Employee-generated content: the role of perceived brand citizenship behavior and expertise on consumer behaviors

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fathima Z. Saleem ◽  
Matthew A. Hawkins

Purpose Situated between the literature on internal branding and user-generated content, this study aims to demonstrate the effect of employee-generated content (EGC) on consumers’ purchase intentions and positive word of mouth (WOM). Design/methodology/approach The conceptual model was empirically tested using structural equation modeling based on a sample of 442 participants. Findings The findings support a sequential mediation model in which employee-created social media content impacts perceptions of brand citizenship behavior (BCB) and perceptions of expertise, which in turn increases purchase intention and WOM. Practical implications Based on the findings, this research suggests that employee ambassador programs can work to attract employees with an interest in brand-related social media content creation. Facilitating EGC through support, empowerment and reinforcement rather than traditional control mechanisms is recommended. Originality/value This research introduces the concept of EGC and employee content creators while extending the literature on perceived BCB by empirically demonstrating its relationship with perceived expertise and positive consumer behavior outcomes.

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mazzini Muda ◽  
Muhammad Iskandar Hamzah

PurposeIn spite of the increasing organic and interactive marketing activities over social media, a general understanding of the source credibility of voluntary user-generated content (UGC) is still limited. In line with the social identity theory, this paper examines the effects of consumers' perceived source credibility of UGC in YouTube videos on their attitudes and behavioral intentions. Additionally, source homophily theory is included to predict the antecedent of source credibility.Design/methodology/approachThree hundred and seventy two Generation Y respondents were interviewed using snowball sampling. Data were analyzed with component-based structural equation modeling technique of partial least squares-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM).FindingsFindings confirmed that perceived source credibility indirectly affects purchase intention (PI) and electronic word-of-mouth via attitude toward UGC. Besides, perceived source credibility mediates the effect of perceived source homophily on attitude toward UGC.Practical implicationsSince today's consumers have begun to trust and rely more on UGC than company-generated content on social media when making purchase decisions, companies may reconsider democratizing certain aspects of their branding strategies. Firms may fine-tune their marketing communication budgets – not only just by sponsoring public figures and celebrities but also by nurturing coproductive engagements with independent content creators who are ordinary consumers. Endowed with their imposing credibility, these micro-influencers and prosumers have high potentials to be uplifted to brand ambassadors.Originality/valueWhile consumers' purchase outcome can be measured easily using metrics and analytics, the roles of source homophily in stages leading up to the purchase is still elusive. Drawing on the rich theoretical basis of source homophily may help researchers to understand not only how credibility and attitude are related to PI but also how this nexus generates positive word of mouth among UGC followers within the social media circles.


2019 ◽  
Vol 51 (4) ◽  
pp. 209-227 ◽  
Author(s):  
Decha Dechawatanapaisal

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the mediating effect of brand identification between internal branding and brand citizenship behavior as well as brand loyalty, and the roles of working generation and organizational tenure as moderators of the relationship between internal branding and brand identification.Design/methodology/approachThis research used a survey method and a structured questionnaire to collect data from salespeople working in the cement and construction materials industry. The hypothesized relationships were tested and analyzed by means of a confirmatory factor analysis, structural equation modeling, hierarchical regression and a bootstrapping procedure.FindingsBrand identification partially mediates the link between internal branding and brand citizenship behavior and fully mediates that between internal branding and brand loyalty. Also, the influences of internal branding on brand identification are varied among generational cohorts and employees with different tenure.Research limitations/implicationsThe current research took place among customer-interface employees, which can be extended to back-end or supporting workers, in order to better reflect the overall effect of internal branding efforts.Practical implicationsOrganizations need to undertake internal branding to induce a shared understanding among employees about brand insights, and to foster their perception of belongingness in order to motivate desired brand behaviors. Furthermore, managers may improve internal branding mechanisms by taking generational differences and duration of employment into consideration, since these factors impinge on the effects of internal branding.Originality/valueThis study contributes to internal branding research by addressing the contingent influences of employees’ differences on the success of internal branding efforts.


2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 431-459
Author(s):  
Ernest Emeka Izogo ◽  
Mercy Mpinganjira

Purpose Although previous research emphasized the importance of inspiration in influencing consumer behavior, there is no categorical response to how social-media inspirational content inspires consumers across cultures. This paper aims to take on this agenda through a vignette experimental study. Design/methodology/approach This paper devised a vignette study involving subjects (n = 370) recruited from Nigeria and South Africa. The structural equation modeling procedure, analysis of variance (ANOVA) and regression analysis aided the examination of the scale psychometrics and hypotheses testing. Findings Among other findings, this study shows that: inspirational content (utilitarian vs hedonic) exerts a positive differential effect on customer inspiration (CI) such that the effect of hedonic content is more pronounced than utilitarian content; collectivistic consumers are inspired more than individualists; CI triggers customer engagement behaviors (CEBs) and purchase intention, and an inspired-to component of CI mediates the effect of inspired-by on CEBs and purchase intention. Research limitations/implications While this study makes significant contributions to knowledge on CI, the focus on firm-generated content limits the scope of this study. Future research should examine the effect of consumer-generated content on CI. Additionally, the likely contextual influence of product type on CI and its triggers in the context of the foote, cone and belding grid creates the room to further interrogate the research model under conditions of high/low involvement products. Originality/value By showing how social-media inspirational content and cultural orientation separately influence and interact to influence CI which consequently triggers CEBs and purchase intention, the findings highlight the psychological mechanisms through which CEBs and purchase intention can be simultaneously triggered.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Massoud Moslehpour ◽  
Alaleh Dadvari ◽  
Wahyudi Nugroho ◽  
Ben-Roy Do

PurposeThe present paper aims to explore the antecedents and consequences of social media marketing (SMM) subsets on consumers’ purchase intentions of Indonesian airline products and services. We propose a research framework to empirically test the influence and interaction of factors, including entertainment (ENT), and interaction (INT) through the effect of trust (TR), and perceived value (PV) as mediators on purchase intention (PI).Design/methodology/approachThe study employs an online survey to collect data. We collect 301 qualified questionnaires and employ structural equation modeling (SEM) to test the proposed model. The research findings enrich our understanding of the mediating role of TR and PV. Trust and perceived value significantly mediate the relationship between SMM factors and PI during initial stages of decision-making toward purchasing airline products and services.FindingsResearch findings provide support for most hypotheses regarding the significant influence of the variables proposed in the model. Furthermore, trust mediates the relationship between two of the SMM factors (INT and ENT) and purchase intention. Notably, perceived value mediates the link between entertainment and purchase intention.Originality/valueThis study successfully offers a model to examine the influence of social media marketing on Indonesian consumers’ purchasing intentions of airline products and services. Social media marketing components progressively impact the fundamentals of purchase intention, creating a new marketing communication style. These changes generate new opportunities and challenges for companies. This study provides a better understanding of how social media factors influence Indonesian consumers’ initial decision to purchase airline products and services.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dessy Kurnia Sari ◽  
Suziana Suziana ◽  
Donard Games

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the effects of informativeness, entertainment and credibility of social media on the perceived value of advertising for Muslim millennial parents. It evaluates the impact of these variables on brand awareness and purchase intention. Design/methodology/approach This study uses a mixed-method analysis with two stages. In the first stage, information from social media was collected. The second stage involved an online survey of 210 Muslim millennial parents. Structural equation modeling-partial least squares was used to test the study’s prediction. Findings The results showed that informativeness, entertainment and credibility of the message significantly influence Muslim millennial parents’ perceived value of social media advertising. These aspects also have a significant effect on brand awareness and purchase intention. The parents appreciate entertainment most, followed by the informativeness and credibility of the message. Practical implications This study offers new insights on Muslim millennial parents as a new segment in the market. Social media advertising is the most appropriate strategy for approaching this segment, and therefore, should be given much attention by marketers. The message created needs to be informative, entertaining and credible. It should consider culture, Islamic values and tradition. Originality/value The study contributes to the evaluation of a new trend for Muslim millennials as young parents. The tendency to spend more time using social media as the primary source of information is evaluated. Additionally, this study gives marketers a better understanding of Muslim millennial parents, especially in a collective society.


2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 386-400 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aditya Shankar Mishra

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of brand’s social media marketing efforts and individual’s online social interaction propensity on various levels of consumers’ engagement with brand-related social media content. Additionally, the subsequent effects of consumers’ engagement with brand-related social media content on overall brand equity and purchase intention have also been examined. Design/methodology/approach Preliminary studies were conducted to identify brands for the main study. Data for the main study were collected using an online survey administered at the identified brands’ Facebook fan pages. Structural equation modeling was used to test the conceptual model. Findings The results found the uniform effect of the social media marketing efforts and individual’s online social interaction propensity on two levels of consumers’ social media engagement, but the effect on third level has been found only from the individual’s online social interaction propensity. Subsequent effects on brand equity and purchase intention were also found varying across the engagement levels. Research limitations/implications This study extends previous research by examining the effect of brand’s social media marketing efforts and online social interaction propensity on all the three levels of consumers’ engagement with brand-related content on social media. Also, this study enriches the existing literature by investigating the impact of these three levels of consumers’ engagement on brand’s equity and purchase intention. Originality/value Previous research has no evidence of evaluating the effectiveness of social media marketing efforts on the consumers’ engagement with brand-related social media content. Although the effect of general online social interaction propensity on effort and social engagement has been examined in previous research but the effect on consumption, contribution and creation brand-related social media content had not been measured. Additionally, the effect of consumption, contribution and creation on brand equity and purchase intention had not been evaluated.


2020 ◽  
Vol 120 (11) ◽  
pp. 2081-2101
Author(s):  
Yanping Zhang ◽  
Xiaodong Li ◽  
Juho Hamari

PurposeThis study aims to investigate how aspects of mobility affect social media advertising effectiveness (i.e. consumer purchase intention) on mobile platforms from the perspective of the fit-viability model.Design/methodology/approachData were collected through an online questionnaire survey of 378 WeChat users and used to test hypotheses with structural equation modeling.FindingsConsumer purchase intention is significantly positively influenced by time flexibility, spatial flexibility, mobile lifestyle and ad relevance. Meanwhile, ambivalence toward ads mediates the relationships of time flexibility and spatial flexibility with purchase intention and moderates the relationships of mobile lifestyle and ad relevance with purchase intention.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings offer researchers and practitioners a new angle to understand advertising effectiveness on mobile social media and extend the application of the fit-viability model.Originality/valueThis paper fills the research gap on the role of mobility in social media advertising.


2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 424-446 ◽  
Author(s):  
Payel Das ◽  
Santanu Mandal

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to reveal the influence of social media in the development of brand sacralization in young consumers in emerging Asian market. Brand sacralization is the phenomenon where consumers (especially young) become an adherent of brands and consider brands as sacred entities. The paper specifically explores the influence of social media interaction and social media usability on brand sacralization and consequently its influence on online purchase intention (PI) and brand loyalty. Design/methodology/approach Perceptual responses were gathered from 232 undergraduate and postgraduate students (age: 17-27 years) studying in an Indian private university and is subsequently analyzed using structural equation modeling. The young population is chosen as the target sample as they possess majority stake in final product purchase decision nowadays and also contribute as a dominant consumer category in online market places. Findings The researcher found a strong positive influence of social media interaction and social media usability on brand sacralization. Further, brand sacralization is found to have a positive and significant influence on online PI and brand loyalty of young consumers. However, social media interaction does not contribute significantly to usability of social media. The researcher has also found a significant influence of brand loyalty on online PI for these young shoppers. Originality/value The study is the foremost to investigate the influence of social media in developing brand sacralization and its influence on online PI and brand loyalty. Further the study is the first to develop a measurement instrument for brand sacralization. The study is the foremost in developing measures for social media interaction and social media usability.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nianqi Deng ◽  
Xinyu Jiang ◽  
Xiaojun Fan

PurposeLimited research has explored why and how cause-related marketing on social media influences consumers' responses. Drawing upon balance theory and consistency theory, this study aims to identify the mechanism of cause-related marketing on social media.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from a sample of 360 users of cause-related marketing campaigns on social media and analyzed using structural equation modeling in Mplus 8.0.FindingsThe three types of congruence – self-image congruence, brand-image congruence and value congruence – can serve as sub-dimensions of perceived fit between a consumer, brand and cause of a cause-related marketing campaign on social media. Importantly, these perceived fit sub-dimensions positively influence community identification and, therefore, influence consumer citizenship behaviors.Practical implicationsThe findings provide theoretical and practical contributions for a brand to undertake cause-related marketing on social media.Originality/valueThis study clarifies the myth of the perceived fit of cause-related marketing on social media and examines the perceived fit sub-dimensions’ mechanism of consumers' responses through community identification.


2019 ◽  
Vol 53 (2) ◽  
pp. 230-248 ◽  
Author(s):  
Li Cui ◽  
Haiyang Jiang ◽  
Hepu Deng ◽  
Tao Zhang

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate how the diffusion of food safety information through social media affects customers’ purchase intentions in China. This leads to the identification of the critical factors that impact the purchase intention of individual consumer through the diffusion of food safety information using social media in China. Design/methodology/approach A research model is proposed based on a comprehensive review of the related studies. Such a model is then tested and validated using structural equation modeling based on the survey of 199 individuals who have experience in purchasing food products online while having social media accounts. Findings The study reveals that friend recommendation and perceived risk directly affect consumers’ purchase intentions and opinion leader recommendation, quality of information, credibility of information and demand for information indirectly affect consumers’ purchase intentions through the diffusion of food safety information using social media in China. Originality/value This study is the first of this kind in China for exploring the critical factors that affect consumers’ purchase intentions through the diffusion of food safety information using social media. The findings of the study are significant for the government and food enterprises to make a full use of the advantages of social media to improve the communication of food safety information in ensuring the safety of the food supply in China.


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