Strategic Communication and Social Media within the Context of Media Ecology: A Study on Instagram

Year 2022, , 94 - 109, 31.12.2022

Esra Bozkanat , Pınar Aslan

https://doi.org/10.31123/akil.1144447

Cited By: 1

Abstract

This study aims to detect and analyze the changes of social media, which has become one of the most important actors of the media ecology by examining and categorizing the blog contents of Instagram, one of the most popular social media platforms in Turkey. Following a literature review on media ecology, strategic communications, and social media, it investigated the contents of Instagram’s official blog through the research questions based on the target audience and strategic communications. The aim of the study is to analyze Instagram’s strategic communication approach within the context of media ecology, and to analyze its communication strategy to be able to effectively reach its target audience with a special focus on its official blog. To answer the research questions of the study, content analysis was carried out with MAXQDA 2018. Two main chategories are obtained: Trade-oriented and engagement-oriented posts. The results show that to be able to sustain its popularity and success as a socialization and business platform, Instagram aims to addresss a variety of users, and embraces crucial keywords such as up-to-dateness, reciprocity, and inclusivity in its communication strategy, while adapting its communication strategy.

Keywords

Media ecology, social media, strategic communication, Instagram, content analysis

Medya Ekolojisi Bağlamında Stratejik İletişim ve Sosyal Medya: Instagram Üzerine Bir Araştırma

Abstract

Bu çalışma, Türkiye'nin en popüler sosyal medya platformlarından biri olan Instagram'ın oluşturduğu blog içeriklerini inceleyip kategorize ederek medya ekolojisinin en önemli aktörlerinden biri haline gelen sosyal medyanın geçirmekte olduğu değişiklikleri tespit etmeyi ve analiz etmeyi amaçlamaktadır. Medya ekolojisi, stratejik iletişim ve sosyal medya üzerine gerçekleştirilen literatür taramasının ardından, Instagram'ın resmi blog sayfasında yayımladığı içerikler hedef kitle ve stratejik iletişim odağında oluşturulan araştırma sorularıyla incelenmiştir. Çalışmanın amacı, Instagram'ın stratejik iletişim anlayışını medya ekolojisi bağlamında değerlendirmek ve Instagram'ın hedef kitlesine etkili şekilde ulaşmak için benimsediği iletişim stratejisini resmi bloğu odağında analiz etmektir. Çalışmanın araştırma sorularına cevap aramak üzere MAXQDA 2018 ile içerik analizi gerçekleştirilmiştir. İçerik analizi sonucunda iki ana kategori elde edilmiştir. Bunlar tecimsel ve ilişki kurma odaklı paylaşımlardır. Sonuçlar, Instagram'ın bir sosyalleşme ve iş platformu olarak popülaritesini ve başarısını sürdürebilmek için iletişimini adapte ederken mümkün oldukça çeşitli kullanıcılarla konuşmayı hedeflediğini ve iletişim stratejisinde güncellik, karşılıklılık ve kapsayıcılık gibi önemli kavramları benimsediğini göstermektedir.

Keywords

Medya ekolojisi, sosyal medya, stratejik iletişim, Instagram, içerik analizi

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