Analysis of Institutional Videos on Facebook and Their Impact on Engagement: The Case of the Municipality of Sucre

Abstract

In the current era of digital and audiovisual communication, local and national governments use social media to inform citizens about the public works, actions, and projects carried out in their cantons, provinces, and across the country. In this context, videos play an important role as communication products aimed at generating engagement with institutional content. Various public institutions, such as municipal Autonomous Decentralized Governments (GADs, by its Spanish acronym), use Facebook to inform the public through audiovisual productions; however, in many cases it is unknown how these contents influence citizens’ perceptions. This study aims to analyze the engagement generated by institutional videos in order to determine the factors that influence audience interaction on the Facebook page of the Municipality of Sucre. The methodology followed a mixed-methods approach, of an exploratory and descriptive type, with a systematic sampling of the videos published on Facebook, as well as analysis of engagement metrics, which allowed for the collection of both quantitative and qualitative data. The results show that municipal videos exhibit varying levels of engagement, which largely depend on the format and the narratives employed during production and post-production processes. It is concluded that institutional videos have become an invaluable tool for connecting with citizens and contributing to a more favorable perception of the Sucre cantonal administration.