Digital Engagement on Social Media: How Food Image Content Influences Social Media and Influencer Marketing Outcomes.

This article investigates how the type of food (healthy vs. unhealthy) depicted alongside a person in social media posts or influencer advertisements affects digital engagement and consumers’ willingness to try recommended products. Across four studies—including a Facebook field experiment, lab experiments, and an eye-tracking study—the research finds that images featuring healthy foods adjacent to a person lead to higher online engagement and greater identification with the influencer, which mediates increased likelihood to try promoted products. The effect is moderated by the influencer’s consumption context: when influencers emphasize healthy lifestyles, the positive impact of healthy food images on engagement and identification is stronger, whereas an indulgent or unhealthy focus attenuates these effects. These findings highlight the role of food imagery in shaping perceptions and engagement in social media marketing, with implications for influencer strategies and digital advertising.