Does Your Platform Run You?
Social media has seeped into our creative processes, and if left unchecked, there will be no creativity left.”When I first started, I’d say that I felt that I was run by the platforms. But now that I’m trying to, you know, like I’m focusing on more the process now rather than like the actual end product,” says Mason Paul, a podcast creator based in Fredericton, with the United Indigenous network.v
Social media is a very useful tool but can manipulate the way we consume content. A local automotive creator, Shafei, owner of ShafeiMedia, says,
“You have to adapt, with the platform for sure, especially if you want to grow on the platform. So there are stuff that you would be limited to doing, like length and the speed of an edit. It is pretty important or else it just won’t get pushed at limits in the sense that you can’t put exactly what you want to put out there. You have to like adapt it and rearrange everything to fit and bring attention to the page.”
The videos that creators have to make have to be tailor-made to each platform, and each platform filters content differently. For example, YouTube favours longer videos, while TikTok highlights shorter videos. These platforms also use algorithms to sort posts based on original content that is relevant to the user.
“Everywhere, you’re like looking at stuff, you’re going to be influenced. So if you’re scrolling on Instagram, you will be influenced by what you see on Instagram and you could mimic that to an extent,” says Parker Barriault, a Moncton automotive content creator, and owner of Clueless clothing.
However, creators have learned to leverage the platform for them. ” I think for the actual concept of the idea, I try to stay true to myself and what I would want.” Says Barriault.
“A little bit of both, because creating it for the platform is creating it for myself because it promotes me, right? But also I do like to shoot things that are cars that I like, cars that I think stand out more and creating for the platform. It gets attention, but not all videos get attention, which is just how it is on social media. Like, it doesn’t matter if a video does like 5 million views or 500 views for me, like it’s just what I like.” Says Shafei.
Social media at its heart is a space for creators to share their work, and for people to engage with the things they like. Social media is definitely a tough tool to master, and it is surprisingly easy to fall into the trap of whatever gets the best engagement. However, it is crucial to have a clear vision to stand out amongst the crowd. This ensures the most authentic content and the best engagement with the audience. Spending time to craft authentic and truthful content will be the best thing a content creator does, as this organic content fully represents them and their brand.
