کاوشهای مدیریت بازرگانی (Jan 2022)
The study of marketing activity in social media and customer intention affected by the mediator roles of perceived value and customer satisfaction
Abstract
Introduction: The main purpose of social media marketing is to create a business based on the customer orientation and reputation of a company and, thus, to develop and manage business. Understanding the role of social media is critical for researchers and managers in marketing. Social media marketing is, therefore, an integral part of business in the 21st century. Social media marketing is used in various fields and refers to the use of social media technologies, channels and software to create, communicate, present and exchange suggestions that are valuable to the organization's stakeholders. Social media are one of the latest achievements of information technology and new approaches to marketing. Marketing through social media has been highly noticed due to the advancement of technology, the need to high-speed communication, and transactions. With the expansion of cyberspace and the Internet users, many marketing experts have introduced virtual communities as an opportunity to introduce the products and services of companies. The aim of this research is to explore the effects of social media marketing on customer intention with regard to the mediator roles of perceived value and customer satisfaction.Methodology: The present research is applied in terms of purpose and descriptive-correlative in terms of method. The statistic population of the research was the managers of the plaster and cement industry. Using the simple random sampling, 107 users were selected as the research sample. They took a questionnaire based on the Likert scale from 1 (I strongly disagree) to 5 (I strongly agree). The random sampling method was used for this research. The collected data were analyzed using the SPSS 24.0 software with regard to the demographic characteristics of customers and Smart Pls3 for testing the hypotheses based on a structural equations model (SEM). The determination coefficient (R2) was the criterion used to connect the measurement part to the structural part of the structural equation modeling. It was shown that an exogenous variable has an effect on an endogenous variable. The larger the amount of R2 related to the endogenous structures of a model, the better the fitting of the model. According to the results, the R2 value for this model was 0.839. Also, according to the PLS path modeling, the researcher had to check the fitting of the general part after examining the fitting of the measurement and structural parts of the research model. On the other hand, the PLS path modeling did not have a generalized optimization criterion, i.e. there was no general function to assess the fitting of the model. Therefore, at this stage, the Goodness of Fit Index (GOF) was used to examine the overall fitting of the model. According to the results, the GOF value for this model was 0.72.Results and Discussion: The results of the structural equation modeling method show that there is a significant relationship between social media marketing activities and customer intention directly and indirectly, through raised customer satisfaction and perceived value. Thus, the social media marketing activities is a prominent, influential factor in consolidating the customer intention. The presence of business in various social media platforms increases the chances of reaching new customers and creates more interaction with the existing customers, which affects customer awareness of the product and his or her satisfaction. In addition, companies can gain cooperation and support by identifying opinion leaders on social media. Due to the large number of followers of these people, this leads to the identification of the brand on social media and its recommendation to others. Therefore, the power of word of mouth in cyberspace should not be underestimated. It can be argued that creating a value for customers is an important factor because creating more customer satisfaction and value leads businesses to greater loyalty, stronger competitiveness and thus greater market share. In fact, the perceived value of the customer specifically influences behavioral tendencies and commitment. It is clear that the evaluation of the perceived value in the customer's mind takes place before shopping. Therefore, it can be a factor influencing the consumer's intention to buy.Conclusion: Online marketing activities generate information among users, and, by changing the content produced, enable managers to make predictions about the future of their business and to consider their customers' buying behavior more accurately. This makes it possible to attract new customers, create awareness, increase sales and build customer loyalty, and use it quickly and save time. Social media marketing is an internet marketing strategy that makes a business in the organization through internet sites, videos and interaction with the target community. Joining social media and connecting with people meets the need to belong, which explains the desire for social interaction, one of the motivations of consumers to participate in content production activities in online environments. Finally, social media has a tremendous impact on our world, and such effects are not limited to the individual level; they can also be seen at organizational and social levels. In fact, nowadays, the private lives of many people are linked to social media.
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