Targeting Online Network Branding of Russian Universities: Scope of Influence on Public Consciousness

Abstract

The article presents the results of a media study of the effectiveness of targeting Russian universities’ activities in developing an online brand. The empirical analysis we carried out in two stages. At the first stage, we analysed content characteristics (context, topic, focus, impact technologies) of information media — digital representatives of Russian universities in the format of cognitive mapping. At the second stage, we accumulated social and media streams, which form the online brand of universities of the automated tool. As a result of the analysis of the metrics of digital services, we revealed the coverage of the user audience of universities, the sociodemographic characteristics of its representatives, the specificity of the resonance concerning university online content. Comparison of the structural and behavioural parameters of the user audience of universities in social media determines the effectiveness of the leading Russian groups in targeting target groups in the social media environment.