Examining the mediating role of social interactivity between customer engagement and brand loyalty

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ding Hooi Ting ◽  
Amir Zaib Abbasi ◽  
Sohel Ahmed

PurposeThis study aims at identifying and examining the mediating role of customer engagement behavior and social interactivity onbrand loyalty.Design/methodology/approachA correlational study design was adopted in this study to collect data (online survey) from 400 online participants active on Facebook pages.FindingsEmpirical results reveal that there is a significant and positive impact of social interactivity on consumer engagement behavior and brand loyalty.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings would help decision makers to make useful decisions in their everyday work practices, which would ultimately increase the market competition of brands.Practical implicationsDecision makers should focus on the entertainment and interactivity levels in advertisement designs that would allow customers to perceive the novelty of advertising.Social implicationsThe results are critical in developing consumers' attitude and perception toward a brand by providing them insights regarding the characteristics of brands.Originality/valueThe participation and social interactivity of consumers on the Facebook page drive consumer engagement behavior and brand loyalty.

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 643-666
Author(s):  
Lingyun Guo ◽  
Xiayu Hu ◽  
Xuguang Wei ◽  
Xiaonan Cai

Purpose This paper aims to help hosts or service providers of sharing economy-based accommodation (SEA) to attract new customers and retain existing customers by exploring the antecedents and outcomes of customers’ participation intention. Design/methodology/approach A questionnaire-based empirical study was conducted to explore the proposed relationships in SEA. Partial least squares modeling with SmartPLS was used to estimate the model and interpret the results. Findings The study shows that personal factors (utilitarian and hedonic motivation) positively influence customers’ participation intention. The relationship between environmental stimuli (perceived information fit-to-task and perceived visual appeal) and participation intention is negatively moderated by hedonic motivation. Furthermore, the results suggest a positive effect of participation intention on customer engagement behavior and the partial mediating role of experience evaluation. Practical implications This paper provides industry practitioners of SEA with valuable insights on attracting new customers and retaining regular customers. First, they can distinguish customers in terms of motivation and provide information based on their requirements. Second, they can encourage customers to evaluate their experience and provide feedback, which would help in promoting the accommodation and service and building a long-term and harmonious relationship with the customers. Originality/value This study first investigates the interaction effect of personal motivation and environmental stimuli on participation intention in SEA. It further examines the influence of participation intention on customer engagement behavior and the mediating role of experience evaluation.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 160-170
Author(s):  
Ligita Zailskaite-Jakste ◽  
Inga Minelgaite

This study analyzes marketing communication (MC) impact on brand equity (BE) in social media (SM) seeking to identify mediating role of consumer engagement behavior (CEB) between generated functional and hedonic content on brand equity (BE). The CEB is divided into three levels: consuming, contributing, and creating. A survey-based empirical study with 402 respondents was conducted in the Eastern Europe country Lithuania. The implemented five control variables disclosed new mediation tracks and the good fit of the model, with the main findings of the research being that CEB occurring via SM platforms mediates the relationship between marketing communication and BE.  These outcomes suggest that companies seeking to make an impact on BE through CEB in level creation, should develop company-created utilitarian content which may engage consumers, extending the reach of their content and helping to facilitate long-term brand loyalty. Keywords: marketing communication; consumer engagement behavior; social media; brand equity.  


2018 ◽  
Vol 46 (8) ◽  
pp. 764-779 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Paul Basewe Kosiba ◽  
Henry Boateng ◽  
Abednego Feehi Okoe Amartey ◽  
Robert Owusu Boakye ◽  
Robert Hinson

PurposeIn recent times, there has been a growing research interest in customer engagement; however, there is a paucity of empirical evidence on the drivers and outcomes of customer engagement such as brand loyalty. Furthermore, the customer engagement and brand loyalty literature have paid little attention to trustworthiness, even though it has the potential of explaining customer engagement, brand loyalty and their relationships. Consequently, the purpose of this paper is to ascertain the drivers of customer engagement and its relationship with brand loyalty in the context of retail banking in Ghana.Design/methodology/approachThe authors employed the survey research design. The authors collected data from retail banking customers in Ghana using the intercept approach. There were 385 respondents. The authors analysed the data using the structural equation modelling approach.FindingsThe results show that trustworthiness drives customer engagement which results in brand loyalty. The findings reveal that trustworthiness is defined through integrity, benevolence and ability while customer engagement is defined via emotional engagement, cognitive engagement and behavioural engagement.Originality/valueThis study examines the impact of trustworthiness on customer engagement and brand loyalty. It shows the mediating role of customer engagement in the relationship between trustworthiness and brand loyalty.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yan Yang ◽  
Jing Hu ◽  
Bang Nguyen

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the effect of the feeling awe on individuals' endorsement of conformist attitudes in consumption choices and the mediating role of social connectedness in generating this effect.Design/methodology/approachWe test our hypotheses across three studies. Study 1 used an online survey. Study 2 and 3 conducted two laboratory experiments to induce awe and measured consumer conformity in two consumption choice tasks.FindingsThis research shows that both dispositional awe and induced awe can increase individuals' preferences for majority-endorsed vs. minority-endorsed choice alternatives in subsequently unrelated consumption situations, and this effect is mediated by perceptions of social connectedness with other decision-makers.Practical implicationsMarketers can promote the sales of mass-market products through inducing awe.Social implicationsPublic regulators could utilize people's incidental awe as an effective policy intervention to nudge individual cooperation in some cases.Originality/valueThe research is the first to demonstrate a novel consequence of awe on consumer decision-making. It also highlights the significance of desire for social connectedness that explains why the feeling of awe develops conformity to the opinions of unknown people.


2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 117-135 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diem Khac Xuan Do ◽  
Kaleel Rahman ◽  
Linda J. Robinson

Purpose Understanding negative customer engagement is important as it is argued that negative information has a stronger impact on a customer’s brand perception and purchase decision than that of positive information. Hence, this paper aims to propose new determinants of negatively valenced customer engagement, including disengaged and negatively engaged behaviours in a service consumption context and explore under what conditions customers display disengaged or negatively engaged behaviours. Design/methodology/approach This study incorporates justice theory, expectancy disconfirmation theory and psychology literature to propose determinants of negative customer engagement behaviours. Findings A conceptual framework is developed that proposes customer perceived justice and negative disconfirmation as determinants of negative customer engagement via the mediator of customer outrage. Moderating variables, include self-esteem, self-efficacy, altruism and vengeance; are also proposed to affect disengaged/negatively engaged behaviours. Originality/value This study is the first to specify the underlying reasons of negative customer engagement by establishing the conceptual linkages between negative disconfirmation, justice and negative customer engagement via the mediating role of customer outrage. Further, customer resources are used to understand disengaged/negatively engaged behaviours. In doing so, this study views negative customer engagement from the perspective of a customer’s internal response to the trigger experience, rather than the experience itself. Thus, this study contributes to literature on customer engagement by developing a conceptual framework that illustrates the underlying cognitive and affective responses that drive negative customer engagement behaviours.


2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 233-253 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nagaraj Samala ◽  
Bharath Shashanka Katkam

Purpose Millennial generation is fashion inclined, interactive and informative social beings. They are very conscious of the brands they wear. Millennia seek, share, inform and exchange fashion brand-related information on social networking sites (SNS). Marketers are subsequently engaging the young prospects and customers to keep up or improve enthusiasm and participation. The study attempts to investigate the role of customer-brand engagement (CBE) of millennials with fashion brands on SNS. The study simultaneously tests the moderating role of involvement levels affecting participation and CBE leading to brand loyalty. Design/methodology/approach The study followed a purposive sample by collecting 466 respondents from the graduate students of a university. The study adopted structural equation modelling (SEM) and Hayes process macros in SPSS 20.0 to test the moderated-mediation model. Findings The study confirms the mediating role of CBE in the relationship between participation and brand loyalty. Different degrees of involvement moderate the mediating role of CBE. Higher levels of involvement enhance the positive effect of participation on CBE. Originality/value The study is first of its kind to investigate the role of CBE and involvement among the millennial group. It also contributes to the related theories like service-dominant logic, social exchange theory and consumer culture theory regarding a unique population group, which is promising and profitable.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
George Kofi Amoako ◽  
Joshua Kofi Doe ◽  
Robert Kwame Dzogbenuku

Purpose This study aims to establish the link between business ethics and brand loyalty and to investigate the mediating role of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) such as green marketing. Design/methodology/approach Using the purposive sampling technique, data were obtained from 622 middle-income city dwellers who shop at leading retail malls. Data were analyzed with partial least square–structural equation model. Findings The study found a positive and significant relationship between business ethics, CSR, green marketing and business loyalty. Both CSR and green marketing mediate between perceived firm ethicality and brand loyalty. Research limitations/implications This research was done based on general knowledge of business ethics, CSR and green marketing from the consumers’ perspective. Future studies can avoid this limitation. Practical implications By ensuring ethical codes, CSR and green marketing, firms can contribute to promoting the SDGs, and at the same time, achieving customer loyalty. Brand loyalty is further enhanced if customers see a firm to be practicing CSR. Social implications The SDGs of sustainable production patterns, climate change and its impacts, and sustainably using water resources must become the focus of companies as they ultimately yield loyalty. Policymakers and society can design a policy to facilitate adoption of better ethical behavior and green marketing by firms as a way of promoting SDGs. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to test the mediation effect of green marketing and CSR on how ethical behavior leads to brand loyalty. It is also one of the few papers to examine how SDGs can be promoted by businesses as stakeholders.


2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 306-329
Author(s):  
İlkin Yaran Ögel

As environmental problems are dramatically alarming the world, environmental issues have become the primary concerns of both consumers and companies. To please the environmental wants of consumers, many companies have to adopt green solutions today. Green brands are one of these solutions. Nevertheless, little has been known about the green brands. In this sense, this study attempts to explore the interaction between brand image (BIm), brand attachment (BAtt), customer engagement (CEn) and brand loyalty (BLo) within the scope of green brands as previously untapped context. In this study while brand image is determined as independent variable; customer engagement is specified as the mediator variable which mediates the link between brand image and brand attachment. Data were gathered from 428 participants through convenience sampling method. To examine the links between the variables in the suggested model, structural equation modelling was utilized. The results regarding the study bring out that brand image for green brands significantly influences customer engagement and brand attachment in a positive way; customer engagement has also a significant positive influence on brand attachment for green brands; and brand attachment for green brands significantly affects brand loyalty toward these brands in a positive way. In addition, partial mediating influence of customer engagement on the link between brand image for green brands and brand attachment was found significant. These findings also ensure applicable insights to practitioners, who are responsible for promotion of green brands, by emphasizing the importance of increasing brand image, customer engagement and customer attachment to generate loyal green customers.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lingyun Guo ◽  
Xiayu Hu ◽  
Jinxuan Lu ◽  
Ling Ma

PurposeLive streaming commerce, a new form of social commerce where firms integrate with broadcasters, community members and customers in live chat rooms for real-time interaction to help sell products, has become increasingly popular. However, factors that impact the success of live streaming commerce are not fully explored. The purpose of this study is to examine these factors by exploring the relationships among customer trust (i.e., trust in broadcasters, community members, and products) and customer engagement, and the mediating role of swift guanxi.Design/methodology/approachThe authors surveyed 422 customers who have watched Taobao Live, one of the largest live streaming commerce sites in China, and used their questionnaires to test the research model employing partial least squares modeling.FindingsThe authors’ results indicate that trust in broadcasters has a positive effect on trust in products and community members, which positively influences trust in products. Additionally, swift guanxi has a fully mediating effect on the relationship between customers' trust in broadcasters and customer engagement.Originality/valueFirst, from the theoretical perspective, this study comprehensively identifies three types of trust, explores the transfer relationships among trust in broadcasters, community members, and products based on Trust Transfer Theory. In addition, this study examines the mediating influence of swift guanxi on the relationship between customer trust and engagement. Second, from the managerial perspective, the study provides insights to help broadcasters and practitioners use live streaming to facilitate shopping.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wan-Hsiu Sunny Tsai ◽  
Yu Liu ◽  
Ching-Hua Chuan

PurposeThis study presents one of the earliest empirical investigations on how brand chatbots' anthropomorphic design and social presence communication strategies may improve consumer evaluation outcomes via the mediators of parasocial interaction and perceived dialogue.Design/methodology/approachThis study employs a 2 (high vs. low social presence communication) by 2 (anthropomorphic vs. non-anthropomorphic bot profile) between-subject experimental design to evaluate how chatbots' high social presence communication and anthropomorphic profile design may enhance perceptions of parasocial interactions and dialogue with the chatbot, which in turn drive user engagement, interaction satisfaction and attitude toward the represented brand.FindingsThe influences of chatbots' high social presence communication on consumer engagement outcomes are mediated by perceived parasocial interaction and dialogue. Additionally, chatbots' anthropomorphic profile design can boost the positive effects of social presence communication via the psychological mediators.Originality/valueThis study advances the interactive marketing literature by focusing on an emerging interactive technology, chatbots. Additionally, distinct from prior chatbot studies that focused on the utilitarian use of chatbots for online customer support, this study not only examines which factors of chatbot communication and profile design may drive chatbot effectiveness but also examines the mechanism underlying the messaging and design effects on consumer engagement. The findings highlight the mediating role of interpersonal factors of parasocial interaction and perceived dialogue.


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