Author(s): Shubhangi Salokhe, Shubham Salokhe
In recent years, many organizations across various industries have increasingly integrated Instagram into their marketing strategies. This trend suggests that the Bollywood film industry should also leverage Instagram and its unique features for promoting films. To explore this further, a study was conducted to investigate the patterns of social media usage, the use of different Instagram features and the reception of promotional content shared by Bollywood filmmakers and marketers. The study used a mixed-method approach, collecting primary data through an online questionnaire using non-probability, convenience and snowball sampling. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, frequency distribution and the chi-square test in SPSS. The findings of the study revealed that Instagram is widely used, with features such as the Instagram feed and Instagram stories being particularly popular. Additionally, the study found that film announcements, hashtag contests and film stories were the most preferred content among Indian audiences. These findings offer valuable insights for film marketers and Instagram as a social media platform, highlighting the significance of the research. They can serve as guidance for both film marketers and Instagram to enhance their strategies and features, respectively and create more engaging content to attract audiences.