Self-presentation strategies of heads of constituent entities of the Russian Federation on official Telegram-channels

Abstract

Social networks have become a powerful channel of communication between politicians and citizens, as well as a platform for their self-presentation. The article identifies the main communicative strategies of impression management of nine Russian politicians in their official Telegram channels. The regions were selected according to the largest number of subscribers among the author's channels of the heads of subjects in the federal district. The research methods include quantitative and qualitative content analysis of publications on 20 indicators with the subsequent application of univariate distribution analysis, conjugation tables, correlation and cluster analysis. The chronological framework was defined as 2024, all publications of the channels of the second week of each month were considered. The results of the cluster analysis allowed us to identify three universal vectors that occur most often: an effective manager, a caring leader, and a bearer of traditional values. In the visual component the following blocks were identified: demonstration of status, openness and proximity to citizens, emphasizing legitimacy through symbols and attributes. In all cases, there is a search for a balance between different strategies to form a holistic image. The findings highlight the emergence of a basic model of the «digital portrait of a Russian governor», which combines universal patterns with context-specific elements of self-presentation. These results provide a foundation for developing practical recommendations on managing official government accounts and enhancing political communication strategies in the digital environment.