The ins and outs of Spreadability

Why do we share? I don't think I have quite figured it out yet but maybe I can work through it with all of you. Let's begin.

The means of which I share are different for every occasion and every platform. I share my own content mostly through Instagram. All other platforms you could say I just share other creators' content.

I think we share simply because we like to. Whether that be to show off to your high school bully who is not doing so good at this game we call life. Maybe it's because you want your loved ones to know what's going on with you. It could even be to prove to your ex that you are better off. Overall, we chose to share because of our desire to have a human connection. Whatever the reason may be, we still chose to share. Whether the audience is big or small.

Spreadability is an important factor in sharing. They are not one and the same. Just because you share something doesn't always mean it will spread. There is no perfect algorithm for what will be popular and what will succeed at spreading. I think this is why we get so many copy cat videos or a repeat of content. The new social media platform TicTok has creators that are notorious for this practice. Nothing more annoying than seeing the same TicTok with a different person. Aside from the few bad fish in the pond, TikTok can be a great platform for young creative minds.

The copying of content doesn't just occur on TicTok, it happens on nearly every platform, whether someone is stealing your identity from Tinder or simply copying and pasting a viral tweet to there Twitter. I think we get copycat accounts and repeat content because we strive to get fame. The idea of having everyone love you ties into wanting to feel a connection with others. You end up with the praise you have been looking for even if you might not be your true self.

False news is an important factor in spreadability and is usually sticky. This can lead to a high volume of fake information. There was actually a perfect example of this recently. TMZ is known for being a noncredible news source. TMZ was the first to release the news of Kobe Bryant. Aside from releasing false information they also chose to release the information before police had time to contact the families of the victims. TMZ is the perfect example of using spreadability in a negative or unproductive way.

Why do certain things spread faster than others? As we talked about in the paragraph before the person involved in the media matters. The content matters as well as the social events during that time period. News about your new puppy buster will travel on the internet, but not as far and wide as Ariana Grande's new puppy. Popularity makes a difference when it comes to the spreadability of certain content.

In one of my last blog post, I talk about the story of Luka Magnotta and how the internet was the driving force for his killings, as well as what brought him down. I too think he is a good example of spreadability at work. He's used his internet persona as a way to gain 'fans'. Due to the ability to spread content and make connections on the internet a band of people from all over the world was able to track down Luka and put him to justice. Spreadability at work.

Although the outcome was good it reveals something about the individuals that surf the web. We spread bad things. Whether it be a racist comment or videos of kids fighting. I remember scrolling through Twitter one day and seeing a video of a young man falling to his death. The man was unidentified and spreading like wildfire. I don't yet understand how that video made it through so many phones and so many sets of eyes before someone realized it wasn't okay. The question of why we share obscured content goes a bit deeper than my blog experience but none the less is interesting to think about.

I believe that the things we share online are a good representation of who we are as people. People chose to share things like their business, family, friends, Successes, and hardships. We might choose to sway content on our social media for the ex that you know is watching but overall it is a representation of you. I'm not speaking for all the catfishes out there, although a bit of what they say to others might have some truth.

What exactly am I getting at with all the mumbo jumbo that I've been throwing at you? Connection. We all want connection, humans need it. That's why we share, it started by inviting family and friends over after a long vacation to have them sit through the slide show you put together. Now we can share so easily and effortlessly, that's why spreadability works.

But anyway... Don't forget to like and share!