How to be "someone" online; Give yourself a voice.
Young professionals are increasingly pressed to have a vast social media reach. A large social media following makes you an invaluable asset to most companies. While poking around Twitter, sometimes I’ll wonder “How the HECK does this person have thousands of followers?”
So what makes someone internet famous? How does an ordinary person gain popularity on the web, sometimes, seemingly, for doing absolutely nothing consequential? Relax you don't have to be Jenna Marbles-level-funny to gain a following.
I’m going to tell my story and then analyze some different routes to internet clout (not an intentional rhyme but I’m gonna keep it).
Recently my Twitter and Instagram followings grew tremendously due to some internet attention I got. Barstool Sports, a popular blog among the college demographics, wrote a post on me claiming that I’d taken some job that I in fact hadn’t. The site tends to objectify women in an overtly derogatory and unrefined manner, so this was attention that I didn’t want as I prepare to embark on my sportscasting career. (DONT WORRY I AM NOT GOING TO EMBARK ON A DIATRIBE ABOUT RESPECT AND EQUALITY FOR WOMEN. THAT’S FOR ANOTHER DAY WHEN I HAVE HOURS TO SPARE. SO KEEP READING). They included old photos from my Twitter and wrote up all the information that is available about me on the web.
I'd like to think I look more like an "intimate gathering of friends" than a "party" but to each his own.
To be completely honest, there is nothing significant about me. But the post gained tons of traction as sports fans commented and shared it. I gained hundreds of Twitter followers within a couple hours. Several other sites saw that Barstool’s post was popular, and they wrote similar posts. And like that, my squeaky clean internet image was redefined by a few bloggers. On the bright side, I was left with a large following of people who are at least broadly interested in my craft of sports reporting.
Case in point, freak incidents such as this can render someone momentarily “internet famous”. However, my experience says more about the influence and effectiveness of blogs than it does of my own social media habits.
So let’s take a look at the other side: How does Barstool have such a strong internet influence over social media users? Several reasons:
1. They are giving you what you want. 20- somethings appreciate the jargon these writers use, and how relatable they are. A college student sitting in his dorm room can read Barstool and feel as if he is conversing with his equally sophisticated and cultured friends.
2. The content is humorous/ timely. Since they have a large following, individuals with a “compelling” story will go to Barstool with it. Therefore, they’re usually the first to write about it. They deliver it in a funny way.
3. They’re consistent. Successful blogs are consistent with dissemination of content. They have a staff of about a dozen writers, all of whom have internet images and a familiarity amongst their following. They are able to put out several posts per hour. For those of us with internet add (no it’s not a real thing, I made it up) we can head over to Barstool every so often and know that we will get a quick laugh. (For those of you non-Stoolies, here's a quick taste of the content they're putting out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6qHMraAiac)
By Henry Jenkin’s standards, Barstool is Sticky and Spreadable. What does this mean? “Stickiness” on the web refers to content that attracts people. What compels you to check Barstool everyday? All the photos, funny stories, and videos. It’s all in one location, the Barstool homepage. You known that every time you go to the site, you’ll find the content you want. And the content will hold your attention. Many users interact through the comment section.
The “spreadability” means that the information is cast over a vast network. You get a laugh out of a Barstool post, and copy and paste it to a friend’s Facebook wall. You see something they tweet, and you retweet it.
So the difference between these two, in the words of Jenkins:
“Stickiness depends on concentrating audience attention on a particular location; spreadability seeks to expand audience awareness by dispersing content across many potential points of contact”.
These guys are constantly engaging you, giving you consistent content that is catered to a very specific audience (You know, the college age, frat bro demographic).
OK, so now that I’ve explained to you how your favorite blog has brainwashed you and forced you into the “Stoolie Nation,” let’s examine how you can apply similar principles to elevate your social media cred.
Yochai Benkler is a learned scholar who you’ve likely never heard of unless you’re in my SMPA classes or are weirdly interested in communication theories.
Anywho, this dude actually says that YOU can have an important voice thanks to the internet age!
Over the past century there has been a shift in the architectures of communication networks. Prior to the emergence of the internet, information came from one central source, and the information was passed down to various “hubs”. The central hub is represented by the mainstream media and other influential voices.
The shift means that these networks have become decentralized, and information is coming from everywhere…from users like you! If you use the correct strategies on the internet, you can effectively become a strong influence through blogging, Twitter use, what have you.
Tips:
-Decide what you would like your image to be. Do you want to be funny, quirky, informative, or a combination of things? Think about how you can project that on social media. Utilize your bio spaces and use a fitting profile picture.
-What do you want to talk about? Follow experts and people also interested in the field. You might even get some follow-backs. Having a constant stream of information is advantageous in several regards. You’ll be informed from “experts,” you’ll be up-to-date, and you’ll know what kind of questions like-minded users are asking.
-Engage with people! If someone has a good post, thank them and give feedback. retweeting and sharing also goes a long way in bonding with your social media connections. You’ll get some fair-weather followers who you’ll eventually lose because you don’t engage with them. Strengthen your connections by reaching out to people and interacting with your following. Conversing with people will make you approachable too and more people will want to be a part of your network.
-Be weird. That’s right, be a weirdo! Or just an individual. Quirkiness is a pretty effective way to get people’s attention when you only have 140 characters. Don’t scare people away. But twitter and blogs are informal venues for conversation. Don’t write rigidly. Be a person. What do your friends like about you? Convey those personality traits through your posts.
-Post GOOD content. If you consistently provide new, interesting information, you will be of value to your network. For example, the tweets that gain the most traction for me are interesting infographics. Posting links is great, but include a photo if you have room, so you catch attention on people’s timelines.
-Be consistent. You may not have a task force of 12 middle-aged bloggers, writing in their mom’s basements all day (cough, Barstool, cough). But if you’re going to blog, do so regularly. Tweet regularly. People will lose interest if they revisit your pages and find no new information. Once you start generating cool content, the pressure is on for more!
I hope this post helps you understand the power the web gives you. Your voice can be just as loud as those voices speaking to you through your computer.
