The impact of Instagram and TikTok – a diary-based study for Erasmus Life Porto
Kajander, Mette (2025)
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-202504176880
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-202504176880
Tiivistelmä
This thesis is written for a student organization Erasmus Life Porto (ELP) from the perspective of the social media coordinator who has been working for the association over a year and made an impact on its social media growth. With the growing influence of social media platforms, especially TikTok and Instagram, this diary-based thesis seeks to demonstrate how social media has helped Erasmus Life Porto to grow. It also aims to understand how these platforms affect the association's event attendance and visibility. The primary objective for the thesis is to look at how Instagram and TikTok have affected Erasmus Life Porto’s growth and success, based on social media metrics, audience feedback, and comparison to last year.
This thesis combines the theoretical and practical methods. It provides a theoretical basis of understanding the role of social media marketing and the importance of Instagram and TikTok for a community-driven associations, like Erasmus Life Porto. A RACE marketing model will be used to understand the consumer journey of Erasmus Life Porto’s member from first awareness to active engagement and long-term retention. A diary-based approach is used for the practical part, showing the weekly actions, and results of the social media over a ten-week period. The comparison of this year’s social media performance to a last year is highlighting the importance of well planned, high quality social media.
The thesis also includes a quantitative poll that is made by using Instagram stories to measure the engagement levels and get audience insights and feedback for the thesis. 141 to 200 responses will be gathered for each questions during the 24-hour time the questions are on Instagram stories. The Erasmus Life Porto members have directly responded to the poll, providing important information of the impact of social media. Additionally, the thesis also includes a guide that is created for Erasmus Life Porto, with the help of comparing last year’s action with current practices. The guide offers helpful and practical tips and suggestions that the association can use in the future to improve its social media presence.
This thesis combines the theoretical and practical methods. It provides a theoretical basis of understanding the role of social media marketing and the importance of Instagram and TikTok for a community-driven associations, like Erasmus Life Porto. A RACE marketing model will be used to understand the consumer journey of Erasmus Life Porto’s member from first awareness to active engagement and long-term retention. A diary-based approach is used for the practical part, showing the weekly actions, and results of the social media over a ten-week period. The comparison of this year’s social media performance to a last year is highlighting the importance of well planned, high quality social media.
The thesis also includes a quantitative poll that is made by using Instagram stories to measure the engagement levels and get audience insights and feedback for the thesis. 141 to 200 responses will be gathered for each questions during the 24-hour time the questions are on Instagram stories. The Erasmus Life Porto members have directly responded to the poll, providing important information of the impact of social media. Additionally, the thesis also includes a guide that is created for Erasmus Life Porto, with the help of comparing last year’s action with current practices. The guide offers helpful and practical tips and suggestions that the association can use in the future to improve its social media presence.