On Reading and Creating Digital/Social Media

 

READING A SOCIAL MEDIA POST

A social media post has as many different messages as it has viewers. It is often a personal creation that instigates personal reactions. Social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram allow easy access to a wide or very select audience for a creator’s thoughts and expressions. Sometimes these expressions are met with a positive reaction. DaveWillis.org invites users to take advantage of the potential for these positive reactions. “Don’t use social media to impress people. Use it to inspire people.” Other times, thoughts shared on social media are met with disapproval or regarded as unrealistic. As Rosalynn Mejia shares, “The best moments of my life don’t make it to social media.” Regardless of readers’ personal stances on social media, the following questions will help readers understand the most of social media posts.

What is the purpose of the post?

Sometimes creators are looking for support for a personal opinion or cause. Other times the creator may simply be sharing a funny caption or short story to entertain a wider audience. Was the post intended to be humorous, thought-provoking, or change the viewer’s opinion about a certain topic? In considering the purpose of the post, consider also who the post was created for. Was the post meant for a few family and friends or a wider public audience?

How is the post formatted?

The way a post is formatted can provide information about the post’s intentions. Is the post formatted in a picture and short, humorous text combination known as the meme form such as “Evil Kermit” (pg. 700)? Then the post is most likely intended to entertain viewers. Is the post presented as a short story or article such as “Chick-fil-a starts selling signature sauce in stores” (pg. 313)? Then the post is most likely intended to educate viewers. If the post is a video, how long is the video? Does it have a caption or not? When considering format, also consider the time it takes to consume the post. Does the post take less than 10 seconds, 30 seconds, 1 minute, 5 minutes, or more than 5 minutes to consume? Does the format increase or decrease the time of consumption?

What is the cultural and personal context of the post?

Many posts are created or shared because they have significant impact to the creator and the culture in which the post is shared. If the viewer can track the source that originally created the content, consider the historical events or known personal events that may have influenced the creator. Was the creator feeling happy, sad, or angry at the time the post was created? Was the creator known for producing more serious or humorous content in the past? Did the creator have a history of producing more personally relevant or culturally relatable material?

What are your personal reactions to the post?

Many social media posts are personal expressions or opinions shared with the goal of stimulating additional expressions from viewers. It is not only important to consider how the post was intended to make you feel, but also how you really feel after consuming it. Consider your own reactions. Do you agree or disagree with the opinions expressed or the images shared in a post? Do you feel happy, sad, angry, inspired, or indifferent after consuming a post? If you were to share the same post, would you wish to change anything or leave it the same? Many posts are edited as they are shared over time. Personal reactions are a key part to how these posts are changed and the new identity they can sometimes take.