This dissertation researches the role of organic social media strategies in influencing consumer engagement and brand perception within premium consumer markets, focusing on De’Longhi UK. The study was developed in response to declining organic reach, increasing platform saturation, and growing resistance towards highly promotional content. The research aimed to examine how different organic content strategies influence engagement, identify which content types perform most effectively, evaluate consumer perceptions towards organic content, and develop recommendations for improving organic social media performance.
The research combined data from an online consumer questionnaire, semi-structured interviews with marketing professionals, and a content analysis of De’Longhi’s Instagram activity. The results showed a distinction between visibility and engagement while Influencer content created the highest levels of views. However, this did not consistently translate into stronger engagement rates. In contrast, lifestyle, recipe, and informational content created more stable audience interaction and were perceived as more authentic and relatable.
The results also highlighted the importance of storytelling, relevance, and authenticity for encouraging engagement. Consumers demonstrated greater trust towards organic content compared to highly promotional messaging, particularly within premium brand contexts where credibility and brand image are important. Additionally, the research identified limitations surrounding traditional social media metrics, suggesting that visibility and follower growth are insufficient metrics of effectiveness.
Based on the results, the dissertation recommends that brands should use a more community-based approach and focus on value prioritising lifestyle, storytelling, and practical content over product focused. By using these recommendations, premium brands may improve engagement quality, strengthen brand perception, and reduce reliance on paid promotion.