Media language

• Digital technology

  The growth and development of technology and the internet has dramatically altered the media landscape

  ->by challenging the traditional understanding of the relationship between products and audience
• The emergence of new medias like blogs and vlogs has played a role towards user interaction, participation, connection and collaborations that is often said to characterise the web 2.0

  ->Web 2.0: changing of trends in web tech and design focusing on enhancing creativity, info sharing etc. of the internet
• Conventions of blogs?


  -regularly updated website featuring a series of entries, with the most recent post appearing first

  -blogs tends to be more interactive than traditional forms as it allows readers to respond (comments)
• Evolution of the blog

  -It's earlier form:house style of Zoella's blog evoked a 'homemade' feed

  -It had a signature-like/hand-drawn logo

  -Party/fairy lights in banner -> feminine

  -Representation of female aesthetic -> childlike/teenage

  -Posts of hair, make-up, beauty tips with occasional references to her personal life

  -Branched out to other typical 'lifestyle' content: travel, food, events etc.

  -After 2017, blog posts became less frequent as she focuses on her Youtube channel + other media forms (2018+19 no further posts)
• Evolution of the blog pt2

  -2019 the blog undergoes a redesign + new branding that establishes a more professional + 'corporate' look (Maturity)

  -Mode of address moves from 'I' to 'we' (team Zoella)

  -Introduction to new sections like 'sex + health' which diverts from Zoella's original representation of a 'teen friendly' icon and reflects a clear business decision yo move into more adult areas of lifestyle + women's issues as she grows up with her audience
• Conventions of Vlogs


  -Vlogs are used to describe a blog in video format

  -Comes in 4 different types:

  1. personal: where vloggers share their thoughts, feelings and personal life with their audience, DMOA giving the illusion of face-to-face conversation creating a parasocial interaction
  2. Fashion + Beauty: demonstrations, tutorials or hauls discussing the purchases of the vlogger usually sponsored or adverts
  3. Entertainment: broad category that encompasses comedy sketches, pranks and challenges
  4. Gamming: walk-throughs/demonstrations of video games
• Zoella's vlogs 


  -Main Zoella channel has not been updated in over 5 years -> shift away form Zoella being associated with just make-up, showing her maturing as a person and a brand that she is now trying to establish

  -'More Zoella' (sister channel) is still regularly updated as her 'personal' channel of Zoe Sugg

  -Continues to produce ' behind the scenes' content to maintain her online presence as an internet personality and engage with audiences interested in her personal day-to-day life