Assessing the impact of DMOs' photo curation practices on Instagram user engagement

Abstract

Content curation is a crucial practice for destination marketing organizations (DMOs). DMOs leverage user-generated content to shape tourists' perceptions and influence user engagement. This includes curating user-generated photos on Instagram. Drawing on signaling theory, this study investigates the content curation practices for user-generated photos employed by DMOs across the 50 U.S. states and Washington, D.C. Employing deep learning and econometric analysis on their Instagram accounts from January 2013 to December 2024, we find a curvilinear relationship between curation intensity and user engagement. Moreover, content alignment between DMO-generated and user-generated photos positively influences user engagement and moderates the relationship between curation intensity and user engagement. Hence, while prior research supports the value of content curation, optimal engagement requires hitting a sweet spot for intensity while ensuring high alignment. Practically, the findings provide guidance for DMOs to craft social media practices, emphasizing the integration of user-generated content into digital marketing campaigns.