Popsugar Target Audience

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website I chose to analyze is Popsugar. The primary rhetorical purpose of this website is to inform, but also to alter perception. The controlling idea or thesis is to keep viewers aware of what is occurring within popular culture and perhaps change the way the audience thinks about a subject. The website is separated by celebrities, fashion, fitness, beauty, love, moms, living, career, food, Latina, news and video. By separating the website into these categories, the website makes their purpose evident. It is significant that the website is split into different areas because all the areas consist of what is "popular" in each category. The website can then approach each category with stories and opinions that target the audience’s perceptions. …show more content…

A common strategy that I found was the use of identification. All the articles included in the website form a sense of identification with the audience before introducing their topic. The website assumes its target audience is young women and appeals to the shared values of most young women in the opening of each article. By relating to the audience's preferences and experiences, the articles and website increase the chances of a positive audience reaction. If the audience feels as though they can identify with the author or subject of the articles, the audience will be more open to the acceptance of the intended message. Another language strategy that is used in many areas of the website is depiction. By using highly descriptive language the audience gains attention and interest in the subject almost automatically. Since many of the articles on this website include informative and opinionated information, using colorful language enhances the quality of the articles. If the author intends for the audience to read the entire article, it is important to include captivating language so that the author does not lose the attention of the reader. I think Popsugar effectively uses identification and depiction to engulf the audience's attention and increase audience …show more content…

There is a significant amount of bright bold colors used throughout the website. Since the target audience is young women, there is a large use of pink. The website effectively uses color to create a sense of identification with the younger, mostly female, audience. The website also has very clean lines and is well-organized which is perceived as structured and appeals to a higher-end audience. Popsugar uses their aesthetic appeal to young women to create a virtual experience of the audience feeling included and invited in the site, which increases audience participation. The website is more difficult to evaluate on truth grounds because most of the articles include a lot of opinion and biases. I do not think you can assess this site on truth grounds, because the amount of opinion used obscures the truthfulness or completeness that can be found from the site. Using an immense amount of opinion takes away from the ability of the article to give a complete account regarding certain controversial topics. Furthermore, the issue of differing perceptions or beliefs about each topic makes it difficult to account for and control audience reaction. Ethically, I think the site is well-intentioned and seeks to address shared values. Although some articles within the site may be less ethical because of how the content is presented, ultimately, the site does not

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