Impact of Dance Movement Styles on Audience Engagement in Short-Form Social Media Content: Evidence from Instagram

Abstract

Social media has grown rapidly in the last decade, transforming the way people consume digital content. Platforms such as Instagram and TikTok prioritise short and visually appealing media made to capture attention quickly. This research’s aim was to analyse the impact of different dance movement styles on audience engagement on Instagram. An experiment was conducted where three different videos (Jazz, ballet, and trend-based styles) were posted on the same account, and aired for 28 days. All the Instagram engagement metrics were later collected and compared to learn which video received the most interactions. The results showed that the jazz video received the highest number of views, likes, interactions, and reached the most accounts. It was accessed more by non-followers, which indicates strong reach and growth potential. On the other hand, the ballet video appealed to a smaller audience, with fewer views, shares, and saves. This suggests that skill-based content may not attract as broad an audience on platforms like Instagram, where viewers often prefer relatable and easily consumable content. Similarly, the trend-based video also received moderate views, indicating that although trends can increase visibility, their effectiveness may still depend on the timing, relevance, and how strongly they resonate with the target audience. Moreover, the results suggest that the Instagram algorithm and the order in which the videos were posted impacted the success of the jazz video, with the most recently posted content performing better. In conclusion, influencers, marketing firms, and other social media users should prioritise energetic, relatable styles to maximise reach and algorithmic promotion.