Social networks of municipal deputies: problems and prospects (example of Yaroslavl)

Abstract

Having social media is one of the essential requirements in sufficient politicians’ career in nowadays reality as well as a meaningful part of functioning of a political system. The article describes a research about municipal deputies’ social media, which was conducted in October 2020. The authors have analyzed profiles of 20 Yaroslavl politicians in such social-network sites as VKontakte, Facebook and Instagram to reveal the main strategies of posting. The results of the study are represented in a classification of the officials due to their activity level in the abovementioned media: «enthusiastic bloggers», «formalists», «having dolce vita» and «falling behind». In the course of the research were used content-analysis and comparative method alongside with the service for social media analysis «Popsters». Based on the obtained data the authors arrived at the conclusion that the municipal deputies should diversify the content and focus on more expert topics.