Organic Creator Content

Contestants and pros function as full-time content creators throughout the season. They regularly post rehearsal clips, behind-the-scenes moments, and lighthearted videos to stay top-of-mind with fans during critical voting windows. Showmances and friendships unfold through skits and reaction videos, shaping voting as supporting an evolving story instead of merely evaluating performances. This organic content keeps audiences emotionally connected and engaged beyond traditional episodes. Some of the star's biggest performing content comes from DWTS appearances.

Professional dancers have also built their own personal brands beyond the stage. For example Witney Carson has over 3 million followers and grossed 280 million impressions throughout the season. Many reach significant follower milestones during the season as fans invest in their journeys. The pro-contestant pair often runs joint campaigns on social channels, pooling their audiences to maximize voting impact. This co-branding deepens fan loyalty and extends the show’s cultural relevance into the social media landscape.

Competitive Advantage

Social media performance on Dancing with the Stars shows a strong correlation with contestants' success on the show. Contestants who generate higher engagement and foster active online communities tend to have a competitive advantage during voting phases. Data consistently reflects that social media buzz, including follower growth, interaction rates, and fan mobilization, plays into who will advance or face elimination. While judges' scores matter, the emotional connection built through social channels and the ability to activate dedicated fanbases frequently outweigh technical merit. This dynamic has reshaped the competition, making social media influence a crucial factor in determining outcomes and prolonging contestants’ journeys on the show.​

Robert Irwin and Witney Carson placed 1st this season close behind Alix Earl and Valentin Chmerkovskiy, unsurprisingly this battle can be seen on socials metrics as well. The winning duo has more followers, comments and higher engagement, but lacks in impressions, likes and posts. The gap gets even bigger as you go down the podium, The 1st and 2nd place teams have more followers than the rest of the top ten teams combined.