{Disclaimer: I am a part of the VZWBuzz Blogger Ambassador Program. All opinions are my own.}
Even before I started this blog, I was giving live updates on social media about different events. In the beginning it was a fun way to connect and keep others informed about live events happening. I was drawn to this type of interaction because many times when I couldn’t attend an event, I would watch my Twitter feed following hashtags to see what was going on.
As my social media presence and this blog have grown, social media reporting has grown, too. Sometimes it is live tweets of what’s happening. Sometimes it’s rapid fire photos on Instagram. Sometimes it’s short, live videos on various channels to keep the community updated. You can have a variety of these and as you connect with your network, you learn which platform is best for different events.
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is the importance of a strong internet connection. As a blogger/social media reporter, it’s detrimental to your work if you show up to an event, start taking photos and shooting videos, then, see only one itsy-bitsy bar on your phone signal. Sometimes there’s WiFi and sometimes it works but sometimes there’s no connection. For the last two months, that’s something I’ve not had to worry about since I made the switch to Verizon Wireless Network.
In San Antonio, I know there are spots where my signal has traditionally let me down. For example, you are hard pressed to have a 4G signal inside the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center. Most likely, you can receive your phone calls and texts but good luck sending out videos and photos. However, my first event to cover as a blogger (on the Verizon network) was People en Español FESTIVAL and it was at the Convention Center. Having just switched over to Verizon network, I was a happy camper seeing that I could share photos AND videos on Instagram and Facebook from inside the convention center even when the WiFi went wonky!
Inside performance venues can be challenging to have a signal strong enough to send out photos, videos and post on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. I didn’t have a problem posting on social media during the Marc Anthony and Juanes concerts in San Antonio. However, my love for Juanes came through the amount of photos and videos I took. I had the Note 3 on power saving mode so I wouldn’t lose my battery life. I made it through the whole concert! Another trick is to put your phone in airplane mode to save some juice. However, you cannot connect to the internet in airplane mode. So, you have to choose which is your priority. These are digital age problems, y’all!
Sure you can always take photos, create videos and record audio to share later but it’s so much more exciting to do in LIVE especially when you are on a trip like the American Latino Expedition at the Grand Teton National Park. The views we had in that gorgeous park needed to be shared right away. When I made the switch to Verizon Wireless Network, I chose the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 which has a fantastic camera. All the photos in this post are from the Note 3 and with the exception of cropping and watermarking, this is there are no additional edits to the photos.
Local events are always fun and important to cover. I hope you enjoy reading about events as much as I love sharing them. It’s not always about entertainment but about health and education in our Alamo City. I’ve been lucky enough to be invited to a series of luncheons to see the renovation of the Children’s Hospital in San Antonio. Below a video I posted on my Facebook page to share the progress. This video was created and edited completely on the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and shared over Verizon Wireless Network.
We recently made a trip with other local bloggers to the San Antonio Botanical Gardens for Art with You can see the many Lego Art pieces I shared on my Instagram account directly from the SA Botanical Gardens. These are really cool and only here until Jan. 4, 2015!
While businesses are providing WiFi connections more often these days, it’s nice to know I am on a strong 4G Network that is reliable. In our instant sharing society, I enjoy sharing what’s happening in the moment. Are there particular events you’d like to see on QueMeansWhat social channels?
Let’s connect on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram – those are the platforms where I’m at the most but you can also find QueMeansWhat on Pinterest and Tumblr.
