Cast Member, Thrifter, Raver

[oshean8]

Original Content Week#4

Throughout my college experience, the university's content strategy has been largely the same. Social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook are used by staff and clubs to display "Organizational Content", the weekly activities, events, or internal affairs. In my opinion this focuses on a more sterile and upbeat persona for the college to show to the public at large. However; when approaching "Context Content" online, I have found most universities prefer to relay this information through email or "in-house" communications. Such as when, (our college who I will not name) addressed the presence of ICE near campus and individuals rights, they dispersed the email through school email or Professors.

[amtreitz]

I really love the examples you used. Its so powerful and true, that our university cares so much about their students, and got that content out to us in a quick and successful way, in order to not draw social media attention, vs club announcements that they want everyone to see.

[thablairwitch]

Explain and Share Why Universities Use Social Media:

Universities use social media to appeal to potential new incoming students, to connect with their community, and get information out to current students. There’s large competition between universities and how they can drive interest in new students, their social media posts are highly curated to build a type of presence online and they consider how this will connect with different types of people. They use their social media to also connect with the surrounding community, to build a relationship get their students connected within the community. This can further students’ education and experience outside of the classroom and give them hands on experience. Lastly, universities rely on their social media accounts to bring awareness about certain topics and get information about events or school policies. As a student, I’ve found out about events through Millersville’s instagram that I didn’t hear about any other way. This is important because it’s catching students’ attention that would most likely never hear about which drives involvement and in person interaction.

[amtreitz]

I also wrote about how its a way to connect with potential students. Especially in todays age of social media, its a way to quickly grab their attention and give them a glimpse of what their potential collegiate life could look like if they attend that university.

[lakekina25]

Original Content 3, Week 4

Since you are a public of the university social media - explain how the university posts share meaningful information with you.

As a commuter, I rarely receive news from peers who also go to Millersville University about events and festivities. Without Millersville's posting on Instagram, I would be heavily uninformed about fun events and stories on campus. For example, I unfortunately missed the Fall Involvement Fair because I just transferred to the school and was not following any accounts that talked about the event. However, now that I follow Millersville's main Instagram, I saw the post about the Spring Involvement Fair. This post gave me the date, time, and more details! I was able to go and look into multiple clubs, and I even signed up for a couple to try them out! To conclude, without universities sharing information on social media platforms, many students, including myself, would miss out on many activities presented by the university. These students would lose social and networking opportunities.

[amtreitz]

When I lived on campus, I too only got my information from MU instagram. They kept it updated and I too would have missed on all the events and information if it wasn't for their account. They keep it short and sweet which is perfect for students.

[wyzhex]

How I experience university content strategy

Personally, I experienced content strategy at a university in various ways. I got an advertisement from a university about the benefits of attending, like promoting their football games and food events. Another university also showcased career opportunities in a video advertisement. I notice these ads tend to appear around the enrollment period or just before a semester starts. At the time I received these advertisements, I had already chosen my college, but I wonder what the metrics for these posts were.

[amtreitz]

Social media for sure allows potential students to see what their life on campus would be like! As long as the universities keep up with the trends that are on social media platforms and catches the eye of potential students showing them what their events and academics look like, they will continue to succeed

[amtreitz]

Meaningful Info

4 days ago, MU on instagram posted a reel of academic exploration day, but they curated it in a way where it is eye catching and appeals to a younger audience by doing a TikTok trend. By posting in this way, it grabs the attention of current students to see just what "someone heard" and is texting about. On social media, we do not expect long paragraphs to get our information, we expect quick blips of info that is just long enough to be informative, but short enough so we do not lose interest before the post gets to the point. The information is timely, as the academic exploration is tomorrow, the 16th. I would interpret this content differently than an alumni would. This content was designed for current students.

[amtreitz]

Why should Universities use social media?

Universities, like Millersville, make content that is designed for their audiences, but their audience has different sub-communities. Students, parents, alumni, and faculty will all see the same content, but just interpret it different. Using social media helps increase their engagement, which in turn helps reach potential students or alumni that want to get involved. Staying present and with the times helps more people know about their university, sparking interest.

[amtreitz]

University Content

Millersville University's instagram and how its audience interprets the posts differ from current student to alumni. An alumni may view the posts as nostalgic, but a current student may just see the post as a current activity. Like in the textbook, a post of the swan is just a fond memory to some, while the current students may be excited to see the swan while walking to class. This shows that this content is rhetorically situated. It has multiple discourse communities that are engaging with the content. While I am a current student, I am now strictly online and in another state, so seeing photos of the swans makes me miss walking around the beautiful campus.

[amtreitz]

what it means to me to be an undergrad student.

I also have a full time job, so I am consistently doing my school work during lunch or any free moment I have at work. I do work at Disney, so those free moments are far and few between. I may be stressed but I know in the end it will be so worth it!

[soyfelizeth]

Original Content Peer Review Request #1

I plan to add more based on my future writing assignments. Should I make that into a whole new paragraph or include it in this paragraph?

[amtreitz]

I think that it should be included in this paragraph! This is a great start to a strong paragraph. I think adding in a short transition sentence into how you plan to use what we have learned so far on future writing assignments!

[soyfelizeth]

Original Content Peet Review Request 2

In the highlighted text, I've used the word "step" two times. I was thinking about changing the sentence to "An important first step". Does that make sense as a reader or are there any other suggestions?

[amtreitz]

Maybe instead of step, you can state "The first step in my process is deciding who my intended audience will be". I think your original sentence still makes sense though! However I do agree the double use of step seems a little clunky.

[amtreitz]

Audience

I feel like I have a few run on sentences here....

Audience is the most important, yet the most complex elements of web writing. Web audiences are voluntary. Users actively choose whether to engage with the content that is being presented to them, how long to stay, and how they are going to interact with it, through likes, comments, or shares. Web writers must be intentional about how they are creating their content and how it is going to be presented and accessed to their intended audiences, and why that audience should care. Multiple audiences can exist at the same time, this actually helps promote the content that is being made, when it is being made for multiple audiences through different platforms. A content creator can present the same content, just in different ways. A creator may post a short 30 second to 1 minute video on TikTok, that fits that type of audience on that platform. However the same creator can then go on YouTube and upload a longer version of the same content on  that platform. While both of the audiences are interested in the same thing, content creators know that some people will not stay to watch a longer video, or maybe this is how they get people who are interested in the content to go check out their longer web content on another platform. Either way, they know how to understand the audiences they are trying to reach.

[amtreitz]

Purpose for Web Writing

Purpose will answer the so what and why does this even matter? Web writing proves in order to be successful the purpose must be crystal clear from the start and just be useful to the intended audience. We decide very quickly whether or not we are going to interact with content. I know my generation does not have a very long attention span, as we just doom-scroll. Creators know that they have to catch us in those first few words or those first few seconds. If we do not deem that it has any value to us, we will not give their content any time. Purpose does NOT need to be educational or informational. Purpose is allowed to be persuading or entertainment. Purpose also influences the language that creators will use. The same content can be made, just displayed to their audiences in different ways, depending on the audience they intend to reach. For example, the importance of cleaning up our beaches. The way this content is presented to an elementary school classroom in a children’s book would be different than a marine biology course.

[amtreitz]

Alix Earle and Web Writing

In this section, I am trying to convey how she uses web writing:

Rhetorical situation refers to the actual relationship between context, text and the audience. These elements must work together in order to succeed, they are interdependent, and consistently influencing each other. Text is not only the written words, but it also includes heading, links, and even emojis. Context includes what platform the content is being posted or uploaded to. It also includes the pop culture or even cultural moment that is being presented. The audience refers to the specific group that this content is being produced for. Content is not supposed to be for everyone!!! If it was for everyone, it would be considered (in modern day terms) brain rot. Content is made for specific audiences in mind. Creators typically do not start with the text. They are starting with who their audience is and what context they want to share their content. I think of Alix Earle, whose content is typically made for audiences that are teen to mid twenties. During the time she was on Dancing With the Stars, she was using the hash tag, #DWTS. She knew with this hashtag, her content is going to reach an even broader audience who may not have known who she was prior to her debut on the show, helping her rake in a larger audience who could potentially vote for her. Attached below is an example of her weekly posts reminding her audience that she has made it another week, leaving the subconscious reminder to continue to vote for her week after week.

[maggiechern]

Original Content Writing 3

what does your writing process look like when you draft a multimodal essay?

I have actually never written this type of essay, but I looked it up and I believe I know what my writing process would be. I think I would first pick a topic that I would like to write about and find sources that would be able to back up this topic. I then would either write my draft and find images that relate or back up the text. If I don't do that I would know the topic I am doing and find a video from a well trusted source. From there I would watch the video and write a little part about the video and then add the rest of my work around that. From there I would probably have someone peer review my draft. I would then make edits and end up submitting it.

[amtreitz]

I start my process in a very similar way! I pick my topic and find my sources. Without reliable sources to back up my claims, I have no paper! I would rather bullet point down my claims and my argument and then find sources right away to back up my points. I don't want to began to write a draft and find sources after the fact. It is a lot harder to find sources and try to force them to fit into you paper than it is to bullet point, find sources, and write your argument as you go WITH your sources already on hand!

[chrisa0223]

What is content? Theory post

I believe most people think content is just videos, pictures, or people posting online on Instagram and TikTok. I believe content is created on purpose to share info and messages with other people. It works best when the creator knows who their audience is and how they will interpret it. If they do not think of this, it might not be successful.

For me, content has always been about communicating clearly with people. When I was in the Marines, I was a tank crewman. I made videos to show what our training exercises looked like and showed them to people. These videos were pretty clear to my audience, people I know, and people that know I was in the military and what my career was in it. Later, when I became a recruiter, I made posts and messages to reach out to potential recruits. I had to think about what they want to know and try to understand their wants and needs.

#writ318mu

#week2

[amtreitz]

I agree with you, that most people just think of instagram and TikTok! I really like how you related your time in the marines to content. I never thought of content like that before, but you hit it spot on with what we learned in the readings this week! It is anything and everything that is available to your audience and how we present it. Super cool way you related it!

[amtreitz]

Thursday check in post!

What did you find most helpful when learning how to web write? I think that my brain is so wired to TikTok creators and how their content is, that I can’t figure out how to actually WRITE. I understand captions and titles helps even with video content. However, I just think my brain is so fried from doomscrolling that I cannot get myself to think creatively.

Attached is a photo of a couple that I found while thrifting. It broke my heart someone threw them away, so I now have them on my fridge to give them new life! I named them Patsy Jane and Roger.

[amtreitz]

What does it mean to write content

Writing content is more than just what I think someone is watching online. To me, its about making a conscious choice what I may post, or someone I follow, may post online. Why are they posting it and what do they think it will do to benefit others. Content is more than just social media or a school discussion board. Content can go as far as a file name. Making things such as file names clear and intentional, shows what it should be read for and how I want it to be understood. 

The online culture of content moves so quickly. If something does not catch the audience’s attention quickly, they will doomscrool past without giving it a second chance. This means we, as content creators, need to post in a way where we quickly captivate our audience’s attention, whether that means with a good title, a good introduction sentence, or an attention grabbing first 3 seconds of a clip, we must  be intentional on what we start with. Even with a TikTok creator posting their video content, their captions and hashtags need to be direct and clever in order to reach the right audiences.