The Relationship Between Social Media Use and Consumer Brand Engagement

Abstract

The use of social media by businesses as a communication tool has grown rapidly in recent years. Despite this rapid adoption, little is known about the use of social media among consumers and its effect on brand behavior. This research study aims to fill this gap by investigating the relationship between social media use and consumer brand engagement. To conduct this research, an on-line survey was administered through Survey Monkey to 60 undergraduates ranging in age from 18-24 through a snowball method. Survey questions included: extent of social media use, willingness to engage with brands, views on online vs. offline retailers, and demographic questions. Results showed that 72.1% of respondents interacted with the social media platform, “Facebook,” on a daily basis. Furthermore, the primary reason for using social media was; “to keep in touch with friends”. Respondents indicated that they were more likely to engage with a brand using social media when they were extrinsically rewarded (coupon, gift card, etc.) by a company. Also, results showed that there was no significant difference in “tendency to engage with” an online vs. offline retailers. Results of this study will help businesses use social media more effectively and increase participation by consumers. Despite the wide use of social media among college students, future research should extend this demographic to older populations and include comparisons among the different generations. Future research could also include more specific real world examples, to give less active social media users a feel for the benefits and/or complications of using social media to engage with brands.