Reach campaigns and self-promotion on social networking sites : hidden algorithms at work in selected vloggers' videos

Abstract

The ways in which people present themselves online to others is a growing point of interest for scholars in a multiplicity of academic fields. On the common ground of self-representation, the concept of reach campaigns is used as a hermeneutical tool to analyse and interpret the postings and uploaded videos of five selected vloggers to work towards a way to explain the hidden algorithms at work on Social Networking Sites. The purpose of reach campaigns is not to replace terms such as ideology, or hegemony, nor does it serve to categorize or limit certain trends and currents but rather aims to provide a means to discuss human interactions with technology and more specifically – digital technology, working in and around the fields of cultural analytics and visual studies. One of the most notable visualities to emerge from the human-technology relationship is that of the self-representation. Vlogging has become one of the most popular means of self-representation online and through the lens of reach campaigns, it is proposed that a contemporary understanding of online self-representation can be achieved. While a large majority of vlogging’s conception occurs online, algorithms could be seen as a predominant influencing factor. This dissertation seeks to explore how algorithms may affect the promotion of four YouTube vlogger’s videos.