UNRAVELING THE NARRATIVE STRUCTURES IN YOUTUBE VLOGS: A QUALITATIVE CONTENT ANALYSIS

Abstract

Vlogging, a primary content form on YouTube, employs the power of narrative to engage audiences and convey meanings. This research undertakes an exploration of the narrative structures within YouTube vlogs across various genres, providing insights into how these narratives are constructed and the implications they hold for audience engagement and perception. By leveraging a qualitative content analysis methodology, a diverse set of vlogs was selected, a coding scheme was developed to classify different aspects of narrative structure, and an in-depth analysis was conducted. The findings reveal a dynamic interplay of narrative elements that heighten viewer engagement and shape perceptions. Also, the research discusses how these narrative structures contribute to the semantics of the vlogs, bringing to light the subtleties of message conveyance and storytelling in this digital medium. The research unveils the semiotic richness of vlogs, elucidating how signs and symbols are used within narratives to create deeper meanings. The study uncovers key findings, including the prevalent narrative elements, the strategic use of semantics and semiotics, diverse imagery choices, emotional tones, and audience engagement tactics, offering valuable insights for content creators and researchers in understanding YouTube vlogs’ narrative complexities. This study contributes to a nuanced understanding of digital storytelling on YouTube, offering valuable insights for content creators, researchers, and digital media strategists. Keywords: YouTube Vlogs, Narrative Structures, Digital Storytelling, Semiotics, Semantics, Audience Engagement