from GaGa her self, and posts celebrating her career. 

I've listened to several podcasts from Amy Porterfield, a leading Facebook expert and she constantly pointed out the value of using pictures on brand pages. Particularly pictures used in the right context. Gaga's team truly understand this. 

On a personal note, thanks Gaga, "Poker Face" was on constant repeat during second finals.  

Whenever I return back from a trip, I'm met with the inevitable, "I wish I could travel so much." When I ask people why they don't, I'm usually told one of three things: they don't want to travel on their own, they don't how to start planning it, or, they don't have enough money. But I like to think that, if you really want to do something, you absolutely can. And travelling is no different. So, I'm going to try and tackle each of these three things and show you why you can travel, too.   

I'm scared to travel on my own. 

Don't be! What's the worst that can happen?

Travelling on your own gives you the independence to do exactly what you want. Want 3 gelatos? Do it. Can't be bothered to go to another "Top 10 museum?" No problem, just say you went there. No one else's opinion matters and you don't have to consult your friends about which trips to take. This is great in itself. 

People are, understandably concerned about safety. But in all the countries I've been to, I've never felt unsafe. Just use your common sense: If you're in, say, Koh Samui, avoid walking on secluded beaches at night. Remember to leave a credit card in the hotel's safety deposit box. Don't get so drunk that you don't know your way home. Obvious, right? 

Something I wish everyone knew was: just because you're going on your own, it doesn't mean you'll be on your own. Book into a hostel on Hostleworld and meet people. Or stay in someone's apartment through AirBnb and ask them if there's a chance they'll show you around their city. You can meet groups of people in new cities with Couchsurfer. There are endless ways to meet new people and build up your global network. 

Keeping in touch with home is so easy, too. Almost every hotel and cafe has wifi, which allows you to quickly whatsapp across some photos or shoot a quick email.  

You don't know where to start. 

Woody Allen said that 80% of life is showing up, and I say, 80% of going on holiday is being brave enough to book the damn flight. When you book your flight everything else seems to follow. Start small, if you live in the UK, think of going somewhere close like Paris, Rome, Berlin, or Barcelona. 

I like to have a rough idea of what I will be doing in a new city so I will Google: "Top things to do in (insert city name.)" On a few occasions, such as when I went to China, I'll buy a travel guide and see if I get find any more tips. But Google is usually the best.  

But you can, and what I have done is, book your flight and accommodation, find out the route from the airport to the hotel and be on your way. You can map out what to do when you get there. 

Don't stress about things like what to pack - throw in some clothes. Oh, and a good pair of walking shoes. But do some basics: Photocopy your passport, have an extra copy of your insurance details, let your mum know where you'll be staying. Check that your phone works abroad, this is just in case you need to call home in an emergency. I've never had to do this. But it's nice to know I can. 

Facebook is amazing. Make use of your graph search, type in "My friends who have been to Paris." Can they give you some insight on what to do? Do they have friends there who will show you around? 

Cities like New York, Paris, Rome, Milan, Berlin, Budapest, Shanghai and Istanbul are all cities that are very tourist friendly, you can easily visit them without much planning - and on your own. 

So, really, the only things you need to check/do are:- 

1) Book flights 
2) Arrange accommodation 
3) Get some insurance - leave a copy of your details with your mum
4) Photocopy your passport - keep a copy & leave a copy at home 
5) Find out the route from the Airport to your hotel/apartment 
6) Have some cash with you and your card too.  

Money

Money is a big issue for many people, but at least get an idea of how much a trip will cost before you declare it to be too expensive.  

Booking in advance will often save you money. I always use Skyscanner when searching for flights. Then I go onto the airlines actual website to see if the price is cheaper. 

Accommodation can be costly. I haven't stayed in a hotel for a long time because my budget doesn't allow for it, so I use AirBnb. I've used this in a lot of cities; I've never been disappointed, It's allowed me to meet some great hosts and I have saved a tonne of cash - I hope that NYC remains AirBnb friendly! 

You'll always spend more if you go to restaurants vs. street stalls. If you're in New York for example, head to the area around Washington Square Park instead of Times Square. Ended up in Paris? Make your way over to Little India. In Barcelona? Avoid any restaurant that has a man outside telling you to come in. Walk down the road, turn right and then left, right out of the touristy areas. 

Domestic travel in a country can be expensive. If you plan on doing a route such as Beijing to Shanghai, Google the costs before you go. You'll end up on a website like Seat61 which gives you expert and detailed advice on train journeys.

Visiting attractions can be costly. Most cities will offer a tourist card allowing you to visit the main attractions at a discounted rate. This is something I rarely do, I tend to find attractions boring. I don't think you can beat walking around a new city - there's always lots of free things to do. Hey, I did say that I was easily pleased. 

Avoid getting taxis. I've found that most cities have a great underground system. You'll often be able to buy a card that allows you a certain number of rides. This is always worth considering as you'll save money and the hassle of buying a ticket each time you take a ride.  

I always exchange some currency before I go and I also take British Stirling so I can change it when I am there. This avoids me having to withdraw money from my account, which I am charged for. I also have a Halifax Clairty card. This lets me make purchases abroad without been charged any transaction feeds. 

Be warned, most European airports aren't as budget friendly as those in the UK (I'm looking at you, Paris). This is something that makes me really angry. I refuse to be ripped off, so, before my flight home I will go to McDonalds or KFC before I go arrive at the airport.  

We all love our families, but presents take up space and eat up your money, so forget those. Avoid shopping! Just walk around the city so you can get a feel for it. Download a cheap app like lonely planet to help you navigate your way around.

Finally....

Just do it. 

I can tell you that from doing countless trips abroad, you won't regret it. Each one is a great experience and something you will always remember doing. 

If you really want to travel, you can! 

Resources
www.airbnb.com - rent apartments or rooms all over the world.
www.couchsurfing.com - stay for free in people's homes.
www.skyscanner.net - great search engine for flights.
www.tripadvisor.com - check reviews on your hotels, tour guides, restaurants and tourist attractions. 
Wiki - check the wikipedia page of your local airport and see which destinations it has flights to. 
WikiTravel - Has good information about all major cities. 
www.pinterest.com - plot and pin your next trip by being inspired by the great images on Pinterest.