Online Brand Communities: The Difference between Lurkers, Infrequent Posters, & Frequent Posters

2021 ◽  
pp. 0-8:08 minutes
Author(s):  
Caitlin McLaughlin
Keyword(s):  
Brand Loyalty ◽  
Purchase Intentions ◽  
Positive Outcomes ◽  
Brand Community ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Brand Communities ◽  
Online Brand Communities ◽  
Different Types ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Positive Word Of Mouth

Brand managers are very interested in getting brand communities right because they lead to many positive outcomes, such as increased brand loyalty, purchase intentions, positive word-of-mouth, and many others. The current module discusses the various types of brand community members. Historically, brand community members have been divided into two types. However, recent research indicates that there are, indeed, three different types of members: lurkers, infrequent posters, and frequent posters. These three types of members are discussed regarding their definition, their motivation when joining these brand communities, and why understanding these differences is important to brand managers.

Brand Community Satisfaction for Lurkers and Posters

2020 ◽  
pp. 0-6:06 minutes
Author(s):  
Caitlin McLaughlin
Keyword(s):  
Brand Loyalty ◽  
Word Of Mouth ◽  
Purchase Intentions ◽  
Positive Outcomes ◽  
Positive Word ◽  
Brand Community ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Brand Communities ◽  
Brand Engagement ◽  
Positive Word Of Mouth

Brand communities are extremely important to marketers because they lead to a variety of positive outcomes, including higher levels of brand loyalty, positive word-of-mouth, purchase intentions, brand engagement, etc. Because of this, brand community managers want to ensure that members have a positive experience when they join and participate in these communities. This module introduces brand communities, the various types of brand community members (i.e., lurkers and posters), and what these lurkers and posters expect when they join a brand community. Then, we discuss whether or not those expectations are satisfied – and implications for brand community managers.

Online brand communities as heterogeneous gatherings: a netnographic exploration of Apple users

2017 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 375-385 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tuğba Özbölük ◽  
Yunus Dursun
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Opinion Leader ◽  
Brand Community ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Brand Communities ◽  
Online Brand Communities ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Online Brand Community

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the different types of members based on their roles within an online brand community dedicated to Apple. Design/methodology/approach Design/methodology/approach Data are drawn from an 18-month netnographic study, including participant and non-participant observation. Findings Findings reveal that members of the online brand community share a common goal but they are heterogeneous in many respects. In this research, five different types of brand community members are identified: learner, pragmatist, activist, opinion leader and evangelist. These findings emphasize the heterogeneity of the brand community or the differences of members and subgroups they form in the community. Practical implications This paper offers some insights for brand managers. There are different sub-tribes in online brand communities and these sub-tribes develop their own meanings of the brand. This means that online brand communities do not form one single homogenous target group and can be segmented into subgroups. Findings also offer a deeper understanding of negative characteristics of online brand community members. The role “activist” found in this study may be crucial for marketers, as activists can represent the negative side of online brand communities. Originality/value The literature on brand communities has focused predominantly on the homogeneity of these communities. This paper extends the literature by demonstrating the heterogeneity in an online brand community. The paper contributes to the brand community literature by substantiating that online brand community members can be segmented into subgroups based on their roles within the community. In addition, the paper extends the existing literature on brand communities that has overlooked the destructive consumer roles.

scholarly journals Unveiling heterogeneous engagement-based loyalty in brand communities

2019 ◽  
Vol 53 (9) ◽  
pp. 1854-1881 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laurence Dessart ◽  
Joaquín Aldás-Manzano ◽  
Cleopatra Veloutsou
Keyword(s):  
Brand Loyalty ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Brand Community ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Brand Communities ◽  
Brand Engagement ◽  
Equation Modelling ◽  
Behavioural Engagement ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose Although recent research appreciates that consumers increasingly interact with brands in brand communities and that brand engagement is an important and complex phenomenon in brand communities, little is known about the nature of individuals’ brand engagement in brand communities. This study aims to identify brand community members’ segments in terms of their brand engagement within the community; help us understand if these segments use a different approach in the development of brand loyalty; and develop mechanisms that can be used to identify members of these segments. Design/methodology/approach The paper adopts a quantitative approach and uses a total of 970 responses from members of Facebook brand pages in three popular languages on Facebook (English, French and Spanish). Data are analysed with structural equation modelling, integrating FIMIX-PLS and POS-PLS. Findings The results reveal that cognitive, affective and behavioural engagement dimensions play a different role in driving brand loyalty. Three different segments of engaged consumers exist (emotional engagers, thinkers and active engagers). Variables related to the perceived value of the brand community provide initial explanations as to the differences of the consumer groups. Research limitations/implications The data were collected from a specific type of brand communities (Facebook-based, company-managed brand communities) and are self-reported. Practical implications This work demonstrates the heterogeneity of brand community members in terms of their brand engagement profile and the effect of this profile on the formation of behavioural brand loyalty. Suggestions on identifying members of these segments based on the value that they get from the community are offered. Originality/value This work extends the brand engagement and brand community literature. It is the first work that provides this nature of actionable suggestions to the teams supporting brands with brand communities.

scholarly journals “No piracy talk”: how online brand communities work to denormalize controversial gaming practices

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 1103-1122
Author(s):  
Daiane Scaraboto ◽  
Stefânia Ordovás de Almeida ◽  
João Pedro dos Santos Fleck
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Brand Community ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Brand Communities ◽  
Online Brand Communities ◽  
Online Brand Community ◽  
Alternative Practices ◽  
Normalization Process

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to explain how online brand communities work to support the denormalization of controversial (i.e. illegal yet normalized) gaming practices.Design/methodology/approachThis qualitative study was characterized by long-term immersion in an online brand community for Brazilian Xbox gamers. The dataset includes online and offline interactions with community members, interviews, and online archival data.FindingsThis study shows how online brand community members promoted legal gaming in a market where piracy was prevalent. It demonstrates how community members worked to establish coherence; engaged in cognitive participation; developed collective action that extended beyond the community; and reflected on their own work.Research limitations/implicationsThis study identifies online brand communities as a potential ally in combating controversial practices in online gaming; complements individual and behavioral approaches in explaining why consumers adopt controversial practices in online environments; and adds a normalization framework to the toolkit of Internet researchers.Practical implicationsThis study identifies ways in which the potential of online brand communities can be leveraged to reduce consumer adherence to controversial gaming practices through denormalizing these and normalizing alternative practices that may be more desirable to companies and other stakeholders.Originality/valueThis long-term, qualitative study inspired by normalization process theory offers an innovative perspective on the online practices of consumers who engage with a brand in ways that create value for themselves and for the brand.

Online customer engagement

2015 ◽  
Vol 26 (5) ◽  
pp. 777-806 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wafa Hammedi ◽  
Jay Kandampully ◽  
Ting Ting (Christina) Zhang ◽  
Lucille Bouquiaux
Keyword(s):  
Social Environment ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Social Environments ◽  
Brand Community ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Brand Communities ◽  
Online Brand Communities ◽  
Online Brand Community ◽  
Core Brand

Purpose – The emergence and success of online brand communities in the marketplace have attracted considerable interest; this study seeks to determine the conditions in which people create social environments by investigating the drivers of connections to a focal online brand community and other brand communities. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the composition of multi-community networks, focussing on the density and centrality of brand communities. Design/methodology/approach – On the basis of insights from prior literature, the proposed model examines customers’ social relationships with multiple brand communities. A survey of 290 participants spans eight brand communities. The modeling process used structural equation modeling; the analysis of the social relationship among brand communities relied on an ego network approach. Findings – Two drivers prompt connections to other online brand communities. First, personal identification with a core brand community enhances connections to other communities. Second, some core brand members choose a functionality-driven approach in creating social environments. Practical implications – For marketers, this study highlights the importance of positioning the brand community as part of a social environment. To strengthen customer-brand relationships, marketers should focus on community members’ multiple memberships. Originality/value – This paper extends understanding of online brand community members’ motivations to participate in a focal brand community. It also explains the creation of a social environment, through a careful consideration of participation in different brand communities and their relationships.

Sponsorship image transfer theory in virtual brand communities

2018 ◽  
Vol 118 (6) ◽  
pp. 1287-1302 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manuel Alonso Dos Santos ◽  
Francisco Rejón Guardia ◽  
Ferran Calabuig Moreno
Keyword(s):  
Positive Impact ◽  
Communication Strategies ◽  
Purchase Intentions ◽  
A Posteriori ◽  
Brand Community ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Brand Communities ◽  
Online Brand Communities ◽  
Online Brand Community ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to assess the influences and efficiency of a sports sponsorship in an online brand community. Design/methodology/approach The study was conducted through interviews with 609 social network users of a Spanish first league soccer team. The partial least squares (PLS) methodology was applied with a posteriori segmentation (PLS prediction-oriented segmentation (POS)). Findings The attitude toward the sponsor helps to assess the efficiency of sponsorships between companies. This variable is particularly relevant for evaluating sponsorship efficiency in online brand communities. Improving trust and assessing the sense of membership directly improves attitudes toward the team and the sponsored brands. The attitude toward the sponsor has a direct and positive impact on the purchase intentions. The use of a posteriori segmentation with the PLS–POS technique helps discriminate between groups. Research limitations/implications Among the limitations encountered, further study would require using a sample of various sports disciplines and cultures. Practical implications Specific actions and communication strategies are defined for each segment and in general to adapt communication strategies that improve identification with virtual brand communities. The study has revealed involvement-related differences resulting from the impact that engagement with the sponsored team may have on the assessed relationships. Originality/value The study of the effects of sponsorship and the use of a posteriori variables user segmentation in an online brand community are used.

Virtual brand community engagement practices: a refined typology and model

2017 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 204-217 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda D. Hollebeek ◽  
Biljana Juric ◽  
Wenyan Tang
Keyword(s):  
Community Engagement ◽  
Process Model ◽  
Component Model ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Brand Community ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Brand Communities ◽  
Four Component Model ◽  
Online Brand Communities

Purpose Despite Schau et al.’s (2009) pioneering research addressing consumers’ community engagement practices, scholarly understanding of the nature and dynamics characterizing consumers’ engagement practices in virtual (online) brand communities, and their inter-relationships, is limited to date. Building on these authors’ study, this paper aims to develop a refined typology and process model of virtual brand community engagement practices (VBCEPs). Design/methodology/approach Using the netnographic methodology, the authors analyze 20 luxury handbag community members’ entries posted on the brand’s particular section of The Purse Forum. Findings The authors develop an eight-component VBCEP typology that refines Schau et al.’s (2009) four-component model of brand community engagement practices. The model comprises “greeting”, “regulating”, “assisting”, “celebrating”, “appreciating”, “empathizing”, “mingling” and “ranking”. These practices contribute to and maintain the community’s vision and identity, and strengthen shared community consciousness. Research limitations/implications A key limitation of this research lies in its findings being generated from a single, luxury virtual brand community. Future research may thus wish to validate the VBCEP typology and model across different contexts. Practical implications The authors provide strategic managerial recommendations designed to leverage virtual brand community performance, which center predominantly on the social (altruistic) and achievement-based VBCEP sub-processes. Originality/value The eight-component VBCEP typology refines Schau et al.’s four-component model of brand community engagement practices with particular applicability to virtual brand communities.

Enhancing Consumers' Stickiness to Online Brand Communities as an Innovative Relationship Marketing Strategy

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 16-34 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mei-hui Chen ◽  
Kune-muh Tsai ◽  
Yi-An Ke
Keyword(s):  
Social Networking Sites ◽  
Information Quality ◽  
Customer Relationships ◽  
Brand Community ◽  
Brand Communities ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Online Brand Communities ◽  
Final Sample ◽  
Community Identification ◽  
Positive Word Of Mouth

With the popularity of social networking sites, enterprises start to establish their own brand communities to manage and maintain customer relationships. Consumer stickiness is regarded as one of the critical determinants for the success of a brand community. Enhancing consumers' stickiness to online communities can lead to repurchase behavior and positive word-of-mouth and thereby increase sales volume and customer recruitment. This study endeavors to explore the antecedents of consumers' stickiness to a SNS-based online brand community from the aspects of enterprises and consumers. Data were collected through online questionnaires conducted on Do-Survey website with a hyperlink posted on the PTT, the largest BBS website of Taiwan. After excluding non-usable data, the final sample size was 516. The results indicated that information quality, perceived value, and community identification have positive effects on consumers' stickiness to online brand communities. Moreover, stickiness to online brand communities has positive impacts on customer loyalty.

scholarly journals The Dynamics of Value Creation in Online Brand Communities: Strategy Map Approach

2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 48-58 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rizwan Shabbir ◽  
Chatchai Pitsaphol . ◽  
Waseem Hassan .
Keyword(s):  
Community Participation ◽  
Value Creation ◽  
Brand Loyalty ◽  
Online Community ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Brand Community ◽  
Brand Communities ◽  
Online Brand Communities ◽  
Online Brand Community ◽  
The Impact

As the clout of social networking is growing, brand managers are exploring diversified marketing strategies and consumer attitudes. The current study reveals the impact of value creation practices and brand loyalty in online brand communities based on perceived benefits enjoyed by consumers. Based on quantitative research approach, a sample of 308 respondents were collected to investigate relationships among online brand community participation, value creation practices and brand loyalty. The results highlighted hedonic, learning, self-esteem and social benefits as antecedents for online brand community participation. Moreover, value creation practices are derived as essential factor for enhancing brand loyalty among online community members. The finding exhibited valuable insights about developing corporate strategies to achieve customer intimacy for long-term relationship. Managerial implications are explained by identifying value-creation practices as a mechanism for enhancing consumer engagement and relationship management.

The role of personalization, engagement, and trust in online communities

2016 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 580-596 ◽  
Author(s):  
Minjeong Kang ◽  
Dong-Hee Shin ◽  
Taeshik Gong
Keyword(s):  
Community Engagement ◽  
Marketing Strategies ◽  
Brand Community ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Brand Communities ◽  
Online Brand Communities ◽  
Perceived Familiarity

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore whether brand community characteristics (perceived personalization and familiarity among members) affect brand community engagement through customer-to-customer (C2C) interaction. Design/methodology/approach – A survey questionnaire was distributed to members of online brand communities to test the research hypotheses. Findings – The findings showed that the relationships among the brand community constructs are significant. C2C interaction mediates the relations between the characteristic variables and brand community engagement. Furthermore, the findings revealed that brand community trust moderates the effects of perceived personalization on the quality of C2C interaction and on brand community engagement. It also moderates the relations between perceived familiarity among community members and each of brand community engagement and the quality of C2C interaction. Practical implications – Marketers should utilize a brand community’s C2C interaction for its marketing strategies. Moreover, managing brand communities by focussing on perceived personalized service and the familiarity of members can also ultimately increase community engagement by enhancing the quality of C2C communication. Originality/value – This study argues that firms need to manage online brand communities intuitively in order to increase members’ community engagement. To do so, they need to allocate spaces in which C2C communication can actively occur within brand communities, for example, in a discussion forum.

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