Scrolling towards sustainability: content analysis of gen Z influencers in India promoting well-being and conscious lifestyles across YouTube and Instagram
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.64171/JSRD.5.S1.176-182Keywords:
Gen Z influencers, Sustainable living, Ayurveda wellness, Content analysis, Instagram, YouTube, Zero waste, Conscious consumptionAbstract
This study presents a systematic content analysis of 150 posts and videos published by 15 Indian Gen Z influencers across Instagram (n = 70) and YouTube (n = 80), examining how sustainability, wellness, and conscious lifestyle content is produced, framed, and received in the Indian digital media ecosystem. Using a structured coding scheme covering content format, thematic focus, messaging strategy, depth, sponsorship status, authenticity signals, and audience engagement metrics (views, likes, comments), this paper addresses four research questions pertaining to dominant content themes and messaging strategies, authenticity signals in sponsored versus non-sponsored content, cross-platform thematic adaptation, and engagement prediction. Findings reveal that educational messaging and deep-form content dominate across both platforms; non-sponsored content consistently outperforms sponsored content on all engagement indicators; YouTube long-form video drives significantly higher viewership, while Instagram Reels generate superior normalised like rates. Clean and conscious nutrition content emerges as the highest-engagement theme cluster, with Ayurvedic and holistic wellness content commanding strong audience loyalty. Authenticity scores are inversely correlated with sponsorship status, with 100% of sponsored posts rated Medium rather than High authenticity. These findings carry significant implications for sustainable brand communication, influencer selection, and the role of indigenous knowledge systems in contemporary digital wellness narratives.
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