Motivations of Facebook Fan Interaction:

Appalachian Musical Artists

MDIA 6010
Dr. Drew McDaniel
Final Research Project

Burr Beard, Toni Doman, Haley Kennedy

12/8/2016
 Burr Beard, Toni Doman, Haley Kennedy

Abstract

The advent of new communication technologies, like social media, have changed how

individuals communicate across the globe, and how marketers respond to those changes. Salient

demographics have shifted as audiences become more fragmented due to the new ability to

pursue diverse, niche content. Social media has the ability to connect individuals based on

interests that do not represent the mainstream, uniting fans of lesser known medias in a digital

space. Demonstrating a strong correlation between social media habits and the promotion of

musical events and activities, fans of Appalachian-style music, (including Bluegrass, Old-Time,

Americana, and Classic Country), have a strong online social presence when it comes to their

favorite musicians. Due to the proliferation of social media and the characteristics afforded

through the technologys asynchronicity and collapsing of geographic space, Appalachian based

music is becoming more represented, especially on Facebook. What this representation means to

a tight-knit and indigenous genre has yet to be studied as the realm of qualitative and quantitative

research about social media and music focus almost exclusively on pop and rock. Using

qualitative interviews, this study seeks to explore the motivations of fans of Appalachian music

demonstrated through interactions on artists Facebook pages. We were interested in how fan

interaction contributes to the success and promotion of these niche artists by investigating the

role of geography and social media in regards to a music genre that has been traditionally tied to

the Appalachian region. The results of this study provide insight into fan-based marketing and

fan motivations when it comes to niche genres of music, as well as being relevant to the

intersection of other forms of indigenous art and the digital landscape.

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Introduction

The advent of new communication technologies like social media have changed how

individuals communicate across the globe, and how marketers respond to those changes. Salient

demographics have shifted as audiences become more fragmented due to the new ability to

pursue diverse, niche content. Social media has the ability to connect individuals based on

interests that do not represent the mainstream, uniting fans of lesser known medias in a digital

space. This study seeks to uncover the motivations of fans of Appalachian music demonstrated

through interactions on their favorite artists Facebook pages. We were interested in how fan

interaction contributes to the success and promotion of these niche artists. Our interest in this

topic springs from industry experience in Appalachian music from two of three group members

who are interested in preserving and promoting the genres. In addition to the interest in

Appalachian music, the third member has a background in social media dissemination and user

interactions in regards to niche audiences. We conducted a qualitative study using personal

interviews with fans of artists in the Appalachian and Appalachian-influenced genres of old-time,

bluegrass, traditional country, and Americana music. This paper outlines our literature review,

methodology, research questions, findings, summary, and references.

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Literature Review

Fan interaction in any genre of music can be monitored and tracked via Facebook by

means of likes, shares, and comments. The genres we investigated in the Appalachian music

spectrum encompass old- time, bluegrass, traditional country music, and Americana sub genres.

In the past, in its purest form, Appalachian music constituted mainly an oral tradition, but the

creation of mass communication outlets, the reach caused by radio, and social media, has

expanded and created a product of music that is more available to the consumer and fan.

According to Ataman & Klylk, (2011), Facebook is among the pioneering environments where

users can express opinions within scope of freedom for expression, share various photos and

videos, and they can establish any and all kinds of social relations with people (Ataman &

Klylk, 2011). Aside from Facebook relationships with friends and family, users can track artists

and produce an additional layer of intimate marketing by means of sharing content. Prior to the

existence of social media, this level of promotion existed through other indirect forms of

advertising, however social media has provided a more personal channel of marketing.

Ataman and Klylks study focused on the use of Turkish Facebook fan pages and

audience participation in relation to radio programming. The qualitative study observed the

interaction between fans and radio presenters via Facebook fan pages, as researchers conducted

in depth interviews with radio personnel. The study explains how other media outlets such as

radio and television lead way to the widespread use of the new media the internet, which

essentially has created a culture revolving around media life. Media life created key

categories of the production, the content and the consumption in terms of communication studies

and role of the media in human life (Ataman & Klylk, 2011). This formula that media follows,

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paired with social technology, (Facebook) makes way for citizen journalism, which has

allowed fans to promote their own content. This promotion of personal content is an important

element in understanding how marketing messages are diffused on social media.

Integrating the uses and gratifications theory with the dual mediation hypothesis, research

from Hsu, Wang, Chih, and Lin (2015) tests a model aimed at understanding how a ripple effect,

a phenomenon that causes marketing messages to diffuse more extensively due to the message

receivers decisions to spreading the messages, or sharing through Facebook, is created in virtual

space. Social Networking Sites (SNSs) have become an important vehicle for firms to release

news about their products and services as well as a platform through which to communicate with

customers (Chu & Kim, 2011; Williamson, 2006). Electronic word-of-mouth, or eWOM, makes

the information diffusion scope even wider and larger than traditional media. The rapid growth

of SNSs has caused firms to invest in relationships with consumers on SNSs and generate

eWOM, which is called a ripple effect. The motivations of fans and the eWOM ripple caused

through Facebook sharing is important to us as we look to understand the effectiveness of fan

support of their favorite bands and artists in our study.

Another study examines the differences in user and fan-reach between popular music in

difference cities. Our focus is on differences in media attention both by professional music

critics and consumers, and how this is related to (a) the cities in which artists are located, and (b)

the social media resources artists have at their disposal (Verboord & van Noord, 2014). This

case relates to our study by means of geographic location. One of our research questions explores

the idea that audience motivations are tied to geographic locations and that geographic location is

correlated to the specific type of music fans consume.

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If we subscribe to the notion that Appalachian music comes from the Appalachian region,

we wonder how this may have changed significantly with the explosion of social media.

Scholars have shown how places matter in bringing together people, sounds and styles, and
businesses to produce both artistically innovative and commercially viable music. However, the
increasing popularity of the internet in the past decades has diminished the importance of
geographical positioning (Verboord & van Noord, 2014).

As the internet and popularity of social media arises and mass communication

connections can be more easily made between users, it may be that geographic location is less

important when it comes to artists forming a fan base. The claim that music is tied to a specific

geographic location may be altered as we explore the overall impact and modern effects of

Facebook fan reach and connectivity.

Social media provides a new route for the travel of information, culture and ideas.

Individuals have acquired influence and reach that has transcended time and space in a virtual,

asynchronous locations (Fuchs, 2014). As a cultural tool, social media has allowed the trade of

different forms of art across geographies that would not be possible without the platform (van

Dijck, 2013). Due to the large reach individuals are afforded, people can absorb artistic and

cultural influences from locations that never would have visited in person (Mjos, 2013).

In the realm of music, social media has had an impact on the reach and evolution of

music. While international music sales have been affected by social media for mainstream

genres, (Dewan & Ramaprasad, 2014), little is known about more niche genres that are tied to

traditional geography. While pop and rock music have garnered larger fandoms because of the

connections made over social media and the internet, (Click, Lee, & Holladay, 2013), the cultural

production of music that is indigenous to smaller audiences has yet to be fully investigated (Suhr,

2012).

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The characteristics that make social media such an attractive avenue of communication

are important to the transfer of ideas, art, and culture. Social media is an asynchronous medium,

meaning that information is exchanged at the pace of the user. The connections are not

instantaneous online, and instead can wait around for days for others to connect and respond to

(Wyrwoll, 2014). This characteristic makes niche audiences more inclined to view their content

at their own pace and time, which encourages the exchange of communication centered on art or

music. This characteristic also allows far off audiences to engage with information, events, or

activities on social media that would not have been available to them in person (Luttrell, 2015).

The result of this characteristic is a global audience for indigenous content.

Our focus in studying the motivations of Facebook fan interaction in relation to

Appalachian based music and musicians is important because this cultural art-form is under-

represented in the commercial scheme of music marketing and promotion. The results of our

research would be interesting and useful to artists who use fan pages, invite pages for their

performances, CD release parties, and special perks for fans who like their pages. Since it is

only recently that social media use has exploded in world-wide usage, Appalachian based music

is becoming more represented, especially on Facebook. This offers a rich opportunity to embark

on this study, as we seek to understand the motivations of Facebook fans who are actively

engaged in communicating with their favorite artists on this popular social media platform.

In terms of Appalachian influenced music, we seek to bridge the gap in knowledge and

understanding with regard to the relationship between fan interactions and Facebook content.

The quantitative studies that we previously noted focused on trends and patterns of social media

use, while we are more interested in targeting attitudes and motives which we feel can best be

studied in the parameters of this paper, as a qualitative work. At this stage, descriptive data is

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needed in order to allow an applicable theory concerning such fan motivations, and the present

research attempts to address the needs of artists trying to develop a fan base and attempt to make

a living playing Appalachian based music.

We have chosen Facebook as the social media platform of choice for this study.

According to Alexa Web Information Companys Report (2012) the statistics summary of SNSs

(Social Network Sites) showed that Facebook has the largest number of user visits with an

average 43.33% of Internet users visiting Facebook.com per day. This percentage is much larger

than the second largest SNS, Twitter, with average 7.72% per day (Hsu, Wang, Chih, & Lin,

2015).

Methodology

Our research team conducted a qualitative study of the fans of Appalachian based musical

artists and asked them questions regarding their use of Facebook in relation to Appalachian

music fandom. Our selection of ten participants began with targeting based on the research team

members professional contacts in the music industry. This purposive sampling allowed the team

to then move to snowball sampling to receive further potential informants that were suggested

from the original participants. Fans were selected to represent a cross section of Appalachian

based and influenced artists in the specific genres of old-time, traditional country, bluegrass and

Americana music as musical artist Facebook pages were targeted by their association with

Appalachian genres of music. We selected a cross section of informants by age, location, and

interests, particularly in currently performed and presented sub genres, under the umbrella of

Appalachian music. We opened questioning of our informants on their Facebook motivations

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and uses of the like, comment and share features of Facebook, particularly with regard to favorite

artists and their fan page content. Personal interviews were conducted, recorded, and transcribed

by phone calls, by each team member in our study. Results in trends were determined and

unique contributions gathered from each of the ten informants are compiled in the findings and

conclusion.

Research Questions

RQ1: Are audience motivations about Appalachian-based music tied to geographic locations or

correlated with the type of music they consume?

RQ2: Has Facebook fan interaction broadened the reach of Appalachian-based music?

RQ3: How do artists promote themselves on Facebook to encourage the reach of fan based

marketing?

Findings

A common factor that we observed between all informants is that they have all had

similar experiences in regards to their own personal exposure to Appalachian based music. This

common demographic helps to better understand the fans of this music and their online habits.

Our first research question seeks to answer if audience motivations in regards to

Appalachian based music is tied to a geographic location or correlated with the type of music

fans consume. We found that some of our informants expressed that they feel strongly that

geography is important while other felt that it was not. Some informants felt that social media

has made geography obsolete, as now it is accessible everywhere via the internet. One informant,

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Morgan, a 27 year old who is the director of a college music program, believes that geography

still has an influence on music because the Appalachian region provides accessibility to the

music, such as well-established festivals, jams, and other regional musical events. She also felt

that Facebook is a great tool for promoting the music itself, by means of the fans and musicians,

and (Facebook) is a tool that can draw new audiences to new areas. Patty, another informant,

agreed that social media has made geography obsolete, stating that in the past people were

isolated by geographic barriers. However, according to some informants, geography still has a

major influence on Appalachian music.

One respondent, Anthony 31, who is originally from California, stated that there was a

significant difference in the east and west coast in relation to fans of Appalachian based music.

In the eastern region of the United States, social networks are already established (music

festivals, jams, community music gatherings) while on the west coast, people are more

decentralized. The smaller fan population is attributed as the cause of the tendency to use social

media in response to geographic distance to Appalachian music origins. Fans in the west coast

must connect online in order to gain access to the music, while fans in the eastern region (near

the Appalachian Mountains) are more likely to already be connected without social media.

A theme that emerged from our research found that informants preferred live musical concerts in

their local areas over watching music video clips and online concerts. Paul is 63 and lives in

Parkersburg, WV.

I use online video to listen to a new band or new song from somebody I already like, but

I rarely listen until the end. I cut if off and go on to another one. You cant beat a concert, for

the live musicianship, and I really like the conversation between songs, that make a live concert a

fulfilling experience.

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Informants felt that live music was still very much an experience that social media cannot

provide. Many agreed that various online platforms, especially YouTube, were great tools when

learning how to play music, but the fans favor actually attending an event over seeing it online.

Informant Dean 27, a professional musician, used the term casual fan in regards to the average

Facebook fan of Appalachian based music. Live music attendance for the casual fan is still very

active in local communities, and fans will for the most part remain in local areas to see music.

The casual fan remains more so in their local area that is attached to one's community.

Our second research question asks how Facebook fan interaction has broadened the reach

of Appalachian based music. A major theme we found was that fans share posts that cause

ripple effect marketing. In turn, fan based marketing emerges and musicians have a win-win

with this form of online marketing. Facebook fans dont always post and create content, but they

do have habits of sharing and promoting events. We have found that musicians benefit from this

form of online marketing. All of our informants agree that in the modern day, a social media and

online presence is a necessity for being a successful musician.

One respondent, Thomas, 62, from Charleston, WV, credits social media for the success

of an ongoing event he organizes. He claims that Facebook is largely the media platform that is

responsible for getting the word out in the community about events he hosts. He adds that,

Social media is really the best form of advertising for small businesses. He goes on to describe

how he utilizes Facebook for targeting his audience to attend the events. He is able to reach fans

via Facebook, and connects to them on a large scale, inviting roughly 150 individual invites to a

weekly event. This strategy brings in fan to see his band while simultaneously benefitting the

venue location. The marketing potential for artists to connect with fans via Facebook has

changed the dynamics of advertising. Another informant, Bud 65, who has had a career as a

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professional musician stated that, Facebook has been a probably the most innovative way in my

lifetime to promote anything.

The consensus by our group of informants showed that because of social media and its

capabilities to reach a large audience, artists must utilize it in order to be successful in today's

world. If an artist does not have an online presence, they probably wont be successful in a

competitive market as a band or solo artist. Dean says that without an online presence, an artist

doesn't have a very good chance of being successful. You really need a social media presence

these days and thats not just to like keep up or so the fans can keep up with you, but as a

marketing tool to be able to sell your product to be able to get people to come to shows.

However, artists must be active users on Facebook, otherwise fans can become less interested.

Fans are more likely to interact and share posts from an active artist or band via Facebook than a

part time Facebook user. I like and share posts primarily from artists that are most active in

posting things I like. Things that I see where I log on, at various times during the day, what

catches my eye and interests me.

An interesting theme that emerged from our research also found that fans tend to gather

in groups via Facebook pages to connect with other like-minded individuals who follow

Appalachian based artists. With Facebook, fans can expand their circle of friends interested in

the same music. This grouping of fans supports our hypothesis that Facebook has broadened the

reach of Appalachian based music because of fan interactions. As social circles are formed,

content is shared, creating an online community and network. Our findings show that fan are the

ones who are promoting and sharing content. Bonnie, 31, from Bethesda, MD, feels that any

content she shares will help to expose her list of Facebook friends to, new ideas and musical

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influences to show them how cool Americana music can be. I find that sharing posts like this

also expands my own social circles online.

Another fan, Patty, 59, from Pittsburgh, explained how she uses Facebook to follow her

favorite bands and artists, to know their tour schedule, and will stay in touch with bands online,

engaging her personal friends by sharing events. This network of sharing, liking, commenting,

and more helps to internally promote the artists work.

Different ideas came forward in terms of the third research question on how artists are

seen as promoting themselves and how they could better promote themselves. There were

specific ideas and simple suggestions to take advantage of the media. Patty follows different

bands and likes how one in particular provides a sense of intimacy: to be kept in touch while

they were traveling...you feel like you are following their lives. I think it's really important and

it's very ... clever way to increase your marketing. I think it is foolish not to take advantage of

this opportunity with social media.

Hillary, 67, from Washington, DC, uses websites and Facebook to plan interviews for her

radio station. She wishes bluegrass bands would update their sites with useful information.

They could do better: I dont care how active bands are, they dont have to post every day, I

just wish they would update their pages with current information on members, touring, and new

music releases. They may be out promoting their new CD and they dont even have it listed on

their sites. Anthony promotes two festivals and works to promote individual artists. I run a

couple of Facebook pages for musicians, and it is definitely a necessity. You absolutely have to

have it and you have to be producing content through it all the time. These frustrations

expressed by industry professionals demonstrate a need for more consistent social media

engagement that is symbiotic between fans and artists. The lack of consistent Facebook

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engagement might stem from the tendency in Appalachian music to be self-promoting and

independent, leaving less time for social media management.

Conclusion

This study attempted to outline the effects of fan motivations on Facebook engagement,

and how that engagement promotes Appalachian musicians and bands. Through in-depth

interviews, three findings emerged that provided insight into Appalachian music fandom,

Facebook use, and motivations of niche audiences. Appalachian music fandom is unique from

other genres in that it is inherently tied to geographic location. This indigenous characteristic had

mixed consensus from informants who thought social media made geography obsolete, but also

insisted that live music was the preferred listening experience. These nuanced circumstances

relate to another finding that highlights fan motivations: despite the claims that geography has

been made irrelevant, informants indicated that social media becomes more important as the

distance from Appalachia grows. This importance is attributed to the lack of popularity in other

locations, like California, where the density of Appalachian music fans is far less. Because of the

lack of saturation, it is more difficult to find live Appalachian music and therefore requires social

media to supplement for the distance.

The density of fans in geographic location may have an effect on the importance of social

media, but the practice of sharing information about music events, venues, jams, and festivals

was uniform across all interviews. Individuals share events with friends and followers,

effectively advertising for the musicians playing these events. This study supports the idea that

the ripple effect is a major factor in spreading eWOM that gets individuals to physically attend

performances.

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Insights about how to better advertise to Appalachian fans and niche audiences through

social media are impacted by the ripple effect and social networks. In the case of Facebook and

Appalachian music, the social platform helps connect those who are long-distance fans of

indigenous music connect with real-life performances. These methods of Facebook engagement

insinuate methods of marketing that can be better employed by Appalachian artists and bands.

By remaining consistent in their updates, including mixed medias like video and photographs,

and posting schedules and event calendars, artists can utilize Facebook more effectively as a tool

for marketing. Despite Appalachian musics indigenous nature, social media has allowed fans to

connect in any location, while also providing a larger audience for artists and bands.

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