JOAN BARRETT MEDIA - Blog

Popular For A Reason: Enigma - Return To Innocence

Sat, 16 Sep 2023 21:04:05 GMT

This is the first post in a series, featuring songs that tend to get overlooked or ridiculed because they've been overplayed, associated with the chronically uncool or cancelled for temporary cultural shifts.

I was discussing the Pure Moods compilation with a friend today and we decided it was absolutely underrated. The constant infomercials and the bubble bath taking, scented candle lighting Mom aesthetic in the 90s may have ruined it for us for a time, but we decided that it's popular for a reason.

Released in 1993, Return To Innocence by German band Enigma became a 90s anthem, featured in shows such as My So Called Life and was eventually included in the popular Pure Moods compilation series.

Watching this video again, I'm very touched by it. It is, indeed, innocent. Some of the special effects are a bit heavy handed, but I'm not going to let that ruin my experience. It's a beautiful song about making peace with death.

Is ChatGPT A GOOD COPYWRITING TOOL?

Thu, 17 Aug 2023 22:50:37 GMT

ChatGPT is a cloud computing platform that uses AI technology to help you create content by having a conversation with a verbose chatbot from the comfort of your own personal or professional digital device. Skepticism aside, I’ve decided to look into it for my own frame of reference. As a professional writer, I am concerned that I’m being replaced by a robot, but as someone who likes to embrace efficiency as a freelancer and business owner, it intrigues me.

Where did ChatGPT Come From?

It seems like an overnight success. It was released in November 2022 by OpenAI and as of February 2023, nearly half of businesses that participated in the ResumeBuilder survey answered that ChatGPT was already a part of their operations.

This was technology that was in the works for quite some time of course. Microsoft heavily invested in its success in 2019 so plenty of businesses were waiting eagerly for its arrival.

Is ChatGPT Cost Effective?

Version 3.5 is free, so sure. It’s worth a whirl. It also doesn’t require the user to have any special training beyond knowing how to do what most of us know how to do by this point, which is chat on the internet.

The pro version is $20/month which is really not a lot of money to throw at experimenting with a new toy to make content writing a less time consuming process. However, if that is the goal, which is the goal of many considering using ChatGPT, make sure you’re investing in the basic tools of the trade first. Organization is the biggest hurdle for most content writing projects, not lack of brainstorming or ideas.

How accurate is ChatGPT?

Chat GPT gives an upfront disclaimer that it’s not intended to give “advice.” Traditional fact checking methods are still required, which makes me sleep better at night knowing that copywriters and editors with a loud whistle such as myself are still needed in the world.

Is ChatGPT Safe for Businesses?

It depends. Here’s some more information that ChatGPT gives you when you log in that is not advice - “Don’t share sensitive information.” The conversations can and will be used to improve the company’s user experience.

As a copywriter who has signed many non-disclosure agreements, I mind my p’s and q’s, but a good brainstorming session historically means a private conversation between me and a client and their staff, not a machine. I also remember the days where handing over the logins and passwords for social media accounts and Wordpress blogs between strangers wasn’t the airtight process it is now and we all survived.

Is ChatGPT A Social Media Management Tool?

In short, no and it’s not a question of whether or not you’d like to reallocate some of the responsibilities of your current social media manager, which, depending on how much you’re currently investing in marketing, may just be you.

It can help you meet your social media calendar quota, but I have to say I’m not particularly impressed with this suggestion:

I then gave it further instructions for shorter copy and the inclusion of a photo:

To be fair, I can edit this into something decent or research the suggested keywords but that’s what I’ve used programs like HootSuite or good old fashioned competitive analysis for. I also think that crafting a good social media post doesn’t need to be rushed. I’m an efficient writer but spending an extra 10 or 20 minutes is absolutely worth it when it comes to ensuring that your business is viewed in a professional manner.

I’ve even had times where I’ve regretted spending a bit of extra time on a post versus throwing something out there just for the sake of staying on a content schedule. I could keep discussing these issues with ChatGPT but it’s not going to be able to emulate my tone in the way that a good copywriter would.

ChatGPT is not something I am worried about but I don’t think it’s something that I am going to utilize as an integral part of a copywriting strategy. Maybe I’ll come around and sing its praises. It’s still fresh on the scene.

It kind of nailed this one:

Have you used ChatGPT? Have you found it useful or are you already over it? Leave a comment!

15 Music Facts For Awkward Moments

Wed, 09 Aug 2023 23:07:18 GMT

I enjoy interrupting full bars, family functions and long irritating lines at Aldi by dropping music trivia that people may or may not want to hear. In fact, it doesn't have to be silent or awkward for me to do it. You and I may have this in common. Here are 15 music facts for awkward moments --

One of the songwriters of “September” by Earth Wind and Fire also wrote the Friends theme song. RIP Allee Willis.
Alan Thicke wrote the original theme for Wheel of Fortune. It’s called Big Wheels. It’s not terrible but I can see why it didn't last long.
"Poker Face" by Lady Gaga samples Boney M.’s "Ma Baker." The Ma ma ma ma part. I had absolutely no idea until I went on a 2021 Boney M. kick. I’ve heard I’m not the only one but I’m still confused as to why. If anyone has leads on that please hit me up.
This Britney Spears/Bjork mashup exists. One of the only things I like to revisit that came out of 2020. If you don’t enjoy it as much as I do I don’t want to hear about it because I’m obsessed.
John Lennon’s hair sold for 48,000 Canadian dollars in 2007.
There’s an entire documentary on the song “Who Let The Dogs Out” and it’s incredibly insightful. Watch it the next time you want to break your brain a little. It makes the streaming rounds and it’s usually free.
Heart’s "Alone" is a cover, slightly rewritten. Here’s a Stereogum article that explains the whole story in depth.
Frank Zappa paid the London Symphony to perform his compositions because he wanted to make sure it was done right. He had offers from other orchestras but they said they would only practice them twice and he didn't think it was enough.
Spiders prefer classical music over techno and rap.
You can fix a scratched CD with a banana peel. I've never tried this but if I ever get stranded in Ecuador with a discman, a collection of busted mix CDs and only my hopes and dreams, I'll report back and let you know how it worked out.
Courtney Love and Kurt Cobain got married in their pajamas.
Heaven’s Gate leader, Marshall Applewhite, was a music professor at University of St. Thomas.
Shel Silverstein wrote A Boy Named Sue for Johnny Cash.
Brian Wilson is deaf in one ear and doesn’t know how to surf.
Stevie Nicks dad was the President of Greyhound Bus Lines.

Am I wrong about something? Go ahead. Tell me in the comments. More arguments mean more attention. Thanks for reading.

djjoanieb does little italy days

Fri, 04 Aug 2023 20:26:26 GMT

On Saturday, August 19th, I will be djing my first public event since 2020! Come to G's on Liberty at 8pm for dancing, drinks and food in the Bloomfield neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. No cover. Pop hits from all the decades. See you soon!

5104 Liberty Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA
15224

Musicians To Celebrate During Aries Season

Tue, 28 Mar 2023 17:14:06 GMT

I'm an Aries. It's part of what makes me the best. Here are some Aries musicians who are also the best.

LADY GAGA

Look at her go.

ELTON JOHN

With talent spanning the decades, he offers a little something something for all of us.

MARIAH CAREY

This woman worked hard for people to appreciate her talents. Great performer, great voice, underrated songwriter.

BILLIE HOLIDAY

Iconic. Beautiful. Queer. Black.

Reba McEntire

Reba McEntire is just about as strong as they get. We all know she's a survivor.

Rico Suave

Perhaps he is not quite as accomplished as some of the other Aries but I wanted to add a bit of nostalgic rizz.

Loretta Lynn

Don't get on the wrong side of an Aries. You might win a one way ticket to Fist City.

Marvin Gaye

We may be tough, but there is no mountain high enough to keep us from you when we love you.

Chaka Khan

She's every woman.

Promote local events without spending a penny

Sun, 11 Aug 2019 04:00:00 GMT

Whether you’re trying to promote your band, a local fundraiser, or a taco truck, promoting on social media can feel like a digital game of “Whac A Mole.” Without a game plan and a lot of patience, you can find yourself wanting to tilt the machine. Don’t do it. Here are 3 simple ways to improve your local event social media marketing strategy —

1. Connect With Journalists On Twitter

If I had a penny for every time I’ve heard someone say they don’t tweet because their audience isn’t there, I’d have enough to build a wall with them. On a local level and beyond, the people who use Twitter the most are journalists.

What do journalists do? Write the news.

Example — When I first started DJing at Howlers bar in Pittsburgh, I created a Facebook event for it tweeted the link to my followers on Twitter with targeted hashtags. Pittsburgh City Paper music journalist Jordan Snowden noticed and reached out to me about being included in their New Year’s Eve guide. My picture was prominently displayed both digitally and in print.

Did anyone come in on the night of my first DJ gig at Howlers and say they saw the event on Twitter? Not to my knowledge, but many people made a point to tell me they saw my picture in the City Paper! Twitter is worth it.

2. Keep Your Facebook Events Clean

That means double checking the dates and times and tags. Have a second pair of eyes scope it out for typos, if possible. If the event is a mess, people will not be interested and they will be less likely to attend.

Make sure to remind any co-managers to invite their friends. Also, continually share the event. Encourage people to click “interested” even if they are not sure they will be attending. The goal is to have as many people see the event as possible.

3. Tag Who, What and Where

Not only will this make it easier for everyone to coordinate and provide more information, it will make everyone and every place feel included! We’re all hoping for maximum attendance, but even if we don’t get it, promoting a local event is a catalyst for fostering long term connections with the community.

For example, while writing this section, I clicked over to the link to the City Paper guide, and realized it was co-written by Maggie Weaver. So now I have mentioned them.

What’s the best part of all these tactics? They’re all FREE. They do involve a bit of time and savvy, but they don’t involve spending even a penny on advertising.

Need some advice on how to promote a local event on social media? Contact me!

10 Anthems of Feminine Strength Written By Men

Sun, 19 May 2019 23:56:54 GMT

What defines an anthem of feminine strength?

To me, it’s any song that brings out power without invoking masculinity.

In a tangible way, it’s a song that immediately makes people feel comfortable to sing super loudly and jump up and down. In my experience as a DJ, this is most certainly not limited to women, although these songs are undoubtedly associated with women.

They are often songs about women, or the lyrics reflect the struggle of women. It’s not the beat that defines the music, it’s the words.

What if I told you that a large portion of the songs you heard while you were out having a “girls night out?"

You mad?

I’m not. I think it’s pretty interesting. Like it or not, these songs are part of American culture and affect our ideas of what it means to be feminine and powerful.

The following songs are easily 10 of the most well-known songs that are associated with the experience of being a women, however simple they may be.

Let’s have a look see --

1. Respect - Otis Redding

Originally recorded by Redding, the song took on a whole new meaning when Aretha Franklin belted it out. The words were changed slightly, but it’s Aretha’s assertion that makes it resonate with women.

2. Single Ladies - Beyoncé, Terius "The-Dream" Nash, Thaddis "Kuk" Harrell, and Christopher "Tricky" Stewart

“The Dream” came up with the concept and was inspired by Jay-Z and Beyonce’s relationship. The dude has been married 3 times. He knows something about putting a ring on it

3. I Will Survive - Freddie Perren and Dino Fekaris

It would have been nothing without Gloria Gaynor because from what I can tell these guys were pretty basic guys with a talent for writing great songs (as least according to the internet).

4. Since U Been Gone - Max Martin and Lukasz "Dr. Luke" Gottwald

THAT Dr. Luke wrote AND produced this delightful go-to for breakups and bahvitzahs alike, proving that a person can absolutely understand a female perspective while simultaneously treating women like garbage and manage to make money doing it.

It was originally written for P!nk, almost recorded by Hilary Duff (she couldn’t nail the high notes), and Clive Davis convinced the writers to give it to Kelly. Good call Clive. No one wants to hear Dr. Luke sing. That’s for sure.

5. Material Girl - Peter Brown and Robert Rans

Madonna typically didn't write her own songs in the 80s and 90s and she's gotten a lot of flack for it, so this one may not be too surprising, but it’s worth noting that two men wrote it. It’s a tongue-in-cheek take on “Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend” that reminds us that money may not solve all one’s problems, but it’s worth making more than a few concessions for.

6. I Am Woman - Ray Burton

Not having grown up in the 70s, it’s hard for me to really digest this one in the manner that it was likely digested when it was first released. I always figured it was this undying symbol of the Women’s Movement, signifying progress like equal pay for women and freedom of choice and all that great stuff.

Unfortunately, it’s a dude making fun of his feminist wife. Helen Reddy used to host women’s meetings and Burton recalls these meetings as vehicles to “sit around and whine about their boyfriends.”

7. All About That Bass - Meghan Trainor, Kevin Kadish

This song was a huge hit, but it got a lot of flack for “skinny shaming.” Yes, it was co-written by a man, but it turns out that the “skinny bitch” line was Trainor’s idea. Go figure.

8. You Don’t Own Me - John Madara and David White

Leslie Gore slayed this anthem of female independence, but it was two Doo-Wop dudes who penned it. It’s arguably one of their most known musical accomplishments so far as I can tell. Understanding the female perspective pays off.

9. Run The World - Beyoncé Knowles, Terius "The-Dream" Nash, Wesley Pentz, David Taylor, Adidja Palmer, Nick van de Wall

Girls may run the world, but it’s a TEAM of men who wrote the song alongside Beyonce.

10. These Boots Are Made For Walking - Lee Hazlewood

Originally, Hazlewood wanted to record the song himself and said “it’s not really a girl song.” That’s not the kicker though. Here’s the “Kick In The Head” — Frank Sinatra convinced him to let Nancy Sinatra sing it.

Frank Sinatra wasn’t exactly known for being sensitive to the women folk back in his day, but he did offer this perspective — "coming from a guy it was harsh and abusive, but was perfect for a little girl to sing.” Frankie, you weren’t wrong and Lee Hazlewood sounds like a monster.

There are many more where this came from. So many that there are articles out there that list “girl power” anthems of this nature that are actually written by women.

Think about the reverse - “15 Boy Power Anthems Actually Written By Men.”

It sounds like a particularly upsetting episode of Law and Order SVU that has yet to air.

How WERE these lyrics able to be written by men? Perhaps these successful men had many patient women opening up to them about their likes and dislikes.

We could of course go on and on about how the music industry favors men and how women have a difficult time getting their words amplified, but that’s another blog post entirely.

Here is a corresponding Spotify playlist. Have a listen!

8 COMPELLING INFLUENCER MARKETING STATS

Wed, 29 Aug 2018 21:21:11 GMT

No matter how evolved we think we are as adults, we all still want to do what the cool kids are doing. We want to eat what they eat, wear what they wear, and buy what they buy. At the very least, we want to know what they’re up to.

Influencer marketing allows us to have a direct line to the cool kids. While most of us are very aware that people are generally paid for their endorsements, at the end of the day, we don’t care. We buy into it anyway.

Companies across all industries are shifting their advertising budgets over to getting their products in the hands of influencers, whether they have small to mid-sized audience or their last name begins with a K and ends with an N.

1. 99% Of Influencers Use Instagram.

99% isn’t a real number that digital marketers get to throw around often, so it’s pretty exciting to use it knowing there’s no room for fudging on this one. Snapchat is a force, and I’ll mention that later as well, but with 1 billion users, Instagram remains THE ultimate social media marketing force. No matter what age demographic you’re targeting, you can find your audience on it.

2. Snapchat Influencer Marketing Drove A 51% increase in sales for Loreal.

In a 2017 campaign, they used a variety of channels including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, and Snapchat but Snapchat was BY FAR the most successful. The selfie filter was what really threw things over the edge.

Snapchat was not built for influencer marketing. Then again, neither were the other channels at the dawn of their inception. Influencer marketing is genuinely about working with influencers where they’re at and figuring out if your product is a good fit for their audience.

3. 92% of consumers trust recommendations from personal connections, while only 33% trust ads.

Have you asked your Facebook friends what kind of vacuum to buy or asked them where to go for Taco Tuesday? Of course you have. Do you trust your friends over Yelp? I certainly hope so otherwise it’s time to get new friends with better taste.

4. Customers that are obtained by word of mouth have a 37% higher retention rate.

I truly believe that the real power of influencer marketing is in the conversations that happen offline as a result of the conversations that happen online.

Think about it. You’re at the store with your sister and you see a new kind of cookie. Let’s call them smoreos as I am not yet getting paid to be an social media influencer.

Your sister saw Kim Smardashian tweeting about stuffing-only smoreos. You buy them.

If you didn’t, it just wouldn’t be as fun of a girls’ night in. Now, you associate stuffing-only smoreos with the best girls’ night in ever and if they ever stop making smoreos, you and your sister will be devastated.

None of that will show up in your Google Analytics or hashtag report, but it’s real stuff.

5. The larger the Instagram audience, the less likely they are to be engaged.

Sensei Marketing conducted a study of 500,000 Instagram users and found that many of the heavy hitters are all fluff and no talk. Part of the reason is because they have paid or spammy followers, but the other reason is that if someone is that big of a deal, they’re probably not someone you’re going to engage with a lot.

You’re probably more likely to comment on a post of a small band you’ve met locally rather than a post by someone bigger because you’re more likely to get a response, right?

6. 93% of top celebrity endorsers have violated FTC regulations.

Usually the issue is that they don’t disclose that they’re being paid to endorse a product with a simple #ad or something to that effect.

Here’s the nuts part — in my experience working at digital marketing agencies it’s because they don’t know any better or they forget. It’s a pretty dumb mistake and one that’s the marketer’s job to drill into influencers’ brains as far as I’m concerned.

7. Male influencers get paid nearly twice as much as female influencers do on Instagram.

Whatever the reasons are, they’re super lame. It could be somewhat related to industry, but I think that’s missing the point. That’s a GIANT gap.

As a long-time female entrepreneur whose career largely consists of negotiating a wide variety of hustles to pay the bills, this is a glass ceiling statistic. I hope lots of influential females read this and start charging more for paid posts. I really do.

8. Marketers who implemented an influencer marketing campaign earned an average of $6.85 in media value for every $1 they spent on paid media.

This is what’s truly crazy about influencer marketing —it delivers ROI big time without a giant investment and it’s easy to track its success.

Whether or not you’re happy with your ad campaigns or not, it’s worth it to shift at least some of that budget over to influencer marketing.

Have you run a successful influencer marketing campaign? How about an unsuccessful influencer marketing campaign? Pray tell below.

5 DIGITAL CONTENT GRAMMAR RULES WE ALL NEED TO LET GO OF

Thu, 05 Jul 2018 22:49:39 GMT

The internet has undoubtedly changed the rules that writers have been taught to live by in the world of academia. It can be difficult to know which rules to keep and which ones to let pass away under a pile of jewel boxes in attic between your iPod Shuffle and a stack of Entertainment Weekly’s.

Here are 5 content grammar rules we all need to let go of —

1. Using The Oxford Comma

When it comes to writing digital copy, being concise is extremely important. That’s exactly why journalists ditched the Oxford comma years ago. Unfortunately, digital content writers are not all on the same page when it comes to this topic.

If you’re a big proponent of the Oxford comma, there are many sentences you can use to try to prove your point. However, if the sentences relies on that comma to make sense, the sentences should be restructured. Here’s an example:

We invited the strippers, JFK, and Stalin.

VERSUS

We invited the strippers, JFK and Stalin.

Business Insider suggests that what’s really bothering an Oxford comma fan who reads the second sentence is the order in which the words are used. Here’s how they fixed it —

We invited JFK, Stalin and the strippers.

The problem wasn’t the comma usage, it was the sentence.

via GIPHY

2. Refusing To Use "They" As A Singular Pronoun

More and more people are publicly identifying outside of the traditional gender binary and unfortunately the English language does not have a singular pronoun to describe those individuals. Many writing purists have argued that it is grammatically incorrect to use “they” when referring to them.

Well, if that’s the type of mountain a writer wants to die on, they’re probably pretty irrelevant in today’s world. Language evolves. Embrace it. If it means making people feel more respected for how they choose to identify, change with the game people.

3. Avoiding Contractions

One of the main goals of digital content is to engage with your reader in a conversational manner. When we speak, we generally speak in contractions unless we’re being purposefully obtuse.

By using contractions in your writing, you’re being friendlier. People like it when you’re friendly. Use contractions.

4. Putting A Suit And Tie On B2B Content

This is not to say that a business blog should read as sloppily as a Trump tweet...oh...wait a second, Trump is a businessman who managed to get himself elected as the president of the United States while speaking like a trucker waiting for a portajohn. Whether you're a fan or not, the man didn't get to where he is being afraid to be colloquial.

The fact of the matter is that a “professional” business tone is not what it once was and it's a combination of factors that have led to this. Cryptocurrency geniuses, for example, aren't making their millions strutting down Wall Street with a pocket square and neither is Elon Musk.

Should we speak in complete sentences and avoid allowing ourselves to disintegrate into a pile of emojis and text speak? Yes. However, we do need to understand that many successful business people wear black t-shirts to work instead of button ups.

Know your audience and adjust to the changing times.

via Gfycat

5. Creating Long Paragraphs

To a writer, it does feel as if pretty soon, we’re just going to be blinking at each other from across the country with laser beams of Kris Kardashian gifs, but we can’t let our paranoia get the best of us. Words still matter, but the way we consume them has undoubtedly changed, especially considering that we’re consuming most of them on tiny little screens.

By creating shorter paragraphs, we’re increasing the chance that someone may actually read and comprehend what we’re writing. Sometimes it’s even acceptable to create a paragraph out of a single sentence. Give it the old college try some time and let me know how you feel about it.

Whether you agree or disagree with the above list, I’d genuinely appreciate hearing from you in the comment section. Leave a comment below.

3 Celebrity Twitter Mistakes Every Marketer Can Learn From

Thu, 27 Jul 2017 16:37:42 GMT

Exposing that you’re not in control of your messaging is mortifying. It’s the equivalent of having one of those dreams where you go to school with no clothes on, except it’s not a dream.

As a marketer, you have a target audience who you engage with regularly and your tweets may not hit the mark all the time. It happens.

Imagine if you had millions of Twitter followers like many big celebrities do. That means that your mistakes are amplified even more and everyone is just waiting for you to slip up.

Here are 3 celebrities who are incredibly talented, but made at least one big mistake on Twitter and what you can learn from it as a marketer:

1. Sarah Silverman

In Sarah Silverman’s latest comedy special, “A Speck Of Dust,” she recaps a mistake she made in 2011 when Twitter broke the news that Osama Bin Laden had been captured.

She scheduled the following tweet to come out 5 minutes after the news broke — “Why do my dog’s doodies come out cold?”

Timing is everything.

This mistake made for some great material for the stage, but in the moment, it was a pretty serious facepalm moment for her.

Marketing lesson — Be socially present for tweets that you schedule as much as possible.

2. Madonna

Following the Orlando tragedy in 2016, Madonna sent a tweet out saying “Gay or straight - no hate.” The words were acceptable enough, but the photo attached to it showed Madonna and Britney Spears kissing during a VMA performance.

To many, this came off as insincere, and rightfully so.

Marketing lesson — You can tweet to show your support in the wake of tragedy, but don’t make your sentiments too self promotional.

3. 50 Cent

Back in 2010, 50 Cent sent a tweet complaining about taking out the garbage for his grandmothers.

Well, that’s rude.

Marketing lesson — In general, no one wants to hear you complain on social media, especially if you’re a successful celebrity or brand.

via howtostartablogonline.net

Whether you have 500 or 5 million followers, Twitter is visible and it moves fast. Always have one eye open for the worst case scenario!

What’s the biggest mistake you’ve made on Twitter? Leave a comment below.