lillies

just here to learn how to show up better on social media #webwrit318

[lillies18]

Dr. P Game Week 4

One design example that I think is really underrated but super effective is road signs. I've been doing a lot of driving lately and have been thinking about how they’re literally everywhere, and most of the time, we don’t even think about them because they work. A stop sign is such a simple shape and color red octagon, white letters, but it’s designed to be instantly recognizable from far away, in any weather, and even if you don’t speak the language. That’s honestly really smart design. Speed limit signs, highway exits, and even merge signs are all designed with clear fonts, colors, and icons that you can process in like half a second while going 60 mph. That’s kind of wild when you think about it. It’s all about function and clarity, and the design has to work for everyone (teen drivers, tourists, people in a rush, or even someone who’s distracted). It just proves how strong, thoughtful design can keep people safe and make everyday life way less confusing.

[larakruck]

Original Post 1: Connecting with Audience: 

I am connecting with the audience and seeing their reactions to my version of Favorite Show. In my version of Favorite Show, I noticed that the audience is passionate about fantasy worlds with long-running character arcs. I imagined the show being canceled and knew the fans would become upset since they invested lots of time with the characters and cliffhangers over the years. My sample fan responses reflect the heartbreak and urgency; some are sarcastic, express grief, and demand closure. I wanted to connect their reaction to the real online fan cultures to build emotional relationships with shows. Crafting these posts has shown me how language can mirror shared fan experiences and show the impact of narrative storytelling. 

[lillies18]

I really like how you focused on the emotional side of fandom—especially how fans react when they’ve been with a show for years and it just ends without real closure. That kind of long-term investment in a fantasy world or storyline makes the heartbreak hit even harder. You did a great job showing the different types of reactions, too. I also thought it was smart how you connected it to real fan culture. The way fans use language to build community and express their emotions is such a huge part of how these conversations unfold. You’re totally right that those reactions aren't random, they come from caring deeply about the story and characters. This part of the project definitely makes it clear how important emotional storytelling is when it comes to building an audience.

[gborromeo]

Original Content 3 - share an example of your favorite television show or movie - how does that show/movie help you work through this project and understand angry fandom?

I started watching RuPaul's Drag Race back in 2017, but I recently fell out of the fandom because I didn't have cable in my dorm to keep it up, and I wasn't motivated to watch on streaming services. I was a huge part of the fanbase. I went to DragCon in 2018 and 2019, and I optimistically waited to see if one would occur in 2020. I have gotten the chance to meet at least 20 drag queens who have competed on the show, and I even got somewhat close with one of the contestants from Canada's Drag Race season 3. (I have spent so much money on this fandom that it really hurt when I fell out of it.)

All that information aside, I have been the angry fan. I am so tired of how predictable the seasons are, and the seasons aren't as cutthroat as they used to be. In my opinion, the last intense season aired back in 2018, and the last good season aired in 2022. Since I have been the angry fan, I know how to relate to an angry fan.

[lillies18]

This is such a real response, I really felt that part where you said you were the angry fan because I, too, have been the angry fan with my favorite TV shows. It’s so helpful that you’ve actually been deep in a fandom like that because you know exactly what kinds of things trigger those reactions. It’s not always just one thing either. It can be the build-up of changes in tone, format, or even just feeling like something that used to be special has gotten too predictable. I also LOVE that you mentioned DragCon and getting to meet the queens. It adds a whole other layer when fans have personal memories tied to a show; it hits even harder when the show starts to let them down. I think having that emotional connection to the show really helps you understand how people form communities around it, and how hard it is when the vibe shifts. That kind of experience is definitely going to help you create realistic fan reactions and responses in this project.

[amaz1nggrace]

Original Content Post 12 - June 4th

Share an example of your favorite television show or movie - how does that show/movie help you work through this project and understand angry fandom?  I have several examples of TV shows that I have research which are mentioned through the images below. Based on some of my research on each show, most of the angry reactions come from the fact that the show is actually coming to an end. All of the shows below have ended at some point (but from what I am seeing is that Supernatural is creating another season? Not sure if it's more of a spinoff or another part of the show). Other reactions come from character development as well as how characters were perceived in later seasons of the show (ex: Dwight Schrute from The Office had received angry reactions due to character development because his character is usually perceived as "mean"). I think the research for each of these shows will help me through this project for not only of thinking about a plot for fans to have "angry reactions" over, but also each show has a different audience and discourse community in general. All shows may have a mix of age groups depending on one's interests, but I would assume Supernatural and The Vampire Diaries to aim more towards a "younger" audience (~20s at least) and Superstore and The Office may gravitate and audience more on the maturer side (a range from ~mid 20s to 30s and 40s maybe? just a guess). Each of these shows have different genres and plots that work to gather information as to reasons why fans may be angry at certain circumstances of each show.

[lillies18]

I totally agree that the end of a show is one of the biggest reasons fans get angry, especially when they feel like they’ve invested so much time and emotion into the characters. It’s almost like they’re grieving something that’s been part of their routine. I also liked how you brought up character development. That’s something I’ve noticed too, people don’t just get mad when a show ends, they get upset when a character starts acting “off” or doesn’t grow the way fans expected. Your point about each show having its own unique audience and discourse community is so true, and I feel like that’s what makes this project interesting. Like you said, Supernatural and Vampire Diaries definitely hit that younger, more fandom-heavy space, while The Office and Superstore have fans who still get emotional but maybe express it in different ways. All those differences really help when we’re trying to figure out what kinds of posts fans make and how a show’s creators should respond.

[lillies18]

Content Post 3

share an example of your favorite television show or movie - how does that show/movie help you work through this project and understand angry fandom?

One of my favorite shows that I keep thinking about while working on this project is The Bradshaw Bunch. It follows former NFL quarterback Terry Bradshaw and his family living on their ranch, and it mixes real-life family moments with humor, chaos, and a lot of emotional stuff too. It’s kind of like a feel-good reality show, but it also shows the not-so-perfect parts of family life. The show has that same small-town, family-focused vibe as Favorite Show, which makes it really helpful for thinking through how audiences get attached to these kinds of stories. What’s interesting is that even though it’s not some intense drama, fans still get super emotional and opinionated about what happens. I’ve seen people online get upset when certain family members are left out of episodes, or when producers clearly try to edit things for drama. It shows how fans can love a show and still be angry at how it’s handled. That’s helped me understand how important it is to respond to fans in a way that doesn’t feel fake or dismissive. If someone feels connected to a story or a character and the show gets canceled (or something major gets left unresolved), it’s going to feel personal. People want closure or at least acknowledgment. Watching how people reacted to episodes of The Bradshaw Bunch and seeing the kind of comments they left gives me a better idea of how fans use social media to speak out and how producers or networks can either help or hurt that connection based on how they respond.

[lillies18]

Content Post 2

explain how audiences connect with show creators and producers on social media:

Something that’s honestly so interesting about social media is how fans aren’t just talking to each other anymore, they’re actually connecting with the people who make the show. It’s not like it used to be where producers and writers were just names in the credits. Now, fans can tag them, reply to their posts, or quote tweet something they said and actually get noticed. Sometimes a writer will explain a scene, or a producer will drop a behind-the-scenes detail that completely changes how people see it. Other times, fans will straight-up call them out when something happens they don’t like. This connection makes the whole fan experience feel more real. It lets creators see in real time what the audience is feeling, whether it’s heartbreak, excitement, or total confusion. And when the creators take the time to reply or even just like a fan’s post, it means a lot. It makes fans feel heard and appreciated, and that kind of interaction only makes the community stronger. It also lets creators build trust with their audience, especially if a show deals with emotional or controversial stuff. Social media basically creates this space where everyone (fans and creators) are reacting and growing together.

[lillies18]

Content Post 1

explain how audiences connect with each other on social media over their love for a show:

It’s honestly crazy how fast people are able to connect with each other online just because they love the same show. Social media turns into this huge group chat where everyone’s reacting at once, live-tweeting scenes, posting memes, freaking out over cliffhangers, or just yelling in all caps because their favorite character showed up. Hashtags make it easy to find people who are just as into it, and those little interactions turn into full-on fan communities. It’s more than just talking about the show; it's a community of fans sharing emotions, theories, jokes, and sometimes even inside references that only true fans get. Even when people disagree (which they do, a lot), it still builds a sense of connection. You start recognizing usernames and seeing the same fans show up every week. It kind of becomes part of the experience of watching the show in the first place. You're not just watching alone; you’re watching with the internet.

[lillies18]

Check in Post

These may be silly questions; I may just be reading things wrong and second-guessing myself, but I'm a little confused about whether all 5-7 angry fan posts are in response to the scenario (the show being canceled) or about both that and other things that have happened in the show? Also, the reply posts to the angry fan posts essentially "retweets" or individual new content posts from the Favorite show page?

@npfannen

[lillies18]

Dr. P Game

My go-to video content when I have free time is definitely either lifestyle or teaching content! These videos include tips and tricks for future teachers, "things my students say" video, GRWM, and day in the life videos. I find these to be both informative and enjoyable :)

[lillies18]

Content Post 1

The digital space I am planning to focus on this week for our Content Analysis Project is TikTok. I made this choice over choosing a platform such as Facebook or Instagram, not only because TikTok is the app I am currently most familiar with, but also because in the current conversation of content creation, this is probably one of the most popular platforms to use and share on.

[gborromeo]

I didn't think about using TikTok. I'm curious to know how that will work for you. I am using Instagram, which I find to be very user-friendly, not saying TikTok isn't, but a platform that focuses mainly on videos is an interesting platform to obtain data from. As I write this, I remember that the posts say the number of views in the corner of the videos on the user's page, which probably made things go quicker for you, but correct me if I'm wrong here.

[lillies18]

Yes! On the home page of any given TikTok account, you are able to see the videos in a grid style along with each video's view count. This was really helpful both when collecting the original data as well as doing the math to determine each post's total engagement!!

[gborromeo]

Original content 3- Who are we as users of Tumblr?

I feel like we are phony Tumblr users. It's an interesting platform for class assignments. Don't get me wrong, I like it. I just think that this platform is more used for those who want to connect with their fandoms and find people who are interested in the same things they are. In a way, we are doing the same thing, but our "fandom" is our Web Writing course. Before taking this class, I hadn't thought of Tumblr since maybe 2014, so it's interesting to see this platform make such a comeback.

[lillies18]

Much like you before this class, I had not thought about creating or engaging with content on Tumblr for many years. Due to this, I think your description of us being "phony" Tumblr users is very accurate, as we don't have much background experience, and it is likely many of us will not continue to use Tumblr as a way to engage after this class ends. However, I have enjoyed our weekly conversations in this environment much more than if they had been done in the D2L discussion post section.

[amaz1nggrace]

Original Content Post 9 - May 31st

What digital space are you planning to focus on? The digital spaces that I plan to focus on are going to be YouTube and TikTok because they are related to my research question, “Why has TikTok influenced so much of the book community today, if YouTube was the one that started it all?” My content analysis project is going to be based on book content creators and how their content relates to the BookTube/BookTok community. In my time viewing book content creators’ content, I first viewed their content through YouTube, which was probably around 2012, but it seems like TikTok sort of stole credit in a way of becoming the number one place for book content, but YouTube should be getting the credit because without YouTube there would most likely not be any sort of book community. I understand that times change, but I almost feel like people are excluding YouTube altogether and going straight to TikTok having the wrong idea of who came up with the online book community first. I wonder if it’s only based on the timing of which content creators today are discovering the platforms, or if they are getting the wrong information when it comes to YouTube vs. TikTok?

[lillies18]

As a book nerd, this is such an interesting research question! YouTube really laid the groundwork for the online book community long before TikTok became popular. Your question about why TikTok seems to have taken over, even though YouTube was the original hub, hits on something really important about how digital spaces evolve and how newer platforms sometimes overshadow the pioneers. I also wonder if the shorter, bite-sized content on TikTok just fits better with today’s fast-scrolling habits and shorter attention spans, which might explain why it feels like the current “go-to” place. But giving credit to YouTube as the starting point is definitely worth exploring. It helps remind people how communities build over time, not just overnight.

[lillies18]

Content Post 3

The Module 2 DAPP helped me to learn how to collect the data that is most important to the specific thing I am trying to analyze. Before this project, I had very little experience with data collection and analysis in the web writing/content world, but being able to work through this project under specific guidelines helped me to create a collection process from the data and work on thinking through it. I will now be able to work through the data for Module 4's Content Analysis Project.

[lillies18]

Content Post 2

To narrow down the accounts I have chosen to collect data from, I started with my research question and hypothesis. Once I developed these, it gave me a better idea of the specific type of content that I need to focus on for this project.

After all of that was done, I wrote down a list of content creators/accounts that I interact with and know post similar content types to what I am focusing on in my hypothesis: real-time audio and voiceover/other audio. From that, I made my selection of the three accounts I will be collecting data from.

[lillies18]

Content Post 1

The digital space I am planning to focus on this week for our Content Analysis Project is TikTok. I made this choice over choosing a platform such as Facebook or Instagram, not only because TikTok is the app I am currently most familiar with, but also because in the current conversation of content creation, this is probably one of the most popular platforms to use and share on.

[lillies18]

Check In Post

Questions about content strategy....

How can I tell if content is performing well because of the writing/content itself or because of post timing, platform being used, or even the image being used?

How much does appealing to an algorithm effect a posters content strategy?

@npfannen

[lillies18]

Content post 3/3

I chose to collect my data by first writing down the posts I chose and the interaction data that corresponded with them on paper. I chose to do this because I wanted to help myself visualize everything I was working with before digitally inputting it into Excel. After that, I went back and took a screenshot/picture of each post I was planning to use, emailed them to myself, and then labeled each of them. This helped me once again in creating the graph and having everything organized. Once I had all of my data and information together, I inserted it all into the final labeled graph that we needed for part one of our project.