Strategic self-presentation and personal brand management of professional female athletes on Instagram

Purpose The purpose of this study is to extend the self-presentation theory by examining how different types of athlete-generated social media content, categorized as frontstage, backstage and hidden stage, affect fan engagement on social media platforms. Specifically, the study aims to identify how variations in content presentation and self-disclosure influence audience reactions such as likes, comments and shares. Design/methodology/approach With the data collection in Instagram, this study utilized a qualitative approach to investigate the effects of frontstage, backstage and hidden-stage on the fan engagement rate of the WTA players and LPGA Tour players with their fans/followers. We selected the top 10 women's golfers and 10 tennis players. Content analysis was used to analyze and categorize 1,142 Instagram photos of the players from November 2024 to December 2024. Findings Quantitative regression analyses showed that backstage content (Girl Next Door and Social Butterfly) yielded significantly higher engagement than frontstage posts, while Brand Ambassador posts were the least engaging. Interestingly, no significant differences in engagement effects were found between LPGA and WTA, though descriptive differences in posting preferences emerged. Originality/value This study offers a novel contribution by extending the self-presentation theory to the context of athlete social media communication, introducing the concept of a “hidden stage” as a new dimension beyond the traditional frontstage and backstage framework. By systematically comparing engagement patterns across these three stages, the research provides a deeper understanding of how athletes strategically manage their online personas to connect with fans. The study's findings advance theoretical perspectives on digital self-presentation while offering practical insights for athletes, sport marketers and communication professionals seeking to optimize fan engagement through authentic and strategically crafted social media content.