This blog contains the research & development of creating the social media page for our artist, component 3. This blog was created by Kimora.
Research
I have selected two artists from our genre (R&B) to research and analyse their social media page (Instagram page). Firstly we chose Ravyn Lenae, she is an R&B artist recently viral for her song “Love Me Not”. She targets the younger audience like teenagers to young adults, moreover, her Instagram feed shows a good mix of personal and professional content while maintaining a consistent color scheme, therefore, we decided to choose her for one of our social media research. Our second artist to research is SZA, her music often talks about love and relationships, therefore this targets couples. We chose SZA because her audience aligns with our target audience, therefore by researching her social media page, we can see how to effectively reach our target audience. By conducting this research, we can gain inspiration from them to create the social media page for our artist (Ellie Collins) to follow and conform to our genre while also reaching our intended target audience. We will use some of the inspirations but also create and enhance our artist’s own style and personality, therefore creating authenticity and uniqueness.
Ravyn Lenae - Social Media Research:
Social Media Research - Ravyn Lenae by kimora
SZA- Social Media Research:
Research & Development - SZA by kimora
Reflection: Even though Kimora has done the research, it has allowed me to gain insight and knowledge as well of other artist social media which creates their identity.
Development
To showcase our artist (Ellie Collins), we plan to use several social media platforms to reach a wider audience and make it easier and accessible for new audiences to discover our artist. Below is a list of social media platforms that we are going to use for our artist to showcase her content and music.
Since we target young audiences and couples, Instagram is a suitable social media platform because its demographics show that its users are mostly aged 16-34 years old, therefore it will be easier for us to target and reach our intended target audience. Moverover, Instagram allows interaction and communication, therefore our artists can interact and communicate with their fans. This can maintain audience engagement, therefore making them hooked to the content being shared. Other than that, our artist’s personal Instagram feed can show and enhance her style and personality as certain color schemes or post styles can create authenticity.
We also plan to use YouTube as firstly we will be posting the final music video on this platform. Other than that, YouTube allows us to upload longer duration content, therefore we can use this to post content like behind-the-scenes videos or artist vlogs. Posting content on different platforms allows our artist to target a wider range of audiences.
We will also use LinkTree which is a link that directs users to a page that shows a list of all the media platforms our artist will be available in, such as music platforms (Spotify & Apple Music) and social media platforms (Instagram, YouTube, X & TikTok). This allows audiences and fans to be aware of all our artist’s media platforms and also increases accessibility to all platforms.
Below are the step-by-step development in creating our artist's (Ellie Collins) social media pages for each platform:
Profile
For our artist’s Instagram username, we want to include her name (Ellie Collins) on her username to make sure audiences or fans know that it is her while also making it easier for people to search for her Instagram account. We also plan to make it simple and easy to recall, to strengthen her brand identity.
Below are our list of ideas for Ellie Collin’s Instagram username:
@elliecollins
@ellie.collins
@ellie_collins
@ellieecollinss
@heyitselliecollins
@itselliecollins
@its.elliecollins
@its_elliecollins
@fromelliecollins
@from.elliecollins
@from_elliecollins
@byelliecollins
@by.elliecollins
@by_elliecollins
After brainstorming all the possible usernames that we can use, as a group we discussed and chose 5 final options that we think would suit best with our artist and her persona. After choosing the final 5, we needed to check if the username is available to use on Instagram. Below are the final 5 options and I’ve (Kimora) put a tick (✅) beside the usernames available to be used and a cross (❌) next to the usernames that are taken and unable to be used:
@elliecollins ❌
@by.elliecollins ✅
@ellie.collins ❌
@heyitselliecollins ✅
@its.elliecollins ✅
After collecting the final 5 options, as a group we discussed again on which username would be the most suitable. We wanted to agree on something simple and easy to read and recall. The usernames “@elliecollins” and “@ellie.collins” are taken and the username “@heyitselliecollins” may be harder to read. So we minimized it to the final two options “@by.elliecollins” and “@its.elliecollins”. Both usernames appear to be personal as “by” shows that all the content and media are made by our artist Ellie Collins and by using “its” it can seem as an introduction to herself. Through more and more discussion as a whole group, we agreed that the username “@by.elliecollins” would be more suitable for our artist’s persona. This username appeared to look more simple and shorter on display, therefore it will be easier for audiences to recall her through this username.
For Ellie’s profile picture, we plan to use personal photos like selfies or mirror selfies. We want to enhance ordinariness in our artist’s persona, by using a personal picture, this can make the audience feel more connected to the artist as personal pictures can look more ordinary and relatable, blurring the lines between artists and fans/audience. Therefore we avoid using professional photos as her profile picture. Below are possible photo options that we can use for Ellie’s profile picture.
#1 by kimora
After discussions with the group, we ended up choosing picture number 5. In the other photos, Ellie was either looking away from the camera or was engaged with another activity. We chose photo number 5 because she was smiling directly at the camera. The profile picture will be the first thing audiences see when they click into an Instagram page, therefore it will be their first impression of the artist. By choosing photo number 5, this constructs friendliness and warmth, which encourages the audience to feel welcomed.
The Instagram bio will be important as it is a short introduction to the artist. It can be used to promote their musical products and showcase their identity and persona. While the profile picture gives a visual identity, the bio adds more meaning through the used language and tone.
We want to use the Instagram bio to promote Ellie’s new release, therefore we chose to write “pov out now!🤎”. The phrase “out now!” give a promotional purpose and draws audiences to the release. The brown heart emoji “🤎” connotes comfort and warmth, creating a sfot and sincere image. This creates a friendly and approachable first impression to the audiences which encourages them to feel personally invited to engage with the artist’s work.
Overall, this is what Ellie’s Instagram profile looks like:
Posts
Before starting to post any content on Ellie Collins social media page, it is important to create a plan of what to post and how the Instagram page is going to look overall. I (Kimora) have made a plan on what to include in the social media feed. Firstly I listed out all the types of content we can post on the Instagram page.
As a group we agreed that we wanted to post 12 Instagram posts. I (Kimora) then had to make a plan of how the order of the Instagram feed would look like. I made a quick plan on my notes app of the order of what type of content to post. I made sure that the content is not repetitive and has a mix of professional and personal content.
After developing a quick plan of how the Instagram feed would look like. I created a mockup of how it would appear on the Instagram feed. Below I took real post examples from artists of different types of post and saved the posts in the planned order to visualise how it would look like on the Instagram feed.
Post #1 - Personal Photos
Our first post is a personal photo of Ellie. The first post will introduce the audience to the artist, showing their persona and style. Therefore by using a personal photo as the first post, it constructs a persona of authenticity and ordinariness. It suggests that her identity is more to the ordinary side than the professional artist style. The red outfit connotes confidence and passion which links to her role as a music artist who communicates her feelings through her music.
We chose to post this as the first post to introduce the artist before introducing her music. By starting with an ordinary photo, it shows a warm and welcoming vibe to the audiences. This makes the audiences view Ellie as a genuine and approachable person from the beginning. The caption states “red on red❣️”. We want to keep the caption simple and short to keep the tone casual. There were no capital letters used which is often used by gen-z, therefore this can be relatable to the younger audiences. A red heart emoji was also used to show warmth and affection. Overall, the caption introduces the audience to her authentic style and persona before introducing them to her music. This makes the audience be more familiar with her persona first before her music, creating better connections between the artist and her audiences.
Post #2 - Audio Spoiler Post
The second post is an audio spoiler to her upcoming new song. The first slide is a screen recording of the upcoming song’s intro through the notes app, the second slide shows a photo of Ellie wearing headphones and the third slide is a photo of a clapper. These photos all relate to the process of recording and creating music, therefore signaling audiences that something new is coming soon.
We chose to post this to make audiences build anticipation and curiosity of the upcoming release. By showing the process instead of the final product right away, it makes audiences feel included in the journey. This can strengthen parasocial relationships between the audiences and the artist.
Post #3 - Sneak Peak
The third post contains five slides of faceless dates that will appear in the upcoming music video. These photos will act as a visual sneak peak without revealing the characters or the full narrative. Meaning is created by presenting love and dates, our target audience (young couples) can relate to these ordinary dates, this can then increase their anticipation for the release.
We chose to post this to continue to tease the audiences for the upcoming release, which builds anticipation and curiosity. Audiences will become more invested in the upcoming release and they will become active audiences, they will make conspiracies or predictions of how the song will sound like.
The caption is “dates, dates, and dates 🎞️, save the date — 26 january 📌”. By repeating the word “dates” this emphasises the theme of romance, while the film emoji connotes storytelling and a vintage vibe, which aligns to the music video’s concept. “save the date” along with the pin emoji highlights importance and urgency, making the audience remember the release date and look forward to it. Together, the caption and photos make the audiences anticipate the release of the music video.
Post #4 - Music Video Release Post
The fourth post shows the first clip of the music video, posted on the official release date. This shows the audience a short visual preview of the full music video, signalling that the release has already happened. Only the first clip is posted to engage the audiences to watch or listen to the full version. The clip also shows Ellie’s on-screen persona which helps audiences recognise her identity more clearly and strengthens the connection between the audience and the artist.
We chose to post this to directly inform the audiences that the music video is officially out. By using a clip instead of a poster, it feels more immersive and engaging, which increases the chances that the audiences will click and watch the full version.
The caption ““pov out now!! 🤎, available on all music platforms — link in bio!!” creates meaning through informal and enthusiastic language. The extra exclamation marks connotes excitement and urgency. Ellie also often uses the brown heart, which reinforces warmth and sincerity. And the phrase “link in bio” directly guides the audience into active participation as they will go check out the link to find the full music video. Together, the caption and clip promotes Ellie’s new release and has a combination of expressiveness and professional content.
Post #5 - Tracklist Promotional Post
The fifth post shows a video of the album playing on a vinyl player with the tracklist below it. The use of the vinyl player connotes nostalgia and a vintage vibe which matches the music video’s concept.
We chose to post this after the release to encourage audiences to explore and listen to the full album rather than only the title track. By visually showing the tracklist, it invites fans to choose favourites and engage with the album as a whole.
The caption “from my notes app to your headphones, what’s your favourite track so far? 🎶” highlights Ellie’s journey from privately writing her songs to publicly showcasing her final results. “notes app” suggests ordinariness, as it implies that the song came from personal thoughts and feelings. “your headphones” makes the audiences included and creates a sense of closeness and inclusion. The question also invites interaction and participation, making them share and talk about their favourite tracks. Audiences can interact and know each other's favourites through the comments section creating a more connected fan base. Together, the caption and visuals construct Ellie as authentic and audience-focused, while also promoting her own album.
Post #6 - Album / Vinyl Promotional Post
The sixth post shows Ellie holding her physical albums and smiling down at them. Her gaze is directed at the
albums rather than the camera, connoting that she is appreciating her own work. The album can represent something
personal and meaningful to her. This constructs her identity as an artist who cares a lot about her music and views it as a
part of her personal journey.
We chose to post this to make the release more genuine and from the heart, instead of only promoting the album digitally.
It also allows the audiences to see her emotional reaction to the release, which can strengthen parasocial relationships as fans feel
that they are sharing an important milestone with her.
The caption “this has been my little secret for a while, so happy i can finally share it with everyoneee 🫶, get urs noww!!”
creates meaning through the use of informal language. “little secret” implies that the album was privately developed before being revealed.
The stretched words “everyoneee” and “noww” show excitement and conveys her genuine happiness. The heart hand emoji
symbolises gratitude and appreciation towards her fans. The phrase “get urs noww!!” directly encourages action to the audience and the
informal tone makes their relationship feel closer. Together, the image and caption constructs Ellie’s emotional
Post #7 - Behind-the-scenes Video
The seventh is a one minute video of the behind--the-scenes process of the music video. The video includes bloopers of the filming process and Ellie also talks about the whole shooting process. Ellie showcases her on-screen persona of an approachable and relatable figure. This helps audiences connect with the artist, as Ellie’s ordinary side is shown in the video.
We chose to post this to engage the audiences by showing the fun and memorable moments in the shooting process. The behind-the-scenes video overall makes the audience feel involved in the shooting process, therefore they can feel included and involved in the production process. By sharing a short clip instead of the full version, this engages audiences to visit Ellie’s YouTube page to watch the full version, this engages the audience to become active audiences while also increasing the engagement in both Ellie’s Instagram and YouTube page.
The caption states “this is how we made it 🎬 full video on my yt!!”. The clapper emoji sybolises filming and production, while the phrase “full video on my yt!!” directly guides the audience to take action and go to Ellie’s YouTube page and watch the full video. The use of informal language and abbreviation emphasises Ellie’s persona and style, it makes her appear more relatable and authentic, which strengthens the connection between Ellie and her audience.
BTS Video Editing Progress by Jyotisha
Post #8 - Brand Collaboration Post
The eight post shows a brand collaboration with Von Dutch, where Ellie is photographed under a Von Dutch sign. This post enhances her off-screen persona of a more confident and edgy persona with a streetwear / vintage style.
We chose to post this to showcase Ellie’s collaboration with a recognisable brand, which adds credibility to her image. Ellie can also reach a wider audience through Von Dutch’s existing fanbase, this can increase her visibility and potential engagement beyond her existing audience.
The caption “in my von dutch era 🤎 #vondutch #vondutchstyle #elliespick” uses informal language and it emphasizes Ellie’s ordinary persona. This also helps Ellie express herself and her personal style. The use of the brown heart emoji keeps it relevant to Ellie as she often associated the emoji to herself. The post also uses hashtags to still keep a hint of professionalism to the collaboration post. The post uses two hashtags frequently used by Von Dutch along with the hashtag “#elliespick” to show Ellie’s choice of clothing from the brand.
Billboard Post
The ninth post shows Ellie on a city billboard promoting her new album. This is a promotional post but the caption shows Ellie’s genuine reaction to her growing success, which makes her appear more approachable and authentic. This balances her image as a professional artist while also having a down to earth and relatable personality.
The caption shows a mix of shock and excitement. Fans can relate to the informal and enthusiastic language used which makes the moment feel real and personal. This post encourages audiences to connect emotionally while following Ellie’s growth and visibility in the music industry. The caption shows Ellie’s true personality and genuine reaction to the billboard. She stretches her words which are often used by gen-z, therefore this can create authenticity and audiences can relate to her.
Billboard Research & Development by kimora
Post #10 - Personal Photo
The tenth post is a personal post of Ellie playing the guitar while also including a video on the second slide of her singing the demo of her new song on the guitar. This goes back to the beginning of her journey, bringing her audience along to the start of the process. Audiences can feel more included in the production process as they can see how the idea of the song first came to thought.
This post presents Ellie as creative and authentic. By showing the song in its original form, audiences can see how Ellie is musically talented and not only a performer. Sharing the original idea of the song makes the experience for audiences more personal and meaningful, which makes them appreciate Ellie for including them in the process.
The caption “where it all began” invites fans to reflect with her on the start of her journey. This post also humanises Ellie as she shows her creative side and makes her fans feel included in the story behind her music.
Post #11 - Magazine Cover
The eleventh post shows Ellie on the cover page of Vogue magazine, which is a major milestone for her career. Appearing on the vogue cover can highlight her recognition in the fashion and music industry. This post presents Ellie as a growing music artist. The cover features sub-headings like “pov - the long awaited album” and “track-by-track: the story behind the album” this shows that the magazine will talk about Ellie’s journey in the music industry and will also talk about the production process of her latest release.
This post shares Ellie’s milestone with her fans / audience and celebrates the moment. This post allows audiences to join in in her excitement, which makes audiences engaged, making them comment to validate or join in in Ellie’s excitement.
The informal language used in her caption makes the moment feel personal and relatable, while the hashtags connect to Vogue’s professionalism and reach to Vogue’s audiences. This can possibly expand Ellie’s audiences, increasing her visibility and reach. Overall, the post celebrates Ellie’s accomplishment while maintaining her relatability in her persona.
Magazine cover reseach & development by kimora
Post #12 - Appreciation Post
The last post is an appreciation post to thank her team for helping her in the production process. This post shows that
Ellie is grateful and humble, highlighting her personal values. She acknowledges the people that helped her behind her success
which makes her appear genuine and not just a professional performer.
This was posted to recognise the hard work done by her and her team and share the positive and memorable moments
from the production experience. By publicly appreciating her team, it shows a sense of community and shows that Ellie values collaboration.
This strengthens her personal reputation as she presents herself as a genuine and grounded artist.
The caption is a paragraph written by Ellie to show her gratitude and gratefulness to her team. The long paragraph can show
that she took time and effort into expressing her feelings. This enhances her genuinity and also makes her audiences feel included in the journey.
Overall, the post encourages the audience to not only admire her music but also her character.
Final Social Media Page
Here is the link to our Instagram social media account: https://www.instagram.com/by.elliecollins/
YouTube
Here is the link to our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@by.elliecollins
Linktree
Here is the link to our Linktree account: https://linktr.ee/by.elliecollins
Reflection: From this progress in developing the social media page, I feel like I have helped a lot in giving ideas as well as help in producing some content for the social media page. I was able to create the instagram reel as well as the editing the photo in adding the album cover. I also created a behind the scene music video content to be added on youtube which it was used to engage with audience to create ordinariness. From this it learned me to juggle the task of designing and editing for social media as well as editing the music video. It was a hard juggle but I was able to do it.
