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Lotus Diagram

The first step I undertook in my research was to construct a lotus diagram. This provided the perfect way for me to explore the concept of social media, and the
subtopics involved. I found this technique to be very beneficial, as it encouraged me to think deeper about the numerous aspects revolving the topic.

Due to my deep interest and extensive use of social media, it was the topic I chose to explore. I wanted to know how specific users gained followers, and why
they did so. I was also contemplating researching such things as the benefits and disadvantages of social media, or to delve into a specific social media
platform to research.

I struggled with coming I was really interested


up with original in the sub-topic of
questions for each of follower gain, as I am
the social media intrigued as to how
platforms, which followers can be
influenced me to gained and why users
perhaps pick a specific choose to follow
platform to research. others. Originally I
As a lot of the wanted to focus on all
questions could be social media
used for any of the platforms, however I
platforms, I decided I realised that this
may as well choose a would not be suitable
specific one as the as it is not concise
information would enough.
essentially be very
similar, and it would
also provide me with a
more comprehensive
Mind Map
question. A mind map was constructed for me to further explore the concept of social media follower gain in detail. I believe it was
advantageous for me to use this concept, as I was able to put my ideas onto paper in an organised fashion. In my mind map, I
Instead of constructing brainstormed all the aspects I already knew of to do with the topic of social media follower gain, and whatever questions I had. This
lead me to begin some research, however this was not to find answers, but more so to find questions and sub-topics that I could
my mind map based
conduct research on and include in my project. I found that there were many websites based on tips to gain more followers in the
upon my chosen online world, which gave me confidence that it would be possible for me to gain extensive information on the topic.
question, I instead
decided to focus on the .
After thoroughly exploring the sub-categories of follower gain, I decided to
sub-topic that I was
follow the branch of what influences follower gain. This is due to the wide
most interested in from
range of ideas generated, and my strong interest in the topic. I chose to
my lotus diagram. This
choose a specific social media platform to focus on, which was Instagram. To
allowed me to further
gain primary information on the topic, I decided that constructing a survey
refine my question, and
would be the most efficient method, in order to ask Instagram users for the
think of more
reasons as to why they decided to follow other accounts.
possibilities concerning
what I wanted to further
research.

D4: Clearly demonstrates


the link between research
question and capabilities

I forgot to incorporate the capabilities I was planning on exploring within my mind map, however I was originally thinking I would focus on the Information and
Communication Technology capability due to the technology required for social media use. However, I ended up changing my capability to The Critical &
Creative Thinking Capability, due to my realisation that I would need to design a survey to access information. Accessing, organising, using, and evaluating
information are all critical key points for the capability, which would be the basis of my research.
Source Reference Source Analysis

"6 Research-Backed The research has been posted on an online business magazine, called Fast Company. It has been re-blogged from a site
Ways To Get More called Buffer, which was clearly referenced on the site. Links have been provided when studies and statistics have been
Followers On Any mentioned, however the site only has moderate accuracy as no bibliography is included. Opinionated statements are backed
Social Media". Fast up with evidence. The site has not been created to persuade, but more so to inform. Information does not seem to have been
Company. N.p., omitted and as the site does not attempt to persuade, the site is likely to not be biased. The original author Kevan Lee has
2014. Web. 16 July many online followers, which is what the website aims to influence, however he does not have many credentials, meaning the
2016. site is only moderately credible. The provided information is recent, from the past two years. The research is easy to navigate,
read and understand, and is therefore suitable for the topic. I used this site as it gave me an insight to research-backed ways
from social media influencers on how to gain followers online.

"Benefits Of Twitter The information comes from a government verified page, meaning it is a referred and reliable source, with high accuracy. It is
For Business | slightly difficult to distinguish fact from opinion from the information, however the site is created to inform not to persuade.
Queensland Information doesnt appear to be purposely omitted, therefore it is likely to be not biased. No authorised author is mentioned,
Government". however on a government website this would be inappropriate. Other sites have not been credited, however the information
Business.qld.gov.au. given appears to be a primary source, therefore it can be concluded as credible. The information has been very recently
N.p., 2016. Web. 20 reviewed (past couple of months) and is easy to read and understand, however there is not much information on the page. The
July 2016. information is suitable for the topic.
Edit: When I chose this source, it was before I had decided to focus on Instagram, which is why the site focuses on the benefits
of Twitter for business. After I had refined this question, I probably wouldnt have chosen this source.

"3101.0 - Australian The information comes from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, which is Australias official statistical agency of the
Demographic Government. Their information source is primary, and the information has been verified. It provides high quality, objective and
Statistics, Dec responsive statistics with high accuracy. The site has been created to provide the community with the demographic statistics
2015". Abs.gov.au. of Australia. Facts can easily be distinguished from opinion, as the information is purely statistical, and is therefore not biased.
N.p., 2016. Web. 3 The Government of Australia is responsible for the site, and the information is consequently accurate. An author's name has not
Aug. 2016. been provided, however this information is omitted as it is not suitable for the site. Many other sites have referred to the
Australian Bureau of Statistics, and it is therefore credible. The information is recent from the past year, and is very easy to
read and understand. The information is sufficient, and suitable for my topic as it provides me with demographic information.
Edit: As I was originally focusing on societies demographics, this information was suitable. However, once I refined my
question, the numerous demographics were no longer necessary as I only focused on one.

"Engage Instagram The information comes from a website called tapinfluence, which is created by consumers for consumers. There appears to be
Features | Boost no verification that the given information on the site is correct, however the statements and tips provided are purely opinions
Your Influence | from those who have experience in the industry, therefore the site is moderately accurate. The site has been created to inform
Tapinfluence". Instagram users of how to gain more followers, and how to increase your influence on the site. The page is heavily biased as
TapInfluence. N.p., evidence is not provided, therefore stating opinion, as opposed to fact. The author of the page is Julianna Vorhaus, who does
2014. Web. 10 Aug. not appear to have any credentials. However, the site is run and moderated by a strong team of social media influencers, who
2016. all in turn have a long list of history in the business, therefore the page is moderately credible. The information is relatively
recent (past two years) however due to the ever-changing online world, the information is slightly outdated. However, it is easy
to read, and gives users simple steps to follow. As the site gives information as to how to gain followers, it is therefore suitable
to my topic. The information on the site helped me to understand the features of Instagram, to assist me in my knowledge of the
platform.

Seligson, H. (2016). The information comes from online magazine The Atlantic. The article features statistics that come from a site that measures
Why Are More internet traffic, called ComScore. Upon research on the ComScore website, it has been found that the statistics are accurate,
Women Than Men as the ComScore tag is propagated throughout Instagram to measure the traffic. The site has been created to inform, not
on Instagram?. persuade, and the information given in the magazine article is mostly statistics, in which case there is little bias. The article
[online] The Atlantic. however, has been written by a female, and refers to personal experiences where she has been known to use Instagram more
[Accessed 20 Sep. than her husband - however the personal experiences are backed up with evidence given in the statistics. Further research on
2016]. ComScore has revealed that the statistics used are in fact accurate, and almost every other site online shows that more men
than women are on Instagram, meaning that the site is credible. Additionally, the information given is very recent, and explains
how ComScore works in detail. The information is very suitable to the topic, and is easy to read. The information given helped
me to compare the results of my survey with the statistics on Instagram.
Initially, I decided to focus on The Information and Communication Technology Capability. This was prior to me changing my question to specifically target
Instagram and the age demographic for 14-18 year olds. However, due to refinement of the question and realisation that I will be analysing and evaluating
primary information gained from survey responses, I decided to change capabilities.
As technology is inevitably closely related to social media, critically analysing the limitations and impacts of present technologies is relevant to
my research question. Limitations such as risks and disadvantages are evident amongst technology, which is of utmost importance for users
understanding. Understanding these disadvantages, and how social media can be detrimental to users health is also an implication of the
technology available. By constructing a survey and distributing through social media to gain responses, the knowledge gained from the
capability to these methods in order to collect and process the data.

Chosen Capability: The Critical & Creative Thinking Capability. Due to the nature of my research, I believe this capability was the best fit.

However, as creativity is a major element of Instagram, I decided to choose the Critical & Creative Thinking Capability instead. This creativity
is utilised for users to express themselves with their interests and viewpoints, often attracting followers with similar mindsets. As social media
as a whole is an innovative outlet, the understanding of the nature of innovation is also recognised. The critical element of my project is
understanding how social media users must be aware of possible manipulation from the online marketing aspects. The knowledge of how
Instagram can be used in marketing for business is an example of the transfer of knowledge into new contexts. As the data was collected for
the survey I constructed, the information was critically analysed through the use of Excel and comparisons to secondary sources. This analysis
helped me to understand exactly what my data meant, and therefore how to recognise key findings.

Following the teacher led workshops in class, I have pages of notes which will be critical towards the construction of my survey, which
demonstrates my ability to apply new skills and knowledge gained. The construction of my questions in both my interview and survey and
highlighting of key findings demonstrated how I was able to pose questions while identifying and clarifying information. Analysis of sources to
test for accuracy, bias, credibility and suitability were utilised to further clarify information.

The annotations used throughout my folio are examples of metacognition, which show myself thinking about my thinking processes.

Before I had begun my research project, I had not given much of a thought as to how I could develop my capabilities by conducting a survey
and analysing data. When I first begun, I didnt know much about conducting surveys, or where to begin if I were to construct one. I had no
idea about what questions I would include, or even what websites to use. However, as I have delved deeper into my research, I have definitely
developed a stronger sense of research skills from conducting my survey. I now know that it is essential to be ethically considerate, by
including such things as non-binary options within the gender category. It is also crucial to include a page informing respondents of their
rights and anonymity. My research analytical skills have also been refined, as I used Excel to categorise and graph my data to display my key
findings. Due to receiving some negative comments through the anonymity of my survey also, I have become more aware of the implications
involved with such methods of research.

Planning of Research

In order to answer my research project question, I will need to undertake specific research processes which will be most helpful in order to
gain the most sufficient data within the time frame. Not every research method will be suitable, and therefore I must consider the advantages
and disadvantages of each method.

To obtain primary information that is easily accessible, I plan to construct a survey on Survey Monkey to administer easily online. This will be a
cost efficient method, that I will share with my Facebook friends who are within the 14-18-year-old demographic. The method is also time-
efficient, meaning that it will be suitable for the time allocated to complete my research project. This method will hopefully allow myself to draw
conclusions from the sample size, to obtain key findings. To ensure credible and reliable data, survey respondents will be notified of their
anonymity, to allow respondents to feel more open with their answers. A possible implication of this method is that I may not be able to gain as
large a sample size as I would like, in order for my data to be as reliable as possible.

An interview with Instagram user Brooke Upton will additionally be undertaken, to obtain primary information. As she has 10, 000 followers,
she will hopefully be able to give an insight on both the subject of follower gain as well as social media marketing, in regards to her personal
opinions and perceptions. The only possible implication is that Brooke may not have time to complete my interview questions.

To cross-reference my information, I will look on the internet for secondary sources that will display similar data to my primary information.
Looking for information online is beneficial due to ease of access and low cost in acquiring information. It is important to consider that not all
sources are reliable, and to be able to distinguish the credible sources from those that arent so.
The research question I have chosen to undertake is: How does societys LINK TO POWERPOINT:
demographics influence the likelihood of follower gain on Instagram? https://docs.google.com/a/asms.sa.edu.au/presentation/d/1dMSBDhWk
mcYIwwxpLBr_y8bWw4fv5tfOGd1so9d0NWs/edit?usp=drive_web
My research will involve me conducting a survey across various demographics, to
determine what kinds of Instagram accounts the demographics are most likely to Feedback from Panel Presentation:
follow and why. I knew I wanted to research something to do with social media, as I was happy with the way my panel presentation went, and believe that
it is a big part of my everyday life and I am very interested in the science behind I gained insightful feedback in regards to my research project. The
social media follower gain. As I am often asked how I gain followers on social panellists were happy with my choice of topic, stating that it was
media and am unable to give an answer, I decided to conduct research to see if relevant and interesting, and praised me on my mind map and lotus
there was any science behind it. As I originally began my research with the broad diagram. However, they also stated that referring to societies
topic of social media, I created a lotus diagram surrounding the numerous aspects demographics was too broad, and I was advised to further refine my
of the topic, including the sub-topic of follower gain. Due to my interest, I decided to question, and to perhaps focus on a specific age demographic instead.
delve further into my research, and chose the question of What influences social Upon gaining this feedback, I proceeded to change my question to
media follower gain? I then created a mind-map which showed the aspects of What influences the likelihood of follower gain on Instagram for
follower gain, to research the topic more. It didnt take long before I realised how those that fit into the 14-18-year-old demographic?
broad this question was, and that I would need to refine it. I started by choosing a
social media platform to focus on specifically, and decided on Instagram. After Edit: My achievements have aligned well with my goals, as I was able
speaking with my teacher, she pointed out that I would need to focus on the to construct a survey and send it out to my Facebook friends easily.
demographics, as the numerous social demographics inevitably tend to follow However, since the feedback I received from my panel presentations
different accounts on social media. resulted in me refining my topic, my final results were more specific,
focusing on one demographic rather than multiple. I followed the plan
I plan to construct a magazine article for my research outcome, as it will be a fun that I had proposed, and was therefore able to determine which
and suitable way for me to present my findings. As consumer magazines often accounts the Instagram users in the 14-18-year-old demographic were
feature articles relating to social media, this is the type of magazine I will have in most likely to follow.
mind as I create my article. It will be based around the type of Instagram accounts
that the magazines audience will be most likely to follow, due to their demographic.

To research my question further, I will conduct surveys across the various


demographics, showing them visual representations of numerous Instagram
accounts, asking which accounts they would be more likely to follow. I believe a
survey is the best method as I will be able to get a high number of respondents, in
an easy way that is accessible for many online. I must be sure to conduct my
survey apart from only on Facebook however, as my friends list is restricted and
will not give me the wide range of data I want, to reach the various demographics.

Last Thursday in Research Project we had workshops to attend, where teachers


went in depth to provide us with knowledge of specific aspects of research method.
When creating surveys to conduct, it is essential to know what is reasonable to
include, and recognising what those completing the survey will likely know. Its not
a good idea to make them think too hard about the survey theyre filling out think
about what you yourself would be interested in answering. Although you might be
tempted to include heavy questions in the hope of more elaborate answers, it will
most likely backfire, resulting in less answers and lack of depth. It is very important
to be clear, and to use common language. The example given was to refer to the
writing style for The Advertiser which uses language suitable for a 12-year-old to
read fluently.

Confirmation of anonymity must be stated, to put the respondents minds at ease.


A page at the beginning of the survey will also be included, to explain the
respondents rights. Also assuring that the responses are voluntarily is important,
as if you make it sound compulsory it puts people off wanting to complete the
survey. Questions should only be asked that will provide answers absolutely vital
for your research, as the survey should be as short as possible to withhold
respondents attention. Demographic information must be included, in order to
separate answers in demographic factors. This part of the survey should come
first, as the respondents will not have to think hard at all, and will therefore slowly
ease them into the survey.

After conducting my research, I am hoping to gain a clear idea of which accounts


certain demographics are most likely to follow, and how this can influence follower
gain for certain Instagram accounts and themes. I will analyse my findings by
sorting the survey results, and finding the common factors. From this information, I
will then be able to determine which types of accounts the specific demographics
are more inclined to follow.
I decided to construct a survey to Survey method pros and cons
conduct my primary research, as I Despite the cons in using a
knew it would be a suitable method in Pros Cons survey method, I have decided
order to understand what individuals Gives a good May not be able to that the pros outweigh them. A
representation of gain enough survey method will be the most
in the demographic I was researching a sample responses reliable and suitable method
were interested in. I didnt realise until population
for me to obtain primary data.
I actually began to construct the Can use a free Free versions of
survey that evaluating the questions website to websites may come
needed in the survey would be a construct survey with limited
features
harder task than anticipated. As I
Very easy to May lead to biased
didnt want to waste respondents share survey respondents
time, it was hard for me to narrow through social Creative and critical thinking capability:
down the questions to ask things that media
would definitely be needed for my Preciseness and Not possible to edit Creating and conducting a survey
fairness will be survey halfway if constructed specifically for my
research. I refrained from putting in
obtained if the mistakes are found research
distracting questions, and instead same survey is
stuck to asking only the bare Creating questions that explore the
sent to all
necessities. I used various question respondents concepts of my research project
methods such as multiple choice, Survey Not all responses
star ranking, and text box. This respondents are will be serious, and Following my decision to use the survey method to
able to express it is very possible obtain my data, I began to construct the questions
ensured that survey respondents opinions freely, that some
would not get bored of the same that I would use on my online survey. I made sure
leading to respondents may
method, and created variety. Once I valuable data deliver inaccurate to incorporate not only multiple choice questions,
had a draft of questions, I asked answers but also open ended questions so I could gather
both qualitative and quantitative data.
multiple peers for advice and Qualitative: Not in numerical form,
opinions. They gave it the all clear, typically an open answered question that
however upon one last read over, I My survey will be sent out to my Facebook friends,
respondents answer in a comment box.
many of which fit into the age group required for
came across errors I had previously Quantitative: Measured in quantity or
my survey. This method is the most convenient,
overlooked. This led me to believe numbers, from multiple choice questions.
and will hopefully be the most effective.
that my friends werent giving me
honest opinions, and instead they
(frustratingly) told me only what I
wanted to hear. The next step was to These questions were asked in order to gain necessary
send out the survey, which I had information for my results. Starting the survey off with
created on Survey Monkey. I sent out simple, easy to answer questions, gradually introduced
the link on Facebook, where I respondents to the survey through asking less complex
received over the maximum of 100 questions first. In question 1, I made sure to include
responses. So I could view more non-binary as an option, in order to be inclusive of all
responses (out of curiosity) I gender identity. This corresponds with the ethical
duplicated the survey, and edited the understanding capability. I added question 2 for
link to the new survey in my Facebook confirmation and clarity, however it could have been
status, in order to get as many omitted from the survey, as it seemed to speak for
responses as possible. A problem I itself. Question 3 was added to analyse the ages of my
respondents in more detail.
came across while using the method
of sharing on Facebook, was that I
quickly realised that there was a
certain audience who were most likely I asked survey respondents to choose the
to fill out my survey, resulting in less categories of Instagram accounts that they were
of a wide range than hoped for. As my most interested in, to understand the types of
survey was aimed directly for 14-18 accounts that gain most followers from the age
year olds it resulted in inevitable bias bracket. I added an other section in order for
within my survey, however this was respondents to mention categories that I may have
expected and a welcome addition, forgotten to include, or others specific to their
considering the results I was after. personal interests. I set the question to a check-box
The only materials I required were my answer type, so that respondents could choose as
many as they took interest to.
questions I was planning to conduct,
as well as computer/internet access.
I asked this question in order to determine whether the initial follower count of a
user impacted whether or not the respondent would be more inclined to follow
them. I also included an open comment box so that I could gain a deeper insight
as to why this was the case.

This question was asked to respondents in a star rating


form, so that they wouldnt get too bored of the same
format each time. It was to determine how meaningful an
accounts aesthetic is to them, and therefore whether
accounts that are considered more aesthetically
pleasing will then therefore gain more followers.

This question was asked in an open comment box, so


that respondents would generate their own ideas and
reasons rather than choose from a few given answers.
Based on these answers, it can tell me the factors that
users typically take into consideration when following
another account.

This question was asked in order to find out whether a


public or private account attracted more followers, and
therefore how to influence follower gain from privacy
settings.

This method was extremely time consuming, and led me to fall


behind on my research project. As I had four different surveys and
I was combing the data from each of them manually, it led to a lot
of extra work. If I was to do this again, I would probably just use a
sample size of 100, as it would still be large enough to gain
relatively reliable results. I was grateful to have more results so
that my data was more accurate, however I dont believe it was
worth it for the amount of time I spent adding and categorising all
the responses.
Upon conducting my survey research and analysing secondary sources on how Instagram followers can be used for marketing, I have inevitably gained a wide
range of new skills. These skills have been developed following the use of new learning techniques and research methods. Although I came across numerous
obstacles while beginning my research project, I have overcome the obstacles and have extended my abilities in the process. Although I focused on the Critical
& Creative Thinking capability, I have developed and strengthened my skills in aspects of other capabilities also.

The steps I took in my research development

I have learned about numerous


Deciding which research method to research methods that are useful for Constructing my survey
choose obtaining primary research. After
thinking carefully about the pros and Through workshops provided at school, I was
I decided to construct a survey for my cons of using a survey, I came to able to gain skills that led to the construction
primary research method. the conclusion that this would be of my survey.
the best method.

I further broadened my knowledge on the fact that Some of the knowledge I gained from the workshops are as follows:
not all sources are reliable, and that I must be aware
Understanding what is reasonable for survey respondents to
of their quality. I have improved my techniques by
know before they take the survey
looking at the original sources of information given
Be clear, using common language
within each of the websites, to check them for
State what the information is being used for, and confirm their
reliability and accuracy.
anonymity
Only ask questions that will provide vital information
Include both open and closed questions, for qualitative and
quantitative information
Using numerous sources

I used various sources in order to obtain my secondary


information.
Editing my survey

Once I had constructed my survey, I sent it to multiple friends for them to


Before research project, I didnt really know how to use Excel to create
read over it for spelling errors or ideas for improvement.
graphs. I definitely improved these skills through watching tutorials and
asking for help, in order to use them to analyse and present my findings.

I learned about the importance of allowing others to view your work, as


sometimes you overlook your own errors. Another set of eyes to review is
Analysing results in Excel
vital before sending out the survey to the public.
After I had received all my responses, I put all the data into Excel where I
created the graphs to use in my research development pages.

Sending out survey


I understood that I had to be aware of the fact that I was sending my survey
After I maxed out the limit of responses on my survey, I decided to
out to a biased sample population. I learned about the obstacles that may be
duplicate the survey itself, and update the link on my Facebook status so
present when this was a case, and how if the survey was to be anonymous
that respondents would fill out the new survey instead, therefore
it would be very biased. However, as my question was based around the
accumulating more responses.
same age demographic as my Facebook friends, the inevitable bias was
welcome.

I learned how to overcome the problem of only having a small sample


Understanding the characteristics of my sample population for my survey responses, and was instead able to have a much
population higher amount of results to analyse due to duplicating my survey. However,
this also came with problems as I then had many more responses I had to sift
As I sent out my link only to my Facebook friends, inevitably I through in order to come to conclusions.
only obtained responses from a sample population.
Survey on the influences of follower gain on Instagram for 14-18 year olds
I decided to conduct a survey in order to analyse what influenced follower gain on
Instagram, as I knew it would be the easiest and most efficient way to collect the data.
The sources would be primary, and I would easily be able to attain information involving
the data I was required to collect in order to answer my question. I needed to survey
people who were Instagram users that fit in the age demographic, and I knew that this
criterion would fit many on my Facebook friends list. The survey was therefore posted as
a status on my Facebook account, and after a very quick response rate I duplicated the
survey and edited the statuss survey link in order to attain as many responses as
possible. I ended up with 426 total survey responses. Although I could only view 348 of
those, I was very happy with the wide range of results, and the willingness from
respondents. As the sample size was large, it means that the results were therefore more
reliable and successful.
As I requested for my survey respondents to fit in the age
demographic for 14-18 year olds, this was the inevitable age
group for my results. 78% of those that answered y survey
were female. I was hoping that there would be a higher
number of males that answered the survey, as I believe that
my results were an indication of the higher number of female
responses. However, due to research from secondary
sources, it has been found that there is a higher percentage of
female users on Instagram than males.

I also had a survey question confirming whether or not the


respondents were Instagram users. I decided to omit this
information from this page, as it appears to speak for itself.
Although I did get a few responses that stated they were not
Instagram users, I assumed the answer to either be accidental
or not to be taken seriously.
When survey
The responses I received for this questions werent overly surprising, as I would
respondents were
have chosen the same answers myself, being within the age demographic. Most
asked how relevant an
respondents were interested in accounts that posted about fashion, beauty and
Instagrams aesthetic
celebrities. Travel and fitness accounts were also popular having been chosen by
was, the average rating
over 50% of respondents. The lowest ratings were at 22% for animals, and 24% for
was 6.9 out of 10. To
other accounts. After looking through the responses in the comment box for the
improve this question, I
other answers, it was made clear that I should have made friends and family an
would have stated what
option, due to its popularity within the responses. I also could have asked
I was referring to by
respondents to rank categories from that of most interest to least, as this information
aesthetic as not
cant be seen from the results. As it is impossible to tell whether respondents were
everyone may have
strict in their answers or just chose more categories because the option was
known what I was
available, it makes the data slightly less accurate.
talking about in
response to the
question. I probably
didnt have to include This question was asked in order to find whether or not an accounts
this question in my follower count influences whether or not someone is more likely to follow
survey, as the results them. 62% of Instagram users stated that the initial follower count of a
are hard to analyse and user does NOT influence whether or not they will follow their account.
arent vital to my This reasoning is likely to be due to the assumption that a higher following
overarching question. count corresponds with an overall better account. It is also possible that
respondents felt more inclined to answer that the initial follower count
does not have an influence as it sounded less superficial, and were
therefore not 100% honest.

This question was asked in a comment box format; to


determine what the primary reasons were for following
Primary reasons for following other accounts Instagram accounts. The answers from the first survey were
categorised into general categories, so an overview can be
shown. The primary reasons for following other accounts are
Combination 25% due to interest, the content that the user is posting, and a
combination of a few of the reasons. These answers were
To gain followers 4% expected, as people usually want to see posts that they are
Categories

Interest 25% interested in on their feeds. However, I expected a higher


percentage of people to follow people in order to gain more
Inspiration 17%
followers (as opposed to the 4% that said this was a reason)
Content 21% but this could again be due to respondents believing the
9%
answer to sound superficial and may not want to admit to it.
Friends

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25%


Percentage of votes
When survey respondents were asked whether they were more inclined to follow an account that was
set to public or private, a comment box was additionally provided to ask for their reasoning. 63% of
users stated that they were more likely to follow an account on public as opposed to private. Due to
my high number of responses, I only analysed the comments from one of my four surveys. The most
common reason was due to the fact that you are able to see the account before you follow it on
public, and therefore can tell whether they post content you would be more interested in seeing
regularly.

Further analysis (What influences follower gain on Instagram for those that fit into the age demographic of 14-18 year olds)
My survey proved to be highly useful in finding out what influences follower gain, as I was able to gain the information from an adequate number of
respondents that fit into the age demographic. I had much more responses from females as opposed to males, however my research beyond my survey has
shown that females are more active on Instagram than males, which correlates well with my data. Although my data was biased due to the age demographic
and the audience whom I sent the survey out to, this bias was welcome as it was the data I was seeking to find. As I have a sufficient number of responses, I
am able to make relatively conclusive results from my findings. My research has given the indication for numerous aspects of the influences of follower gain,
including that fashion and celebrities are the highest most likely to follow accounts voted by respondents. When accounts post content that incorporates
these categories, users within the demographic are more likely to follow that account.

Reflection
I believe the survey I conducted gave me substantial information required for my research. I had examples of both quantitative and qualitative data within my
survey, which respondents answered. Asking questions that were open ended allowed respondents to express their own thoughts and opinions, without the
guidelines of multiple choice. The survey enabled me to see the elements that Instagram users took into consideration upon following another account. Skills
were also developed in relation to my chosen capability of The Critical & Creative Thinking Capability. After conducting my survey, I was accessing,
organising, using, and evaluating the information collected. To assist me in the collection of my data, I used Excel to sort out and graph my information.

David Wicks from Social Media Today has stated the importance of social
How can this media for business, as it opens up numerous opportunities for marketing.
information be used A higher following count equals higher visibility on social media, which
means that more products are sold. As can be seen in my findings,
in a real world businesses selling products online through Instagram will be most
successful when selling items related to fashion, beauty, or feature
sense? celebrities. Other benefits of social media for business are as follows:

Interaction with target market


Social Environment
It is much easier to see what your customers are looking for in
Creating an online community for your product is an effective
your products due to the nature of social media. Interacting with
way of creating a strong social environment for those that show
customers is made easy, to get a deeper insight of what they
interest in the products being sold.
want.
Effective marketing
Informative
The nature of the creative aspects of social media leads to
Not only does social media provide customers with an insight interest amongst followers, as advertising can be portrayed in a
into your product or business, it is also a great tool to obtain a way that is interesting and appealing to potential buyers.
deeper knowledge on the market and potential competition.

Competition
Online presence
Not only does social media provide customers with an insight It is essential to use social media with its rising success, in
into your product or business, it is also a great tool to obtain a order to keep up with the competitors in the business.
deeper knowledge on the market and potential competition.
Finding customers
As social media comes with such features as key words and
Importance of getting social hashtags, it makes it much easier for customers to find
businesses and vice versa.
As social media platforms let users know what is popular, it is
vital for todays success in business. Social skills and the ability Affordability
to communicate online are skills that are extremely useful once
developed. As social media does not require an extensive budget, it is a
cost effective way for any business to manage their advertising
and product-selling.
Instagrams
Statistics 2016

Social Motive. (2016).


Instagram For Business -
Social Motive. [online]
Available at:
http://socialmotive.com.a
u/blog/?p=63 [Accessed 30
Sep. 2016].

Upon speaking with my teacher


about the development of my
folio, she suggested that I link my
own research to secondary
sources of how to gain followers.
Due to Instagrams high success,
its importance has soared as it
has become a vital tool for
marketing. This results in
applications in a wider sense,
The 12-17 age demographic is similar Although this percentage isnt as extreme as the such as the growth of businesses
to the respondents from my survey, of results from my survey, the overall statistics show and a perfect stepping stone for
14-18 year olds. that women outnumber men in Instagram usage. those creating a brand.

Due to Instagrams highly engaged community and


What does a high
Instagram for excessive number of users, Instagram has become a
follower count on revolutionary tool used for business and marketing.
marketing Accounts that reach a high following are often contacted by
Instagram mean for brands to advertise their products.
Social media experts at website Hootsuite have given tips on
business? how followers can greatly influence the success of a brand or
The better the content is on your page; the
business. These tips show how the application can be used
It is best to not go in to using more followers you will gain. Good quality
in a wider sense beyond personal use to advertise
Instagram blindly having a photos posted consistently will attract the most
products and promote businesses.
strategy in place in relation to followers.
your business is crucial to
attract followers.
Hootsuite Social Media Management. (2016). How to Get More Running contests is a sure-fire way to
Instagram Followers: The Ultimate Guide. [online] Available at: gain followers, especially if you request
https://blog.hootsuite.com/how-to-get-more-instagram-followers-the- those who enter the competition to
Keep your visibility ultimate-guide/#part5 [Accessed 30 Sep. 2016].
up by sharing your follow you for a valid entry.
Instagram
accounts on other
social media Take note of when posts are most
platforms, successful, and try to reciprocate
following other those acts such as when photos
accounts, and are posted, or the category of the
using hashtags. photo.

Sponsored ads on Instagram are a


Using hashtags way to attract followers attention,
can also help you by placing content directly in their
connect with other feeds. Accounts that already have a
users that post high following count can also be
similar content. used to advertise your products.

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