The Effect of Perceived Marketing Activities on Social Media on Brand Loyalty: The Mediating Role of Brand Popularity

Abstract

This study seeks to examine the effect of brands' marketing activities on social media on consumer brand loyalty and to determine whether being a popular brand has a mediating effect on these effects. To this end, the effects of brands’ marketing activities on social media on consumers’ emotional, cognitive, and behavioral loyalty have been examined. In addition, the mediating effect of brand popularity on these effects has been examined. The study employed face-to-face questionnaires administered to individuals who resided in Mersin, were between the ages of 20 and 60, used social media, and voluntarily agreed to participate in the research. Due to fieldwork conditions and accessibility limitations, convenience sampling was used to reach the participants. SPSS was used for demographic findings, reliability, and normal distribution analyses. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to test the fit of the scale items with the factors using the LISREL software package. To evaluate the hypothesized effects, effect hypotheses were analyzed using structural equation modeling; mediation hypotheses were analyzed using the SPSS PROCESS Macro software. The analyses concluded that the positive perception of brands' social media marketing activities positively affects consumers' emotional, cognitive, and behavioral loyalty to brands. Regarding mediating effects, brand popularity was found to have a positive mediating role in the effect of social media marketing activities on emotional brand loyalty and a negative mediating role in the effect on behavioral brand loyalty; however, no mediating effect was identified in the effect on cognitive loyalty. This research is anticipated to serve as a guide for brands active on social media in explaining the importance of social media platforms in creating brand loyalty.

Keywords

• Social Media
• Brand Loyalty
• Brand Popularity

Ethical Statement

This study was approved by the Mersin University Social and Human Sciences Ethics Committee with its decision dated 04.12.2024 and numbered 338.

Sosyal Medyada Algılanan Pazarlama Faaliyetlerinin Marka Bağlılığına Etkisi: Marka Popülerliğinin Aracı Rolü

Abstract

Bu çalışmada, markaların sosyal medyada gerçekleştirdikleri pazarlama faaliyetlerinin tüketicilerin marka bağlılıklarına olan etkisinin incelenmesi ve bu etkilerde popüler bir marka olmanın aracı etkisinin olup olmadığının belirlenmesi amaçlanmaktadır. Bu bağlamda markaların sosyal medyadaki pazarlama faaliyetlerinin tüketicilerin duygusal, bilişsel ve davranışsal bağlılıkları üzerindeki etkisi incelenmiştir. Ayrıca bu etkilerde marka popülerliğinin aracı etkisinin olup olmadığı da araştırılmıştır. Araştırmada, Mersin’de ikamet eden, 20–60 yaş aralığında bulunan, sosyal medya kullanan ve araştırmaya gönüllü olarak katılmayı kabul eden bireylere yüz yüze anket uygulanmıştır. Katılımcılara ulaşmada, araştırmanın saha koşulları ve erişilebilirlik sınırlılıkları nedeniyle kolayda örnekleme yöntemi kullanılmıştır. Demografik bulgular, güvenilirlik ve normal dağılım analizlerinde SPSS kullanılmıştır. Ölçek ifadelerinin faktörlerle uyumunu test etmede LISREL paket programı aracılığı ile doğrulayıcı faktör analizi yapılmıştır. Etki hipotezleri yapısal eşitlik modellemesi ile; aracılık hipotezleri ise SPSS PROCESS Macro yazılımı üzerinden test edilmiştir. Araştırma sonucunda markaların sosyal medya pazarlama faaliyetlerinin olumlu algılanmasının tüketicilerin markalara yönelik duygusal bağlılığını, bilişsel bağlılığını ve davranışsal bağlılığını pozitif yönde etkilediği sonuçlarına ulaşılmıştır. Aracılık etkilerinde ise sosyal medyada pazarlama faaliyetlerinin duygusal marka bağlılığına etkisinde marka popülerliğinin pozitif yönde, davranışsal marka bağlılığına etkisinde ise negatif yönde aracı rolü tespit edilmiştir; ancak bilişsel bağlılığa olan etkide aracı bir etki tespit edilmemiştir. Bu araştırmanın, sosyal medya mecralarının ve marka bağlılığının yaratılmasında bu mecraların öneminin açıklanması konusunda sosyal medyada faaliyet gösteren markalara rehber olması beklenmektedir.

Keywords

• Sosyal Medya
• Marka Bağlılığı
• Marka Popülerliği

Ethical Statement

Bu çalışma, Mersin Üniversitesi Sosyal ve Beşeri Bilimler Etik Kurulu’nun 04.12.2024 tarih ve 338 sayılı kararı ile onaylanmıştır.

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