YouTubers are not your friends

The Verge punya artikel menarik yang membahas soal hubungan/interaksi parasosial antara penonton dan YouTuber.

Sociologists Richard Wohl and Donald Horton originally coined the concept of parasocial interactions and relationships in 1956 to explain how audiences developed attachments to media figures. It boils down to one-sided affection: a person invests emotional energy and attachment in a media figure, and they develop a sense of kinship and intimacy that makes them feel as though they know the celebrity — even though the celebrity has no idea they even exist.

These relationships are vital to YouTubers’ success, and they are what turns viewers into a loyal community. High view counts generate more ad money and the potential for a trending spotlight; large subscriber bases ensure better visibility.

Selain itu ada juga Lindsay Ellis, yang juga membahas topik ini dalam video essay-nya yang berjudul YouTube: Manufacturing Authenticity (For Fun and Profit!).

Sangat menarik dan mencerahkan!

Psst.. Jangan lewatkan bagian di mana Lindsay dan Hank Green (Vlogbrothers/SciShow) membahas soal influencer culture.

Hank Green:

It’s kind of strategic. You want someone to have a reason to come back and watch your video.

I think a lot of content you actually end up with it being a one-off viral video and I’m watching this because I like the–like because it’s a good, funny video.

And if you don’t get connected to a personality then like, the chances that you’re going to come back for a second video is way way down.

So trying to figure out how to connect with a personality without connecting your whole life experience, without sharing everything is a really tricky balance.

Lindsay (dalam video):

The challenge for creators is to maintain the illusion for their followers of feeling like they do know this creator, when in reality they only know the affect, the construct, the side of the Creator that the Creator most likely, without their making a good conscious decision to do so, has decided it is most beneficial for you, the audience, to see.

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