The impact of social media on sports marketing strategies for student-athletes in JYU and JAMK.

Abstract

As social media's power continues to grow and is now a key factor in sports marketing, this thesis explores its impact on student-athletes, how they use it, what strategies they employ, and the challenges they face in their digital journey. The aim is to improve student-athletes’ marketability and strengthen their social media presence, especially in today’s world where social media’s role is expanding rapidly. The objective of this thesis is to examine how student-athletes at JYU and JAMK use social media to support their marketing strategies. This research used a qualitative approach, focusing on the experiences of student-athletes and their current marketing strategies. Interviews with five student-athletes from JYU and JAMK were conducted to gain insights into their social media usage, strategies, and habits. The results of the interviews were positive, but they also revealed that there is a lot of room for improvement in social media use and related knowledge. Based on findings, recommendations were provided for how student-athletes can improve their social media presence and how institu- tions can help them. However, there is still a lot to be studied and understood in this field.