Abstract
The overall purpose of this study was to determine how consumers influence brand communication through social media and its implications for brand reputation. Social media is regarded as one of the most advanced and extensively utilised instruments for brands to communicate with their consumers about their offerings, strategies, and activities. Social media provides more opportunities to interact with consumers and through active communication and constantly updated content to successfully engage them. Successful online consumer engagement can lead towards active consumer communication in social media channels, improve the attributes of brands, attract more consumers who are loyal or would like to advocate for a particular brand.
The study utilised a quantitative methodology, employing a convenient sampling technique to collect data from a minimum of 100 respondents (83 responses were deemed usable for further analysis) identified as social media users. Data was gathered through a structured questionnaire.
The key findings of the study indicate significant relationships among the examined factors. Consumer engagement was found to have a positive influence on brand communication through social media. Additionally, there was a significant positive relationship between social media brand communication and brand reputation. The study also revealed a significant positive relationship between social media influence and brand reputation through consumer engagement. Regarding consumer behaviour, the findings suggest that consumers exert a certain degree of behavioural control through engagement on social media, although this influence may not be highly pronounced. In summary, the study concludes that consumers do wield a discernible influence on brand communication through social media, with implications for brand reputation.
The study recommends organisations to prioritise enhanced consumer engagement which can be achieved by investing in interactive and personalised strategies on social media to strengthen consumer engagement. Moreover, organisations should continuously monitor social media trends, invest in analytics and educate teams to adapt communication strategies for a sustained positive impact on brand perception.