The Mediating Role of Customer Satisfaction in the Effect of Social Media Marketing Activities on Corporate Reputation: Evidence from the Airline Industry

Öz

This study, which investigates the mediating role of customer satisfaction in the relationship between social media marketing activities (Entertainment, Interaction, Trendiness, Advertisement, Customization) and corporate reputation, adopts the correlational survey model from quantitative research approaches. The research was conducted using data obtained from 619 volunteer participants aged 18 and over who are active social media users in Turkey and customers of the airline industry. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 24 and AMOS 22. According to the research findings, social media marketing activities (Entertainment, Interaction, Trendiness, Advertisement, Customization) have a significant and direct impact on both corporate reputation and customer satisfaction. Additionally, it has been determined that customer satisfaction has a strong and positive impact on corporate reputation. The most critical finding of the study is that customer satisfaction plays a significant and partial mediating role in the relationship between social media marketing activities and corporate reputation. This result clearly shows that a large part of the overall positive impact of social media activities on corporate reputation occurs indirectly through customer satisfaction.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Social Media Marketing Activities
• Corporate Reputation
• Customer Satisfaction

Havayolu Sektöründe Sosyal Medya Pazarlama Aktivitelerinin Kurumsal İtibara Etkisinde Müşteri Memnuniyetinin Aracı Rolü

Öz

Sosyal medya pazarlama aktiviteleri (Eğlence, Etkileşim, Güncellik, Reklam, Kişiselleştirme) ile kurumsal itibar ilişkisinde müşteri memnuniyetinin aracılık rolünün araştırıldığı bu çalışmada nicel araştırma yaklaşımlarından ilişkisel tarama modeli benimsenmiştir. Araştırma, havayolu sektörü müşterisi olan 18 yaş ve üzeri Türkiye'deki aktif sosyal medya kullanıcısı 619 gönüllü katılımcıdan elde edilen verilerle gerçekleştirilmiştir. Verilerin analizinde SPSS 24 ve AMOS 22 programları kullanılmıştır. Araştırma sonuçlarına göre, sosyal medya pazarlama aktivitelerinin (Eğlence, Etkileşim, Güncellik, Reklam, Kişiselleştirme) hem kurumsal itibar hem de müşteri memnuniyeti üzerinde anlamlı ve doğrudan bir etkiye sahip olduğunu ortaya koymuştur. Ayrıca, müşteri memnuniyetinin kurumsal itibar üzerinde de güçlü ve pozitif bir etki yarattığı belirlenmiştir. Çalışmanın en kritik bulgusu ise, müşteri memnuniyetinin; sosyal medya pazarlama aktiviteleri ile kurumsal itibar arasındaki ilişkide önemli ve kısmi aracı bir rol üstlenmesidir. Bu sonuç, sosyal medya aktivitelerinin kurumsal itibar üzerindeki toplam pozitif etkisinin büyük bir kısmının müşteri memnuniyeti kanalıyla dolaylı olarak gerçekleştiğini açıkça göstermektedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Sosyal Medya Pazarlama Aktiviteleri
• Kurumsal İtibar
• Müşteri Memnuniyeti

Kaynakça

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