The Role of Social Media Marketing in eWOM in the Hotel Industry with an Emphasis on Brand Experience and Identity

Soofian, Mohammad

doi:10.22034/oajre.2022.172626

The Role of Social Media Marketing in eWOM in the Hotel Industry with an Emphasis on Brand Experience and Identity

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Mohammad Soofian

Master degree, Executive MBA, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.

10.22034/oajre.2022.172626

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to investigate the role of social media marketing on electronic word of mouth (eWOM) in the hotel industry with an emphasis on brand experience and identity. This is an applied research conducted through a descriptive-survey. The statistical population included the customers of the hotel industry in Tehran, which due to its large and unspecified size was assumed to be infinite. The sample, according to Cochran's formula for infinite population, was to the size of 385 (n = 385). The data was collected using a standard questionnaire. The validity of the questionnaire's content was confirmed consulting the supervisor and a number of other professors. The questionnaire reliability was assessed using Cronbach's alpha. Based on the data obtained from the questionnaire, the research hypotheses were tested using SEM-PLS in SPSS and PLS4 software. The results indicated that social media marketing had a positive and significant effect on eWOM, brand experience and brand identity. And brand experience and brand identity had a positive and significant effect on eWOM.

Keywords

Brand experience

Brand identity

Social network marketing

electronic word of mouth (eWOM)