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2. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK This theoretical framework describes the rise of social media, swift to User-Generated content and the behavior of teenagers on YouTube (2.1). Paragraph 2.2 focuses on identification and describes the social cognitive theory. After that, the influence of social influencers such as YouTubers on the buying behavior will be described (2.3). Finally 2.4 focuses on the awareness of influence and the responsibilities YouTubers have regarding their teenage viewers. 2.1. Teenagers’ behavior on social media The World Wide Web has changed over the past few years. Whereas YouTube was new to most internet users a few years ago, it has now become part of many daily lives. This paragraph describes the rise of social media, the swift to User-Generated Content and the behavior of teenagers on social media. Two related concepts that are frequently used describing social media, are Web 2.0 and User- Generated Content (UGC). The term Web 2.0 has been used since 2004 and describes a new way in which software developers and end-users collaborate. Content and applications are no longer created and published by individuals, but continuously modified by all users in a participatory and collaborative fashion (Kaplan & Haenlein, 2011, p.61). Examples are blogs and wikis. The term UGC has been used since 2005 and refers to all the various media content created or produced by the general public, excluding paid professionals as explained by Daugherty, Eastin and Bright (2008). According to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD, 2007, p.9) UGC has three basic requirements: first it needs to be published on accessible websites like social networking sites. This excludes messages that are not available to the public, for example messages sent via email or WhatsApp. Second it needs to show creativity, meaning simply posting a copy of existing content like articles without modifications is not considered as UGC. Lastly UGC needs to be created without professional involvement, excluding content that has been created with a commercial market context in mind (Kaplan & Haenlein, 2011, p.61). At present, there is a new era of the web, called Web 3.0. Whereas Web 2.0 is described as a medium for human communication, web 3.0 is described as networked digital technology that supports the human cooperation. Web 3.0 integrates users’ generated data to create new meaning (Fuchs et al., 2010; Harris, 2008; Tasner, 2010; Watson, 2009). The web will be able to understand content and elaborate on that. An example is the combination of information with which relevant suggestions can be offered to the user. According to Smith (2009, p. 559) the shift towards user-driven technologies enabled a revolution. He states that this revolution in terms of UGC, global community and the publications of consumer opinions is now referred to as social media. Taking the features and similar concepts of Web 2.0, Web 3.0 and UGC into consideration, social media can be described as ‘mobile and web-based technologies that create highly interactive platforms, via which users can share, discuss, modify and co-create content’ (Kietzmann et al., 2011). This perfectly describes what is happening on YouTube. Teenagers nowadays are raised in the era of smartphones and do not remember a time before social media. They are called Generation Z and defined with birth years ranging from the late 1990s through the 2010s (Tulgan, 2013). Millennials are watching fewer traditional TV shows and consume more digital content from sites like YouTube than ever. According to a new report from Defy Media on the viewing habits of 13-24-year-olds (2015), 96% of that age group spends an average of 11 hours a week on watching online video via social media sites. Younger viewers are more likely to identify with YouTubers than with traditional TV and movie stars. 59% of 13-year-olds follow YouTubers on social media versus only 32% following TV and movie stars. According to a study by Variety Magazine (2014), six out of ten influencers for 13-18-year-olds are YouTubers. Teenagers find YouTube influencers more relatable than traditional celebrities (Defy media, 2015) and identify themselves more with YouTubers than with traditional celebrities. 2.2. Teenagers’ identification with YouTubers Nowadays, the new generation of social influencers can be found online. This paragraph describes the difference between traditional influencers and YouTubers, why teenagers identify with YouTubers and the social cognitive theory that explains this phenomenon. Although YouTubers can be compared with celebrities in traditional media, there are appealing aspects that make YouTube celebrities even more popular and admired than their Hollywood variety. According to several studies among American teenagers, relatability and attainability are two of the biggest reasons teenagers are impacted by YouTubers (Defy Media, 2015; The Intelligence Group’s Cassandra report, 2013, as cited in Adweek; Variety, 2014). Teenagers feel more related to YouTubers, because they are perceived as equal. They are ‘just’ average kids W.M. WESTENBERG MSC THESIS - INFLUENCE OF YOUTUBERS ON TEENAGERS 8PDF Image | The influence of YouTubers on teenagers
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