Community Managers and Personal Branding in Social Media
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“I Work in Social”: Community Managers and Personal Branding in Social Media by Jenna Jacobson A thesis submitted in conformity with the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Faculty of Information University of Toronto © Copyright by Jenna Jacobson 2017 “I Work in Social”: Community Managers and Personal Branding in Social Media Jenna Jacobson Doctor of Philosophy Faculty of Information University of Toronto 2017 Abstract Welcome to a world of networking, hustling, coffee, cupcakes, and cocktails; a world where social media is not only an interest, but a way that people meet, become friends, make money, and stay connected. Here, social media is both a passion and a profession, but there is also an unspoken tension. My research analyzes how social media managers—those who manage online communities and create content across digital platforms—work in social media (referring to the work practice of social media managers), and also do the work of social media (referring to the curation of their personal brand using social media to leverage a strategic advantage in the job market). Using a mixed method approach, including three years of fieldwork in Toronto and semi- structured interviews with social media professionals, this dissertation analyzes the “social media scene” and identifies elements of the changing landscape of work and self- presentation in an age of social media. The research examines the practice of community ii management across various industries, including marketing agencies, entertainment, not- for-profit, education, government, telecommunications, retail, and sports. The dissertation uncovers an emerging feminization of social media within the profession. I argue that social media management represents the next iteration of the devaluation of women’s work in the tech industry, mirroring the history of women’s labour in technology. I uncover how people are adopting personal branding practices on social media as a strategy to gain control of their own lives and careers against conditions of increased corporatization, job insecurity, and precarious economic times. I explore the influencer economy and introduce the term “casual influencer” to refer to an ordinary person who posts sponsored content on behalf of a brand, and are typically compensated with free “swag” or experiences, which points to the commercialization of community. The dissertation contributes to our understanding of the inherent contradictions and binaries of living and working in a digitally mediated world: the double labour of working on personal branding as an integral aspect of being an employee; the dissolving divide between the personal and the professional; and the visibility of influence and invisibility of disclosure inherent in social media. iii Acknowledgements To this day, I am often asked, “You can get a PhD researching social media?” One of my participants who works in social media explains, “People think I just sit on Facebook all day, which I do, that’s not a lie. There’s just more to it than that.” This is true of both working in social media and researching social media…there is certainly more to it than that! This research would not have been possible without my network of accomplished mentors, respected colleagues, generous participants, and continual supporters who have been part of my doctoral journey. The goal of this research was to take social media work seriously, so a heart-felt thank you to my fantastic research participants and people I met in the Toronto social media scene who generously shared their experiences, opened my eyes to their world, and offered critical insight into their working and personal lives. I continually strived to do them justice in writing their stories and amplifying their courageous voices. I am honoured to have worked with my dream team committee of three brilliant women scholars—Leslie Shade, Rhonda McEwen, and Nicole Cohen—who have not only shaped this dissertation, but also made me a stronger researcher. I wish that every PhD student could have a committee that is as generous with their time and ideas as I have experienced. First and foremost, Leslie Shade, my supervisor extraordinaire, who provided abundant encouragement and rigorous intellectual feedback through every step of the process. Our one-hour meetings turned into endless thought-provoking conversations about research and life, both inside and outside academia. With unwavering support, Leslie was with me on my wedding day, my defense day, and everything in between. Eternal thanks, Leslie, for your guidance, continuous rallying, and care. Rhonda McEwen continues to be an amazing role model and I aspire to emulate her example as an academic. She has been a continual advocate and a real positive influence throughout my doctorate. Nicole Cohen’s attention to detail, rich critical theoretical knowledge, and genuine interest in my research area truly fuelled and immensely enriched my writing. My dissertation is stronger because of her. I would also like to express my gratitude to my internal and external examiners, Dr. Jeremy Shtern and Dr. Tracey Bowen, who played a critical role in my defense. Thank you to the Semaphore Research Cluster—specifically Matt Ratto, Sara Grimes, and again, Rhonda McEwen—for providing me a home and a truly collaborative working environment. Some of my favourite memories are from working in the lab: making the sun rise over the Rio sky in VR with Gabby Resch, 3D printing little selfies with Dan Southwick, and the stimulating conversations and research roundtables with all the lab members over the years, including Sandra Danilovic, Chris Young, Jack Jamieson, Andy Keenan, Matt Bouchard, Hannah Turner, ginger coons, Ashley Scarlett, Isaac Record, and Adam Dubé. Outside of the University of Toronto, the Social Media Lab provided me a home away from home as I grew as a social media researcher. I will forever appreciate Anatoliy Gruzd and Philip Mai for being my collaborators, mentors, and friends. With them, I have had the honour of Co-Chairing the International Conference on Social Media & Society for several years. I also acknowledge the community of researchers who I have had the pleasure of working with and who continue to shape my thinking iv about the impact and use of social media in society—especially Jeff Hemsley, Dhiraj Murthy, Hazel Kwon, Evelyn Ruppert, and Bernie Hogan. I have learned from various brilliant scholars who have offered their advice and wisdom, including Anabel Quan-Haase, Megan Boler, Elizabeth Dubois, Karen Smith, Alison Harvey, Tamara Shepherd, Christopher Mascaro, Meryl Alper, Jonathan Obar, and Marc Esteve del Valle. Thanks to Zizi Papacharissi and Stacey Blasiola for inviting me to serve on the Advisory Board of the Social Media + Society Journal, that provided a welcome break from my doctoral work. I am also appreciative of the feedback I received on iterations of this research that pushed my thinking: at the Oxford Internet Institute Summer Doctoral Program from Vicki Nash, Bill Dutton, and my cohort, as well as at the annual PhD Research Days from Greig de Peuter, Sharon Strover, and Christian Sandvig who provided encouraging feedback. Thank you to faculty members at UofT who influenced me and my work, including Jeff Boase, Sarah Sharma, Anthony Wensley, Brett Caraway, Marc Chignell, Kelly Lyons, Brian Cantwell Smith, and Wendy Duff. A special thank you to Barry Wellman who has been a tremendous supporter and also served on my Qualifying Exam Committee. My work and conversations at NetLab with him, Guang Ying Mo, Zack Hayat, and Chang Lin have shown me the power of networks in research and in practice. I also appreciate the help over the years from the librarians and administrative staff at the iSchool—specifically Christine Chan and Amy Ratelle. Throughout my graduate studies I have been fortunate to have a support system made up of various doctoral students who celebrated each others’ successes and were there for one another. Thank you to my cohort who listened to early versions of my research while we debated and theorized “information” in our first years together, and to my colleagues and friends, including Quinn DuPont, Harrison Smith, Eva Hourihan Jansen, Elysia Guzik, Sarah Lubelski, Rhon Teruelle, Glen Farrelly, Michael Dick, Alex Cybulski, Mark Sedore, Christie Oh, Emily Maemura, and many others. I will always look back with a smile on the memories we shared over the years. I am grateful for the research funding I received to support my doctoral work from: the University of Toronto Fellowship; Ontario Graduate Scholarship; Ethel W. Auster Scholarship for Doctoral Research; Hilda Wilson Fellowship in Technology, Information and Culture; University of Toronto Women’s Association Adele Csima Scholarship; and the Doctoral Completion Award from the Faculty of Information. Finally, words cannot express how thankful I am to have a family who has motivated and encouraged me. My love of research and learning comes from my mother; I have so many happy memories from a very early age, of frequent visits to her university office in South Africa. Thank you for being my confidant and inspiration to pursue the PhD. I am grateful for our special bond that only grew stronger during my doctorate. Thank you to my dad, Bradley, for teaching me to stop and appreciate all the small things in life (particularly when life gets stressful) and for providing a daily dose of motivation; and to my siblings, Tamryn and Max, for enthusiastically sharing my journey with me, and at various points providing me a place to stay during my travels. I am endlessly thankful to my husband, Josh Milgrom, who has patiently learned about emotional labour and affordances, while giving me the space and time I needed for this research. Thank you for breaking all the gendered stereotypes, and for being my anchor and true life partner. I am indebted to every person who has contributed to my scholarly journey.