Customer engagement on Instagram for luxury fashion brands: An empirical comparative analysis

Abstract

This study explores the engagement generated by the posts that luxury brands publish on Instagram, based on the different types of content, communication strategies and other aspects of those posts. Its main intention is to clarify which items lead to a greater engagement of luxury fashion brands with their Instagram audience. A content analysis method was applied to analyse a random sample of 598 Instagram posts published by two of the world’s most important luxury brands, Dior and Chanel. The analysed period was one year with the intention of having both a large sample and overriding seasonal effects. The results reveal which items studied generate more engagement, and which generate less. It is empirically confirmed that posts displaying products generate more engagement, especially if the products are fashion accessories. Moreover, content related to social responsibility also increases engagement. Finally, and as a highly relevant factor, we observe that posts in video format generate only limited engagement among followers. The results help companies gain a clearer idea of the potential applications of social media platforms, thus improving their understanding of the impact of social media. These findings are of interest to researchers and, especially, marketing and social media professionals, as they provide insights into what to publish in order to gain higher engagement rates.