Short answer
Prioritize content that offers tangible value and information to users, as this directly translates to increased brand advocacy and sales.
- Field
- Innovation & Markets
- Source
- Journal of Marketing and Consumer Behaviour in Emerging Markets (2018)
- Method
- Quantitative research using structural equation modeling.
- Sample
- 640 participants
- Evidence
- Strong effect
When social media platforms are perceived as useful for gathering product information, users become more engaged with brands, leading to increased recommendations and purchase intentions. This innovation & markets research insight is drawn from a 2018 study published in Journal of Marketing and Consumer Behaviour in Emerging Markets. Using Quantitative research using structural equation modeling. with 640 participants, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Prioritize content that offers tangible value and information to users, as this directly translates to increased brand advocacy and sales.
Perceived Usefulness of Social Media Drives Brand Engagement and Purchase Intent
When social media platforms are perceived as useful for gathering product information, users become more engaged with brands, leading to increased recommendations and purchase intentions.
Journal of Marketing and Consumer Behaviour in Emerging Markets · 2018
Key Findings
- 01Perceived usefulness of Facebook positively influences customer brand engagement.
- 02Customer brand engagement significantly impacts the intention to purchase and recommend a brand.
- 03Facebook serves as an effective electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) tool by building trust in recommendations.
Application
Design takeaway
Prioritize content that offers tangible value and information to users, as this directly translates to increased brand advocacy and sales.
How to apply
Develop social media content strategies that emphasize educational, problem-solving, or informative aspects of products and services, rather than purely promotional material.
Project actions
- 01When researching user behaviour on digital platforms, consider how the perceived value of the platform influences their interaction with brands.
- 02Explore how different types of content (e.g., informational vs. entertaining) impact user engagement and subsequent actions.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Utilizes structural equation modeling for robust analysis of relationships between variables.
- +Addresses a relevant and contemporary topic in digital marketing and consumer behaviour.
Limitations
Self-reported data may be subject to social desirability bias, and causality is inferred rather than definitively proven.
Reliability & validity
The study's reliability is supported by the use of established scales for measuring constructs. Validity is addressed through the structural equation model, which tests the relationships between hypothesized variables.
Think critically
To what extent does the 'usefulness' of a social media platform depend on the individual user's needs and goals, and how can designers cater to this diversity?
Design Principles
"The utility-driven engagement principle: Design for usefulness to foster authentic user engagement and advocacy."
This highlights the critical role of perceived utility in social media marketing. Brands can leverage this by providing valuable content that users find helpful, thereby fostering deeper engagement and driving desired consumer actions.
What This Means for Your Design
If people think a social media site is really helpful for finding out about stuff, they'll get more interested in brands on it and be more likely to buy things and tell their friends.
How to use in your project
- 1.This research can inform the design of user interfaces for platforms or apps by highlighting the importance of providing clear, useful information to users.
- 2.It can also guide the development of marketing strategies for digital products, emphasizing content that enhances perceived utility.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
Paragraph starter
This study demonstrates that the perceived usefulness of social media platforms, such as Facebook, is a significant driver of user engagement with brands. When users find a platform valuable for information gathering, they are more likely to become engaged, leading to increased intentions to purchase and recommend products. This underscores the importance of designing digital experiences and content that prioritize utility to foster authentic brand advocacy.
Source
Journal of Marketing and Consumer Behaviour in Emerging Markets
Antecedents of Word-of-Mouth Communication and Purchase Intention on Facebook
journal · 2018
View sourceQuestions About This Research
- What does the research say about perceived usefulness of social media drives brand engagement and purchase intent?
- Prioritize content that offers tangible value and information to users, as this directly translates to increased brand advocacy and sales. Evidence: Journal of Marketing and Consumer Behaviour in Emerging Markets (2018).
- Why does "Perceived Usefulness of Social Media Drives Brand Engagement and Purchase Intent" matter for design?
- This highlights the critical role of perceived utility in social media marketing. Brands can leverage this by providing valuable content that users find helpful, thereby fostering deeper engagement and driving desired consumer actions.
- How can designers apply this research?
- Prioritize content that offers tangible value and information to users, as this directly translates to increased brand advocacy and sales.
- What were the main findings?
- Perceived usefulness of Facebook positively influences customer brand engagement.. Customer brand engagement significantly impacts the intention to purchase and recommend a brand.. Facebook serves as an effective electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) tool by building trust in recommendations.
- What research method was used?
- Quantitative research using structural equation modeling. with 640 participants.
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2018 journal from Journal of Marketing and Consumer Behaviour in Emerging Markets.
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- Develop social media content strategies that emphasize educational, problem-solving, or informative aspects of products and services, rather than purely promotional material.
- What are the limitations?
- The study was conducted in Romania, and findings may vary across different cultural contexts and social media platforms.