The role of social media marketing and brand equity on e-WOM: Evidence from Indonesia

Abstract

This study investigated the impact of social media marketing on Garuda Indonesia's airline customers' brand equity (awareness, image, and loyalty) and online word-of-mouth during the epidemic (E-WOM). In part of the study, 100 frequent Instagram users and passengers on Garuda Indonesia aircraft were questioned or given questionnaires. The data was processed and analyzed by SEM-PLS and the SmartPLS 3.0 software. The findings of the study indicate that social media marketing increases brand recognition, brand image, and brand loyalty. Brand loyalty or reputation has one significant impact on e-WOM as well. While brand recognition has nothing to do with E-WOM. Furthermore, the results of this research definitely point to the importance of the impact on E-WOM while brand recognition has no impact on E-WOM. The study's conclusions also highlight the importance of mediating variables including brand awareness, brand image, and brand loyalty. This study can prove that almost all moderating effect variables are involved in mediating social media marketing on Garuda Indonesia's e-WOM airline, except the brand awareness variable, which has no indirect effect or has no impact on the relationship between social media marketing and E-WOM. The results of this study should be relevant to a social media strategy, particularly for Garuda Indonesia Airlines.