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In the era of e-commerce and the increasing digitalization of consumer journeys, online customer reviews have become a decisive factor influencing potential buyers’ decisions. This study investigates the effect of online experience sharing on consumers’ purchase intentions across six key dimensions: emotional valence, quantity, content quality, responsiveness, reviewer reputation, and review recency. A quantitative research design was employed using data collected from a sample of 320 online consumers. The dataset was analyzed through multiple linear regression models to assess the relative impact of each dimension. The findings reveal that all six dimensions exert a positive and statistically significant influence on consumers’ purchase intentions, with emotional valence and review content emerging as the most influential factors. These results contribute to the growing body of literature on online consumer behavior and provide valuable managerial insights for digital marketing practitioners aiming to optimize electronic word-of-mouth strategies.

This study explored the complex decision-making process and the factors used by people, influencers, and brands when selecting social media platforms. The various factors include target demographics, values, content style, and overall marketing strategy. The study aimed to assess the importance of aligning personal preferences, user fit, and creative vision in selecting which social media platforms to use for a brand. To build a stronger level of engagement, content must be designed in a way that creates value for individual consumers. The Uses and Gratification Theory (UGT) provided a framework for understanding the motivations of millennials seeking a specific type of content on social media and how brands select social media platforms. A mixed-methods approach was used for the study to obtain the perspectives of both social media content creators and customers. The target population comprised millennials in the greater Durban area. Purposive sampling was used to select a sample of 400 participants for quantitative data and 10 content creators for qualitative data collection. Data was analysed both qualitatively and quantitatively using thematic analysis and SPSS version 28.0, respectively. The results contribute to a deeper understanding of the dynamic interplay between personal preferences, user fit, and creative vision in shaping the digital landscape. The study findings suggest that influencer marketing can be a powerful tool for promoting brand preference. Brands should carefully select influencers whose followers align with their target audience and ensure they have a strong following and the trust of their followers. The findings emphasise the effectiveness of diverse content types and customer appreciation posts. Businesses should tailor their content strategies to suit their brand identity and connect with their audience effectively. Different social media platforms offer unique features and formats.    

This study explores the impact of digital marketing on consumer decision-making within Durban’s grocery retail sector, with a particular focus on Spar South Beach. Employing a quantitative descriptive survey approach, primary data was gathered through structured questionnaires distributed to 278 shoppers, complemented by secondary data from academic and government sources. Findings indicate that digital marketing significantly influences purchasing behaviors, with 78.6% of respondents acknowledging that Spar’s digital content influenced their decision to shop there. Social media was identified as the primary engagement channel, and digital loyalty rewards were strong predictors of repeat purchase intentions. Reliability analysis showed excellent scale consistency (Cronbach’s ? = 0.941, KMO = 0.943), and results revealed notable differences across age groups, with younger consumers exhibiting greater responsiveness to digital marketing efforts. Gender and educational attainment did not significantly moderate responses. These insights highlight the importance of leveraging social media campaigns, targeted promotions, and digital loyalty programs to enhance customer engagement and drive conversions, while also considering generational preferences. The study provides valuable, context-specific insights into the South African grocery retail industry, emphasizing the role of digital touchpoints in transitioning consumers from engagement to purchase.

The rapid development of digital technologies has significantly transformed the grocery retail industry, allowing retailers to utilize digital and social media platforms to enhance customer engagement, increase brand visibility, and drive sales growth. This study assesses the effectiveness of SPAR’s digital and social media marketing strategies in Durban, South Africa. Guided by the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), the research employed a quantitative methodology, analyzing survey data collected from 278 customers at the South Beach Super Spar. Reliability analysis indicated a high level of internal consistency (Cronbach’s Alpha = 0.883). Non-parametric statistical tests, including the Kruskal-Wallis H and Mann–Whitney U tests, were used to evaluate customer perceptions of various digital channels. The results indicate that social media is the most effective platform for SPAR, with 58.4% of respondents identifying it as their primary mode of engagement. Participants overwhelmingly agreed that SPAR's social media channels effectively promote offers; however, perceptions of the mobile app and WhatsApp marketing strategies were mixed and showed significant variation among user groups. These findings underscore the importance of social media in increasing brand awareness and customer engagement, while also highlighting potential areas for enhancing the usability and impact of SPAR’s mobile application and WhatsApp marketing efforts. This study offers valuable guidance for grocery retailers aiming to strengthen customer engagement in competitive urban environments such as Durban by providing insights into digital marketing performance in emerging markets.

Social media has become a vital tool for entrepreneurs, enabling them to expand their reach, enhance brand visibility, and engage directly with customers. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn provide entrepreneurs with cost-effective ways to access global markets, promote their products, and foster meaningful relationships with consumers. While social media has facilitated the growth of entrepreneurship by lowering barriers to entry, challenges such as managing online presence, handling negative feedback, and addressing privacy concerns persist. This study aims to systematically review existing literature to explore how entrepreneurs can strategically leverage social media for growth, examining its economic benefits, challenges, and best practices. Findings from the review reveal that social media offers entrepreneurs substantial advantages, including increased brand awareness, enhanced customer engagement, and improved sales performance through direct sales features and promotional campaigns. Additionally, social media enables networking, resource acquisition, and business model innovation. However, challenges related to platform management, algorithm changes, and privacy risks must be navigated. Based on these findings, the study recommends that entrepreneurs develop a clear social media strategy, actively engage with customers, stay updated with trends, and leverage data analytics to optimise their marketing efforts. Building brand communities and fostering customer loyalty through personalised communication and consistent interaction can further support business growth.

This study explored the influence of electronic word-of-mouth (e-WOM) on the online purchasing behaviour of Generation Z and Millennial students in South Africa, specifically identifying key e-WOM factors influencing consumer decisions and examining the role of demographic differences in shaping these behaviours. A quantitative, cross-sectional survey was conducted with 288 students and lecturers from Durban University of Technology. Data analysis was performed using SPSS software and regression analysis to examine the causal relationships between e-WOM factors and consumer buying behaviour. Key findings indicate that e-WOM significantly influences consumer buying behaviour, with factors such as e-WOM volume, e-WOM adoption and usage emerging as strong predictors.  The influence of e-WOM was consistent across age groups and gender. The consistent influence of e-WOM on both Generation Z and Millennials, regardless of gender, suggests that unified e-WOM strategies can be developed for these generational cohorts, resulting in more efficient and cost-effective marketing campaigns. Based on these findings, digital marketers must focus on increasing the volume of e-WOM, particularly by encouraging customer reviews and enhancing social media engagement and leveraging user-generated content. Businesses can benefit from these approaches by enhancing brand trust, improving consumer decision-making and ultimately driving sales performance. Future studies could incorporate a mixed methods approach to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon.

  South Africa is one of the most popular tourist destinations on the African continent, with timeshares—vacation properties shared by multiple owners—being an important feature of the tourism industry as it contributes significant growth and sustainability of tourist destinations. After its introduction in the 1960s, timeshare gained popularity through its capability to provide luxury holiday affordability and security in South Africa. Since then, timeshare businesses have used traditional public relations, marketing, advertising strategies and tactics to increase brand awareness and reach sales targets. During the difficult COVID-19 period, global tourism declined drastically due to travel restrictions, extreme lockdowns and tight regulations, forcing businesses to adapt their marketing strategies to cope with unprecedented challenges and the loss of customers. Before the pandemic’s culmination, travel agencies and timeshares thus utilized digital marketing and social media to effectively strategise and publicly engage with their audiences online. Drawing upon McGuire’s (1969) theory of information processing, and Echtner and Ritchie’s (1993) destination image branding, a content and thematic analysis of two South African timeshare companies and their Facebook page content was studied to investigate the public relations tactics and marketing strategies implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic. Key findings reveal that timeshares engaged publicly with customers through posts which stimulated online participation, which included the sharing of images, information, updates, competitions and discounts, thus maximising the potential of social media to engage with stakeholders on a short to long term basis.

In recent years, the aviation industry has transformed significantly, driven by the increasing importance of digital technologies and social media for communication and marketing. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated this transformation, posing unprecedented challenges to airlines. The present study investigates how Turkish Airlines, Qatar Airways, and Emirates adapted their social media strategies before, during, and after the pandemic. The research has a threefold focus: (i) assessing pre-pandemic social media strategies, (ii) examining strategy evolution during the pandemic, and (iii) comparing the effectiveness of these strategies before and after COVID-19. By exploring how these airlines leveraged social media to navigate pandemic-related disruptions and maintain vital connections with passengers, this study provides valuable insights. These findings hold significant implications for aviation stakeholders, marketing professionals, and researchers, shedding light on the evolving role of social media in crisis communication and marketing. The study uncovered interesting changes in how airlines use Twitter. After the pandemic, they started using more emojis, and their messages shifted from promoting services to expressing hope during the pandemic and back to promotions afterward. They played with visuals and hashtags. Pricing-wise, they offered discounts for students, different ticket options, and bundled services. In promotions, they focused on being environmentally and socially responsible, user convenience, and specific events. They mainly shared updates on flights, achievements, and travel advice. To engage people, they used quizzes, replied directly to customers, and targeted specific groups. For marketing managers, the study suggests being more customer-focused, emphasizing environmental and social responsibility, offering diverse pricing, celebrating milestones, and creating engaging content. Overall, the findings provide practical insights for adjusting marketing strategies in the ever-changing world of airlines, especially considering the challenges brought by COVID-19.

This study aims to examine and analyze the influence of social media communications created by companies (Firm-created Communication – FCC) and users (User-generated Communication – UGC) on the user's perspective on brand equity and brand attitudes that have an impact on the purchase intention of Samsung products. The population of this study is users who do not use Samsung products to describe their interest in buying Samsung products. The object of this research is social media communications made by companies and users about Samsung products. The research sample consisted of 218 respondents who were not Samsung users and who at the time of the study were domiciled in Java or outside Java. The research data were then analyzed using the Structural Equation Model (AMOS v 23). Based on the research results, it is known that social media communications made by companies positively influence brand attitudes. User-generated social media communications positively influence brand equity and brand attitudes. Brand attitude positively affects brand equity. Brand equity and brand attitude positively influence purchase intention. However, social media communications made by the company have no effect on brand equity. This study reveals that communication made by users has more influence on purchase intention through brand equity and attitudes. Where equity and brand attitude are important in buying interest in a product.

Rapid growth in online advertising revenues indicates that World Wide Web advertising is viable as an alternative to traditional media. In this new environment, academics and practitioners acknowledge the importance of establishing credibility and providing informative information in commercials. The current study analyzes the effectiveness of banner advertising and examines the impacts of (1) advertiser credibility and (2) informative advertisement on consumer attitudes toward advertisements and brands advertised on the online newspaper website detik.com. A survey of 104 respondents aged 16-35 was conducted using self-administered structured questionnaires. Structural equation modeling was then used to test and refine a model representing correlated relationships among the variables. The findings implied that advertiser credibility and the substance of informative advertising influenced attitudes toward advertising, whereas attitudes toward brands were affected by all variables investigated. For business practitioners, this study suggested that to improve customer attitudes toward advertisements and brands advertised; advertisers should assess the credibility and information delivered in advertisements.

The tourism industry is a sector that continues to be developed by the Indonesian government. Especially during the current Covid 19 pandemic, tourism must be given a touch of differentiation to adapt to government regulations regarding the safety of tourism objects. The development of social media is essential in the world of tourism, where it can change the behaviour of tourists to enjoy tourism services. This study aims to understand the social media preference in tourist destinations so that tourism destinations can analyze social media marketing competitive strategy according to the target market. This study uses the MDS method and cluster analysis. This study collects data from 240 respondents. Respondents were asked to rate ten social media pairs where the social media observed were Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and Tik Tok. This research found that a perceptual map is essential to define consumer perceptions and preferences on social media.

Digital marketing practices have had explosive growth in the past decade, especially in the insurance sector of developing countries. In particular, the internet has been instrumental in providing digital marketing services to customers from the insurance sector. The purpose of this study, therefore, is to assess the effect of digital marketing practices on the performance of the insurance sector. A desktop literature review was used for this purpose. Relevant seminal references and journal articles for the study were identified using Google Scholar. The inclusion criteria entailed papers that were not over ten years old. The study found that the use of digital marketing strategies has a positive effect on the insurance sector's performance. Profitability improved, market share grew, and they expanded their market share. Increased customer loyalty and access to new markets are benefits of internet marketing for insurance companies. According to the findings, insurance companies should make IT infrastructure investments and implement technology-enhanced processes. Employers require adequate training on the use of e-business platforms, as well as collaboration with providers of digital services to enable them to store and market their products and services online. Aside from using traditional marketing methods (such as direct mail), the study advises general insurance companies to be innovative by implementing new strategies, such as digital marketing, to gain a larger share of their target market. This is because strategies for digital marketing have a positive impact on the overall performance of the insurance industry.

This study aims to find out how social media marketing activities influence consumer equity through brand equity in a culinary brand. The study sample is men and women, 200 respondents, within the age range of 18 to 30 years old This study uses quantitative methods and questionnaires as data collections tools. The data was then analyzed using SmartPLS with the Structural Equation Modelling approach. It is found that social media marketing activities positively influence consumer equity through brand equity in culinary brands. Customer equity is also indirectly affected by brand equity. Therefore, this research can be a basis for future research in social media marketing activities within the scope of culinary brands especially in the context of small-medium enterprises.