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This study explores some central questions related to the connections between social media marketing efforts (SMMEs) and brand loyalty by seeking to understand the mediating role of social media customer brand engagement (CBE) in the airline context.

The research model was examined empirically by targeting 360 consumers who follow Royal Jordanian Airlines on Facebook pages. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to analyze the data collected.

Using the Stimulus–Organism–Response (S–O–R) theory and customer engagement model as the theoretical foundations, this study confirms that SMMEs are a strong predictor and play a vital role in developing and building social media customer engagement and brand loyalty. This study also found that the cognitive aspect of CBE is a key driver in enhancing brand loyalty. Furthermore, cognitive social media CBE positively mediated the relationship between SMMEs and brand loyalty. Contrary to expectations, emotional CBE had no mediating effect on the relationship between SMMEs and brand loyalty.

This study contributes to CBE literature by adding SMMEs as antecedents. In addition, the findings of this study add the mediation effect of the cognitive component of customer engagement, through which SMMEs influence brand loyalty.