ABSTRACT
Mainstream US media coverage of female athletes has decreased in recent years, but a viable alternative for these athletes to increase exposure is engagement through social media. Social media offer female athletes the ability to present a preferred image directly to fans, while also contradicting traditional gendered depictions. Utilizing self-presentation as a conceptual framework, this exploratory study sought to examine how the top ten most followed female athletes on Instagram utilize this platform. Analysis of 500 pictures found female athletes posted photos focusing on their personal and professional lives, and that these photos garnered significantly higher engagement from fans in the form of likes. Results also indicated that, in terms of self-presentation strategies, athletes utilized the backstage performances of “behind-the-scenes reporter” or “conversationalist” and the front-stage performance of “publicist.” Additional analysis indicated the backstage self-presentation strategy of “conversationalist” acquired the most fan interaction in terms of photo likes. Through self-presentation, social media platforms such as Instagram allow athletes to provide a more humanizing look into their lives and connect with fans on a more personal level through this content, while simultaneously remaining a viable business entity that can successfully promote their personal brand in an authentic manner.
