Stakeholders and Digital Communication: Co-Creating a Villages’ Image

Abstract

Despite their need to attract tourist and investors to ensure long term sustainability, small towns and villages are often overlooked in place branding research. With increasing migration to metropolitan areas, these communities face significant challenges. This paper emphasizes the role of stakeholder involvement in shaping a place`s digital image through effective communication, fostering authentic narratives that enhance visibility and support local development. The study focuses on Sirnea, Romania, using a case study and content analysis approach. It analyzed digital content from 2023 to identify stakeholders, platforms, and key themes. The findings fill a research gap on digital place branding for small rural communities.