Living in today's connected world we are constantly surrounded by various forms of social media. Millions of people browse Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and many others every day. Furthermore, it is not possible to view these platforms without noticing the presence of sportspeople, as well as athletes of all levels. These athletes are attracted to social media platforms because they are “designed to readily support participation, peer-to-peer conversation, collaboration, and community” (Smith & Sanderson, 1). What better way to connect with the world than through social media? These athletes have access to potential future teams, teammates, fans and so much more. These platforms also provide access to express opinions, share images, and build relationships. Increasingly important in the world of social media for these athletes is their personal brand. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The Effects of Social Media on an Athlete Brand Today We all know what a brand is, like Apple and Nike, but what exactly is an athlete brand? Being a student athlete here at the University of Kansas, I had the opportunity to learn about this personal brand from sports television host Holly Rowe. He described the athlete's personal brand as "a direct representation of your personal opinions, beliefs and abilities, as well as the representation you provide to your team and your university." Rowe highlighted the importance of social media in building my overall brand. This personal experience led me to a very important question. What exactly are the effects of social media on an athlete's brand today and what exactly are athletes doing to shape their brand? We often only see athlete representation in the spotlight through mass media coverage such as ESPN, Fox, or other major sports companies. With the advent of social media everything has changed. “Using these platforms, athletes take a more active part in their public presentation and share more aspects of their identity than are typically represented in traditional media coverage” (Smith & Sanderson, 2). Now, what exactly does this mean for the athlete? Being able to have more personal representation allows the athlete to counteract how they are shown in the media, as well as being able to express their own personal opinions. Furthermore, what specific platforms do athletes use to do exactly this and build their brand? To fully understand how powerful these platforms can be, we must first understand how large a following some professional and college athletes have 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 most power in the world of social media. However, he doesn't even make the top 5 for most followers in athletics. Football players such as Cristiano Ronaldo, David Beckham and Neymar have an attendance exceeding 55 million people (Brogin, 1). These professional athletes hold some of the most influential social media accounts in the world, but college athletes have a presence as well. But how influential can college athletes really be? First, “92% of college students are online and 88% use social media” (Smith, Rainie, & Zickuhr,1). With the ability to reach an extremely large portion of studentsof their respective universities, as well as the fans of their own team, the power granted is extremely broad. For example, Ohio State quarterback Cardale Jones has over 330,00 combined followers on Instagram and Twitter. Kansas point guard Frank Mason also has the ability to reach over 85,000 people, including myself who am a KU student. With great power comes great responsibility. What exactly are athletes of all levels doing in their social media activities? Furthermore, what effects occur due to their interactions? Social media has the ability to trigger positive interactions as well as foster negative ones. Ultimately it is up to the athlete to determine which side of the spectrum they fall on. There are many platforms available, and Twitter and Facebook are often the most common and popular. “However, visual platforms such as Instagram and Snapchat are becoming increasingly popular” (Smith & Sanderson, 2). These two new forms of social media have a widespread user base and are gaining more and more users every day. With such a wide variety of media to express their opinions and feelings, these athletes have 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, are doing just that to stay updated and inform others about what's going on. In fact, athletes use Twitter for three main reasons: “to keep in touch, communicate with followers, and access information” (Snyder, 57). Athletes are just like everyone else and strive to stay connected. Instagram is also growing exceptionally fast 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 types of athletes, from the NCAA to the professional level, use these platforms, I asked myself; what exactly shapes media presence today for these athletes? Surrounding the platforms on which they interact is the content itself that is published on their respective accounts. Athletes often use Twitter to discuss performances, interact with fans, and post additional information about their personal lives (Hambrick, Simmons, Greenhalgh, & Greenwell, 455). Now, while using the platform to do exactly these things, it's what the athlete posts that directly shapes how they are viewed 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're connected to. I know I have seen myself and other athletes encourage fans to attend their respective events. These social media interactions would all be considered positive interactions. Positive use of Twitter is not only beneficial to their respective teams, but also to their personal brand. 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 everyone strives to have a positive one. It is these particular actions that can significantly build that brand. Instagram is also a great way to build this brand. Many athletes today offer a glimpse into their personal lives through images and videos that give their followers a sense of their lives as they unfold every day. For example, Lebron James often posts photos of his workouts or what he eats during the day. Many professional and college athletes also use Instagram to promote their teams or, in the professional case,.