How Do Perceived Social Media Marketing Activities Foster Purchase Intentions? A Multiple Sequential Mediation Model

Abstract

This study aims to explain the linkage between perceived social media marketing activities (SMMAs) and purchase intentions through the mediating effects of brand trust, brand experience, and brand love based on the stimulus-organism-response (SOR) theory. The sample consists of 200 social media users who followed a brand’s social media on any platform. The multiple sequential mediation model is tested using partial least squares structural equation modeling. The results reveal that perceived SMMAs have a significant positive influence on brand trust. Furthermore, brand trust also has a significant positive influence on brand experience and brand love. Subsequently, brand experience and brand love positively influence purchase intentions. In addition, the relationship between perceived SMMAs and purchase intentions is sequentially and positively mediated by brand trust and brand experience. This study demonstrates that the influence of SMMAs on purchase intentions is indirect. Instead, when consumers perceive positive SMMAs from a brand, they will develop brand trust, followed by brand experience, thereby increasing the tendency to purchase from the brand.