Professional Athletes’ Visual Self-Presentation Strategies: An Investigation on Instagram

• DOI: 10.54141/psbd.1260960
• Publication Date: 2023-04-22T08:13:57Z
• Authors: Pelin GÖNKEK; R. Timuçin GENÇER
• Keywords: Basketball; Thematic Analysis; Snowball sampling

The purpose of this study was to determine how professional athletes in different branches perform their visual self-presentation on Instagram, a social media platform. Embedded design, one the mixed methods, examined 24 athletes. To create group for research, including football, basketball, tennis and track field athletes, we used criterion sampling, purposeful sampling method. Specifically, total 5030 posted photos 854 videos were analysed. In study, thematic coding conduct content analysis by subject research (Geurin-Eagleman & Burch, 2016) as well open coding. Chi-squared calculated measure gender differences. Most athletes’ shared contents likes comments fell under theme business life, followed personal life content. showed differences according sport themes what they Instagram. men much more actively than women. Athletes individual sports also less team It striking little these especially women produced about fans. This can contribute diversification brand development strengthening strategies Instagram application better understand use provide perspective usage with high-performance potential.