Driving Engagement on Instagram: A Comparative Analysis of Amazon Prime and Disney+

Abstract

Purpose- This paper dives into the engagement patterns exhibited on Instagram by two streaming heavyweights; Amazon Prime and Disney+. With ever-growing popularity among the younger generation, Instagram is vital for driving engagement in the social media ecosystem. Hence, it is crucial to understand what content posted by streaming services fosters engagement on this platform. Design/Methodology- A combined total of 230 Instagram posts appearing between January 14 and February 28, 2021, were extensively analyzed. The goal was to examine the post objectives, features, and emotional elements accompanying said posts that Amazon Prime and Disney+ uploaded. Special attention was paid to the number of likes on posts since it is a key metric in measuring engagement. Findings- Results indicate that, despite having fewer posts per day, Disney+ drove much more engagement in post likes and comments. The platform made extensive use of hashtags and entertaining content to engage audiences. However, Amazon Prime had a big absence of useful features like hashtags. It also relied heavily on third-party content, unlike Disney+, whose content primarily consists of original programming. Practical Implications- The novel findings have important implications for streaming services, social media practitioners, and researchers.