On the collective efficacy of social media teams

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to investigate the contribution of social media teams to firm social media performance. Although social media teams are tasked with planning, executing and optimizing the social media marketing effort of firms, little systematic research has examined their roles. Drawing on social cognitive theory, the present study develops collective social media efficacy as a key mechanism to explain the contribution of social media teams to firm social media performance.Design/methodology/approachThe study tested a conceptual framework in which social media team members' previous experience, short-term training and online resources use contribute to collective social media efficacy. In turn, collective social media efficacy is hypothesized to enhance firm social media performance. The study employed primary data and PROCESS macro to test its proposed hypotheses.FindingsThe findings revealed that previous social media experience, short-term training and online resources use contributed to firm social media performance by enabling social media teams to build strong collective social media efficacy.Originality/valueThe findings offer novel insights into how firms can optimize their social media marketing effort by systematically managing their social media teams. The findings add to the nascent literature on the organizational influences of social media performance.