Short answer

Invest in authentic social media marketing that cultivates customer engagement and perceived relational benefits, as these are the primary drivers of long-term customer equity.

Field: Innovation & Design
Source: Journal of theoretical and applied electronic commerce research (2025)
Method: Experimental Design
Sample: 298 participants
Evidence: Strong effect

Strategic social media marketing activities are a potent driver of customer engagement and relational benefits, ultimately building stronger customer equity. This innovation & design research insight is drawn from a 2025 study published in Journal of theoretical and applied electronic commerce research. Using Experimental design with 298 participants, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Invest in authentic social media marketing that cultivates customer engagement and perceived relational benefits, as these are the primary drivers of long-term customer equity.

Study

Innovation & DesignNew This WeekStrong effect

Social Media Marketing Activities Significantly Boost Customer Engagement and Relationship Equity

Strategic social media marketing activities are a potent driver of customer engagement and relational benefits, ultimately building stronger customer equity.

Journal of theoretical and applied electronic commerce research · 2025

Key Findings

01Social media marketing activities significantly enhance customer engagement.
02Social media marketing activities significantly enhance relational benefits (confidence and social benefits).
03Customer engagement, confidence benefits, and social benefits contribute to relationship equity.
04Special treatment benefits did not show a significant effect on relationship equity.
05Exposure to advertisements amplified the impact of social media marketing activities on customer engagement and relationship outcomes.

Application

Design takeaway

Invest in authentic social media marketing that cultivates customer engagement and perceived relational benefits, as these are the primary drivers of long-term customer equity.

How to apply

Develop a social media strategy that focuses on building trust and community, rather than solely on promotional offers. Test different content formats and engagement tactics to see what resonates best with your target audience.

Project actions

01When designing a social media campaign for a product or service, consider how it will encourage interaction and build a sense of community.
02Think about the 'relational benefits' your design can offer beyond the core function of the product.

Method & Evidence

AimHow do social media marketing activities influence customer engagement, perceived relational benefits, and ultimately, relationship equity in trust-based service industries?

MethodExperimental Design

ProcedureParticipants were exposed to real social media advertisements from a bank. Data were collected and analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) to assess the relationships between social media marketing activities, customer engagement, relational benefits, and relationship equity.

Sample298 participants

ContextBanking and trust-based service industries

Variables

IV["Social Media Marketing Activities (SMMA)","Ad Exposure"]

DV["Customer Engagement (CE)","Relational Benefits (Confidence, Social, Special Treatment)","Relationship Equity"]

CV["Type of service (banking)","Theoretical framework (Social Exchange Theory)"]

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

+Uses real social media ads for ecological validity.
+Employs a robust statistical analysis (PLS-SEM).

Limitations

The study's findings might be specific to the banking sector and could vary for different types of products or services.

Reliability & validity

The use of a between-subjects experimental design and PLS-SEM contributes to the study's internal validity. Ecological validity is enhanced by using real bank ads. Further research could explore external validity across different cultural contexts and service types.

Think critically

To what extent can the findings regarding 'special treatment' benefits be generalized, and what alternative design approaches might be more effective in delivering this type of benefit?

Design Principles

"Design for engagement and perceived value to build lasting customer relationships."

In an increasingly digital marketplace, understanding how to leverage social media is crucial for fostering lasting customer relationships. This research provides a framework for how design and marketing efforts can be integrated to create tangible value beyond transactional interactions.

What This Means for Your Design

Brands can build stronger customer loyalty by using social media to get customers involved and make them feel good about the relationship, not just by offering discounts.

How to use in your project

1.Reference this study when discussing how your design project's marketing or engagement strategy aims to build customer relationships and equity.

Add to My Project

Quick Cite

Paragraph starter

This research highlights the significant impact of social media marketing activities on fostering customer engagement and building relationship equity. By strategically designing social media interactions to enhance perceived confidence and social benefits, designers can contribute to stronger, more enduring customer bonds, a critical factor in the success of many modern brands.

Source

Journal of theoretical and applied electronic commerce research

Building Relationship Equity: Role of Social Media Marketing Activities, Customer Engagement, and Relational Benefits

journal · 2025

View source

Questions About This Research

What does the research say about social media marketing activities significantly boost customer engagement and relationship equity?: Invest in authentic social media marketing that cultivates customer engagement and perceived relational benefits, as these are the primary drivers of long-term customer equity. Evidence: Journal of theoretical and applied electronic commerce research (2025).
Why does "Social Media Marketing Activities Significantly Boost Customer Engagement and Relationship Equity" matter for design?: In an increasingly digital marketplace, understanding how to leverage social media is crucial for fostering lasting customer relationships. This research provides a framework for how design and marketing efforts can be integrated to create tangible value beyond transactional interactions.
How can designers apply this research?: Invest in authentic social media marketing that cultivates customer engagement and perceived relational benefits, as these are the primary drivers of long-term customer equity.
What were the main findings?: Social media marketing activities significantly enhance customer engagement.. Social media marketing activities significantly enhance relational benefits (confidence and social benefits).. Customer engagement, confidence benefits, and social benefits contribute to relationship equity.. Special treatment benefits did not show a significant effect on relationship equity.
What research method was used?: Experimental Design with 298 participants.
How strong is the evidence?: Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2025 journal from Journal of theoretical and applied electronic commerce research.
What should I do differently in my next project?: Develop a social media strategy that focuses on building trust and community, rather than solely on promotional offers. Test different content formats and engagement tactics to see what resonates best with your target audience.
What are the limitations?: The study focused on a specific industry (banking) and may not generalize to all service sectors. The effect of 'special treatment' benefits warrants further investigation.