Sustaining Digital Marketing Strategies to Enhance Customer Engagement and Brand Promotion: Position as a Moderator

Digital marketing strategies are vital for enhancing customer engagement, promoting brands, and ensuring sustainability. This study explores the influence of digital marketing on customer engagement and brand promotion within the dynamic tourism and hospitality industry while addressing a significant gap in incorporating employee position as a moderating variable. A quantitative research method was employed to collect data from 350 hotel employees in Tehran 4- and 5-star hotels. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was conducted to explore the moderator role. Key findings indicate that digital marketing strategies enhance customer engagement and positively influence brand promotion. Additionally, the moderating effect of employee position takes into account the differences among employees regarding service expectations and perceptions. Specifically, it highlights how the skills of managerial positions are better utilized when implementing digital strategies. This study supplements theoretical frameworks and practical applications and improves the strategic use of digital marketing in tourism and hospitality. The case study provides new insights for policymakers and hoteliers in the tourism and hotel industry.