Audience and Reception Studies

Introduction:

The aim of this report is to discuss the ways in which social media has become a site for participatory culture. A participatory culture in one on which there are relatively low barriers to civic engagement. The recent internet and technological trends have enabled private persons to create and publish content using the internet. Social media is the most popular channel of mass media communication (Dijck, 2013). In participatory culture, the youngsters usually create a plethora of electronic signals or disseminative ideas or creative works. The members must believe that their contributions matter. The members must feel that there is some degree of social connection so that they feel connected with the virtual communities (Veletsianos, 2013).

Social networking sites such as Facebook, YouTube, Flickr and Twitter have introduced the opportunity for online social participation (Williams & Zenger, 2012). Technology has not only helps in creating a huge, but also made people successful by offering a platform for engaging with audience through wide reach. A community page is a page about an organization, celebrity or topic that may not be officially represented. A community is a group of people where they can discuss and share posts, views and opinions (Williams & Zenger, 2012). Virtual community can be defined as the social aggregations that appear from the net carrying public discussions that are sufficient to form personal relationships. For this report, Facebook is chosen as a social media platform in which the audience are become more and more active. The virtual community for analysis is Cakes & Cookies World as it has millions of fans (Facebook.com, 2016). They consider every fan important and take their opinion into account thereby increasing participation and engagement. This report addresses the ways in which social media has become a site for participatory culture.

About Cakes & Cookies World

Cakes & Cookies World is a global food community. The community is fast-growing and the fans have reached more than 15 million from over 100 countries (Cakesandcookiesworld.com, 2016). They create and share innovative food based on European cuisine. The attractive feature of this community is that they run trendy weekly designs with the community feedback as their inspiration. The community was founded in June 2013 at New York City (Facebook.com, 2016). The corporation has an Impressum at 350 Fifth Avenue, # 5220, New York, 10118. They are a family-friendly and caring social media community (Facebook.com, 2016). The community considers every fan important. The community also has an email address that allows the visitors to share their recipes, thoughts or ideas with Cakes & Cookies World (Facebook.com, 2016). The community offers a website in which they upload the recipes shared by them on Facebook page (Cakesandcookiesworld.com, 2016). All the weekly themes shared by them since August 2013 are listed on their website (Cakesandcookiesworld.com, 2016). Not only recipes, they also provide videos for better understanding of the audience following them (Cakesandcookiesworld.com, 2016).

Analysis

Participatory culture can be defined as a concept in which private individuals not just act as consumers, but also as contributors or producers. The advancement in personal computers and internet helps the youth in finding meanings and identities in a manner that has never happened before. Participatory culture is significantly increasing due to the advancement in internet. People are also buying smartphones increasingly that combines the elements of identity, interactivity and mobility. Technology is in progress as the people are less restricted to locations. The people may not just use Facebook on their laptops or personal computer, but it can also be used on their smartphones. Therefore, the role of customers has not just been limited as a side of the receiver, but also as a contributor. A user can simply interact with people online using the social media network (Joo & Sang, 2013).

Mass communication is different than interpersonal communication. Social media is one of the most influential tools for spreading message among the people worldwide. It helps in overcoming the physical limitations of face-to-face communication. The media outlets are a gatekeeper where they affect or control the information provided to the audience (Tosun, 2012). The theories of mass communication have changed since the previous century. Virtual communities exist in the electronic world rather than the physical world. The virtual communities enable the users to join the community without any geographical issues or restrictions (Hanson, 2011).

Facebook has different ways of interactions through likes, shares and comments. When a user ‘likes’ a particular post on Facebook, it indicates that the people enjoyed the content. It is the easiest way to share content. It also acts as a way of positive feedback with the things on Facebook. Most of the people tend to ‘like’ posts on Facebook rather than sharing or commenting as it saves them time (Tosun, 2012). According to observations, Cakes & Cookies World currently has 15,251,948 likes (Facebook.com, 2016). There has been an increase in the number of likes on a weekly basis. The posts by the community for the audience have over 30,000; 70,000 or even 90,000 likes (Facebook.com, 2016). The numbers of likes act as a good indication of content resonance. Recently, Facebook has also added new reaction buttons for love, witty laugh, excitement, expression of admiration, sad and anger. Facebook has added these buttons so that the users can express themselves in a quicker and easier manner. It is an extension of the ‘Like’ button that was much needed. These features are well utilized by the Cakes & Cookies World in which the users can share their opinions about the posts. This helps in interaction in participation as the number of likes for every happy emotion are positive response. If there are a lot of angry or sad expressions, indicating negative responses, Cakes & Cookies World can listen to the feedback and continue to make changes as required (Newsroom.fb.com, 2016).

Facebook employs another method of interaction known as ‘Share’. It helps the brands in more exposure and amplifying the content. The users usually share some content if they find it useful. It is a way of telling the friends on Facebook to see their shared post (Tosun, 2012). Shares are more visible on Facebook. It encourages engagement among the users (Pletikosa & Michahelles, 2013). It helps in generating more traffic. This helps in high-ranking of websites. When the visitors of Cakes & Cookies World share posts on their Facebook wall, it indicates that they are overwhelmed with the recipes, and want their friends to see it. If the count of shares is low, it could be interpreted that the community needs to come up with better posts and recipes for its audience (Yu, 2014).

Another way of interaction in Facebook is through ‘Comments’. This is quite self-explanatory. The function allows the users to post their comments on the photos or updates on the Facebook page. Cakes & Cookies World regularly updates its Facebook page with at least one recipe. The visitors of the page express their views by commenting on the posts and pictures uploaded by them. It is analyzed that majority of the comments consist of astonishing and admirable comments. The pictures posted by the virtual community are high-quality that makes their page attractive. Millions of visitors seem happy with the recipes posted by them (Tosun, 2012).

Uses and Gratifications Theory (UGT)

Blumler and Katz’s uses and gratification theory suggests that media users play an active role in choosing and using the media. The udders take an active part in the communication process. A media user seeks out media source that fulfils the need of the user. The theory is positivistic in nature and the driving question is why people use media and what do they use it for? The theory discusses how the users deliberately choose a particular medium or channel to enhance knowledge or for social interactions or building relationships. The theory makes assumptions that audience members are not the passive consumers of media. UGT gives the consumer power to choose what media should be chosen (Whiting & Williams, 2013).

In the given case, it is interpreted that Cakes & Cookies World deliberately chose social media site, Facebook to engage with the audience. UGT makes several assumptions that make the theory unique. Firstly, the theory assumes that the audience is active and media use is goal oriented. We see that the audience is very active on Facebook (Tosun, 2012). Also, the usage of media is goal-oriented. It also assumes that media competes with other resources for need satisfaction. Cakes & Cookies world has uploaded its recipes on YouTube apart from Facebook that again justifies the wide engagement. The people have enough self-awareness of their interests, media use and motives that provides with an accurate picture (Pai & Arnott, 2013).

The theory is further based on heuristic approach focusing on the social and psychological origin of needs. As stated earlier, the theory assumes that the audience is active. Value judgments about the cultural significance of mass communication should be suspended while audience orientations are explored on their own terms. The goals of media use can be grouped into several uses such as being informed or educated, simple entertainment, escaping from the regular stresses, enhancing social interaction and identification with characters of the situation (Tosun, 2012).

It is analysed that internet provides for content, process and social gratification. Under social gratification, UGT is utilized to encompass a wide range of social ties. The people use social media for developing social relations, recognition, need to vent negative feelings, entertainment and cognitive needs. Facebook is a friend-networking sites in which people fulfil their social, emotional and cognitive needs. It is also used for entertainment where the people engage with groups to amuse themselves (Whiting & Williams, 2013).

It is analyzed that Cakes & Cookies World has themes designed every week. They create a fusion of European cuisine with other items. A few themes that are organized weekly by the community are The White Chocolate Creations Week, Mother’s Day, Best prom Ever, The Picnic, Frozen Yogurt, Mousse, Pool Party, Cookie Love and hundreds of other themes (Cakesandcookiesworld.com, 2016). The page visitors interact on every picture posted by Cakes & Cookies World. The visitors are seen liking, sharing and commenting on it. In the comment section, the visitors are mostly found sharing their experiences after they tried preparing recipes themselves. They are also posting suggestions on how Cakes & Cookies World could make the recipes better (Cakesandcookiesworld.com, 2016). The visitors are posting pictures of the recipes prepared by them so that Cakes & Cookies World could make it grand by posting it. It indicates that the visitors of Cakes & Cookies World are precious as the community takes the comments into consideration. They make necessary improvements and engage with the users by replying to their concerns (Cakesandcookiesworld.com, 2016).

Moreover, Facebook provides an option of personal messaging which gives the users the benefit of getting into one-on-one conversation with the community page owner. The users can post their grievances or suggest recipes thereby providing Cakes & Cookies World to address the visitor’s contribution. The visitors participate in the activities and discussions initiated in the community page (Cakesandcookiesworld.com, 2016). It is further observed that the visitors wish and demand for a few themes such as white chocolate recipes and smoothies (Cakesandcookiesworld.com, 2016). Based on the previous posts, it is observed that Cakes & Cookies World addresses such concerns of its visitors and tried to satisfy them greatly. They also make efforts to solve queries posted by the users. The visitors belong to difference geographical locations that give a blend to the community (Cakesandcookiesworld.com, 2016). The people from different locations share their native dessert recipes thereby creating diversity in the community. With people participating from over 100 countries, the community uses the fusion technique that can be used by all the countries (Cakesandcookiesworld.com, 2016). The individuals have greater freedom in the community (Cakesandcookiesworld.com, 2016).

However, a few features can be considered negative. The virtual communities discourage face-to-face interaction. They can also facilitate anonymity and enables in people to perform objectionable acts. Fr example, there are many people in the community who are posting non-relevant messages. People are using the community for advertising their own brands or offering employment messages. Few visitors are also spamming the page by posting their personal pictures that is not goal-oriented for Cakes & Cookies World. This could also increase social and political fragmentation (Cakesandcookiesworld.com, 2016). 

Conclusion

Conclusively, social media plays a critical role in participatory culture.  The recent internet and technological trends have enabled private persons to create and publish content using the internet. Social networking sites such as Facebook, YouTube, Flickr and Twitter have introduced the opportunity for online social participation. The virtual community for analysis is Cakes & Cookies World as it has millions of fans. They create and share innovative food based on European cuisine. There has been an increase in the number of likes on a weekly basis. Facebook has different ways of interactions through likes, shares and comments. The numbers of likes act as a good indication of content resonance. Cakes & Cookies World can listen to the feedback and continue to make changes as required. If the count of shares is low, it could be interpreted that the community needs to come up with better posts and recipes for its audience. Cakes & Cookies World regularly updates its Facebook page with at least one recipe.

References

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Cakesandcookiesworld.com,. (2016). THEMES. Cakesandcookiesworld.com. Retrieved 19 August 2016, from http://www.cakesandcookiesworld.com/themes.html

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