Creating the Content – A Reflection on my Content Generation
Following my previous post, I’ve started creating and uploading content to ‘@unmatched.fitness‘, my TikTok account dedicated to the ‘Female Hormonal Health and Fitness’ media niche.
Drawing from Pink et al.’s (2016) insights, digital ethnography emphasises the importance of recognising that human experience is at the core of digital engagement. This approach, which looks at how people engage with the internet, social media, and digital tools, is valuable for various types of research, including my exploration of the Female Hormonal Health and Fitness media niche.
Within my research, I apply an auto-ethnographic approach to understand how women within this niche use online platforms and content. By doing so, I aim to create content that better resonates with my audience’s real-life experiences and encourages them to think critically about their health and fitness practices within the context of female hormonal health.
This blog post will delve into my experiences and insights as I create content within this niche, using the ethnographic and qualitative research skills of Perspective, Problematising, Approaching, and Conceptualising.
CONTENT I’VE CREATED:
- a productive tuesday – gym, uni and full day of eats
- pre-workout snacks to fuel your workouts and help balance your hormones
- types of training splits (what they are + benefits of each)
Application of Auto-Ethnographic Research Skills:
Perspective:
Perspective is about understanding different viewpoints and experiences within the niche. As a woman with PCOS with an interest in fitness and wellness, my personal experiences shape the content I create. Sharing these experiences helps establish a relatable connection with my audience.
Problematising:
Problematising involves critical thinking and questioning established norms. In my TikTok content, I tried to challenge common misconceptions – specifically questioning the ‘one size fits all’ approach commonly seen across the genre. Instead, I reiterate that my content is just what I do, and not advice that applies to everyone. This encourages viewers to think critically about their own health and well being practices.
Approaching:
Approaching involves choosing the right methods for data collection and analysis. I carefully select content themes, such as hormone balance through diet and exercise, and actively engage with my audience. I also have actively looked out for emerging trends and have adapted my content creation accordingly. For example, the use of carousel photo posts (a format rising in popularity), rather than the traditional short-form video content.
Conceptualising:
Conceptualising involves identifying unique themes and reflecting on what distinguishes my content in the context of female hormonal health and fitness. This process helps create coherent content, adds structure and drives engagement. This is shown in the distinctive practices I has employed (aesthetic photos in carousel format, overlayed with text). Regardless, I remain adaptable to accommodate changes in the evolving landscape.
In summary, these auto-ethnographic research skills empower me to effectively engage in content generation within the Female Hormonal Health and Fitness media niche. They enable the creation of meaningful content and provide opportunities to challenge established norms. My goal is to inspire and educate women seeking balanced approaches to hormones and fitness on TikTok (and other platforms in the coming weeks). As I continue to develop my online presence within this niche, expect more content to come!
References:
- Pink, S, Horst, H, Postill, J, Hjorth, L, Lewis, T & Tacchi, J 2016, Researching Experiences in Digital Ethnography – Principles and Practice.
- Creswell, JW 2016, 30 essential skills for the qualitative researcher, SAGE Publications, Inc., Thousand Oaks, California.
- Moore, C 2023c, BCM241 Content Generation Part One, YouTube.
This post was created with the assistance of Chat GPT