Digital footprints of Zselic. Web-based and social media research about the region’s platforms and representations

Abstract

The goal of the digital footprint project was to summarize, analyze and present the Zselic region’s current web and social media identifiers and online representations. It also aimed to give recommendations for a more integrated digital identity. Based on the results, it shows that constructive and targeted messages and highlighted online platforms support the region’s tourist activity, economy, and its cultural and natural values. Moreover, by creating more opportunities and workplaces, and by making companies join further networks, these factors also enhance the comfort of regional communities. This project was preceded by another study with a stronger theoretical emphasis.

The study aims to answer two key questions. The first is: Can we find an integrated identification platform, data or representation set of the Zselic region? The second question is: Which interactive platforms and contents represent the digital identity of the Zselic region? Our research method was, on the one hand, focusing on keyword frequencies, search and hit rates and, on the other, content and representation analysis. The research process is repeatable. However, the constantly changing digital environment, the ongoing updated contents and data flow might produce different outputs.

Our results, nonetheless, did not point out an integrated or common platform acting as the Zselic region’s single digital identity. On the other hand, we could recognize and analyze subject networks and regional profiles via well-defined web nodes and hubs, crosslinked contents, cumulative search and hit data, social media pages and visual representations. Based on these, we can draw up an interpretative and decisive web-based subject network defined by independent sources and their bottom-up or top-down communication. Our recommendations emphasize the strengths of the online communication about the Zselic region. We suggest that regional players need to focus on the strongest online nodes with functional or content summaries and with existing cumulative search and hit histories. Moreover, in order to increase the comfort of regional communities, it is necessary to facilitate their activities on social media platforms. Finally, the introduction of further innovations and the involvement of the younger generation will also be unavoidable.