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Debating Communities and Networks XVI

The Online Swiftie Fandom and its Ability to Foster Community, Belonging, and Identity.

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OliviaM

Abstract

This paper explores the online Taylor Swift fandom or ‘Swifties’ as they are colloquially known, and how they utilise the social media platform Instagram. It first addresses what a fandom is and how the Taylor Swift fandom operates on Instagram, it then discusses what a ‘third place’ is and suggests that the fandom on Instagram could be considered a third place. With a focus on how the fandom builds community, this paper analyses how Swifties create a sense of belonging within the community and shape identity.

Introduction

What separates an audience from a fandom is the interaction and investment in the piece of popular culture rather than just the viewership of it (Schaufler-Biback, 2024). The Taylor Swift fandom is one of the biggest and most influential music fandoms in the world, acting as a safe space for fans to connect and bond over their shared love of her music. The fandom utilises many social media platforms to build their community and engage with each other. The online Taylor Swift fandom, or ‘Swiftie’ community acts as a third place for fans, particularly young women, and shapes their identities through fostering connection and belonging over their shared interest and investment through Instagram.

The Taylor Swift Fandom

The Taylor Swift fandom, also known as the ‘Swiftie’ fandom, which consists primarily of young women and girls, utilises the social media platform Instagram to create connections and engage in behaviour and activities that foster community. To explore this further, we must establish what a fandom is and how the Taylor Swift fandom functions. Fandoms are communities of people with a shared interest and investment in a particular media – whether that be a music artist, a TV show, or a book series  (Johnson, 2024). Although they can exist offline, fandoms are heavily facilitated by online platforms and social medias as they allow fans to connect from across the globe and interact with the media further through their own fan-made content (Johnson, 2024).

The Taylor Swift fandom is a perfect example of this – their dedication to Taylor Swift and her music is evident across multiple social media platforms. Their fan made content, sharing of posts, and communication amongst each other has helped to foster community and build a collective identity (Johnson, 2024). Ideas surrounding community and identity will be discussed further in this paper. Swiftie’s customs and behaviours have become a part of the culture that exists within the fandom. For example, based on one of the lyrics from Taylor Swift’s song ‘You’re on Your Own, Kid’, fans make and trade friendship bracelets at her concerts (Johnson, 2024). This can also be seen as a meaningful way to connect and experience the sense of community that the Taylor Swift fandom offers.

Although the Swiftie fandom exists across multiple social media platforms, this paper will focus on their behaviour and engagement on the social media platform Instagram. Taylor Swift fans utilise Instagram as a way to interact with Taylor Swift and those adjacent to her by following her and her friends and engaging with their posts. They do this by liking posts, commenting on them, and sharing them with their friends and other members of the community. Swifties use Instagram to interact with each other through following each other, participating in discussions through posts and comments as well as group chats using Instagram’s messaging feature, creating fan accounts (accounts for the sole purpose of posting and engaging with Taylor Swift content), and creating fan-made content (Octama, 2022).

The Instagram account @taylorswiftie13 provides us with an example of how Swifties are using Instagram. This fan account posts Taylor Swift content such as memes, edits/pictures, and their own personal moments in relation to Taylor Swift. The account follows many other Taylor Swift fan accounts and receives and engages with other Swifties comments on their posts. This kind of relationship formed over individual’s mutual love for Taylor Swift is what makes the Taylor Swift fandom the community that it is (Johnson, 2024).

Having now established what fandoms are and how the online Taylor Swift fandom utilises Instagram, we can delve further into the fandom and explore how they act as a third space for fans and help foster community and identity.

Instagram as a third place for Swifties

The introduction of Instagram has allowed the Taylor Swift fandom to build a community as it encourages participatory culture in the form of fan-created content, creates customs and culture and acts as a third space for fans. The sociologist Ray Oldenburg coined the term ‘third places’ in 1989 and defines it as a location in which social interactions occur that is outside of the people you live with or work with. These places could have been bars, cafes or coffee shops where people would exchange ideas and make connections based on common interests (Oldenburg, 1989).

With the introduction of the internet, came the question; can third places exist online? I believe this question can be answered through exploring the affordances that Instagram offers for users and how Taylor Swift fans use them.

Online third places exist on social media platforms where people have the ability to create new social bonds entirely online. These virtual communities are formed based on a shared interest (similar to offline third places) and are separate to an individual’s offline life and work life (Tan & Idris, 2023). For example, you could argue that Instagram’s instant messaging feature is a third place (Tan & Idris, 2023). Instagram allows for these online social bonds to be created through persistent contact and pervasive awareness (Hampton, 2015). They do this through their instant messaging feature and also their posting feature. Users can stay in frequent contact with each other and keep up to date with what is going on with their friend’s (both online and offline) lives. Individuals can find communities online that share their interests that they couldn’t find offline.

Instagram acts as a third place for the Taylor Swift fandom through allowing young women to interact and engage with each other over their shared interest and love of Taylor Swift and her music. These fans come from all over the world and although they live separate lives offline, they have formed intimate connections with each other (Johnson, 2024). They are able to follow each other, communicate over direct messages, and share and engage with each other’s posts.

Another contributor towards Instagram being a true third space for Swifties is its ability to foster participatory culture through fan-made content. Participatory culture is the practice of fans of a particular media creating their own contributions or content surrounding the media. This could be a fan edit, art, or a fan fiction (Schaufler-Biback, 2024). Participatory culture is a way for people to interact with popular culture rather than just view it, this can often demonstrate the difference between an audience and a fan (Schaufler-Biback, 2024). The rise of participatory culture came with the rise of the internet and social media platforms as the way in which social media platform’s function facilitates participatory culture. Instagram editors that create compilations of videos of Taylor Swift to different songs are a great example of participatory culture and demonstrate how members of the fandom engage with Taylor Swift and each other.

As I mentioned earlier, these aspects of communication and interaction are integral part of what makes a third-place function and in this way, I believe that online third places can exist and that the Taylor Swift fandom on Instagram is an example of this.

The online Swiftie community on shaping identity

The Taylor Swift fandom shapes young women’s identities through fostering connection and belonging within the community. This paper has already established how community is formed through social media platforms such as Instagram, this section will focus on more on how it impacts young women’s sense of belonging and identity.

Members of fandoms often develop strong psychological and emotional bonds and connections to the communities they are part of. Research suggests that engagement within the fandom cultivates self-expression, bonding, and identity reinforcement (Webb, 2025). Individuals form their identities through a variety of factors – both internal and external. External factors include their social interactions and cultural influences. Therefore, the strong psychological and emotional bonds shared between members of the Swiftie community would allow them to influence each other and shape their identities. Instagram and the way the Taylor Swift fandom uses it for participatory culture and making connections fosters belonging and identity in young women as they are able to express themselves with fan-made content and communicate with other passionate fans  (Webb, 2025).

The customs and interrelations within the fandom is what creates such a strong sense of community. This was touched on earlier when I mentioned an aspect of Swiftie’s culture – making and exchanging friendship bracelets. Participating in this custom creates a deeper sense of belonging amongst fans (Schaufler-Biback, 2024). The reason this trend became so popular and spread so fast is because of communication within the Swiftie community on social media platforms such as Instagram. This sense of belonging is so important when it comes to shaping identity as there is a psychological need in all of us to feel as though we belong and fit in and so we seek out spaces that offer us the feeling of belonging – and also purpose (Webb, 2025). Belonging to these spaces, participating in interactive activities, adopting the culture and customs, and forming strong social bonds with others shapes individuals’ identities (Webb, 2025).

There is also the idea of ‘mentorship’, in which seasoned fans and members of the community will communicate with newer fans and teach them about the community and its customs (Schaufler-Biback, 2024). As the Taylor Swift fandom consists mainly of young women, mentorship can be viewed more as a sisterhood, which further develops strong social connections and identity. Younger Taylor Swift fans may look up to and admire older fans and aspire to be like them, adopting aspects of their identity.

Like any fandom, Swifties are not immune to bullying, harassment and exclusion and although it is impossible to eliminate all forms of exclusion and bullying from the platform, Instagram’s policies make it clear that they do not condone this behaviour, furthermore their ability to block and report users for violating their terms and conditions allows for some regulation and management (Instagram, 2023).

The Taylor Swift fandom creates strong social bonds and emotional connections between members. With older members acting as mentors for newer members, a sisterhood is formed with the community – fostering belonging and shaping identity.

Conclusion

Through understanding the Taylor Swift fandom and how it operates using the social media platform Instagram, the way it acts as a third place for fans – allowing social bonds to be formed over a shared interest, and the way it uses community to foster strong social bonds between its members, thus shaping identity can be understood.

References

Hampton, K. N. (2015). Persistent and Pervasive Community. American Behavioral

Scientist, 60(1), 101–124. https://doi.org/10.1177/0002764215601714

Instagram. (2023). Terms of Use | Instagram Help Center. Instagram.com.

https://help.instagram.com/581066165581870

Johnson, R. (2024). You Belong with Me: What Communication Professionals Can

Learn from Swifties . https://www.proquest.com/docview/3110365633?%20Theses&fromopenview=true&pq-origsite=gscholar&sourcetype=Dissertations%20

Octama, C. (2022). Exploring The Dynamic Between Online Social Infrastructure

and Online Community of Practice in Social Media Fandom. https://essay.utwente.nl/93672/1/Octama_MA_BMS.pdf

Oldenburg, R. (1989). The Great Good Place: Cafés, coffee shops, bookstores, bars,

hair salons, and other hangouts at the heart of a community. Berkshire. https://doi.org/10.2307/jj.9561417

Schaufler-Biback, B. (2024). Performing Fandom: An Investigation of Live Performance

Fan Audiences in the Age of Social Media. https://utoronto.scholaris.ca/server/api/core/bitstreams/dde2e4b6-7a48-4000-98cd-50949d0db270/content

Tan, T. H., & Idris, I. (2023). Assessing the significance of first place and online third

places in supporting Malaysian seniors’ well-being during the pandemic. Humanities & Social Sciences Communications, 10(1), 149. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-023-01655-5

Webb, J. (2025). YOU BELONG WITH ME: EXAMINING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN

ENGAGEMENT IN THE “SWIFTY” FAN COMMUNITY, FEELINGS OF BELONGING, AND SOCIAL IDENTITY. https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=7669&context=doctoral

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15 responses to “The Online Swiftie Fandom and its Ability to Foster Community, Belonging, and Identity.”

  1. Nicole Alconaba Avatar
    Nicole Alconaba

    Hi Olivia,

    This was a very interesting and insightful paper! I truly enjoyed reading it. I was curious to hear your thoughts on how the Swiftie community shapes identity. Do you think it only influences a users’ online identity, or does it also impact their offline, real-world sense of self?

    All the best,
    Nicole

    1. OliviaM Avatar
      OliviaM

      Hi Nicole,

      Thank you for reading my paper and leaving an insightful comment!

      I find it very interesting that you asked about online identity VS offline identity as this is something I would’ve loved to explore further in my paper. I believe the Swiftie community shapes both forms of identity in individuals and that both are informed by the other.

      I think having access to online social media platforms such as Instagram has amplified the spread and amount of people that any fandom can reach and influence. For example, an individual may engage with Taylor Swift content on Instagram (whether from a mutual follower/friend or on their explore page), which influences them to look into the fandom more, become a part of it, adopt customs and feel an overall sense of belonging.

      I think this may then translate into their offline identity – Attending concerts, going to quiz nights, wearing merch, ETC. For example, something I mentioned in my paper was the custom/ ritual of friendship bracelet trading at Taylor Swift concerts which I think demonstrates a way that offline identity is expressed.

      I am curious to hear what you think about this!

      Bouncing off this idea, another aspect of identity I would’ve liked to explore further in my paper would be how one’s online identity allows them to express themselves in ways that they may not be able to do offline – for fear of being judged, shunned, or cast out by their peers. What do you think about this?

      Thank you,
      Olivia

  2. denaecivich Avatar
    denaecivich

    Hi Olivia,

    I enjoyed reading your article! I found it very engaging and fun how you used “Swifties” as your community example. I liked how you explained who they are and how they create a space on social media to connect and build relationships. How do you think the Swiftie community compares to real life communities outside of social media in regard to feeling a sense of identity and belonging?

    1. OliviaM Avatar
      OliviaM

      Hi Denae,

      Thank you for your comment and interesting insight!

      I think the online Swiftie community differs from other offline communities in a few ways:

      Firstly, I believe the online Swiftie community (and online communities in general) have a much larger reach than offline communities – people from all over the world are able to access, join, and contribute. They are able to feel they belong and explore their identity without distance getting in the way.

      I also believe online communities offer a safe space for individuals that may be shunned or judged by their peers in real life for exploring their identity, allowing them feel accepted, that they can express themselves, and that they belong.

      I also think communities facilitated by online platforms offer unique ways to express identity – for example, Taylor Swift fans, in reference to Taylor Swift’s re-recorded albums that she now owns having “(Taylor’s version)” at the end, often put that at the end of their usernames to identity themselves as Swifties which I think is really cool.

      I would love to hear what you think about this!

      Thank you!
      Olivia

  3. Yuxuan Ye Avatar
    Yuxuan Ye

    I really enjoyed your paper, and it reminded me of how my paper also mentioned how swiftie built their own community and encouraged each other.

    1. OliviaM Avatar
      OliviaM

      Hi Yuxuan Ye,

      Thank you for the comment! That’s so interesting that we both mentioned how Swifites built community and encouraged each other!

      This is something I didn’t explore in my paper very much but I am curious to know your opinion on antisocial behaviour in the Swiftie fandom – such as exclusion, bullying, and extreme fan behaviour.

      Thank you!

      Olivia

  4. Danica Molina Avatar
    Danica Molina

    Hi Olivia,

    I thoroughly enjoyed reading your paper! It’s an amazing analysis of how “Swifties” use Instagram not just for fan engagement but also to create a sense of belonging and identity. Additionally, you’ve done a great job analysing Instagram as a “third place”. Given the rise of digital platforms such as TikTok, do you think these newer platforms could also function as third places for fandoms, or do you think Instagram is completely unique in its ability to foster such a tight-knit community?

    Kind Regards,
    Danica

    1. OliviaM Avatar
      OliviaM

      Hi Danica,

      Thank you for asking such an interesting question!

      While I chose to focus my paper on Instagram in order to hone in and refine my research, I definitely believe newer platforms such as TikTok also possess the capabilities and do act as a third place for fandoms. TikTok is a perfect platform for fans to post their fan-made content (participatory culture and fan made content being something mentioned in my paper as a way to participate and feel a sense of belonging within a fandom) and connect with likeminded Taylor Swift fans.

      Furthermore, I believe these platforms do not exist in seperate vacuums and so flow into each other and impact each other – many users have accounts across multiple platforms and express their belonging to their chosen fandoms across each. This is something I did not explore in my paper as I focused on Instagram but I would love to hear your thoughts on it.

      Thank you!

      Olivia

  5. tori Avatar
    tori

    Hi! This is such a great essay idea. It’s cool how Swifties use IG not just to follow Taylor but also to connect with each other and make new friendships.
    Tori

    1. OliviaM Avatar
      OliviaM

      Hi Tori,

      Thank you for your comment!

      I agree – I feel the way Swifties use Instagram as a way to form connections and bonds with other fans is very special and can create a sense of belonging.

      I think even referring to yourself as a “Swiftie” is a way to identify yourself as a member of a community that transcends just being a fan of Taylor Swift’s music. Although I didn’t talk about this in my paper, I believe the fan culture that surrounds Taylor Swift’s music has contributed to how huge Taylor Swift as an artist is, and how big the Swiftie community itself is – as many people wish to take part in such a special community.

      What are your thoughts on this?

      Thank you!

      Olivia

      1. tori Avatar
        tori

        Hi Olivia,

        Being a Swiftie definitely feels like more than just liking or listening Taylor’s music. It’s like being part of a big supportive group where people understand and share their love not only for her music but for who she is. I think that’s why so many fans want to join in. It feels good to be part of something where everyone is excited about the same stuff.

        I also think social media especially Instagram really helps fans feel closer to each other and to Taylor. It’s cool how people make friends and feel connected just by sharing posts or commenting on each other’s stories.

        Tori 💕

  6. sascham Avatar
    sascham

    Hi Olivia!

    I thoroughly enjoyed reading your paper!

    I found your discussion of how through Instagram the Swiftie community can create a third space to be very insightful and interesting.

    With any cult-like fandom, there is bound to be a toxic side. You discussed in your paper the Swiftie community is not immune to this, but I am curious to hear your opinion on how bad this toxic side may be.

    There is many trends among the Swiftie community, but this can lead to mass hate and bullying towards someone. For example, when some Taylor Swift fans were receiving hate on TikTok for “being selfish” for trying to attend as many Eras Tours concerts as they could. Do you believe the Swiftie community could lead to mass hate and bullying directed to one person?

    Kind Regards,
    Sascha.

    1. OliviaM Avatar
      OliviaM

      Hi Sascha,

      Thank you so much for your comment!

      Although I would’ve loved to talk about it more, I only briefly touched on the toxic side of the Taylor Swift fandom.

      I think a large contributor to the toxic side of the Taylor Swift fandom is the exclusion that occurs. Within any fandom, there are individuals that believe because they have more knowledge, know more songs, or have been a fan for longer, so they are somehow entitled to more privileges than any other fan – or that some people shouldn’t be able to call themselves fans as they don’t have enough knowledge on Taylor Swift or her music to call themselves ‘fans’.

      For example, you mentioned the Eras tour and concert tickets – some fans believe that they are more deserving of tickets than others that purchased tickets because they are a “better fan”.

      I also believe the sheer amount of Swifties (millions) that exist online makes it very easy for mass hate to be spread towards others, which is an issue.

      I would love to hear your thoughts on this.

      Thank you!

      Olivia

  7. Warapon Avatar
    Warapon

    Hi Olivia,
    I have enjoy this well researched paper of how the Swiftie fandom creates a worthwhile online place for community and identity giving. I truly appreciate how you linked Ray Oldenburg’s concept of ‘third place’ to the digital environment of Instagram – this is fairly new kind of thinking about the way in which fandom operates today, particularly among young women. Really brings the strength of sharing a custom in building belonging into focus when juxtaposed as offline and online ritual of friendship bracelets.

    In your opinion, could the blazing sense of identity in the Swiftie fandom can sometimes push away the less active fans, or the people who do not follow all the norms for example, those who do not trade friendship bracelets, or not on Instagram ? How do the community factor inclusivity into such a defined culture?

  8. Kathryn Figueiredo Avatar
    Kathryn Figueiredo

    Hi Olivia! I loved your paper, I too also wrote a paper on the swiftie community that I’d love for you to check out! https://networkconference.netstudies.org/2025/csm/5135/social-media-the-rise-of-the-swifties/

    I’d love to know your thoughts on my take on the Swiftie community and how similar/different you find it to yours!

    Great read!

    – Kathryn