The Role of Gender and Content Format towards Enhancing the Engagement on Instagram

Authors

  • Bismah Balouch Quaid-i-Azam School of Management Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
  • Zonaib Tahir Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad Pakistan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.52461/sabas.v6i1.3053

Keywords:

Digital meda, Influencer Marketing, Instagram, Consumer-based Engagement, Gender

Abstract

This study is aimed at exploring the effectiveness of Instagram’s different content formats and assessing the role of influencer’s gender on user engagement. In this regard, content analysis of the posts from 20 Pakistani male and female macro influencers, along with three focus group discussions were conducted. The results highlight that photos generate the highest average likes for both the male and female influencers. The deeper interaction of the audience with long videos is evident from the most comments and shares. Interestingly, the female influencers receive higher likes across all content formats, especially in the categories of lifestyle, beauty, and fashion. On the contrary, the long videos posted by the male influencers attain higher shares, particularly in the fitness and technology categories.

Focus group discussions provide additional insights into user preferences and behaviors. Participants prefer photos for quick consumption, short videos for their engaging nature, and long videos for detailed content. Personal Stories are favored for their authenticity. Gender-specific engagement patterns show that content from female influencers resonates more with female audiences, while male influencers' content is appreciated in niche categories by male audiences. In order to optimize engagement and enhance influencer marketing effectiveness, brands should undertake a mix of various content formats and gender specific campaigns.

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Published

2024-06-30

How to Cite

Balouch, B., & Tahir, Z. (2024). The Role of Gender and Content Format towards Enhancing the Engagement on Instagram . South Asian Review of Business and Administrative Studies (SABAS), 6(1), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.52461/sabas.v6i1.3053