TIKTOK DIPLOMACY: A STUDY ON THE GO TÜRKİYE CAMPAIGN

Authors : Zindan Çakıcı, Dilara Yıldız, Aslı Karakayalı

Pages : 54-73

Doi:10.51763/uid.1730711

View : 242 | Download : 264

Publication Date : 2025-12-30

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :In recent years, TikTok has emerged as one of the primary digital platforms extensively utilized in public diplomacy practices. In Türkiye, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism established an official TikTok account as part of its Go Türkiye campaign, initiated to promote the country’s soft power assets to the international public. This study aimed to examine the Ministry’s communication strategies conducted via TikTok within the framework of the Go Türkiye campaign. Accordingly, the research sought to contribute to the literature on the Ministry’s digital public diplomacy practices and the functional role of TikTok in the context of public diplomacy. Within the scope of the study, a total of 494 videos shared between 16 August 2022 and 4 April 2025 were analyzed through content analysis. The findings revealed the extensive use of narrative elements such as subtitles, captions, music, and hashtags. The content indicated that Türkiye’s cultural heritage, natural assets, tourist destinations, gastronomic elements, and significant commemorative days were communicated through professionally produced videos encompassing a range of audiovisual formats. As a result of these strategic choices, the content achieved broad audience reach and high levels of engagement. However, the findings also indicated that the communication strategy failed to adequately address the needs of disadvantaged groups, did not sufficiently adopt multilingualism, presented a selective and unbalanced portrayal of the country, and largely followed a one-way communication model.
Keywords : Kamu Diplomasisi, Dijitalleşme, Sosyal Medya, TikTok, Go Türkiye

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