Buying Love Through Social Media: How Different Types Of Incentives Impact Consumers’ Online Sharing Behavior

Abstract

The rise of social media websites and the increasing co-creation of brand stories are good news for marketers as it allows brands to interact more closely with their customers and to leverage the power of consumers to spread marketing messages. However, many brands suffer from low consumer contribution to their social media channels. This problem may sometimes be alleviated by providing proper incentives to encourage consumer contribution and sharing. To this end, this research aims to answer the question of how companies can target different consumers with different incentives to maximize consumer sharing through social media. Specifically, the present research proposes three factors that can affect the relative effectiveness of monetary versus nonmonetary incentives in driving consumer sharing: consumer loyalty, audience size and brand personality. Together, these factors reflect consumer, situational, and brand influences that can guide companies in choosing the optimal incentive to use. Three experimental studies will be conducted to test the hypotheses. These studies will represent an initial step towards understanding the complex ways in which monetary vs. nonmonetary incentives can be more appropriate for influencing consumers’ social behaviors under different conditions. The research findings will also provide businesses with a mechanism for building brand-consumer relationships in a more effective way through social media. PUBLICATIONS Yueming Zou and Yuping Liu-Thompkins (forthcoming), “Incentivizing Consumer Sharing in Social Media: The Role of Consumer Loyalty,” the American Marketing Association 2015 Summer Educators’ Conference, Aug 2015, Chicago, IL. Yueming Zou (2015), “Review of the Incentive Literature,” 44th AMS National Conference, May 2015, Denver, CO Yueming Zou (2013), “Social Media Review: The Impact of Social Media on Consumer Relationships,” 42nd AMS National Conference, May 2013, Monterey, CA. Yueming Zou and Kira Karande (2012), “The Effect of Blog Interactivity and Perceived Trust on Visitor Response: The Moderating Role of Blogger Expertise and Consumer Involvement,” the American Marketing Association 2012 Summer Educators’ Conference, Chicago, IL. YUEMING ZOU CURRICULUM VITAE PAGE 3 Yueming Zou and Leona Tam (2012), “The Effects of Online Reviews on Consumers’ Response: The Moderating Roles of Regulatory Focus and Gender,” the American Marketing Association 2012 Winter Educators’ Conference, St. Petersburg, FL. Minjuan Fu and Yueming Zou (2008), “Strategic Alliance in Global Collaboration,” Chongqing Institute of Technology Journal (China), Vol. 12, 67-69. Yueming Zou (2007a), “A Quantitative Analysis of the Contributors to China’s Economic Growth since Its Reform,” Economic and Trade Update (China), Vol. 9. Yueming Zou (2007b), “Analyzing the Macroeconomic Environment of International Marketing,” Economic and Trade Update (China), Vol. 7. PROFESSIONAL SERVICE AND ACTIVITIES Reviewer, AMA Summer Marketing Educators’ Conference, 2013 Reviewer, AMA Summer Marketing Educators’ Conference, 2015 OTHER WORK EXPERIENCES British Consulate General Chongqing, China Project Assistant 2008 Small Business Development Center Chester, PA Project Assistant 2008 REFERENCES Yuping Liu-Thompkins, Ph.D. Professor and Chair of Marketing & E. V. Williams Faculty Research Fellow Strome College of Business Old Dominion University 2123 Constant Hall Norfolk, VA 23529 Phone: 757.683.6551 | Email: yxxliu@odu.edu Kiran Karande, Ph.D. Associate Dean & Professor of Marketing Strome College of Business Old Dominion University 1026 Constant Hall Norfolk, VA 23529 Phone: 757-683-3585 | Email: kkarande@odu.edu YUEMING ZOU CURRICULUM VITAE PAGE 4 John B. Ford, Ph.D. Executive Editor (North America), Journal of Advertising Research Distinguished Fellow, Academy of Marketing Science Director, Ph.D. Program in Business Administration Eminent Scholar and Professor of Marketing and International Business Strome College of Business Old Dominion University 2117 Constant Hall Norfolk, VA 23529 Phone: 757.683.3587 | Fax: 757.683.3258 | Email: jbford@odu.edu