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1 – 10 of 149Teng Teng, Huifang Li, Yulin Fang and Lingzhi Shen
In recent years, closed social networking sites (SNSs) have become popular advertising media. Marketer-generated advertisements (MGAs) and user-generated advertisements (UGAs) are…
Abstract
Purpose
In recent years, closed social networking sites (SNSs) have become popular advertising media. Marketer-generated advertisements (MGAs) and user-generated advertisements (UGAs) are the two pillars of advertising businesses. The objective of this research is to investigate and compare how these ad types (i.e. MGA versus UGA) affect advertising effectiveness in closed SNSs.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors conducted a scenario-based experiment of 403 WeChat users in China and used partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to examine the research model.
Findings
The study results indicate that UGAs perform better than MGAs in enhancing consumers' perceived informativeness, credibility and entertainment, while MGAs are more likely to make consumers feel irritated than UGAs in closed SNSs. Moreover, consumers' perceived informativeness, credibility and entertainment positively influence advertising effectiveness, whereas perceived irritation negatively affects it.
Originality/value
This study reveals consumers' psychological response mechanisms to MGA and UGA and sheds light on their differential effectiveness by extending the stimuli-organism-response model to the context of closed SNSs.
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Snehasish Banerjee and Alton Y.K. Chua
This study investigates how autonomous vehicle (AV)-related electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) of different polarities affects attitude and perceived risk from the perspectives of…
Abstract
Purpose
This study investigates how autonomous vehicle (AV)-related electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) of different polarities affects attitude and perceived risk from the perspectives of both passengers and pedestrians and whether any gender differences exist. It also seeks to identify AV-adoption user archetypes.
Design/methodology/approach
An online experiment was conducted, manipulating eWOM polarity (positive, negative or mixed) as a between-participants factor.
Findings
While eWOM polarity did not affect attitude, perceived risk was the highest in the mixed eWOM condition. Males and females differed from each other in terms of attitude toward AVs from a passenger perspective, attitude toward AVs from a pedestrian perspective and perceived risk for passengers in AVs. Four AV-adoption user archetypes were identified: AV watchfuls, AV optimists, AV nonchalants and AV skeptics.
Originality/value
The paper contributes to the AV adoption literature by adding the effects of eWOM. It not only sheds light on how AV-related eWOM polarity affects attitude and perceived risk but also teases out nuances from the perspectives of passengers and pedestrians as a function of gender.
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Ernest Emeka Izogo and Mercy Mpinganjira
Marketer-generated value-laden social media digital content marketing (VSM-DCM) relates to content that is neither too “pushy” nor too “pully.” On the foundation of media…
Abstract
Purpose
Marketer-generated value-laden social media digital content marketing (VSM-DCM) relates to content that is neither too “pushy” nor too “pully.” On the foundation of media engagement, motivation- and attitude-based theories, this study rationalizes and investigates the mechanism that underlies the effect of VSM-DCM on electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) intention.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors devised a 2 (product type: search vs. experience) × 3 (VSM-DCM: utilitarian vs. hedonic vs. utilitarian + hedonic) between-subject design (N = 360) after three pre-tests (N = 223).
Findings
The authors show that VSM-DCM formats are effective in enhancing brand attitude and eWOM intention for different products. Specifically, market-generated VSM-DCM that simultaneously embeds utilitarian and hedonic values is the most effective for optimizing brand attitude and eWOM intention in both search and experience product contexts. The effect of VSM-DCM formats on eWOM intention is mediated by brand attitude, while product type (search vs. experience) moderates this indirect effect.
Originality/value
This paper breaks new ground by highlighting the relevance of marketer-generated VSM-DCM in the DCM context and by illustrating the mechanism through which it leads to consumers’ intention to engage in eWOM. In so doing, it contributes to the debate on DCM implementation and the contextual factors that moderate the optimization of DCM outcomes.
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This paper aims to understand how structural characteristics of social media enable consumers to satisfy needs related to marketer-generated content (MGC) and identify the…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to understand how structural characteristics of social media enable consumers to satisfy needs related to marketer-generated content (MGC) and identify the consequences of consumer exposure to MGC.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper revisits research on antecedents and consequences of advertising consumption to build an emergent conceptual model applied to MGC through the investigation of consumer experiences in social media. Thirty-three semi-structured interviews were conducted with consumers who follow brands on Instagram. The interview transcripts were coded and analysed using a grounded theory approach.
Findings
This study finds that, structurally, MGC consumption is characterised by the combination of: consumer micro-control over both content and timing/place of consumption and ease of consumption, enabling consumers to seek pleasure and utility without effort. The data show that MGC is only likely to be shared to a restricted group with strong social connections, such as family members and close friends with similar interests, with whom new interactions develop over brands and products, online or in person. MGC consumption experiences also generate significant consumer learning that improves purchase outcomes for consumers. Three types of MGC consumers were identified in the data: “enthusiasts”, “circumstantial” and “occasional”.
Research limitations/implications
This study updates previous literature, offering a conceptual framework that specifies how the structural characteristics of social media are conducive to consumer exposure to self-curated MGC flows. This research also uncovers unique social dynamics and consumer learning related to MGC consumption.
Practical implications
Insights from this study suggest alternative business models that may be attractive for consumers, brands and social media platforms. This research also suggests ways in which brands can improve consumer MGC experiences.
Originality/value
This research demonstrates how and why consumers embrace MGC at scale through social media and reveals consequences of MGC consumption.
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This study examined how marketer- and user-generated photographs jointly influence consumers' online hotel booking.
Abstract
Purpose
This study examined how marketer- and user-generated photographs jointly influence consumers' online hotel booking.
Design/methodology/approach
Viewing photographs as stimuli that influence consumers' online hotel booking, this study proposes a research model and validates that using one quasi-experiment.
Findings
The findings of this study provide some empirical insights. Marketers can release room- and scene-related photographs. Users can release product- and social-related photographs. The interaction between room-related photographs by marketers and product-related photographs by users can promote energetic arousal and dominance and then promote online booking intention. The interaction between scene-related photographs by marketers and social-related photographs by users can promote energetic arousal and dominance and then promote online booking intention. Pleasure, energetic arousal and dominance can positively influence the attitude toward photographs. Pleasure and energetic arousal can positively influence the attitude toward photographs and then positively influence booking intention. Dominance can positively influence booking intention.
Originality/value
The findings of this study reveal significant interaction effects between marketer- and user-generated photographs on consumers' online booking. The findings will help researchers and marketers better understand the impact of photographs on consumers' online hotel booking.
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Mira Lee, Jieun Lee and Elizabeth Quilliam
This study examined both American and Korean consumers’ motivation to share marketer-generated content (MGC) on Facebook and how these motives are related to the frequency of…
Abstract
Purpose
This study examined both American and Korean consumers’ motivation to share marketer-generated content (MGC) on Facebook and how these motives are related to the frequency of various types of sharing activities and the frequency of sharing various types of MGC.
Design/methodology/approach
An online survey was conducted in the US and Korea.
Findings
The findings demonstrated that both American and Korean consumers share MGC for several reasons: liking/helping the brand, self-presentation/social interaction, economic rewards, and entertainment. In addition to these four motivations, Korean consumers also share MGC with others to offer information that may be of use to them. These different types of motivations were associated with the frequency of sharing MGC directly from Facebook brand pages, of re-sharing what Facebook friends shared first, of adding comments when sharing, and of sharing different types of MGC differently. We found similarities and differences in the patterns of these relationships between the US and Korea.
Originality/value
Although many studies on electronic word of mouth (eWOM) have examined consumers’ motivations for providing consumer-generated content, research on consumer motivations to forward marketer-generated content is scarce. Additionally, earlier work examined the influences of motivation on sharing in general and on a certain type of MGC. Our findings that focused on various types of motivations to share MGC, and their influences on various types of MGC and specific types of sharing activities can provide a more complete picture than what was previously available in the eWOM literature. Further, by comparing American consumers’ motivations to share MGC on SNSs and their influences on sharing activities with those of Korean consumers, this study contributes to building a body of cross-cultural studies on consumer sharing of MGC.
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Aman Abid, Paul Harrigan and Sanjit Kumar Roy
The purpose of this paper is to test the influence of various content cues and characteristics on the followers’ online expressions of relationship quality. Second, the research…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to test the influence of various content cues and characteristics on the followers’ online expressions of relationship quality. Second, the research aims to understand the moderating effects of content curation.
Design/methodology/approach
The sample comprised of 100 posts and 29,000 comments that were sourced from the Facebook pages of the Democratic Party and the Republican Party. The content was coded using the prior literature. Comments were manually coded using a deductive approach and captured the dimensions of relationship quality. Multiple regression was used to confirm the hypotheses.
Findings
Visuals, content popularity, volume of comments and content’s length have a positive effect on voters’ expressions of relationship quality. However, source credibility, argument quality, valence and interactivity did not have an impact. Additionally, content curation negatively moderated the effects of length and interactivity on expressions of relationship quality.
Practical implications
The findings emphasise the use of peripheral cues rather than the central route. Curating interactive and lengthy content should be avoided, however, curation of images and videos is well received.
Originality/value
The research contributes to the literature by understanding the role of marketer-generated content in building online relationships. Additionally, it explores the distinct impacts of created and curated content.
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Ruibin Geng, Shichao Wang, Xi Chen, Danyang Song and Jie Yu
With the popularity of social media and, recently, live streaming, internet celebrity endorsements have become a prevalent approach to content marketing for e-commerce sellers…
Abstract
Purpose
With the popularity of social media and, recently, live streaming, internet celebrity endorsements have become a prevalent approach to content marketing for e-commerce sellers. Despite the widespread use of social media and online communities, empirical studies investigating the economic value of user-generated content (UGC) and marketer-generated content (MGC) still lag behind. The purpose of this paper is to contribute both theoretically and practically to capture both first-order effects and second-order effects of internet celebrity endorsements on marketing outcomes in an e-commerce context.
Design/methodology/approach
This study conducts a cross-sectional regression to evaluate the economic value of internet celebrity endorsement, and a panel vector autoregressive model is adopted to examine the relationship between celebrities’ and consumers’ content marketing behaviors and e-commerce sales performance. The authors also adopt look-ahead propensity-score matching technique to correct for selection bias.
Findings
The empirical results show that the content generation efforts of marketers and the interaction behaviors between marketers and consumers will significantly influence the e-commerce sales, which refers to the first-order effects of internet celebrity endorsement. Moreover, interactions within the fan community exert second-order effects of content marketing on sales performance.
Originality/value
This paper provides new insights for e-commerce retailers to evaluate the economic values of internet celebrity endorsement, a new content marketing practice in e-commerce platform.
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Kem Z.K. Zhang, Haiqin Xu, Sesia Zhao and Yugang Yu
Online reviews have shown important information that affects consumers’ online shopping behavior. However, little research has examined how they may influence consumers’ online…
Abstract
Purpose
Online reviews have shown important information that affects consumers’ online shopping behavior. However, little research has examined how they may influence consumers’ online impulse buying behavior. The purpose of this paper is to bring theoretical and empirical connections between them.
Design/methodology/approach
The framework of this study was tested on three popular online group shopping websites in China (ju.taobao.com, dianping.com, and meituan.com). An online survey with 315 participants who had experience using these websites was recruited to verify the effects of consumers’ perceived value from reading online reviews on urge to buy impulsively and impulse buying behavior.
Findings
The empirical findings show that consumers’ perceived utilitarian and hedonic value from reading online reviews enhance their browsing behavior. Browsing positively affects consumers’ urge to buy impulsively and finally affects their impulse buying behavior. Further, this study finds that consumers with high impulsiveness focus more on hedonic value of online reviews, whereas consumers with low impulsiveness put more emphasis on utilitarian value. Browsing demonstrates a stronger effect on urge to buy impulsively for consumers with high impulsiveness.
Originality/value
This study is one of the early studies to investigate the relationship between social influence (e.g. influence of online reviews) and impulse buying. It draws upon the perspectives of browsing and consumer’s perceived value from the literature. This research also considers consumer differences regarding the level of impulsiveness.
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Si Tan and Weiping Chen
Leveraging marketer-generated content (MGC) can increase firms' success. However, few studies uncover the effects of MGC-related attributes on consumer engagement in the context…
Abstract
Purpose
Leveraging marketer-generated content (MGC) can increase firms' success. However, few studies uncover the effects of MGC-related attributes on consumer engagement in the context of food marketing. This paper aims to explore the influence of MGC characteristics (valence, content types, vividness and interactivity) on consumer engagement.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses WeChat official account data of seven food companies from China and conducts negative binomial regression models.
Findings
The findings indicate that different MGC-related characteristics have separate impacts on consumer WeChat engagement. Title valence, transactional title content and title with punctuation vividness negatively affect consumers' consuming engagement. Knowledgeable or entertaining title content and title with interactivity both positively affect consumers' consuming engagement. Moreover, transactional body text content negatively influences consumers' contributing engagement, whereas entertaining body text content shows positive effects. Vivid and interactive MGC body text attributes enhance consumers' contributing engagement behavior.
Originality/value
This study contributes to social media research in food marketplaces and sheds light on the effect of different WeChat MGC characteristics on separate consumer engagement.
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