Analysis of social media influencers on new generation of perception management activities: Example of Youtuber

Perception management; is to manage the perceptions of those who are target audiences in order to provide benefit for a person, institution or organization. In order to manage perceptions, it is necessary to reach this target audience first. The developments in communication technologies have facilitated this transfer. In this day and age, management activities performed with traditional media tools have gained a new medium with the emergence of social media. The perception management that has been realized in social media, which has emerged with Web 2.0 and has become what it is today, is "next generation perception management". Various institutions or organizations can use new generation perception management activities as well as individuals, and social media influencers can be given as an example to those who carry out these activities. Social media influencers has been in sight for recent years are also aimed at social media users who are the target audiences in their own media; qualitative goals such as establishing positive perceptions for themselves, transforming negative perceptions into positive perceptions for themselves, reinforcing existing positive perceptions for themselves and / or they carry out perception management activities for quantitative purposes such as increasing values the number of followers, number of views, number of likes, number of comments. Social media influencers carry out these new generation perception management activities by sharing various content types and using various strategies. In this thesis, which has a qualitative research, content analyzes have been conducted in 4 different dimensions according to their scope: • The contents of the top 20 YouTubers with the most followers are classified by categorical analysis. • Categorical analysis of the titles, views, likes, dislikes and comments' have been performed in view of content types of the top 3 YouTubers with the most followers in the specified and determinated date range, and frequency. • The frequency of sharing of the top 3 YouTubers with the most followers in the determinated date range discussed has been analyzed by frequency analysis. • The Top 3 youtubers with the most followers with the most followers in the determinated date range has been analyzed within the scope of perception management strategies. The content they create; Although it varies according to themselves and their target audiences, it can be said to be within certain content categories. As the classifications made for social media influencers are made quantitatively or social media site oriented, this study adds a new classification type to the literature. Based on the content of social media influencers, 16 content classifications have been created. In the research, classification was made within the content types. Since this classification will be applicable in terms of usability, English definitions have been made. Accordingly, the classification of YouTubers according to the content types they share is divided into 16 classes by the content type. YouTubers can be named with one of 16 names, or more than one, with respect to the types of content they are shared with. In the examined contents; the top 20 YouTubers with the most followers in YouTube Turkey, generally, it is observed that share multiple content types. All shared more than one type of content, except one of the YouTubers reviewed. Shares are in more than one classification within the scope of classification by content type. However, the types of content that YouTubers frequently share are also observed. Within the scope of the classification of 16 content types in the thesis; the top 3 YouTubers with the most followers analysis of sharing frequencies was made according to content types. Also the views, likes, dislikes and comments of the contents of the top 3 YouTubers with the most followers in YouTube Turkey, between the dates determined were also examined. The highest and the least number of views, likes, dislikes and comments were determined. In addition to this thesis; the top 3 YouTubers with the most followers shares in YouTube Turkey, has been examined within the scope of perception management strategies below: • Repetition, • Circulation in periodic times, • Circulation before and after certain days, • Circulation simultaneously with multiple social media tools, • Making it appear as if it originated from legitimate sources, • Possible after affect of circulation, • Circulation layout, • Video-image-message or message-image-video. This thesis is a qualitative research and has been carried out and conducted by content analysis using categorical and frequency analysis. In line with the analyzes, social media influencers have been categorized according to the types of content they shared, and were examination for new generation perception management activities within the scope of perception management strategies. Obtained throught research; This thesis is provided with a new classification of social media influencers and various determinations regarding the new generation perception management activities of social media influencers in literature. Keywords: social media, YouTube, social media influencer, YouTuber, social media user, new generation perception management.