A SCOPING REVIEW OF DIGITAL NATION BRANDING STRATEGIES: MAPPING TECHNIQUES, PLATFORMS, AND OUTCOMES IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

Abstract

Digital and social media have emerged as key platforms which are developing the images that countries seek to project to the world, and which provide countries, especially the developing world, with an inexpensive, but high-level alternative to traditional public diplomacy. Even with the increase in digital tools, the current literature on nation branding has largely centered on economically developed countries with a relative lack of attention to the techniques, platforms and results applicable to the developing world. To tackle this, this study uses a scoping review to systematically map the digital nation branding strategies used in developing nations. Following a structured search method in line with the 5 stages of scoping review by Arksey and O'Malley (2005), 13 articles from peer-reviewed journals were included that published research that met the inclusion criteria for the study between 2015 and 2025 were selected in Google Scholar, Scopus, Web of Science, and ProQuest Central. Three research questions regarding techniques employed, platforms preferred, and outcomes found in the literature were addressed through a narrative analysis with the charting of data and descriptive frequency analysis. The findings include the fact that the government-led digital diplomacy technique is still prevailing, while participatory, citizen-driven branding is increasingly being studied. Twitter/X and Instagram were the most talked about platforms, and emerging platforms like TikTok aren't being researched anywhere near as often. Engagement measures were reported more frequently than standardized measures of reputation, tourism impact or economic benefit were. The review also reveals a significant geographic imbalance while the Middle East and Southeast Asia is well-represented in the literature relative to South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa, for example. The results of the study have generated valuable insights into the state of the digital nation branding phenomenon, identifying existing knowledge gaps that can be used in future empirical studies, including research focused on Pakistan's initiatives to improve its brand in the digital world.