Building brand and fan relationships through social media

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 235-256 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashleigh-Jane Thompson ◽  
Andrew J. Martin ◽  
Sarah Gee ◽  
Andrea N. Geurin
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Relationship Building ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Event Time ◽  
Brand Building ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
International Event ◽  
Analytic Design

Purpose As the popularity of social media increases, sports brands must develop specific strategies to use them to enhance fan loyalty and build brand equity. The purpose of this paper is to explore how two social media platforms were utilised by the Grand Slam tennis events to achieve branding and relationship marketing goals. Design/methodology/approach A content analytic design was employed to examine Twitter and Facebook posts from the official accounts during, and post-, each respective event. Findings Both sites were utilised to cultivate long-term relationships with fans and develop brand loyalty, rather than to undertake short-term marketing activations. However, these sites appear to serve a different purpose, and therefore unique strategies are required to leverage opportunities afforded by each. Interestingly, brand associations were utilised more frequently during the post-event time period. Practical implications This study offers practitioners with useful insight on branding and relationship-building strategies across two social platforms. These results suggest that strategies appear dependent on the event, timeframe and specific platform. Moreover, the events’ differences in post use and focus may also indicate some differences related to event branding in an international context. Furthermore, sport organisations should look to leverage creative strategies to overcome limitations that platform-specific functionality may impose. Originality/value This study offers unique insights brand-building efforts in an international event setting, which differ in a range of contextual factors that impact on social media utilisation.

Like is a verb: exploring tie strength and casual brand use effects on brand attitudes and consumer online goal achievement

2017 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 365-374 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle Renton ◽  
Hamish Simmonds
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Network Effects ◽  
Social Contexts ◽  
Relationship Building ◽  
Tie Strength ◽  
Brand Attitudes ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Identity Creation ◽  
Media Usage ◽  
Social Media Platforms

Purpose This paper aims to offer fresh insight into attitudes towards casually used brands and the role of tie strength in the building of online non-brand-related network relationships amongst young consumers. Design/methodology/approach Thirteen consumers aged between 18 and 24 years took part in in-depth interviews. The interviewees were matched on gender, age, occupation, residency and social media usage. Findings Tie strength effects are evident in changes to brand attitudes, choice of social media platforms and in the casual use of brands to further consumer relationship building and identity creation goals. Research limitations/implications This paper answers calls for greater understanding of the way in which network structure influences consumers’ online motivations and attitudes towards the brand. Practical implications This paper explores the importance of managers viewing brands as embedded in broader social contexts and tailoring social media communications to those broader contexts. Originality/value This paper is the first to combine tie strength with casual brand use to examine non-brand-related network effects on brand attitudes, growing and maintaining consumer relationships and building online identity.

Facebook practices for business communication among fashion retailers

2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-50 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomás Escobar-Rodríguez ◽  
Rocío Bonsón-Fernández
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Relationship Building ◽  
Fashion Industry ◽  
Brand Community ◽  
Theoretical Frameworks ◽  
Audience Engagement ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Facebook Pages ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The present study examines relationship building of major players in fashion retailing through social media. Using the theories of word-of-mouth marketing and brand community as theoretical frameworks, this paper analyses the impact of social media marketing in creating brand community. To that end, the use of the popular networking site Facebook was studied. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the extent and main purposes of the usage of this communication channel and to examine companies’ activity on their Facebook pages as well as to observe their audiences and the effect in their audiences’ engagement. Additionally, this paper analyses the main type of content and the most commonly used type of media. Design/methodology/approach Research was based on a content analysis performed on 2,326 Facebook posts; a sample of 46 international leading companies in the fashion industry was analyzed in the time period between March 1 and May 31, 2015. Findings Facebook audience is positively related to retailer’s size. However, audiences in this sector are not related to the level of activity of the retailers’ Facebook pages. Audience engagement and participation in fashion retailer’s Facebook sites is higher in small retailers. The main content of the Facebook pages of top fashion retailers is marketing, photo albums and videos being the most popular drivers of this means. Originality/value No previous research analyzed fashion retailers use of Facebook sites. This study examines the variables size and engagement of fashion retailers’ audience on Facebook according to retailers’ size and activity on their corporate profiles.

Social media: a blessing or a curse? Voice of owners in the beauty and wellness industry

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kulvinder Kaur ◽  
Pawan Kumar
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Growth Potential ◽  
Social Media Marketing ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
Pros And Cons ◽  
Marketing Tool ◽  
Use Of Internet

PurposeThe rise in the use of Internet technologies and social media has shifted the marketing practices from offline to online. This study aims to determine the pros and cons of social media marketing in the beauty and wellness industry.Design/methodology/approachIn-depth interviews were conducted with the owners and marketing executives of beauty and wellness centers to understand the use of popular social media platforms in this industry and their pros and cons.FindingsThe researchers identified eight merits and seven demerits of social media in the beauty and wellness industry. Every respondent is happy and satisfied with social media use, particularly Instagram and Facebook. Irrespective of the demerits, they have shown the intention to increase its usage in the future. The merits override demerits; thus, social media is a blessing for this industry from the owners' perspective.Research limitations/implicationsThe research is exploratory and is confined to just one industry. Research implication is that the visual nature of social media makes it a powerful tool for the promotion of the beauty and wellness industry.Practical implicationsThe study's findings will be beneficial for small-scale businesses as it will push them to take advantage of this low-cost marketing tool.Social implicationsSocial media marketing is helpful for communication and marketing purposes for society.Originality/valueThe beauty and wellness industry remained unfocused by researchers because it is highly unorganized, fragmented and not regulated, yet has huge growth potential. This research will provide a closer look at this industry as well as social media marketing.

How to build employees' relationship capital through different enterprise social media platform use: the moderating role of innovation culture

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Liang Ma ◽  
Xin Zhang ◽  
Gaoshan Wang ◽  
Ge Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Information Exchange ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Enterprise Social Media ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Innovation Culture ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
Relationship Capital ◽  
Moderating Role

PurposeThe purpose of the present study is to build a research model to study how the use of different enterprise social media platforms affects employees' relationship capital, and the moderating role of innovation culture is also examined.Design/methodology/approachStructural equation modeling was performed to test the research model and hypotheses. Surveys were conducted in an electronic commerce company in China that uses different social media platforms, generating 301 valid responses for analysis.FindingsFirst, private social media used for work-related purposes can contribute to employees' relationship capital, and public social media QQ used for work-related purposes can contribute to employees' communication quality. WeChat used for social-related purposes has a positive effect on employees' information exchange. Second, innovation culture acts as a positive moderator between work-related media use and employees' information exchange, while innovation culture acts as a negative moderator between social-related WeChat use and employees' information exchange. Third, innovation culture acts as a positive moderator between work-related QQ use and employees' trust, while innovation culture acts as a negative moderator between social-related QQ use and employees' trust.Originality/valueFirst, this paper contributes to the information system (IS) social media literature by studying the effect of the use of different enterprise social media platforms used for different purposes on employees' relationship capital. Second, the authors contribute to relationship capital theory by clarifying that use of public and private social media platforms for social- and work-related purposes is an important driver of the formation of employees' relational capital. Third, the present study also contributes to enterprise social media literature by confirming that innovation culture acts as a different moderator between use of different enterprise social media platforms and employees' relationship capital.

The effects of social media usage on loneliness and well-being: analysing friendship connections of Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shaoyu Ye ◽  
Kevin K.W. Ho ◽  
Andre Zerbe
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
University Students ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Access Time ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Media Usage ◽  
Usage Patterns ◽  
Social Media Platforms

Purpose This study aims to clarify the effects of different patterns of Facebook, Twitter and Instagram usage on user loneliness and well-being in Japan. Design/methodology/approach Based on responses to a self-report questionnaire in Japan, 155 university students were separated into 4 groups: users of Twitter only, users of Twitter and Facebook, users of Twitter and Instagram and users of all three social media. The effects of social media usage on loneliness and well-being for each group were analysed. Findings No social media usage effects on loneliness or well-being were detected for those who used only Twitter or both Twitter and Instagram. For those using both Twitter and Facebook, loneliness was reduced when users accessed Twitter and Facebook more frequently but was increased when they posted more tweets. Users of all three social media were lonelier and had lower levels of well-being when they accessed Facebook via PC longer; whereas their their access time of Facebook via smartphones helped them decrease loneliness and improve their levels of well-being. Originality/value The findings reported here provide possible explanations for the conflicting results reported in previous research by exploring why users choose different social media platforms to communicate with different groups of friends or acquaintances and different usage patterns that affect their loneliness and well-being.

Consumer engagement in online brand communities: a social media perspective

2015 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 28-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laurence Dessart ◽  
Cleopatra Veloutsou ◽  
Anna Morgan-Thomas
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Holistic Approach ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Consumer Engagement ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Brand Communities ◽  
Online Brand Communities ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
Online Brand Community ◽  
Conceptual Relationships

Purpose – This paper aims to delineate the meaning, conceptual boundaries and dimensions of consumer engagement within the context of online brand communities both in term of the engagement with the brand and the other members of the online brand communities. It also explores the relationships of consumer engagement with other concepts, suggesting antecedents of engagement. Design/methodology/approach – Data are collected through semi-structured interviews with 21 international online brand community members, covering a variety of brand categories and social media platforms. Findings – This paper suggests that individuals are engaging in online communities in social network platforms both with other individuals and with brands. The study also identifies three key engagement dimensions (cognition, affect and behaviours). Their meaning and sub-dimensions are investigated. The paper further suggests key drivers, one outcome and objects of consumer engagement in online brand communities. These findings are integrated in a conceptual framework. Research limitations/implications – Further research should aim at comparing consumer engagement on different social media and across brand categories, as this study takes a holistic approach and does not focus on any particular category of brands or social media. Consumers’ views should also be evaluated against and compared with marketing managers’ understanding of consumer engagement. Originality/value – This paper contributes to the fast-growing and fragmented consumer engagement literature by refining the understanding of its dimensions and situating it in a network of conceptual relationships. It focusses on online brand communities in rich social media contexts to tap into the core social and interactive characteristics of engagement.

Groupon: let's make a deal?

2015 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 26-38
Author(s):  
Susan White
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Initial Public Offering ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Media Companies ◽  
Secondary Sources ◽  
Long Run ◽  
Public Offering ◽  
Media Firms ◽  
Term Performance

Synopsis Groupon, an online coupon company, was one of many companies that considered an initial public offering (IPO) during what might be a second technology/internet/social media IPO boom in 2011. Some companies chose to postpone their IPOs, while others took advantage of the media attention focussed on technology companies, and in particular, social media firms. Should investors hop on the tech IPO bandwagon, or hold off to better evaluate the long-term prospects of tech companies, and in particular social media companies? Would the valuation of Groupon justify an investment in IPO shares? Research methodology The case was researched from secondary sources, using Groupon's IPO filing information, news articles about the IPO and industry research sources, such as IBIS World. Relevant courses and levels This case is appropriate for an advanced undergraduate or MBA corporate finance or investment elective. Most introductory finance classes do not have the time to cover later chapters in a finance textbook, where information about IPOs is generally found. It could also be used at the end of a core finance course, where the instructor wanted to introduce this topic through a case study of a hard-to-value internet-based company to illustrate the difficulties in setting IPO prices. The case could also be used in an equity analysis class, an entrepreneurial finance class or an investment class, to spur discussion about valuing an internet company and choosing appropriate investments for pension fund investing. This case could also be used in a strategy class, focussing on the five forces question, and eliminating the valuation question. Theoretical basis There is a great deal of literature about IPOs and their long-term performance. An excellent source is Jay R. Ritter's research, http://bear.warrington.ufl.edu/ritter, which has a longer time period and more data than could be contained in this case. IPO puzzles include persistent undervaluing of IPOs; in other words, the offer price is lower than, and sometimes substantially lower than, the first day close price. A second issue is the generally poorer long-run performance of companies after their IPO when compared to similar firms that did not do an IPO.

Effects of relationship types on customers’ parasocial interactions

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 133-147 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seonjeong Ally Lee ◽  
Minwoo Lee
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Marketing Research ◽  
Customer Relationships ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Relationship Types ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
Parasocial Interactions

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate different types of customer relationships on customers’ interaction with the brand, based on prior social media and relationship marketing research. Design/methodology/approach A cross-sectional, self-administered online survey was conducted to investigate the role of different types of relationships on customers’ brand-relevant responses in the context of hotel social media platforms. Findings Results identified customers’ relationships with services and brands, and how other customers influenced their parasocial interactions (PSIs). Customers’ PSIs then positively influenced their self-brand connection and their brand usage intention. Originality/value This study was the first attempt to propose a conceptual framework to explain different types of customer relationships on customers’ interactions with the brand in the context of hotel social media platforms.

Investigating the effects of consistent visual identity on social media

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Harsandaldeep Kaur ◽  
Kanwal Roop Kaur
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Online Marketing ◽  
Media Environment ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Visual Identity ◽  
Company Reputation ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
Sphere Of Influence ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose Although the prominence of social media for companies is widely acknowledged, a close examination of the literature reveals a lack of empirical research pertaining to the effect of consistency specifically on social media. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to fill the gap in social media communication concerning the effect of consistent visual identity on social media users. Design/methodology/approach The study executed an experiment 2 (corporate visual identity condition) × 2 (organization type) between subjects design to map the effects of consistent visual identity on social media users appreciation of the visual identity, attitude toward the company, reputation and intention to commit to a company on social media. Findings The results of the study indicated the significant effects of consistent visual identity on social media users over the inconsistent conditions of visual identity on all dependent variables. Furthermore, there were insignificant main effects of organization type on general judgment, credibility, distinctiveness and reputation of the company. Practical implications This study presents the effects of consistent visual identity on social media platforms. The research will help marketing academicians, graphic designers and social media practitioners in online marketing by using its practical implications to strategically positioning their corporate brand in a social media environment. Originality/value This study provides novel insights on the impact of consistency on social media users. This is the first study to determine the role of consistent visual identity in the social media environment. It thereby adds to the literature of visual identity by developing the sphere of influence of consistency and its effects toward the user’s attitude.

Strong Value Proposition through Social Media Tools

2014 ◽  
pp. 223-252
Author(s):  
Avinash Kapoor ◽  
Chinmaya Kulshrestha
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Brand Image ◽  
Value Proposition ◽  
Brand Building ◽  
American Express ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
Social Media Tools

This chapter looks into social media tools being leveraged by marketing groups of various organisations. More specifically, this chapter attempts to identify the usefulness, sustainability, and reliability of social media tools in the context of the brand image of American Express. In the last two years, American Express has launched numerous touch points on various social media platforms, which include Facebook, LinkedIn, and FourSquare. The chapter concludes that social media tools do impact the brand building exercise of an organisation to offer strong value proposition, and therefore, American Express should also invest such effort to stay a leader in the payment industry. However, in order to target younger customers there is a need for revamping and rejuvenation the value proposition so as to remain young, meaningful, and contemporary.

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