Social Media Phenomenon Research Articles

Exploring the Characteristics and Extent of Travel Influencers’ Impact on Generation Z Tourist Decisions

The social media phenomenon revolutionized the way people communicate and share information in all age groups. In the context of global expansion and its undeniable popularity, social media platforms have favored the emergence of a new concept, the social media influencer (SMI). SMIs are online celebrities, followed and copied by a large number of users. The paper’s goal is to investigate the capacity of travel SMIs to influence the tourist decisions of Generation Z members. Aiming to obtain insight results, an exploratory study was conducted using the qualitative focus group research method. The respondents are members of Generation Z, users of social media platforms for travel planning. The main results highlight the characteristics of travel SMIs’ activities and influences, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of following their recommendations in the travel planning process. Also, this study highlights the reduced influence of Romanian travel SMIs on Generation Z tourists, despite the fact that they are primary information consumers on this communication channel. The results could contribute to establishing general benchmarks of a future professional career for Generation Z members as travel SMIs, an important sustainable option for communication in tourism.

Totally (Savannah) Bananas: The benefits of a mission-driven culture

Founded in 2016, the Savannah Bananas have quickly grown from a summertime amateur baseball team to a worldwide cultural and social media phenomenon. The Bananas have accomplished this with a laser-focused and simple mission: Fans First. While it’s well-established that being a mission-driven organization can lead to success, the mechanisms that support the mission and propagate it throughout an organization are still unclear. This study uses semi-structured interviews and observations of the team’s players and personnel to investigate how the Bananas operate and succeed, both on and off the playing field. We show how the collective synergy of the mission, organizational culture, and leadership at all levels of the organization supports the mission and allows it to guide the decision-making of every employee.

THE PHENOMENON OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN THE DISCURSIVE FIELD CONTEMPORARY CHOREOGRAPHIC ART

The rapid penetration of social media into all spheres of life dictates the need to shift research attention towards the interactions between social media and art. Global conditions of prevalence have made media communications a leading field for obtaining and representing information. The multimedia tools of modern media in the field of art allow for the continuous expansion of its audience. Consequently, there is a constant search for varied mediation technologies between cultural institutions and society. The aim of the study is to examine the phenomenon of social media as a condition for the representation of the artistic process. The methodological foundation of the research is based on the key concepts of media research pioneers G. M. McLuhan, N. Luhmann, R. Margreiter, and others, as well as the works of several domestic scholars (G. Tasbergenova, G. Begembetov, and others). The main tasks of the article include clarifying key concepts and their theoretical content, as well as analyzing the strategies and tactics of art management in the Astana Ballet theater in the context of the interaction between contemporary choreographic culture and social media. The scientific and practical significance of the research is justified by the need to study and master creative tools for promoting cultural products in the media field of the art industry and the informational mission of art management as a mediator between the author, the art product, and the recipient. In Kazakhstan’s modern media space, a certain experience has been accumulated in influencing society through regular communication about various events in artistic life. An analysis of the PR digital tools used by the Astana Ballet theater reveals their potential for image-building. In its early stages, the theater utilized traditional PR methods with minimal digital content. However, the pandemic amplified the marketing potential of social networks, and now a large part of Kazakhstan’s society turns to media content. The key conclusion is the necessity for the theater to be present not only in sources of information but also in places where like-minded people communicate. The value of this research on the role of social media in the context of contemporary choreographic theater is highlighted by the practical significance of modern art management tools, which open up opportunities for cultural events to influence Kazakh society.

Monkey see, monkey do! de-influencing travel

ABSTRACT The concept of ‘de-influencing’, which has emerged as a new movement aiming not to consume in the consumer society, is gaining more popularity on social media. However, the concept of ‘de-influencing’ has not been fully understood. This has made it a necessity to define the ‘de-influencing’ concept. In addition, the conceptualisation and determination of the categories of ‘de-influencing travel’, which aims to reduce consumption in the context of tourist products, will be an important milestone in understanding and implementing the concept. Accordingly, to understand and define what the concepts of ‘de-influencing’ are, 10,365 contents shared by 26 de-influencers on Tiktok, which is the platform where the concept emerged first, was examined in the study. The posts tagged as de-influencing travel’ and ‘de-influencing’ on Tiktok, Instagram, Youtube, Facebook and Reddit, which are the most commonly used social media platforms, were searched and out of 12,283 content, 1152 posts related to tourism were subjected to content analysis. With the content analysis, 10 categories related to de-influencing travel were obtained: hype, inappropriate, show alternative, unreliable influencer content, overprice, over-consumerism, sustainability, impulsive purchasing, saving money and complaining. The research findings provide original suggestions to tourism enterprises, researchers and social media phenomena.

Perubahan Sosial Fenomena Media Sosial Digitalisasi terhadap Minat Belajar Siswa Sekolah di Depok

Advances in information technology have had a significant impact on students in the learning process, especially through the use of social media which is an important part of the current digital era. The younger generation, especially those who are still pursuing formal education, feel very helped by this development. One very beneficial aspect of the digital era is the ability to use search engines to quickly and efficiently obtain the latest information, knowledge and news related to the world of education. The use of internet technology and social media has also penetrated the teaching and learning process in schools. Intensive use of social media influences student development, which can have positive or negative effects, depending on the individual's awareness in using it. It is important for students to use social media wisely, perhaps with parental supervision, as not all content available on social media is useful or accurate. This research is based on a literature study and methodology that involves collecting sources from currently relevant scientific journals. This approach involves analyzing various previous studies regarding the influence of social media phenomena on students' interest in learning. This phenomenon shows that social media can provide a positive boost to students' interest in learning by making access to information easier. However, the influence of social media can also have negative impacts, such as addiction, exposure to pornographic content, and access to information that is not filtered wisely among students.

Cyber-Religion and the Issue of Religious Authority: How Indonesian Youth Learn Religion through Social Media?

In recent years, there has been a high increase in social media activity for religious purposes. The abundance of social media activity based on a religious theme excessively emerged, namely online preaching, virtual worship, and a new term called ngaji virtual. This paper uses the phenomenological research method to analyze religious phenomena in social media as a new form of cyberculture, grown excessively during and after the pandemic. Data for this study were collected from 150 respondents who were followers of online religious recitations or lectures on social media platforms, particularly on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. This study aims to explain the motives of faith-based social media users, with an additional appraisal of their impact on their daily lives. The results showed numerous motives of faith-based social media users, namely the necessity of information about religion and spiritual enlightenment, and even emphasizing that their worship is valid. Social media as a source of information about religion became more widespread after the pandemic, making social media the primary source for obtaining religious knowledge and growing into a new culture. The emergence of this new cyberculture renders disruption in the religious field, from ethical problems to the problem of obscuring religious authority.

Analysis of TikTok Utilization as a Reference Source for Students of UIN North Sumatra Library Science Study Program

In the context of the digital era, social media integration has become an integral aspect of daily routines, especially among university students, as part of their social and academic lives. This study investigates the utilization of TikTok as a reference source for Library Science students at UIN North Sumatra. The phenomenon of social media, especially TikTok, has taken center stage in daily life, especially among university students. However, in addition to its benefits, social media also brings negative impacts, including the risk of addiction and the spread of false information. Although TikTok offers educational content, the findings in this study show that not all students use it as a reference source. Some students may prefer other platforms or traditional methods to find academic references, such as books and scientific journals. This suggests that although TikTok has potential as a reference source, its use has not been fully adopted by the entire population of Library Science students. This research uses a qualitative approach by applying Miles and Huberman's theory as the basis for analysis in the process of collecting, reducing, presenting data, and drawing conclusions.

Netnographic research in understanding social media as a new public sphere

The development of information and communication technology and new media has brought a new dimension of public space to society. In the 19th century, the realization of a public space that really facilitated public communication was very limited due to the domination of public space by the state and industrial corporations. However, with the existence of the Internet, it is possible for a new public space or new public sphere called social media to emerge. The emergence of social media has succeeded in changing people’s interaction and communication patterns from offline to online. This has implications for the emergence of social media phenomena, both positive and negative. In order to understand the facts of sociality in online spaces or social media, a new research method technique called netnography is needed. Netnography is present as a lens and mitigator for various forms of changes in interaction and communication patterns in online spaces, which ultimately give rise to a new online culture.

COMPARISON OF THE EFFECTS OF MEGA AND MICRO-INFLUENCERS ON CONSUMER PURCHASING BEHAVIOUR

Social media is frequently used for the promotion activities of companies. Advertising and promotional activities began to be shaped through the "influencer". The influencer is carries out the marketing activity. Influencer types are examined in three separate groups considering the number of followers on social media. These; mega-influencers, macro-influencers and micro-influencers. The marketing methods of social media phenomena and the effect of sales strategy on consumer decisions, mega and micro-influencers will be compared. In the study, a comparison of mega-micro influencers in influencing consumer decisions was made and it was tried to conclude which one was more effective. The shares of two influencers on youtube were used in the data collection tool of the research. The questionnaire, created as a data collection tool, was sent to 327 participants in Istanbul via Google Forms. The received answers were coded by transferring SPSS 22. The shares belonging to Promotion A Mega Influencer and Promotion B Micro Influencer were compared. Descriptive Statistics and Chi-square test were used for comparison. In the comparison, it was concluded that Promotion B, which is the share of Mikro Influencer, had a greater effect on the purchasing behaviour of consumers.

The impact of lack of journalistic ethics on social media

With the advent of the third millennium, and the growth of rapid developments in modern societies, a new social-media phenomenon emerged in its pattern, represented by the emergence of social networks (Social Media), which captured the interests of broad segments of the public, until today millions of people use social networks for various purposes. For entertainment, education, advertising, communication, publishing, acquiring skills and experiences, publishing notes and pictures, searching for jobs, dating and marriage, and learning many languages and skills. Despite the positive advantages of these means, it is a double-edged sword, as it have a negative side that affects the entire society, if the door is left wide open, as the ethical and behavioral problems that have emerged as a result of the current communication revolution have found echoes. And it affected contemporary societies, so much as there were many positive aspects as data for this revolution, including facilitating communication between people, giving a role to the simple citizen to act as the one in charge of communication, the decline of censorship and restrictions, the prevalence of media pluralism and many other positives, on the other hand, there are negatives that accompanied this rapid growth in the sector. Communication and flags.

EXAMINING EFFECTIVE ELECTRONIC WORD OF MOUTH IN SOCIAL MEDIA ON THE CUSTOMER’S PURCHASE INTENTION: A QUANTITIVELY APPROACH IN LIBYANS’ MARKETS

The purpose of this paper is to provide a comprehensive research of the effects social media developed in an essential part of marketing strategy for its ability to generate co-created value by EWOM. As a result of the advanced Technological revolution, the industries operations have grown a unique rate and creating multiple opportunities for marketing in online backgrounds. Recently, Technologies have been involved within modern marketing activities to promote their products and services and its approach is to evaluate products and services availabilities by using various platforms like social media, online review websites, blogs and discussion forums in the form of visual information. At the present time, social media has developed in an essential part of marketing strategy for its ability to generate co-created value, to interactively connect brands to consumers, to monitor brand-related discussions and sentiments, to guide consumers in the decision-making process, to activate Electronic Word of Mouth interactions, and transform consumers into brand supporters. This study highlights the role of key various digital channels by using applications of social media to be examined on the consumer buying decisions and intention with a mediating effect of the EWOM. It carried out A quantitative research approach was used to achieve objectives and examine the hypothesized research framework by using a questionnaire in the retailing sector. A total of 384 valid responses were considered for further analysis by using SSPS 21 software to conduct the key analyses. The results revealed the significant effect and role of all digital channels on the consumers buying decisions, with the moderated role of the EWOM on the effect of digital channels on consumer buying decisions. The study offers additional contributions to the existing literature and supports the assumptions to provide a better grasp about the study topic. Its originality and a unique approach for data collecting and using the schema theory of e-WOM to understand the phenomenon of social media influence on customers intention of destination services / brands.

Public's social media use during the Kahramanmaraş earthquakes on 6 February 2023

Social media facilitates crisis management and emergency response efforts by disseminating disaster information during disasters. Understanding the positive and negative contributions of social media to disaster management after devastating disasters will make social media more effective and efficient for crisis management in the future. The objective of this study was to investigate the public's social media use in the 15-day period after the earthquakes that occurred on February 6, 2023, in Türkiye. The study was designed both quantitatively and qualitatively. The data were collected from 1698 people residing in Türkiye via a survey method and analyzed via descriptive, ordinal logistic regression, and thematic analysis. The thoughts of 245 participants regarding social media use were analyzed qualitatively. The results showed that social media was employed as a powerful resource for sharing information after the earthquakes. The participants used Instagram the most and followed the social media accounts of the institutions the most. Posting the physical and psychological damage of earthquakes and humanitarian aid negatively affected the participants and caused them to think that social media was useless. Due to the information shared by social media phenomena and nongovernmental organizations, the participants stated that social media was useful after the earthquakes. For people to share posts that will contribute to search and rescue, aid and damage assessment on reliable and high-follower social media accounts, disaster managers, scientists and policy makers should understand communities' usage intentions, satisfaction and criticism regarding social media accounts and platforms during previous disasters.

Rivalry of celebrity and influencer endorsement for advertising effectiveness

<p>Using the theoretical framework of the elaboration likelihood model, this study attempts to analyze the level of difference in effectiveness between celebrity and influencer endorsement in social media advertising to influence consumer purchase intention. This study highlights the phenomenon of Pantene Indonesia's social media advertising, which is endorsed by Maudy Ayunda as a celebrity endorsement and Keanu Angelo as an influencer endorsement, by comparing these two categories of endorsers. This study uses a positivist paradigm, a quantitative approach, and a survey to collect data. Questionnaires were distributed online to 400 respondents for a month in December 2023. The study used a non-parametric test because the data did not meet the normality assumption. Comparative hypotheses were tested using the Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test with the assistance of SPSS 25. The study results indicate a significant difference between the use of influencer and celebrity endorsements in social media advertising to drive consumer purchase intention. This is demonstrated through the significance values of all variables: the quality of arguments (X1), source credibility (X2), attractiveness (X3), and purchase intention (Y), which are less than 0.005. Furthermore, the study reveals that celebrity endorsements have a higher effectiveness level than influencer endorsements. The comparative mean scores for all variables show that the average for celebrity endorsement is 37.85 compared to influencer endorsement at 36.29, which is proof of this. Through the most important route of the elaboration likelihood model that is, the quality of the endorser's arguments—consumers evaluate social media advertising messages, resulting in more persistent increases in attitudes such purchase intention.</p>

Rethinking #thedress: On the social aesthetics of viral ambiguity illusions

The social media phenomenon known as #thedress, a photograph of a dress that appeared to be either blue and black or white and gold, has been called one of the most viral debates of the twenty-first century. While many scientific explanations have been offered to explain the image’s mysterious color ambiguity, this article analyzes #thedress as an example of a broader genre that I call viral ambiguity illusions, images or sounds that can be perceived in two or more ways, and which invite users to share their perception through likes, comments, and hashtags. Drawing on the social dimensions of aesthetic theory (especially beauty), I argue that viral ambiguity illusions satisfy a distinctly aesthetic desire to share our diverging perceptions with others at historically unprecedented scales, forming what I call aesthetic publics. Ultimately, this aesthetic understanding of viral ambiguity illusions can help nuance assumptions about the polarizing effects of social media.

Hate Speech in the Comments’ Column Instagram: A Discourse Analysis

The phenomenon of social media has undergone a transformation, serving as a platform for facilitating online commerce, exchanging ideas, disseminating information, and unfortunately, facilitating illicit activities such as fraud, intimidation, defamation, hate speech, and other related behaviors. The anonymity provided by social media platforms renders it a potent tool for disseminating harmful or discriminatory material. The purpose of this research is to describe hate speech directed at Putri Delina (PD) in her personal Instagram comment column. The descriptive qualitative research methods are used in this study. The main theory in this study is Searle's pragmatic speech act theory, and the data source is a screenshot of netizen comments on PD's Instagram account in 2022. The results of the study show that PD received hate speech in the comments section of her Instagram account. First, the expressive illocutionary, category-criticizing, found four data. Second, assertive illocutionary type, the state category, found one data. Third, the type of illocutionary commissive, swear category, found one data. Fourth, the illocutionary type of directive, the advising category, found three data. Last, the illocutionary type of declarative, the category of prohibit, found one data.

WHY DO ARAB-PALESTINIAN JOURNALISTS DELETE TWEETS?

In Israel and Palestine, as in many countries, the majority of journalists operate an account on Twitter for different purposes, from news gathering and reporting to attracting new audiences and maintaining a relationship with their readers (Hanusch & Bruns, 2017). Many studies of Twitter’s journalistic role have examined journalists’ tweeting practices and the ways in which Twitter serves as an organizational and individual branding tool (e.g., Molyneux, Holton, & Lewis, 2018). However, only a few studies have examined the patterns of tweet deletion among journalists. Ringel and Davidson (2022) conceptualized the practice of tweet deletion as an instance of “proactive ephemerality, a social media phenomenon that occurs when users intentionally remove their own content from their social media profiles manually or with the aid of mechanical tools” (p. 1218). In this study, we examine the motivations of Arab-Palestinian journalists who operate in Israel for deleting their tweets. Based on semi-structured interviews with Arab-Palestinian journalists working in Israel, we seek to understand why they proactively erase tweets. Further, we wish to consider the implications of such an act for Twitter’s functioning as a public record.

X Netizens' Response to the Wayan Mirna Salihin Case after the Ice Cold Documentary Film was Released in George Gerbner's Model of Mass Communication

This research tries to analyze netizen Mirna Salihin's case's viral response in the mass media in 2016, and the whole public was talking about it. The case became popular again after the murder documentary was released on Netflix and sparked various discussions on social media. Netizens tried to find out what was considered odd about the murder. This research uses a qualitative descriptive method with netnographic analysis to explore social media phenomena. In this research, individuals or accounts on social media have the same capabilities as mass media. Individuals can summarize an event and choose which message (M1) will be shared with those closest to them or the public. The event summary is then spread to other individuals, triggering other opinions and being able to use the message (M1) to create other messages (M2), and so on. This research shows that the X Tirto.id account is a Man or Machine (M) who sees events and makes selections, then presents his views via social media, resulting in responses from other users such as the Bro Win and Ridwansyah Putra (E3) accounts as individuals who reinterpreted the Mirna Salihin case until other users responded again.

The effect of Content Creator for English Phenomenon in social media on Vocabulary Learning

The proliferation of social media platforms has emerged as a global phenomenon. Currently, individuals spend a significant portion of their time engaging with online platforms, particularly those related to social networking. Social media sites provide students with access to a range of effective learning methods, such as automatic learning and visualization approaches. The use of social media platforms for the purpose of acquiring English language skills is both stimulating and motivational. The major goal of this study is to investigate how social media platforms, notably Facebook, aid in the acquisition of English language fluency, either via automated processes or by inadvertent means. The research used a 5-Likert scale questionnaire, pre- and post-vocabulary tests, and semi-structured interviews to collect data from second-grade EFL learners and social media users. The results indicate that individuals who generate material on social media platforms have a substantial influence on the acquisition of vocabulary by language learners. A sizeable proportion of participants viewed content providers as effective resources for enhancing their English vocabulary with favorable thoughts and attitudes. This has resulted in a greater sense of self-assurance in the use of acquired vocabulary and a greater motivation to engage in the exploration and acquisition of novel English lexicon. In addition, the participants demonstrated active engagement with the content creators by actively exercising the provided vocabulary, thereby reinforcing their learning through interactive activities and assessments. This study implicates that the social media content can be used as resources in language learning for secondary EFL learners specifically in developing their English vocabulary.

A Bibliometric Analysis of Virtual Influencer

In the current digital era, Virtual Influencers have become a trending phenomenon in social media. This research utilizes bibliometric analysis to explore the developments in Virtual Influencer-related studies, with a focus on the involvement of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology in their creation. The study also identifies the most influential works, active researchers, and journals at the forefront of publication. Additionally, it unveils the evolution of the concept of virtual influencers from an AI perspective. The research aims to analyze how AI influences marketing strategies through virtual influencers, enabling the optimization of AI-based virtual influencer usage in creating authentic and relevant experiences for today's digital consumers. This study enhances our understanding of AI's role in shaping the future of influencer marketing and opens opportunities for further innovation in virtual influencer research. The research also provides insights into virtual influencers and their role in shaping social media trends and consumer culture transformation in the digital era.

Audiences of Social Media Tend to Like Videos/Moments with a High Frequency of Likes

Social media is an important means and bridge for connecting people in the virtual space of the Internet. Wechat and Chinese Tiktok, which are the influential social media in China are the main online spaces for Chinese people to socialize. WeChat is mainly a circle of acquaintances and comes with video mini programs, leaning towards social media dominated by relationships; Tiktok is mainly an open circle of strangers, preferring content oriented social media. Like, as a common way of interaction in internet products, is a seemingly simple but complex behavior. This article will analyze and explain the common phenomenon in social media from the perspective of conformity.