Living in today's interconnected world, we are constantly surrounded by various forms of social media. Millions of people browse Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and more every day. Furthermore, one cannot view these platforms without noticing the presence of sports, as well as athletes of all levels. These athletes are attracted to social media platforms because they are “designed to facilitate participation, peer conversations, collaboration, and community” (Smith and Sanderson, 1). What better way to connect with the world than through social media? These athletes gain access to potential future teams, teammates, fans and more. These platforms also give them access to express their views, share photos and build relationships. In the world of social media, the personal brand of these athletes is increasingly important. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay The Effects of Social Media on an Athlete's Brand Today We all know what a brand is, like Apple and Nike, but what exactly is an athlete brand? As a student-athlete here at the University of Kansas, I had the opportunity to learn more about this personal brand from sports television presenter Holly Rowe. She described the athlete's personal brand as "a direct representation of your personal opinions, beliefs and skills, as well as the representation you provide to your team and your university." Rowe emphasized the importance of social media in building my overall brand. This personal experience led me to a very important question. What effects does social media really have on an athlete's brand today and what exactly are athletes doing to shape their brand? Often we only see athlete representation in the spotlight in mass media such as ESPN, Fox, or other major sports companies. With the advent of social media, everything has changed. “By using these platforms, athletes participate more actively in their public presentation and share more aspects of their identity than are typically presented in mainstream media coverage” (Smith & Sanderson, 2). Now, what exactly does this mean for the athlete? Being able to have a more personal representation allows the athlete to counter how they are presented in the media, while still being able to express their personal opinions. Additionally, what specific platforms are athletes using to do just that and build their brand? To fully understand how powerful these platforms can be, we must first understand the scale of the audience that some professional and college athletes hold on social media. When professional basketball player Lebron James posts a photo, it can be seen by “a majority of 8.2 million followers on Instagram, or 18 million followers on Twitter” (Beahm, 2). The potential reach of over 25 million gives James the ultimate power in the world of social media. However, he's not even in the top 5 of most athletics fans. Footballers such as Cristiano Ronaldo, David Beckham and Neymar reach more than 55 million people (Brogin, 1). These professional athletes hold some of the most influential social media accounts in the world, but college athletes are also present. But how much influence can college athletes really have? First of all, “92% ofstudents are online and 88% participate in social media” (Smith, Rainie and Zickuhr,1). With the ability to reach a very large portion of their respective universities' students, as well as their team's fans, the power granted is extremely great. For example, Ohio State quarterback Cardale Jones has over 330,000 followers combined on Instagram and Twitter. Kansas point guard Frank Mason also has the ability to reach over 85,000 people, including myself being a student at KU. With great power comes great responsibility. What exactly do athletes of all levels do in their social media activities? Additionally, what effects occur due to their interactions? Social media has the ability to spark positive interactions and foster negative interactions. It is ultimately up to the athlete to determine which side of the spectrum they fall into. Many platforms are available, with Twitter and Facebook often being the most common and considered. “However, visual platforms such as Instagram and Snapchat are becoming increasingly popular” (Smith & Sanderson, 2). Both of these new forms of social media have a large user base and are gaining more and more users every day. With such a diversity of media outlets to express their opinions and feelings, these athletes hold a lot of power and responsibility. Twitter was designed to be “an urban lifestyle tool for friends to provide each other with updates on their whereabouts and activities” (Weller, Bruns, & Burgess, p. x). Athletes, myself included, do just that to stay informed and let others know what's going on. In fact, athletes use Twitter for three main reasons: “to stay in touch, communicate with their followers and access information” (Snyder, 57). Athletes are like everyone else and strive to stay connected. Instagram is also experiencing exceptionally rapid growth in popularity. Instagram is a social media photo sharing platform where the user can post photos for the world to see immediately. Knowing that all kinds of athletes, from the NCAA to the professional level, use these platforms, I wondered: What exactly shapes these athletes' media presence today? Surrounding the platforms they interact on is the content itself that is posted on their respective accounts. Athletes often use Twitter to discuss their performances, interact with their fans, and post more about their personal lives (Hambrick, Simmons, Greenhalgh, & Greenwell, 455). Now, even if the athlete uses the platform to do exactly these things, it is what the athlete posts that directly shapes how they are perceived in society. I've seen many athletes use Twitter to have a friendly conversation with a fan, encourage fans to come to an upcoming event, or promote a charity or promotional event they are connected to. I know I have myself and seen other athletes encourage fans to come to their respective events. These social media interactions would all be considered positive interactions. Positive use of Twitter is beneficial not only for their respective teams, but also for their personal branding. The fact that their respective followers see them in a positive light is a direct representation of how they present themselves. Every athlete has a brand but almost all strive to have a positive one. It is these particular actions that can significantly strengthen this brand. Instagram is also a great way to grow this.