Fit for life: A content analysis of fitness tracker brands use of Facebook in social media marketing

Abstract

Social media is seen as a key ingredient to build an organization’s brand strategy and promote products and brands to consumers. The purpose of this study is to examine how fitness tracker brands use social media – in particular, Facebook – to advertise their products, develop brand positions, and target specific audiences. A content analysis was conducted of the Facebook pages for four fitness tracker brands: Fitbit, Garmin Fitness, Jawbone, and Misfit for a four-month time period in 2015. A total of 421 posts were analyzed. The information recorded for analysis included timing (post date and time), popularity (likes), engagement (comments, shares, and hashtags), format of post, elements included, advertising appeal, marketing promotions, and selling points. Four research questions were investigated. Results offer significant implications for academicians as well as practitioners in the domain of social media brand management for the fitness industry.