My first DA, an aborted one semester abomination, was the page Matt Sightings.

This page, run through Facebook (retro, I know), was effectively a fan-page dedicated to “sighting” local Kooloobong legend Matt from Perth. Fans would message with photos they had taken of Matt “in the wild” and they would be posted to the page with an unusual caption, that characterised the scene for other Matt Sightings followers.

This artefact had several major strengths: user generated content, a ready made niche, and low cost production.

However, this DA was ultimately unsuccessful for a variety of reasons. It was difficult to promote the page using digital means, as the page itself had an “organic, home-grown” vibe that meant any paid advertising would directly conflict with the tone. Equally, the niche of users proved too niche as anyone outside of Kooloobong Village was not privy to the joke and therefore had no reason to engage. This meant that the page’s growth was limited to a few hundred people.

Below are some example posts from Matt Sightings: