Network Report II

BCM206 - Assessment 2

BCM206 Network Report – Ella Cooley, Lara Ballantine, Regan Anderson, Joel Rainbow and Elayna Moxey

Network Digital Artefact Introductions:

	Lara’s digital artefact is a TikTok series called the Freelance Files. This artefact is designed for those looking to transition from a 9-5 job to a freelance career. This series will explore the essentials of freelancing, from building confidence to understanding what freelance life entails, offering guidance and reassurance along the way.
	Regan’s digital artefact is a video podcast called First and Last Names, a practical application of the growing notion that anyone can start a podcast which is available on youtube. First and Last Names revolves around stories of our lives, testing if everyday conversations are entertaining and long enough to sustain an audience.
	Joel’s digital artefact is a podcast series, “Curiosity in Rising”, which usually focuses on spirituality and lifestyle topics. The podcast aims to inspire listeners to adopt an open-minded approach to various aspects of life. Guests are often featured and discussions on topics such as mindfulness, emotional maturity, and the importance of curiosity occur.
	Elayna’s digital artefact, @life.with.layna, is a series of mini vlogs posted to TikTok that showcase the realistic lifestyle of a first year University student. Elayna’s vlogs aim to oppose the unrealistic standards within the lifestyle niche. Having gained an audience for this project, Elayna plans to expand further on these issues within her content in the following weeks.
	Ella’s digital artefact, @coolsrodshop, is shared on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts, and consists of vlog-style montages of hot rod events and community interactions. The project's utility is to foster an online community for those with a passion for hot rods, provide entertainment, and share insights into events.

Introduction 

In this network report we will explore the three key moments we collectively experienced in our own digital artefact progression throughout the semester. The moments consist of prioritising quality over quantity when it comes to content creation, how we all learnt to navigate the confusing world of algorithms and data and finally finding our specific niches. 

Key Moments 

Throughout our discussion, our group realised the value of prioritising quality over quantity in our projects. Initially, many of us aimed to post frequently, believing that regular or lengthy content would build traction. However, we soon recognized that producing content for the sake of posting often led to superficial results. By focusing on meaningful, valuable contributions instead, we fostered deeper engagement with our audiences. This shift mirrors the dynamics of decentralised networks, where authentic interactions thrive over algorithm-driven output. It also aligns with the concept of online tribes, where shared values and high-quality content cultivate strong community bonds. For one member, the switch to shorter duration podcast episodes was the result of this realisation, and they were able to prioritise depth of content over length. Together, we discovered that quality can forge more lasting connections in digital spaces.

Our network also discussed the algorithm and how it had evolved during the time since we had started our DAs.  All of our content in the network gets posted on social media on various different platforms but our engagement is reliant on the algorithm, a system with very little known about it but many rules. Members of our network all had varying experiences with the algorithm. One member found that their views rapidly decreased as time progressed which goes against the notion that the algorithm rewards consistency. Another was receiving comments under videos from people who were not the target audience wondering why they were fed this type of content from the algorithm. This directly relates to online tribes but highlights the issue of what happens when the tribe is being stunted by the algorithm itself.

Comment on Regan's Digital Artefact

Another integral moment in our network’s digital artefact progression was the discovery of each individual’s niche. At the start of the semester, many of us were unsure about the specific direction our content should take. Some members had various experiments with broad, varied topics, hoping to attract a wide audience. However, we soon realised that focusing on a particular niche allowed us to cultivate a more dedicated and engaged following. This shift helped streamline our content creation process, as we no longer struggled to create content for a general audience but instead catered to those truly interested in our subject matter. In turn, this improved the quality of feedback we received, also making the project more enjoyable. Overall, embracing our unique niches became instrumental in building authentic online communities, where shared interests fueled meaningful engagement and allowed us to learn more about online tribes and even tied into theories on the splinternet.

The Splinternet is the division of the internet into smaller, isolated networks

Image: The Economist

Summary

Throughout our networking journey, it may be concluded that the application of various concepts, such as quantity over quality, engaging with algorithms and data, and finding our niches, enhanced our overall discussion and thus improved each of our DA’s. By collaborating in this way, we utilised our varied knowledge and applied relevant theories to refine our DA’s, demonstrating the effectiveness of networking groups within projects.

REFERENCES

Adams, T & Smith, SA 2008, Electronic tribes : the virtual worlds of geeks, gamers, shamans, and scammers 1st ed., University of Texas Press, Austin, <https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/uow/detail.action?docID=3443360>.

Benkler, Y 2007, The Wealth of Networks: How Social Production Transforms Markets and Freedom, Yale University Press, <https://www.scienceopen.com/document_file/aa309e05-cbd6-4306-a570-a6dfc215bb2c/ScienceOpen/08109020701191257.pdf>.

Stallkamp, M 2021, After TikTok: International business and the splinternet, AIB Insights, 21(2), pp.1-5, <https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Maximilian-Stallkamp/publication/350594885_After_TikTok_International_Business_and_the_Splinternet/links/606b05cba6fdccad3f751ea7/After-TikTok-International-Business-and-the-Splinternet.pdf>.

Tan, M 2014, Finding a Niche as a Visual Communicator, <https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1504&context=stu_hon_theses >.