TY - JOUR
T1 - Generating brand awareness in Online Social Networks
AU - Barreda, Albert A.
AU - Bilgihan, Anil
AU - Nusair, Khaldoon
AU - Okumus, Fevzi
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2015 Elsevier Ltd.
PY - 2015/5/31
Y1 - 2015/5/31
N2 - Abstract With their exceptional interactive and communicative capabilities, Online Social Networks (OSNs) allow destinations and companies to heighten their brand awareness. Many tourist destinations and hospitality brands are exploring the use of OSNs to form brand awareness and generate positive WOM. The purpose of this research is to propose and empirically test a theory-driven model of brand awareness in OSNs. A survey among 230 OSN users was deployed to test the theoretical model. The data was analyzed using SEM. Study results indicate that building brand awareness in OSNs increases WOM traffic. In order to foster brand awareness in OSN, it is important to create a virtually interactive environment, enabling users to exchange reliable, rich and updated information in a timely manner. Receiving financial and/or psychological rewards and accessing exclusive privileges in OSNs are important factors for users. Both system quality and information quality were found to be important precursors of brand awareness in OSNs. Study results support the importance of social media in online branding strategies. Virtual interactivity, system quality, information content quality, and rewarding activities influence and generate brand awareness, which in return, triggers WOM.
AB - Abstract With their exceptional interactive and communicative capabilities, Online Social Networks (OSNs) allow destinations and companies to heighten their brand awareness. Many tourist destinations and hospitality brands are exploring the use of OSNs to form brand awareness and generate positive WOM. The purpose of this research is to propose and empirically test a theory-driven model of brand awareness in OSNs. A survey among 230 OSN users was deployed to test the theoretical model. The data was analyzed using SEM. Study results indicate that building brand awareness in OSNs increases WOM traffic. In order to foster brand awareness in OSN, it is important to create a virtually interactive environment, enabling users to exchange reliable, rich and updated information in a timely manner. Receiving financial and/or psychological rewards and accessing exclusive privileges in OSNs are important factors for users. Both system quality and information quality were found to be important precursors of brand awareness in OSNs. Study results support the importance of social media in online branding strategies. Virtual interactivity, system quality, information content quality, and rewarding activities influence and generate brand awareness, which in return, triggers WOM.
KW - Brand awareness
KW - Information and system quality
KW - OSNs
KW - Rewards
KW - Virtual interactivity
KW - WOM
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U2 - 10.1016/j.chb.2015.03.023
DO - 10.1016/j.chb.2015.03.023
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84930039785
SN - 0747-5632
VL - 50
SP - 600
EP - 609
JO - Computers in Human Behavior
JF - Computers in Human Behavior
M1 - 3312
ER -