Conversation, storytelling, or consumer interaction and participation? The impact of brand-owned social media content marketing on consumers' brand perceptions and attitudes. Issue 3 (15th June 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: He, Ai-Zhong; Cai, Yi; Cai, Ling; Zhang, Yu
• Is Part Of: Journal of research in interactive marketing. Volume 15:Issue 3(2021)
• Page Start: 419
• Page End: 440
• Publication Date: 2021-06-15
• Subjects: Social media marketing -- Interactivity -- Brand personality -- Consumer psychology -- Quantitative research; Interactive marketing -- Periodicals; 658.872
• DOI: 10.1108/JRIM-08-2019-0128
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2040-7122

Abstract

Abstract : Purpose: This paper studies the relationships among consumers' perceptions of brand personality, consumers' brand attitudes and brand-owned social media content marketing (SMCM). The moderating effect of the brand content relevancy was also assessed. Design/methodology/approach: A conceptual model was established and examined using two experiments with a total of 363 participants. Hierarchical regression analysis and an analysis of variance were performed to test seven research hypotheses. Findings: Results show that the three forms of brand-owned SMCM, namely: conversation, storytelling and customer interaction and participation, are positively correlated with consumers' brand personality perceptions and brand attitudes. Also, consumers' perceptions of brand personality can partially mediate the relationship between brand-owned content marketing and consumers' brand attitudes. Furthermore, the brand content relevancy does not show a moderating effect on the relationship between content marketing and consumers' brand personality perceptions or brand attitudes. Originality/value: First, a framework was established to delineate those paths by which owned social media content marketing (OSMCM) influences consumers' attitudes towards a brand. Second, the study demonstrates the importance of conversation as a powerful method of OSMCM. Third, with respect to content in marketing strategies, firms do not need to confine themselves to a narrow scope of content or information that is closely related to the brands alone.