Engagement, Commitment or Trust: Which Comes First in Internet Users' Relationship with Brands on social media?
(A2023-114297)

AUTHORS

MARCELO BRANDAO, Federal University of Espírito Santo; Arthur Sarcinelli, São Paulo School of Business Administration; Maria Nery, Federal University of Espirito Santo; Ana Paula Fantino, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo

ABSTRACT

Although it has become a widely discussed topic in the marketing literature, there is still no consensus on what are the main antecedents, consequences, and behavioral outcomes of online consumer engagement. Therefore, we conducted an analysis of 6 competing nomological networks to assess which model best explains the phenomenon of consumer engagement with brands on social media. Results of a survey applied with Brazilian users of social networks indicate that an active participation of consumers impacts their engagement through a high degree of trust and commitment to the online brand community, resulting in a higher propensity to purchase the products offered and a willingness to recommend the brand's content to others.