Abstract
Purpose:
This paper aims to understand how the social media approach of the municipality of Naturno, a village in South Tyrol, Italy, contributes to the development of its place brand identity. In addition, the approach adopted on the Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube social media channels is discussed in light of the envisioned place brand identity and place characteristics described in the “Vision Naturno 2030+”, the final document produced during an identity development project conducted in 2018.
Design/Methodology/Approach:
The study utilizes various digital tools to collect data from the selected social media channels and adopts a mixed-method approach consisting of visual content analysis and textual analysis to assess the collected data. Quantitative textual analysis techniques, conducted in R, are supported by qualitative visual content analysis performed on a sample randomly derived from the total posts collected from Instagram. This approach allows to capture how the municipality constructs its place brand identity both through text and photographs.
Findings:
The findings reveal that the social media approach pursued by the municipality has a strong focus on the natural landscape, particularly on mountains, and also strongly emphasizes the role of outdoor activities. The approach aligns with many aspects described in the “Vision Naturno 2030+”, yet not all action fields are equally emphasized.
Originality:
The paper employs visual content analysis and textual analysis to assess the digital communication on social media channels of a village that underwent a brand-driven identity development project. It provides insights in the way the municipality shapes its place identity and branding actions through social media – a crucial aspect in today’s social landscape. Practical and theoretical considerations can be derived from these findings.