Memes, Algorithms and Virality: Understanding, maximizing social media

Making social media work for you requires a bit of background and understanding on how the Internet and social media formed, Dr. Hans K. Meyer, professor at the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism, said in this lecture given to Lakeside Chataqua June 25, 2024.

1. Memes, Algorithms and Virality What drives social media engagement (and how I can get in on it!)

2. Who am I? Author Geek Consultant Critical thinker

3. How prevalent is it? Latest Pew statistics Demographic Breakdown Are these social media?

4. Why has social media grown? We are social So is the Internet How it has always been used

5. Cognitive Surplus Know more together “When we use a network, the most important asset we get is access to one another.” Clay Shirky, NYU

6. Social media’s promise? Public Sphere Third place Have we arrived? 51% NOT hopeful (2017) Human Nature Technology will make it worse

7. Optimism? The 49% said Tech will find a way to filter People will adjust Information literacy

8. So what do we need to know? Why we share? How we share? How information spreads? How do we engage?

9. Why we share? Uses and Gratifications New York Times Customer Insight Group (June 2024)

10. How we share … Algorithms Human-created Formulas Ever changing – Machine Learning Goal? What Google says

11. Instagram? Prioritize original content Give all equal chance

12. Critics “ Filterworld culture is ultimately homogenous marked by a pervasive sense of sameness even when its artifacts aren’t literally the same.”  Kyle Chayka Filterworld : How Algorithms Flattened Culture.

13. Critics Andrew Peck Miami University The Mandela Effect When you're fact checking, it doesn't really matter if no one's actually opening your story or a minority of people are opening the story.

14. Virality Not all it’s cracked up to be. Wrong audience Wrong conversation Wrong outcomes

15. Engagement More than views, clicks, shares Relationships

16. Microinfluencers What advertisers now want Small, dedicated audience

17. SM Best Practices Research hashtags Use handles Edit images / video Call to action

18. Resources Know your Meme Snopes Storyful.video Google Trends

19. Questions? Scrippsjschool.org [email protected] Facebook - hanskmeyer Instagram – OH_J_Prof X - OHJProf