Audiovisual content’s customization and engagement on Instagram: the case of startups in Latin America

Sandoval V.; Palomino–Moreno H. · Comunicacion y Medios (2026) · DOI: 10.5354/0719-1529.2026.80611

Resumen

Strategic communication on social media has become essential for organizations seeking to build and sustain digital communities. This study examines the extent to which Latin American startups leverage personalized audiovisual content on Instagram as a strategic communication tool and explores its relationship with user engagement. A systematic content analysis was performed on posts published throughout 2024 by startups listed among the Forbes Top 100 in Peru, Chile, Mexico, and Colombia. Findings reveal a tension between form and strategy: although startups consistently incorporate human figures into their content, this presence does not translate into engagement unless supported by coherent storytelling. Commercial and sales-driven purposes dominate audiovisual output, yet CEOs and executives remain largely absent, limiting brand humanization and weakening dialogic communication with digital communities. Corporate storytelling, though underutilized, shows a meaningful association with richer, more engaging narratives when applied. Therefore, to foster meaningful dialogue with audiences, startups must align stakeholder visibility with communicative purpose and audiovisual resources.

Instituciones: Universidad de Piura; Universidad Tecnológica del Perú