Table 1 Complete coding analysis of the unique top Instagram posts using #immunebooster over one week in May 2020 (n = 28)
From: “Immune Boosting” in the time of COVID: selling immunity on Instagram
Criteria | Totals for sample of 28 posts | Averages | |
|---|---|---|---|
Percentages | Mean | ||
Commercial accounts | 27 | 96.43% | – |
Tags on images | 55 | – | 1.96 |
“Likes” | 17,333 | – | 619 |
Hashtags (#) | 538 | – | 19.21 |
Unique mentions (@) | 21 | – | 0.75 |
URLs | 1 | – | 0.04 |
Listed paid promotions | 3 | 10.71% | – |
Followers | 532,538 | – | 19,019 |
Days post remained in top 10 | 68 | – | 2.43 |
Immune boosting as central theme | 17 | 60.71% | – |
Portrayed immune boosting as beneficial | 28 | 100% | – |
Including critiques of immune boosting | 0 | 0% | – |
Reference to scientific or medical authority | 8 | 28.57% | – |
Tags linking to companies | 51 | – | 1.82 |
@’s to companies | 21 | – | 0.75 |
Unique hashtags | 413 | – | 14.75 |
URLs belonging to companies | 1 | – | 0.04 |
Unique companies tagged and mentioned | 62 | – | 2.21 |
Companies distinct from account holder | 53 | 1.89 | |
Mentioning or tagging companies | 21 | 75.00% | – |
Types of companies | Number of type | Percentage of total |
|---|---|---|
Food (ingredients and cooking) | 34 | 33.33% |
General health and wellness | 13 | 12.75% |
Clothing, fashion and accessories | 13 | 12.75% |
Exercise advice and products | 9 | 8.82% |
Beauty products and advice | 9 | 8.82% |
Nutrition supplements | 8 | 7.84% |
Essential oils | 4 | 3.92% |
Home décor and furnishings | 4 | 3.92% |
Self-help and self-improvement | 3 | 2.94% |
Travel | 2 | 1.96% |
Technology | 1 | 0.98% |
Brand management | 1 | 0.98% |
Non-government organization (humanitarian) | 1 | 0.98% |
TOTAL | 102 |