The project aims to investigate the multimodal features of specialized discourse in online environments, focusing specifically on social media content creation in Italian. Multimodality, the use of multiple semiotic resources in communication, plays a pivotal role in current digital spaces, where meaning is constructed not only through (spoken) language but also through the integration of visual, auditory, and interactive modes.

The overarching goal is to analyse how Italian creators leverage the multimodal affordances of popular social media platforms, including videos, images, text, and interactive features like comments and stories, to engage their audience. The project will examine how these content creators use multimodal resources to effectively convey their message, manage rapport with their audience, and construct and negotiate their digital identities as experts, professionals, or educators.

A combination of multimodal analysis, digital discourse analysis, and corpus linguistics frameworks will be employed, applying both quantitative and qualitative methodologies.