Relación entre el marketing de contenidos de formato corto en TikTok/Instagram Reels y el engagement cognitivo-afectivo en usuarios universitarios de Quito, Ecuador

Short-form video content marketing, driven by recommendation algorithms on platforms such as TikTok and Instagram Reels, has drastically transformed digital interaction patterns among young populations. The objective of this research was to analyze the relationship between short-form content marketing on TikTok and Instagram Reels and cognitive-affective engagement among university users in the Metropolitan Area of Quito, Ecuador. A quantitative, cross-sectional, and correlational-explanatory study was carried out on a stratified probabilistic sample of N = 480 university students (52.1% female, 47.9% male) aged between 18 and 28 years (M = 21.45, SD = 2.18). Data collection was performed using a structured questionnaire comprising 24 validated items on a 5-point Likert scale, which registered optimal reliability indices (Cronbach's Alpha α = .912 and McDonald's Omega ω = .925). The inferential procedure included Pearson and Spearman correlation coefficients, analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), adjusted multivariable logistic regression, and structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) processed in Python and SPSS v28. The results demonstrated a strong positive correlation between algorithmic content relevance and cognitive engagement (r = .642, p < .001) and affective engagement (r = .685, p < .001). The logistic modeling confirmed that high exposure to short-form educational and user-generated content substantially increases the probability of high purchase intention (OR = 4.28, 95% CI: 2.45-7.48).