Successful online content creators become instructional models for aspiring imitators

Evidence

This increased status, reputation, or popularity motivates online engagement, since successful internet content is modeled by others. Teen idol Justin Bieber, who rose to prominence on YouTube, has inspired a gaggle of other young musicians. The teen singers Grayson Chance (who appeared on Ellen after the talk show host saw a YouTube video of his performance of “Paparazzi” by Lady Gaga), Rebecca Black (who appeared in a Katy Perry video after her song “Friday” became an internet sensation), Charice (who was cast in a recurring role on Glee based on her viral video of trying out for a Filipino reality show), and Maria Aragon (who sang with Lady Gaga in concert after the pop star saw her version of “Born This Way” online), operate as living instruction manuals for aspiring young pop stars. — Alice E. Marwick, Status Update, 40

Categorization

• SEED: The ‘living instruction manual’ framing of early YouTube stars as aspirational templates is a useful through-line for an article on how virality gets commodified into repeatable career scripts.
• XREF: connects to: Social modeling through electronic media accelerates behavior change beyond firsthand experience; The web enabled mass amateurization of creative work formerly reserved for professionals — Tim Wu, The Attention Merchants, 905; Amateur-looking content makes influencers seem more relatable and authentic — Crystal Abidin, Internet Celebrity: Understanding Fame…, 270 (+5 more)

Broader Connections

• Social modeling through electronic media accelerates behavior change beyond firsthand experience #expands (0.85)
• People adopt change when relatable models demonstrate it succeeds #corroborates (0.85) — Albert Bandura, Moral Disengagement, 2822
• Social modeling through media can bypass trial-and-error limits and spread behavior change worldwide #expands (0.85)
• Democratized video production shifted visual storytelling advantage to charisma over training #expands (0.80) — W. David Marx, Blank Space, 660
• Democratized video production favored natural charisma over trained nerds’ skill #expands (0.78) — W. David Marx, Blank Space, 660
• The web enabled mass amateurization of creative work formerly reserved for professionals #qualifies (0.75) — Tim Wu, The Attention Merchants, 905
• Amateur-looking content makes influencers seem more relatable and authentic #complicates (0.75) — Crystal Abidin, Internet Celebrity, 270
• Becoming a viable internet celebrity from a viral meme is rare and luck-driven #complicates (0.72) — Crystal Abidin, Internet Celebrity, 162