In terms of my pitch, I learnt that I could improve my field site map to show more of the interconnectedness of different elements within my niche. I learnt that there are so many different media niches out there and that no single person will have the same experience as an another will in the niche.
In terms of my own ethnographic research, I have learnt through this process to explore the audience experience in full and to really take in the mundane aspects of the niche. By reading about other niches that I don’t know anything about, I was able to understand how an audience member stumbling across my page would experience it.
Social Media Management is quite a complex area of expertise which is why I am deciding to undertake autoethnographic research into this niche to better develop my understanding and expertise to take into the future.
I will be looking into this field of inquiry and “taking field notes of cultural happenings as well as their part in and others’ engagement with these” (Ellis, C., Adams, T., & Bochner, A., (2011).
I will be taking notes of my experience as an audience member of social media management accounts by creating a series of blog posts of these notes each week for my own reflection.
This will include different multi-media formats like video, audio and some content I have created that week. The purpose is to educate others who are interested in exploring or developing a career in social media management based on the expertise I will be developing through autoethnographic research.
To narrow this further, the notes I will be taking will be on one 1 topic per week that I would like to learn more about to do with social media management by engaging with other creators and content on Instagram during that week and documenting key aspects of that topic.
Scope and Shape: the Digital Artefact
Through my reflective blog posts, I will then develop a Digital Artefact summarising all my work to attract a wider audience in the form of a short video essay where I will showcase my expertise in social media management.
With content creation, I am hoping to post 2 or more times per week by batching my content in a day and spreading this throughout the process to save time with a busy uni and work schedule. For the blog creation, I will be posting one topic per week to do with social media management.
As discussed in my previous blog post ‘niche, capishe?’ , I am discovering social media management and product photography as a niche to develop my experience in the industry and build a portfolio for the future. So to progress in this research, mapping the field site is necessary to gain an overlook of the relations of the niche. “The term field site refers to the spatial characteristics of a field-based research project, the stage on which the social processes under study take place.” (Burrell, 2009) or more simply put “identifying where the researcher should ideally be located as a participant observer.” (Burrell, 2009)
The audience of this niche is primarily businesses looking for tips on how to boost their social media presence, aesthetics and reach with their audience. Social media managers are also included in the audience as they connect with each other for inspiration, networking and community.
What isn’t known about this niche, from a personal perspective, is some of the processes that are involved in social media management such as recruiting clients, how to monetise effectively, scheduling, platforms, exact services that I can offer and if this is needed in my area. With product photography, it is photography shoots and equipment needed, whether this is demanded, processes in editing and monetising this effectively as well that isn’t known to me yet.
The major personas in this space are constantly showing their faces on their pages as well as their work. When showing their persona it is often in an authenticity frame which they amplify to their audience telling them to be ‘real’ on their socials. This is interesting as “the online social environment was largely considered as detached from the ‘real world’…” but “the digital landscape has become increasingly ‘real’, as well as complex and internally differentiated” (Airoldi, 2018).
The main personas’ social media presence is strong, mostly on Instagram.
By exploring social media management, I am hoping to inform business owners of the importance of social media for their business and help them by providing advice, tips and professional services. By exploring product photography, I will also be able to assist businesses with making their products stand out.
In discovering more about social media management and product photography, the following ethnographic research skills will be beneficial:
perspective
problematising
contextualising
narrowing
exploring
Watch the video for a little more explanation on these and personas!
A niche is a specific group of people with similar interests that are usually very distinct to that group of people. I struggled with the thought of a niche when looking at one to study as part of research for a university subject (BCM241 Media Ethnographies). Product photography and social media management is the niche I have selected for this subject’s research component.
Product photography and social media management is an interest of mine as a keen media student. This in particular, is a career aspiration as I’m studying Communications and Media with a major in Marketing.
Product photography is a skill I haven’t delved into yet but I believe it will be a useful skill moving forward in my career. I have some social media management skills however, I am hoping to expand my knowledge further of this. Product photography and social media go hand-in-hand and are valuable skills for my future therefore, through this research I am hoping to refine this as a specialisation.
Within social media management I am particularly interested in personas and they way people project a ‘voice’ and a personality that may be completely different to their everyday self. This relates to the concept of mediatisation.
Mediatisation is “…how the formation of the contemporary self is now constructed and displayed through technologies and forms of expression that resemble media forms. In other words, we communicate through printed text, through images, through video and audio and in a way that re-constructs our identity through these various signifying systems.” (Marshall, Barbour and Moore 2020 p2)
Ecology
Locations/platforms
In this digital age, product photography is valuable for businesses to set their brands apart and ensure they stand out, especially within the world of e-commerce as consumers can’t physically touch a product before they purchase.
“Quality photos that tell the right story will meet customer expectations” (Nesbitt, M. 2020).
I have found so far that the locations of this niche are predominantly on Instagram and Facebook with professionals displaying their work through their business pages. Facebook and Instagram have a ‘shop’ feature which is used by some to promote their services and products. They also use websites to display further information about their services to their potential clients. Some of these professionals use LinkedIn however, their presence here is moderate compared to Instagram and Facebook. I have also discovered that there are threads on reddit dedicated to showcasing users’ product photography and sharing tips with each other.
Presenters Personas
I would argue that product photography is almost a persona of the product itself. You are setting up what the product may look like in every day life or pairing the product with other objects that fit the ‘profile’ of where, when or what the customer can do with the product. You are projecting through a lens – pun unintended.
“…home in on what others take for granted in everyday situations, and approach what most overlook as commonplace with intrigue” (Hasbrouck, J, 2018). I believe product photography can relate to this quote about ethnographers as I found myself overlooking the detail of product photography as a consumer. It wasn’t until I started to look into it I could appreciate the process behind each shot. Consumers are unknowingly influenced by this process when they purchase a product that is carefully curated through the images. The same can be said for social media accounts, unless you start analysing them, you are unaware of the curation and preparation some people and businesses reach to achieve their persona which are very definitive of each creator in this space.
As for communicating my findings with a public audience, I haven’t completely nutted this out yet so stay tuned for more to come on social media management and product photography as a niche!!
Watch the video below to see more of my findings :))
chats with chels 