Brand content credibility, social media marketing, consumer purchasing behavior, communication mechanism, trust and authenticity
Abstract
The increased usage of social media for communicating with brands has made the credibility of content even more important in influencing purchasing behavior among consumers. The perceived authenticity, authority, and transparency of branded content on social media platforms identify consumer purchasing behavior. Focusing on familiar brands such as Nike and Adidas, the present study pursues research relevant to credibility in terms of establishing consumer trust and amendment of purchase intentions. These will be achieved through a mixed-method approach, where both quantitative and qualitative methods will be employed. The questionnaire to be administered to 500 respondents will measure perceptions of the content’s credibility and their subsequent derived impact on purchasing behavior. Additionally, there will be an experimental method of real-time social media engagement to assess immediate consumer reactions to brand messaging in a controlled environment. It is expected that the results will show a strong positive relationship between the credibility of content and consumer trust, and therefore, transparency and authenticity are expected to have the most influence. This supports the findings that clear and honest communications are what brands should focus on to advance the credibility of content and drive purchasing decisions. It therefore follows that the findings of this research provide useful information on how credibility in brand content can be leveraged efficaciously in the enhancement of consumer trust and improved marketing outcomes on social media platforms.
