Motivation, engagement, attitudes and buying intent of female Facebook users

Irene Le Roux,Tania Maree

doi:10.4102/ac.v16i1.340

Abstract

Orientation: This research examined the influence of motives and engagement on brand attitudes and the influence thereof on buying intentions in the context of online social media brand communities.Research purpose: The primary purpose was to investigate the interrelationship between motives, engagement, brand attitudes and buying intent of female Facebook brand apparel community members in South Africa.Motivation for the study: Social media created a new tool for marketers to break through advertising clutter. Scholars assert that the influence of social media brand communities on consumers’ attitudes, behaviour and intentions need to be studied, and such research should be applied to a specific industry.Research design, approach and method: A total of 333 female apparel brand community members on Facebook completed a quantitative, structured online survey. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to investigate the interrelationship between the constructs.Main findings: The results indicated significant relationships between some of the hypothesised constructs, namely hedonic motives and brand attitude, as well as brand attitude and buyingintention.Practical/managerial implications: The findings suggested marketers should create entertaining and useful brand community experiences, as that lead to favourable attitudes, and positively influence buying intention. Suggestions for marketers to use this platform effectively to engage community members were provided.Contribution: The research contributed to the limited knowledge on brand community behaviour on Facebook in an emerging market context. This research examined female consumers, an influential segment of social media users. It provided empirical support for the theoretical relationship between brand attitude and buying intention.

Highlights

Modern consumers have grown sophisticated and discerning as a result of being exposed to a myriad of information through various marketing media
This study investigated the interrelationship of motives, engagement, brand attitude and buying intention amongst female apparel brand community members
The primary objective of the study was to investigate the interrelationships between motives, engagement, brand attitudes and buying intent of female Facebook brand apparel community members in the emerging market of South Africa

Summary

Introduction

Modern consumers have grown sophisticated and discerning as a result of being exposed to a myriad of information through various marketing media. According to Goldstuck (2012:1), South Africa’s social media profile is unique as social media use has crossed the age barrier and urban/rural divide; Facebook has ‘[gone] mainstream in South Africa’. This platform, which is the world’s most popular social networking site (SNS), was reported to have 1.44 billion active monthly users at the end of March 2015 (Facebook 2015). According to WebAfrica (2015) there are 11.8 million Facebook users in South Africa This constitutes a large group of consumers who may be reached through non-traditional marketing media. Previous literature suggests interrelationships amongst motivation, engagement and attitudes and that consumer brand attitudes influence consumer buying intent and, behaviour (Bruhn et al 2012; Chen et al 2008; Pöyry et al 2013; Wirtz et al 2013)

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