Abstract
This study investigates the impact of TikTok content categories on user engagement behavior on the official TikTok account of Alisha Lehmann. Analyzing 91 videos via multiple regression analysis, the research uncovers practical insights for content creators and marketers, as well as theoretical findings for academics. Notably, Alisha Lehmann's active professional life, showcasing her athletic prowess, emerged as the most influential category, driving engagement across views, likes, comments, saves, and shares. Videos emphasising her personal life through aesthetics also impacted video shares and saves to a certain degree. Additionally, non-active or non-sport professional life content garnered attention, especially in likes and comments. In contrast, TikTok games and promotional content had limited impact, emphasizing the importance of a balanced content strategy that integrates personal and professional aspects for athlete influencers. These findings provide guidance for optimizing online presence, aligning content with audience interests, and fostering brand loyalty on TikTok.
TopIntroduction
The rise of influencer marketing has transformed the landscape of digital marketing and social media engagement, with platforms like TikTok playing a pivotal role in reshaping how individuals interact with brands and public figures (Haenlein et al., 2020; Brooks et al., 2021). This chapter explores the intricate relationship between content categories on TikTok and user engagement behaviors (Abidin, 2020), specifically on the official TikTok account of Alisha Lehmann, a renowned celebrity athlete and influencer. In an age where influencers and brands wield great power on social media, understanding how the different types of content affect the way users behave upon consuming such content becomes crucial (Newman et al., 2013; Dolan et al., 2015; Doyle et al., 2020).
As the boundaries between celebrity and influencer blur, empirical research is essential to comprehend how content categories influence user behavior on TikTok (Zuo & Wang, 2019; Su et al., 2020; Barta et al., 2023). This study is motivated by the need to provide empirical evidence and insights into the specific content categories that drive user engagement on the platform, enabling a more informed and strategic approach to influencer marketing. Thus, the research objectives of the chapter include (1) investigating the influence of individual content categories on Alisha Lehmann’s official TikTok account and (2) identifying which content categories exhibit the strongest impact on user engagement and to what extent, allowing for more effective content strategy recommendations.
To achieve the above-mentioned objectives, multiple regression analysis is chosen to examine the causal relationships between TikTok content categories and user engagement behaviors, because it enables the investigation of the combined effect of multiple independent variables, i.e., content categories, on dependent variables, i.e., user engagement behaviors (Vale & Fernandes, 2018; Saunders et al., 2023). This statistical approach provides a comprehensive understanding of the causal relationships between content categories and user engagement, ensuring a more robust and accurate analysis of Alisha Lehmann’s TikTok account dynamics. Based upon the collected data and its respective analysis, the chapter discusses theoretical findings and practical implications that enable content creators and marketers to craft adequate influencer marketing strategies in the context of an athlete.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Social Media Content Categories: Distinct thematic topics or subjects under which posts and media are organized and shared on social platforms.
User Engagement Behavior: Interactive actions and reactions of users, such as views, likes, comments, saves, and shares, that indicate their level of involvement and interest with posted content on social platforms.
Alisha Lehmann: A Swiss professional women’s football (soccer) player and internet celebrity.
Celebrity Athlete: A sports figure who has achieved fame and recognition beyond their athletic accomplishments, often garnering widespread media attention and a substantial fan following.
Influencer: A person who utilizes their online presence and credibility within a particular niche or industry to persuade and shape the opinions, choices, or actions of their audience, often in the context of marketing and promotion.
Internet Celebrity: A person who has gained significant fame, recognition, or a large following primarily through their activities and content on the internet, often across various online platforms and social media.
TikTok: A popular social media platform that allows users to create, share, and discover short-form videos.