Emoji use as a self-branding strategy in male and female Arab influencers’ Instagram bios
A corpus linguistic study
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22092599 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Manal Alangari (Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University), Alyaa Olwi (0000-0002-0868-3323, King Abdulaziz University) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 11 |
| Publication date | 2026-05-18 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Frontiers in Communication (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2297-900X • E-ISSN: 2297-900X |
| Publisher | Frontiers Media SA (PUBLISHER • CH) |
| DOI | 10.3389/fcomm.2026.1799861 |
| OpenAlex | W7161781964 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 44 |
This study explores the use of emojis in Instagram bios as a self-branding strategy among male and female social media influencers. The study examined two corpora comprising 2,184 bios in total, equally split between male and female (1,092 each). The analysis classified the emojis most frequently used in the two gendered corpora according to their categories and functions using corpus-assisted tools. The results confirmed the use of emojis as a valid element in bios to serve multiple purposes. Female influencers emphasized their femininity in their choice of emojis under certain categories, such as Animal & Nature [Cartoon-style illustration of a pink five-petal flower with a yellow center, a single green leaf, and a curved black stem outlined in bold lines], whereas male influencers emphasized power in their use of emojis under the category of People & Body [Yellow cartoon-style hand icon with an extended index finger pointing downward, outlined in black, against a white background]. While most emoji sequences in the female corpus presented the combined function of Concept and Stance, the most prominent function of emoji sequences in the male corpus was Concept and Action. The study shows that emojis and emoji sequences play an important role as a self-branding strategy in influencers’ bios in a creative and interesting manner
Emoji · Euphemism · Femininity · Icon · Influencer marketing · Social media · Digital Communication and Language · Digital Marketing and Social Media · Humor Studies and Applications
Corpus Linguistics
Corpus Linguistics
Microcelebrity and the Branded Self
Motives, frequency and attitudes toward emoji and emoticon use
The linguistics of self-branding and micro-celebrity in Twitter
The Measurement of Observer Agreement for Categorical Data
Idols of Promotion
Digital identity performance through emoji on the social media platform Instagram
Communicative functions of emoji sequences in the context of self-presentation
Emoji in social media discourse about working from home
You are your brand
Verified
Ambient affiliation
Self-branding strategies of online freelancers on Upwork
Self-branding and representation in Arab influencers’ bios on Instagram
Sticker and Emoji Use in Facebook Messenger
Gender, Identity, and Language Use in Teenage Blogs
Gender and the Internet
Gender Differences in Language Use
Follow me, I’m famous
Constructing resistant gender identities on Chinese social media
You have one identity
Meat, Mask, Burden`
Self-branding, 'micro-celebrity' and the rise of Social Media Influencers
Men, Masculinities, and Language
Language and woman's place
Imagined Affordances of Instagram and the Fantastical Authenticity of Female Gulf-Arab Social Media Influencers
Personal Branding and the Commodification of Reflexivity
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |