A scientific study found that online-based-brand communities on social media platforms positively initiate consumer-brand engagement and brand relationships.
Nowadays, many firms use social media to increase customers' attention and encourage interaction as opposed to traditional marketing communications tools such as advertising and personal sales. The effective use of social media has significantly contributed to the success of many businesses.
A study published in the scientific journal Cogent Business & Management examined the relationship between online consumers and media usage and consumer-brand loyalty via the online-based-brand community. The results showed that creating online-based-brand communities on different social media platforms promotes and strengthens the consumer-brand relationship and consumer-brand engagement.
Based on this study's findings, the authors suggest specific social media strategies that managers can implement to strengthen the consumer-brand relationship, consumer-brand loyalty, and consumer purchase intention within their organizations.
First, and most importantly, create an online brand community.
Consumers' average time spent on social media platforms is cited as an essential element in this study. Therefore, managers should aim to increase the time consumers spend on their social media sites by creating an online brand community. Forming group pages can accomplish this as customers are more inclined to trust, like, and engage in this type of brand community.
Second, offer different communication platforms for customers. And third, generate content specific to each marketing communication platform and provide pertinent information that benefits customers or social media leads.
According to this scientific research, virtual brand community creation can offer a meaningful result in developing brand communication toward consumer-brand loyalty. Given these points, the authors recommend that experts or brand managers pay attention to the rapid growth of online communities in the marketing realm and reflect on how this growth could be managed for the good of a company's brand loyalty.
Original Study:
Jibril, A.B., Kwarteng, M.A., Chovancova, M., Pilik, M., 2019. The impact of social media on consumer-brand loyalty: A mediating role of online based-brand community. Cogent Business & Management 6, 1673640. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2019.1673640