What makes the difference? Employee social media brand engagement

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (7) ◽  
pp. 1459-1467 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sherese Y. Duncan ◽  
Raeesah Chohan ◽  
João José Ferreira
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Brand Equity ◽  
Positive Emotions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Word Use ◽  
Brand Engagement ◽  
Analytical Thinking ◽  
Industry Competition ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Business To Business

Purpose This paper aims to explore, using the employee lens of business-to-business firms, word use through brand engagement and social media interaction to understand the difference between employees who rate their employer brands highly on social media and those who don't. Design/methodology/approach We conducted a textual content analysis of posts published on the social media job evaluation site glassdoor.com. LIWC software package was used to analyze 30 of the top 200 business-to-business brands listed on Brandwatch using four variables, namely, analytical thinking, clout, authenticity and emotional tone. Findings The results show that employees who rate their employer’s brand low use significantly more words, are significantly less analytic and write with significantly more clout because they focus more on others than themselves. Employees who rate their employer’s brand highly, write with significantly more authenticity, exhibit a significantly higher tone and display far more positive emotions in their reviews. Practical implications Brand managers should treat social media data disseminated by individual stakeholders, like the variables used in this study (tone, word count, frequency), as a valuable tool for brand insight on their industry, competition and their own brand equity, now and especially over time. Originality/value This study provides acknowledgement that social media is a significant source of marketing intelligence that may improve brand equity by better understanding and managing brand engagement.

Social media brand engagement: dimensions, drivers and consequences

2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 191-204 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hardeep Chahal ◽  
Jochen Wirtz ◽  
Anu Verma
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Brand Equity ◽  
Social Dimensions ◽  
Price Information ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Gen Y ◽  
Brand Engagement ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Personalized Advertising ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This paper aims to advance the current understanding of social media (SM) brand engagement. Specifically, it validates the dimensionality of SM brand engagement, examines its drivers and explores the impact of SM brand engagement on brand equity. Design/methodology/approach A survey was conducted with 433 Generation Y (Gen Y) SM users. Findings The study results validate SM brand engagement as a multidimensional construct comprising utilitarian, hedonic and social dimensions. Three categories of SM engagement antecedents were identified: social factors (social identity and tie-strength), user-based factors (service, product and price information, hedonic motives and prior experience with SM) and firm-generated information (personalized advertising, mass advertising, promotional offers and price information). Finally, SM brand engagement was positively related to brand equity. Research limitations/implications This study focused on Gen Y SM users in India. This study should be replicated in other contexts to establish the generalizability of the findings. Practical implications A better understanding of the dimensionality and drivers of SM brand engagement can help managers to enhance their SM strategies to build brand equity. Originality/value This is the first study to provide a comprehensive examination of the dimensions, drivers and consequences of SM brand engagement.

How trust moderates social media engagement and brand equity

2017 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 312-335 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hardeep Chahal ◽  
Anu Rani
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Factor Analysis ◽  
Brand Equity ◽  
Social Factors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Gen Y ◽  
Brand Engagement ◽  
Moderating Role ◽  
Engagement Scale

Purpose The purpose of this paper is threefold: first, to develop and measure customer engagement scale in context to social media (SM); second, to elucidate the variables that impact customers’ brand engagement on SM and its impact in building customer-based brand equity; and finally, to examine the moderating role of trust in SM brand engagement and brand equity relationship. Design/methodology/approach The data were collected from 767 SM users working in multinational corporations of Gurgaon city, using purposive sampling technique. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were undertaken to analyze the data. Findings The paper outcomes indicated SM brand engagement as a bi-dimensional construct comprising information interest and personal interest. Both social factors and consumer-based factors significantly influence customers’ SM brand engagement. Specifically, results depicted that tie-strength and social identity (social factors); and opportunity seeking and product selection (consumer-based factors) strongly influence customers’ SM brand engagement in comparison to other factors. Research limitations/implications The research has two major limitations. First, it is limited to Gen Y only. How older and younger consumers interact with brands via SM can stimulate theoretical development as well as furnish potentially valuable strategic opportunities to brand managers in future research. Second, relationship between SM brand engagement and brand equity is examined using trust as a moderating variable. Thus, the effect of other moderating factors like perceived risk and gender can be investigated in the future. Originality/value The paper makes a maiden attempt to examine the moderating role of trust in the relationship between SM brand engagement and brand equity. It adds value to the marketing literature in the development of SM brand engagement scale for Gen Y.

Exploring the relationship between corporate responsibility and firm performance from a social media perspective

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 296-317 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ray Qing Cao ◽  
Dara G. Schniederjans ◽  
Vicky Ching Gu ◽  
Marc J. Schniederjans
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Corporate Responsibility ◽  
Abnormal Return ◽  
Media Framing ◽  
Idiosyncratic Risk ◽  
Daily Basis ◽  
Expected Return ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Difference ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose Corporate responsibility perceptions from stakeholders are becoming more difficult to manage. This is in part because of large amount of social media being projected to stakeholders on a daily basis. In light of this, the purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between corporate responsibility framing from the social media perspective firm’s performance as defined by abnormal-return (defined as the difference between a single stock or portfolios return and the expected return) and idiosyncratic-risk (defined as the risk of a particular investment because of firm-specific characteristics). Design/methodology/approach Hypotheses are developed through agenda-setting theory and stakeholder and shareholder viewpoints. The research model is tested using sentiment analysis from a collection of social media from several industries. Findings The results provide support that three corporate responsibility social media categories (economic, social and environmental-framing) will have different impacts (delayed, immediate) on abnormal-return and idiosyncratic-risk. This study finds differences between immediate (one-day lag) and delayed (three-day lag) associations on abnormal-return and idiosyncratic-risk. Originality/value This study also suggests differences between the amount and sentiment of corporate responsibility social media framing on abnormal-return and idiosyncratic-risk. Finally, results identify interaction effects between different corporate responsibility social media categories.

Consumer brand engagement on social media in the COVID-19 pandemic: the roles of country-of-origin and consumer animosity

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tianfu Wang ◽  
Yam B. Limbu ◽  
Xing Fang
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Country Of Origin ◽  
Least Square ◽  
Activity Data ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Global Brands ◽  
Brand Engagement ◽  
Consumer Animosity ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThe coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic unprecedentedly shocks the market. Little is known about the impact of COVID-19 on brand engagement across country-of-origin (COO) and country-of-market (COM). To address the gap, this study examines how the spread of the COVID-19 affects consumer brand engagement on social media for global brands through the mechanisms of the COO and consumer animosity.Design/methodology/approachThe authors collect consumer engagement activity data from Facebook for eight global smartphone brands and match it with the COVID-19 statistics. Ordinary least square (OLS) models are used to estimate the impact on global brands brought by the spread of the COVID-19.FindingsThe results show that consumer brand engagement decreases for all brands in a COM as the number of confirmed COVID-19 new cases increases in the COM. Consumer brand engagement decreases for a brand across all COM as the number of confirmed COVID-19 new cases increases in the brand’s COO. If a brand’s COO is imputed for the pandemic, its consumer brand engagement will receive additional negative impacts across all COM.Originality/valueThis study enriches the COO literature by showing how the spread of a pandemic affects consumer brand engagement via COO and discovers the moderating role of consumer animosity.

Charting sustained usage toward mobile social media application: the criticality of expected benefits and emotional motivations

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xuan Cu Le
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
User Satisfaction ◽  
Positive Emotions ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Continuance Intention ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Media Platform ◽  
Self Discovery ◽  
Expected Benefits

PurposeZalo is a Vietnam social media platform attracting over 100 m users worldwide. The work aims to ascertain how to boost users' satisfaction, habit and continuance intention toward Zalo based on the expectation confirmation theory (ECT) and its extension through the impacts of expected benefits and emotional motivations.Design/methodology/approachData are collected via an online survey on a convenience sample of 356 Zalo users. Statistical analysis is performed using Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS) and Analysis of Moment Structures (AMOS) to test proposed hypotheses.FindingsResults indicate that confirmation positively influences expected benefits (i.e. pervasiveness, socialization, and self-discovery) and satisfaction. Moreover, satisfaction and habit are jointly stimulated by expected benefits and emotional motivations. Outcomes also reveal that satisfaction is a motivator of habit, which in turn surmises evidently to continuance intention.Practical implicationsFindings assist practitioners to develop their business trajectories by improving beneficial services of Zalo and positive emotions. This fulfills user satisfaction and habit, and promotes continuance behavior accordingly.Originality/valueConfirmation and expected benefits are acknowledged as the drivers of satisfaction, but existing literature remains inconclusive about dimensions of expected benefits influencing satisfaction and habit in social media. Furthermore, this study, by an extended ECT, explores emotional motivations for satisfaction and habit. Ultimately, habit is uncovered to foster prolonged usage.

Examining drivers and outcomes of social media brand engagement

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Civilai Leckie ◽  
Abhishek Dwivedi ◽  
Lester Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Consumer Satisfaction ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Perceived Value ◽  
Brand Trust ◽  
Consumer Engagement ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Brand Engagement ◽  
Brand Congruence

PurposeThis study empirically examines a set of drivers (i.e. social media involvement, self-brand congruence, firm image and relationship age) of consumers’ social media brand engagement (SMBE), which subsequently influences consumer outcomes (i.e. consumer satisfaction, brand trust and perceived value).Design/methodology/approachData were collected using a self-administered online survey of 340 social media users. Structural equation modelling was employed to test the conceptual model.FindingsFindings indicate that social media involvement, self-brand congruence and firm image are significant drivers of SMBE, while relationship age is not. SMBE subsequently impacts consumer satisfaction, brand trust and perceived value.Research limitations/implicationsThis study contains some limitations associated with cross-sectional research. It does not investigate consumer engagement with other entities (e.g. other commercial brands) through the use of social media.Practical implicationsThese findings call for marketing managers and social media brand managers to pay attention and invest resources in the significant drivers of SMBE. They also provide insights on enhancing SMBE to strengthen consumer–brand relationships.Originality/valueBased on consumer–brand relationship marketing and consumer psychology of brands, this study investigates brand-related relational drivers and outcomes of SMBE, thereby deepening understanding of consumer engagement in digital environments.

Creating Consumer-Based Brand Equity With Social Media Content Marketing

2019 ◽  
pp. 419-441
Author(s):  
Wolfgang Weitzl
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Brand Equity ◽  
Value Chain ◽  
Brand Communities ◽  
Brand Engagement ◽  
Online Brand Communities ◽  
Simultaneous Evaluation ◽  
The Social ◽  
Entertainment Value ◽  
The Impact

Due to the growing importance of company-initiated online brand communities (OBCs) like Facebook brand fan pages, details about consumers' perceptions of these sites need to be linked to their effects on customer-based brand equity. This research builds on Keller and Lehmann's brand value chain as the theoretical foundation and adopts the theory to fit the social media context. This approach enables the simultaneous evaluation of the impact of consumer online content perceptions on both fan-page engagement and consumers' brand mindset. Specifically, this research investigates the consumer-based outcomes of perceptions of content's vividness and interactivity as well as the effects of perceived information and entertainment value of brand posts. In addition, this empirical study evaluates the consequences of positive brand fans' comments for consumer online engagement (e.g., liking), brand awareness, image, and attitude. Results show that consumer-oriented brand pages can stimulate positive offline brand engagement such as loyalty and recommendation.

From fandom to fad: are millennials really engaged with and loyal to their loved brands on social media?

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Teresa Fernandes ◽  
Inês Inverneiro
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Identity Formation ◽  
Brand Loyalty ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Holistic Model ◽  
Brand Love ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Brand Engagement ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
Use Of Social Media

Purpose Exerting a peculiar fascination on both managers and academics, Millennials can be distinguished from other cohorts by their intense exposure to the internet and heavy use of social media, which, in turn, affect their identity formation, brand engagement, loyalty and purchase behaviour. Yet, uncertainties regarding online engagement and the real benefits brands can reap from Millennials’ avid use of social media remain. Therefore, by developing a holistic model of drivers and outcomes, this study aims to understand how Millennials engage with their most loved, self-expressive brands across social media platforms and its impact on loyalty-related intentions. Design/methodology/approach Data was gathered using a self-administered survey, answered by 343 millennial generation social media users and based on self-selected self-expressive, loved brands. Considering brand loyalty as a key outcome, a holistic model was developed and tested using partial least squares-structural equation modelling, emphasizing not only the role of social media engagement but also including brand love, experience and identification as direct and indirect antecedents. Findings Findings suggest a disconnection between online and offline brand relationships: though Millennials love and are very loyal to their favourite brands, they are not actively engaged in social media, which helps to explain the non-significant effect of engagement on brand loyalty. Moreover, together with brand identification, brand experience was found to play a major role in developing brand love, which, in turn, is positively related to engagement and loyalty. Originality/value Theoretically, this study contributes to bridging a gap in the literature, as research on engagement, its drivers and outcomes is scant and there is no robust evidence about its impact on brand loyalty, particularly among Millennials. Moreover, research on disengaged consumers who exhibit limited willingness to engage is still scant. Managerially, this study provides insights for brand managers wishing to successfully engage and build relationships with Millennials and to identify key routes to Millennials’ loyalty.

Fostering brand love in Facebook brand pages

2019 ◽  
Vol 43 (5) ◽  
pp. 710-727 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariola Palazon ◽  
Elena Delgado-Ballester ◽  
Maria Sicilia
Keyword(s):  
Brand Equity ◽  
Product Category ◽  
Brand Community ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Brand Love ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Brand Engagement ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze how brand love is built in the context of brand pages by proposing a model in which brand love depends on relationships ties with other brand consumers (sense of brand community) and with the brand itself (self–brand connection). Design/methodology/approach Information was collected from a sample of 559 members of the community of a well-known baby food brand on Facebook. Data were collected through an online questionnaire sent by the company. Findings Results suggest that both sense of brand community and self–brand connection foster brand love and that self–brand connection exerts a mediating role between sense of brand community and brand love. Furthermore, the effect of brand community on brand love is conditioned by a personal trait of individuals such as brand engagement in self-concept. In addition, this study identifies a new consequence of brand love not previously analyzed in the literature: brand equity. Research limitations/implications A potential shortcoming is the product category analyzed and that the length of membership was not controlled and it may be a moderator between participation and community consequences. Practical implications The key implications are the importance of nurturing relationship ties among brand users and building self–brand connections on brand pages as precursors of brand love. Originality/value The study offers empirical evidence about the mechanism through which brand love is formed on social-media platforms such as Facebook. Furthermore, the authors have demonstrated the relationship between brand love and brand equity, which had not been examined yet in the literature.

Consumer based brand equity in the 21st century: an examination of the role of social media marketing

2016 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 243-255 ◽  
Author(s):  
Atefeh Yazdanparast ◽  
Mathew Joseph ◽  
Fernanda Muniz
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Brand Equity ◽  
Social Media Marketing ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Research Population ◽  
The Cost ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The present research investigates the influence of brand-based social media marketing (SMM) activities on metrics of consumer-based brand equity (CBBE). Specifically, the study examines the role of consumer-brand social media experiences on attitude toward SMM activities of brands and its consequent impact on brand perceptions. Design/methodology/approach Paper-and-pencil surveys were administered to undergraduate students in a Southwestern university in exchange for extra credit. Survey questions were adapted from previously validated scales, and measurement adaptations were minimal and only related to the context of questions to assure their relevance with the context of this study. Bi-variate correlation, bootstrapping technique, Sobel test, ANOVA and linear regression were used to test the hypotheses. Findings The results indicate that brand-based SMM is essential in impacting consumers’ attitudes toward brands and consequently, CBBE reflected via perceived value for the cost, perceived uniqueness and the willingness to pay a price premium for a brand. Additionally, the main reason for individuals to use social media impacts their attitudes toward and receptiveness of SMM activities of brands. Research limitations/implications This study used a sample of college students to address the research questions. Considering the higher adoption rate and interest in social media among younger consumer groups, the results may not be representative of the entire population. Much of the existing research on social media, however, has focused on undergraduate college students and is primarily based on studies utilizing the similar research population. Originality/value The present research is one of the few studies that empirically examine the impact of consumer-brand interactions/experiences on consumers’ attitudes toward SMM activities of brands, as well as brand-related knowledge and perceptions as reflected by CBBE. The results indicate that the CBBE model of the twenty-first century should incorporate the role of brand-based SMM activities as facilitators of brand knowledge (i.e. brand awareness and brand image) by reinforcing or even shaping important brand-based associations.

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