My two cents on social media use by paranormal teams...

Today, I am going to talk about social media marketing and the paranormal. While that may sound boring, and maybe it is to most, it is something that has had my attention for years. It seems that everyone involved in paranormal research has a Facebook or Twitter account, and why not? Sites like Facebook provide a free, easy to use service that reaches millions of people each day. For people like myself, who have little to no experience in website design, its a great alternative (or addition) to a standard website. But there are some drawbacks, like Facebook's recent cuts on the audience a page will reach without paying new advertising fees. Not to mention, the interaction with others on such a widely public forum can both help and hurt your organization's reputation. My hope for this post is to discuss the trends I have noticed, my personal experiences (and horror stories), and my pet peeves for social media marketing.

First off, I would like to preface this all by saying that I have worked with arguably the biggest nightmare in social media marketing that a paranormal team can have. I know what it is like to get the wrong kind of attention drawn to your team because of the misuse of these tools. Because of this, I am probably more cautious about how I use Facebook, Twitter, etc with the team I now work with. I still struggle today with the reputation I received based on the actions of another under the name of a team I was once affiliated with, and I don't know that I will ever be completely free of that stigma. 

The ability to reach millions of people instantly, easily, and from the comforts of your home is a double edged sword. You can bring down the reputation of your entire team with a single post that only took seconds to write. I don't want to over dramatize the weight of the responsibility you carry by running a Facebook or Twitter page, but I also think that everyone should take these things seriously.  The most important thing to keep in mind when posting is the intention of your page, and whether or not the content you've prepared serves that intention. A discussion must happen between all members of your team about what you plan on using the page for, what you hope to achieve by having the page, and how you hope to reach those goals. Your social media outlets are representative of every member of your team, and should reflect your team's core values, goals, and mission across the board- no matter which administrator is posting.

It would be impossible to put together a group comprised of people who all hold the exact same opinions on the wide range of subjects we encounter as paranormal investigators, like minded maybe, but never unanimous agreement on all things. Because of these differing opinions, it is important to keep personal opinions clear and not portrayed as coming from the entire team. I am not suggesting that you avoid opinion, or taking a stance on your page- you don't need to please everyone all the time but you do need to consider the other members of your team. I can say from personal experience that it is very frustrating when a very hard stance is taken by the team you work with publicly and you don't feel the same way. I more than once found myself reading along on a blog, or Facebook with the public about the new opinion I supposedly held as a member of that team. These were not small issues either, these were posts that used harsh language, were often offensive, and caused a large chasm to grow between "us" and the local paranormal community. While I wasn't the author of these posts, because they came from a collective source I received the same mistrust and judgement. These are the types of situations in which you should carefully consider what you post, and the responsibility you have to your team to protect their reputation and to maintain the trust you have. These situations can be avoided by saving that type of content for a secondary page whether it is your personal Facebook, a Twitter or a blog.

Speaking of differing opinions...by putting your team out for public consumption you will be unable to avoid people who hold different opinions, and people who will voice theirs on your page. Personally, I don't think this is something to avoid, and I believe that teams who dismiss all differing opinions or "bullies" are setting themselves up to look weak. I can't even begin to think that I have an advanced education in this field, or that I have enough experience to be able to do everything independently without the assistance of others with different strengths or experience than my own. If you have a public page, where you post evidence, you should plan on hearing from people who don't hear that EVP the way you do, or believe they have a different way to explain a photograph. If you don't want to hear/see or handle these comments-you shouldn't be posting evidence for the public to see. You don't have to take nasty comments, or engage every skeptic you come across, but the way you handle these situations says a lot about your team. If you become defensive, angry, or fight with people on your social media sites, whether the other person was in the wrong or not, you look unprofessional. But you also look unprofessional if you refuse to accept or consider any other opinions on your practices or your evidence. If you claim to be a scientific research team, or to use scientific methods how can you justify avoiding any form of peer review? Every situation is a lesson, and a opportunity for growth and you're missing the opportunity to learn from others by calling those who question something respectfully the "bullies".

Save the drama for your mama. But really, quit it with the dramatics. We are not teenagers, OK maybe I was when I started doing this...but still! Much like unprofessionally engaging in heated exchanges with those who reply to the content on your page, airing your dirty laundry is a quick and easy to lose all perceptions of professionalism. I wont deny that there are people in this field who I find laughable, annoying or completely disagree with. However, I would never drag that out on a team's Facebook page that I worked with because that seems ridiculous and immature. But it happens, and I am always amazed. I know that there are frustrating situations in this field- a client cancels last minute after weeks of research, there are disagreements within the team, someone leaves the team, two teams are in a territorial argument over a location, etc. but none of these situations are going to be resolved by venting on the Internet. If you really feel the need to talk about it on a public forum, you can take the lesser risk of posting it on your personal profile. Again, every post should serve the ultimate marketing intention of your page and I doubt that drama is high on any one's list of aspirations for their team.

Facebook, unlike Twitter, offers its users a variety of page formats within the site. Each format serves different purposes, and has its own uses. In order to make an educated decision about which format(s) best suit your team, you must have first established what you plan on using the page for, what you hope to accomplish, and what kind of interaction you want with others.

A personal pet peeve of mine is the use of a personal profile under the name of a paranormal team. This is the standard profile we all use on Facebook, but in place of an actual name like Jane Doe, there will be some sort of variation on a team's name in order to bypass Facebook's policies regarding profile names. Why does this bother me? I will no longer add users like this for a couple reasons. The first, these profiles allow users to act anonymously to some degree, because these profiles aren't under their name, do not include their personal information, and they aren't using their photographs. I don't see the motivation to add these users, giving them access to my information, only to follow their team. Fan pages do not have access to their fans personal profiles, which limits their ability to comment on their personal posts, pictures and activity. Paranormal teams that use personal profiles often make the mistake of commenting and interacting with other users under the name of their team. I honestly cannot think of a situation in which a personal profile would be beneficial for a team- no matter what they hope to accomplish with social media marketing.

Facebook offers a much more convenient service to users with business pages, and I would recommend this style for most teams, or organizations. It's a great tool for those looking to advertise their services, their team and to share content with those interested. I would consider these pages the "face" of a team, and should at all times be the best representation possible. These pages should not be used for team communication, for example, I often see teams posting on their business page things like "Team Members, please call me by Friday about whether or not you will be attending Saturday's investigation". This is an unprofessional use of this tool, and I honestly quickly "unlike" pages that do this. Why? Because, to be perfectly honest, I don't care about your team management. Another business page faux pas, is the desperate pursuit of "likes". There seems to be a misconception spreading like wildfire through the paranormal community that your success as a team, or as an organization is measured by the number of people who "like" your Facebook page. When I created a business page for the first team I worked with, I immediately began watching others both locally and internationally. It was obvious that many pages were working for one goal, to get as many people as possible to "like" that page. They posted on each others walls, bartered deals with other teams to promote one another, and held giveaways. But, I just sat there scratching my head, what was really so important about how many random people out there "liking" our page? These random users wouldn't be the source of our cases, they wouldn't really create that much of a networking opportunity, and they probably wouldn't even interact with us on the content we posted. It was then that I knew that I had to worry about quality over quantity when it came to the users we engaged. If you want more users to like your page, you should have an idea of what kind of users you're looking for. I kept my intentions pretty general with my first page, I was simply looking for others in the area with an interest in the paranormal. In order to find these users, I created a Facebook ad that only appeared to those in the area that "liked" similar content. It is simple changes in mindset like these that can really take a typical page to a new level of success and productivity. This is your tool, make it work for you. 

If you're looking for a way to hold discussions, group together like minded people, or manage your team, you should turn the Groups available through Facebook.  These Groups have varying privacy settings that you can manipulate to better serve your team, or your purpose. For example, you can create a public group in which the existence is public and so is the content or you can go as far as to create a secret group, where the existence is concealed, and content is private.As mentioned above, business pages are not always the best place to share evidence for public consumption and critique. However, these groups offer more opportunity for you to publish photos, documents, etc and a better platform in which to discuss these items. You can also avoid my pet peeve of using your business page to communicate with your team by creating a secret group, where you can securely share case information, meeting dates using the events within groups, etc. But, for the love of all that is holy, do not get "add happy" and add every single person on your friends list to your new group. This goes back to quality over quantity, find those who have a genuine interest, or simply post an invitation. I believe there is a special circle of hell reserved for those who add their friends to random groups on a regular basis. 

Well, I must say that this post has become much longer than I intended! I guess I really just love hearing myself talk...you can look for (hopefully much shorter) follow up posts  in the next week with more information about Twitter, Instagram, etc! 

This is where I'd write about the Singapore Theory...if there was one...

In my second blog post, I mentioned my guilty pleasure of watching Ghost Hunters and now I am going to write about an investigative practice I enjoyed on Ghost Hunters International. Now before someone freaks out about paranormal investigators emulating TAPS and other yada yada, hear me out.

In 2008, on an episode of Ghost Hunters International. Barry used the phrase "The Singapore Theory" in reference to the practice of using period music as stimuli during an investigation. For years since, I have kept this theory in the back of mind, as I myself enjoy the use of music on investigations.  When I decided to start a blog, I made a list of topics that I wanted to cover and The Singapore Theory was one of the first on the list, but this post has taken an unexpected turn.

I don't try to pass this blog off as any form of academic writing, or a professional venture, it is simply a side project for fun. However, I do try to do a fair amount of research before I post anything and I must say that my research on "The Singapore Theory" surprised me. 

The first thing I looked for was a published copy of the theory itself and any corresponding experiments/research. What I found was disappointing, just a lot of other teams, organizations and blogs talking about the application of paranormal stimuli under the name "The Singapore Theory". I never found a published theory of any kind, and no explanation of why Barry assigned this name to the use of period music on an investigation. I hate to say it, but I think this is yet another example of paranormal TV shows messing with our heads. It seems that the "Singapore Theory" is nothing but a buzz word that spread like wildfire after its use on TV. This isn't the first time that the Ghost Hunters franchise, or TAPS have gotten themselves in a bit of hot water over renaming common practices to take some sort of "ownership" over them. It's a shame really that we all (myself included)  get so caught up in the faux science so often associated with paranormal research. Why call something a theory that doesn't even resemble a true scientific theory? So often what is passed off as "scientific research" in this field is nothing more than loosely organized ideas. But that's a rant for another day...

So things are going bump in the night...

Undoubtedly, the most interesting thing that happened to me when I "came out of the paranormal closet" was the outpouring of stories from friends, family, coworkers, heck even strangers. I thought I was for the most part alone in my interests and experiences, boy was I wrong!

For some people, activity in their home can be an exciting experience, but for others its a fearful time. I think many of us are seeking messages from our departed loved ones, but when the lights start flickering, and shadows appear out of the corner of your eye- you might not be so sure its your dear old aunt.

Regardless of how you feel about the activity, I have a few simple things I ask of everyone who comes to me with their experiences.

The first thing I suggest, to those who are fearful, and to those who think Casper is going to be their new BFF, is to write your experiences down. It can be hard to articulate what happened in conversation for many reasons, one is the fear of being judged,trust me, you're not the only one who thinks they might be going crazy when you have unexplained experiences. Take a few moments, to sit and write everything down, you don't have to share this with anyone but it can be therapeutic to write it down.

Now that you've taken the time to write everything down, its time to rationalize the experience. This does not  mean I want you to try to explain away, debunk, or make an excuse for the activity. Instead, I want you to think about the situation rationally, setting emotions like fear and anxiety aside for the moment. For example, you felt a hand on your arm in your home, and you were startled and terrified. That's an understandable reaction, but think about what really happened, someone unseen, touched your arm (ok, still creepy), but was the touch light? Did the entity try to harm you? Or was someone simply trying to get your attention? If you can change your mindset about what happened and think rationally about the activity and spirits intent, I think you will be much more comfortable in your home.

Next up, its time for a conversation. Communication is key in all relationships, and contrary to what the movies show us you probably won't be "excorcisng" or "clearing" your home, so this will be a matter of coexisting. Now, before you freak at the idea of Casper sticking around, hear me out. Please consider, that if the activity is genuinely paranormal, that who you are going to communicate with, was once alive and well as you are. These are people, with memories, feelings, and reason. I have found that the most simple way to stop frightening activity is to talk. Take a moment, and say out loud- " You are frightening me, I need you to respect my space. This is my home and I need to feel comfortable." It may sound silly, but it can't hurt to try.

If the activity in your home is ongoing, you have a little more work ahead of you.

You've done all of the above, and the activity is still troubling you, or maybe simply you want to better understand what's going on.

Well you're in luck, you have several options on how you can approach activity in your home.

If you are a person of faith, you can reach out to your religious community and leaders for comfort. This can be a great avenue for many people, but just because you practice religion, you are not limited to your church, or religious body. I don't believe there is any harm in consulting your faith, alongside scientific based paranormal research teams or organizations. Now, I respect that for many people, this will be their final step. Whether your home is blessed, cleared, sprinkled with Holy Water, if it works for you- it works for you.

If you do choose to consult a paranormal research team, I think you will be amazed at the array of teams in most communities. For example, when I met someone who ran a paranormal team in Portland, OR, I was thrilled. I didn't realize there was a single team in Portland, and here I was meeting someone in my neighborhood. It felt like fate, but after I began working in Paranormal research I encountered dozens and dozens of teams. Why is this important? Because I don't want fearful or eager homeowners to run to the first organization they encounter. I cannot stress the importance of finding the team that will be the best fit for you. You should not be afraid to ask questions, they will probably interview you and you shouldn't be afraid to interview them. Do your research, and if a team doesn't meet your standards-don't use them. If you happen to live in a small town, or an area with few teams this may be more challenging. I could go on for pages about what I think is in important in selecting a team, but this isn't about me, this is about you.
I do however have a few basic "Rules of Thumb" for you to consider:
1. Avoid any organization that expects compensation for their services
2. The Team should have a mission statement, and information about anonymity practices readily available
3. The team should be accommodating and professional, these people will be spending time in your home/ business. Don't be afraid to ask questions, set boundaries, and research the team and members.

If at any point, you feel uncomfortable with the team or their practices- you reserve the right to ask them to vacate the premises and terminate the relationship. You should never feel obligated to allow them to do anything.

I could quite literally, write an entire book on handling paranormal activity in your home, but I hope this very small piece offers some information to those who are curious or who are in need.

Guilty Pleasures

We've all seen the pop culture portrayals of Paranormal Investigators, from Ghost Busters to Ghost Hunters. But, I assure you, that my own work in the Paranormal is nowhere near that exciting, there are no Stay Puft Marshmallow Men in my life, and certainly no film crew.

In my early interests in the paranormal, I was drawn to the array of paranormal themed programming on TV, like a moth to a flame. It was fascinating, and I became an avid follower of the Ghost Hunters franchise. My Wednesday evenings were dedicated to sitting in my living room, watching re-runs and anxiously awaiting each new episode. My interests weren't limited to Ghost Hunters, I filled my DVR with episode after episode of Ghost Adventures, My Ghost Story, Dead Files, etc.

But why am I telling you this?

I have encountered people with varying opinions about the paranormal entertainment business, when I first began working in paranormal research I was confronted with an overwhelmingly negative response to my interest in it. I was meant to feel ashamed of the time I've spent watching it. I am not proud to say that I caved, I stopped watching, cleared my DVR, and was even told that uttering the phrase "Ghost Hunter" could mean my removal from the organization I was affiliated with. Ridiculous, I know.

I didn't become a paranormal investigator because I saw it on TV, and I have encountered people who have,  but that's a different topic for another day. In my limited experience as a paranormal investigator, I have found that the TV shows aren't always an accurate representation of what this field is like. I have grown to accept that I can be a legitimate paranormal researcher, and watch the paranormal TV programs. Shows like Ghost Hunters, are for entertainment, I have never nor will I ever use a television show as my manual for how to conduct an investigation or research. But I also like to maintain a realistic, and down to earth approach to all things in my life, and that means accepting that I should never take a "holier than thou" attitude in this field.

So yes, I am admitting to the world, that I too enjoy curling up on my couch on Wednesday evenings with some popcorn and watching some Ghost Hunters.

Don't take life too seriously, friends!

Who is this Ghost Girl anyway?

If you're reading this you have somehow stumbled upon this modest little blog! This blog is intended to be a collection of all things paranormal through my eyes. 

Well just who am I? I'm Katie, but I am also affectionately known as Ghost Girl. I hope to bring a different perspective to the table, as a young woman with a love for all things spooky. I'm 20 years old, and reside in Portland, Or. I am currently studying History in college, as I get along best with the dead. This blog is by no means an academic journal, and while I apply scientific theory to my paranormal research I am, by no means, a scientist. I will discuss an array of topics, from reviewing books, to crypto-zoology, and of course, ghosts.

Well, you've stuck around this long, I hope that means I have captured a little piece of your attention. I hope you'll keep reading!
Enjoy,
Katie