FOLLOWERS and FOLLOWING: A STUDY OF THE INFLUENCE OF

CELEBRITIES ON TWITTER

by

Marie Anthonette B. Jacobo

Consuelo Rustica A. Castillo

Danielle Ruth B. Emock

A Research Study Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communciation major in Broadcasting at Centro Escolar University October 2011

Introduction Follow me A two word phrase that no one knows what does it holds for the future of the society. Since its creation in 2006, Twitter has become very popular worldwide. Twitter is the fastest growing free micro-blogging software that allows you to keep in touch with people through quick, frequent answers to one question: What are you doing? That one little question has launched a media revolution. A question that allows you to answer the said question by sending short text messages for about 140

characters in length, called "tweets", to your friends, or "followers." Millions of people are telling their own stories every day in status updates, tweets and blogs. Even the most popular people had registered to this microblogging networking site. It magnifies social interactions between a celebrity and a fan, It is a way of telling a lot about oneself and how does a relationships function. The initial linguistic evidence has already revealed certain mechanisms through which celebrities use Twitter to create an illusion of immediacy and proximity with their audience. Twitter is a rich source of instantly updated information about your favourite celebrities, once you start following them their current status will be just a click away. Publicity is a very important part of being famous, and Twitter is one sure fire way to gain maximum exposure. As Twitter gets more popular, many celebrity people are realizing the power of networking using Twitter. Celebrities use twitter to promote themselves or their latest album, or their television show, or their Presidential campaign, or whatever else is going on in their careers at the moment. And lets face it, with a free Twitter account they could get a lot of free publicity by tweeting the odd update now and then. Is there any other reason that they would actually be tweeting?

1 However, while the whole world is enjoying the benefits of this social networking site, there are of course, a lot of good side and bad side of using Twitter by the celebrities in terms of influencing their followers in whatever aspect. While some people only see that social networking tools like Twitter gives you the opportunity to create a

personalized and hand-built peer-knowledge search engine, one that allows you keep in touched with your favourite artist and tap into that knowledge in just 140 characters at a time.

Background of the Study This research will show the influence of celebrity tweets to common people. Twitter as a the source of the latest news from our favorite celebrities and recent happenings with thier lives. This study will predict weather following our favourite celebrities help us and inspire us or it may make our insecurity level increase. It also considers the influence of celebritylife style since what people do on twitter is to broadcast what was the best thing that happend to the person in a dailybasis. Social Media Integration Theorywill be used as a theory model sincethis research was based on the uses and functions of Social Media Integration Theory by Isra Garca.To one-to-manyintegration models works well when examining communications channels or online marketing implementation. However, the interactive Social Media

platformshave radically changed the communication paradigmThe research applied Social Media Integration Theory in analyzing the influence of celebrities on Twitter to their Followers.

Settings of the Study The questionnaires may be hand out in the grounds of Centro Escolar University since the people involved in the study was students, teachers and non teaching society of Centro Escolar University. The survey may also be held around university belt, computer shops, cybrary and free wi-fi zone to be on in ttrack with people who are active in their cyber life especially in Twitter.

Figure 1.1 Map of University Belt where Centro Escolar University located

Theoretical Framework Social Media Integration Theory This research was based on the uses and functions of Social Media Integration Theory by Isra Garca. The research applied Social Media Integration Theory in analyzing the influence of celebrities on Twitter to their followers. Due to the rapid adoption of Social Media as a major communication integration medium, its necessary to consider how the social interaction has affected the communication process and its effect to the users way of thinking. The exposure, feedback, engagement (connecting) and exchange (sharing) that Social Media platforms provides, creates a major changes for the traditional communication understanding. Essentially, information flow is no longer considered one-way street in which audience received messages through the I communicate you receive mantra. Rather, Social Media integration is seen as an interactive process that enables same-level information exchange among the followers and the celebrities that creates a long-lasting feedback communication process. The study by Chadwick Martin Bailey and iModerate Research Technologies found that consumers are 67% more likely to buy from the brands they follow on Twitter, and 51% more likely to buy from a brand they follow on Facebook showing clearly, that the audience is highly influenced by the Social Media phenomena. What about the breathtaking amount of 3 millions of tweets/day? Another breaking fact is, that Facebooks official company statistics outline that therere 400 million active users all over the world and continues spreading at the light of speed. 5

Analyzing the impact of Social Media in our environment, give us an overall idea that something is happening in the way that communication used to happen. However, the interactive Social Media platforms like Twitter have radically changed the

communication paradigm.

Figure 1.2 Isra Garcias Model of Social Media Integration Theory

Assumptions of the Study

To serve as a guide and support to the study, the following are the researchers assumptions:

1. The researchers assumed that the function of twitter is to provide trending ideas, as well as the views and opinions of the people especially celebrities having the most numbers of followers around the world. 2. The researchers assumed that the advantages of twitter to the people specially the so called followers are: being updated of whats happening around the world; to be aware of the current situations in certain areas that may serve as a warning to negative issues and alike; to follow their idolized icons and feed their fanatic appetite. 3. The researchers assumed that the perceptions of Filipino people to the effectiveness of celebrities in twitter; are satisfaction in knowing what their favorite celebrities are up to and as well as sharing what they are off to say.

The researcher assumed that the effectiveness of celebrities to twitter is another way to disseminate information and ideas somehow needed and wanted by followers.

Significance of the Study Based on the problem, the researchers formulated the following objectives: 1. To Students of CEU using Twitter. The proposed study serves the students to satisfy their eagerness in following their favourite celebrities and to be up to date about what their idols are up to. 2. To the Professors. The proposed study will help Professors to have a deeper understanding to the Social Media platform. 3. To CEU Community. Twitter users that loved ones are working abroad to be updated as well as the life of the celebrities even when theyre not on the same land. 4. To Parents. To make their children stay at home, being addicted to twitter and following their favourite celebrities 5. To Future Researcher. The study will benefits and help the future researcher as their guide to their future researches that is related to this topic.

Scope and Delimitation This research is focus on the influence of celebrities to their followers on Twitter with in the Centro Escolar University Manila community. This research considers every aspect of respondents personality that has an impact on choosing their followed celebrities on Twitter and how does it influence their way of thinking such as their ages, favourite celebrities and social media interest. The respondents will be current students, faculty, non-teaching faculty of Centro Escolar University Manila of the present school year, 2011 -2012. This research limits its coverage on Centro Escolar University Manila community only. This study will not going to discuss the ways on how to be influential on twitter and how to get many followers on Twitter. Its main purpose is to identify the common issues that the respondents encounter at the moment and to propose possible solutions regarding the issues.

Definition of Terms Disseminate- To "scatter" or to "spread." Its main usage is probably "to desseminate information." Eagerness- Feeling or showing keen desire; impatient or anxious to do or get; ardent Immidiacy- The quality or condition of being immediate; pertinence or relevance to the present time, place. Linguistic-It is the scientific study of human language. Language form, language meaning and language in context. Proximity- The state or quality of being near Rapid- Moving, progressing, or occurring with speed; swift; fast; quick Satisfaction- A satisfying or being satisfied.

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Notes Underestimating Celebrity Influence by Catoline, Divine, Common Sense Media Publications Celebrities and Their Influence by Radnor, PA, teen ink publications Negative Influences of Media by Manali Oak, Buzz Print Publications Celebrity Role Models by Gabriel Bartner, Common Sense Media Publications Influence VS. Fame by Holly Grenew, Recomparison Publicaton House Anxiety of Influence: Performance, Art and the self by Anya Liftig, The Journal Publications The Role and Influence of Mass Media by Cliford Rivero http://www.buzzle.com/articles/what-is-the-importance-of-public-opinion-in-media.html http://www.helium.com/items/2069310-how-celebrities-influence-teenagers

http://www.teenink.com/opinion/entertainment_celebrities/article/82342/Celebrities-andTheir-Influence/

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