Ethan Pancer – The Conversation

Social media posts featuring unhealthy foods get more likes and engagement. But there are ways to change that. (Borzoo Moazami, Unsplash)

May 24, 2023

Food for thought: How your mindset can make healthy food more alluring on social media

Ethan Pancer, Saint Mary’s University; Matthew Philp, Toronto Metropolitan University, and Theo Noseworthy, York University, Canada

New research finds that switching to a more thoughtful mindset can increase engagement with healthier food options on social media.

Figuring out which foods garner more social media engagement will help restaurants and food content creators determine how to better amplify the reach of their online content. (Shutterstock)

June 12, 2022

Move over unicorn lattes, there’s a new Instagram trend in town: Normal‑looking food

Matthew Philp, Toronto Metropolitan University; Ethan Pancer, Saint Mary’s University, and Jenna Jacobson, Toronto Metropolitan University

New research using AI finds that trendy, unique-looking foods generate less social media engagement than traditional, normal-looking foods.

We’re more attracted to foods with a higher caloric density, and this is reflected in our social media activity. (Shutterstock)

May 11, 2021

#FoodPorn: People are more attracted to social media content showcasing fatty foods

Ethan Pancer, Saint Mary’s University and Matthew Philp, Toronto Metropolitan University

The nutritional content of food posted online can predict the levels of social media engagement, and possibly affect what we eat.

The emoji has become a critical part of our online communications, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic when face-to-face contact is hard to come by. (Domingo Alvarez/Unsplash)

January 7, 2021

Emoji power: How a 🤯 or a 👏🏽 fuel social media engagement, especially amid COVID‑19

Ethan Pancer, Saint Mary’s University and Lindsay McShane, Carleton University

In the absence of face-to-face interactions, people are using emojis to help express themselves. New research suggests that emoji use can drive engagement and make content more viral.

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