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Consequences of customer engagement behavior: when negative Facebook posts have positive effects

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  • Sofie Bitter
  • Sonja Grabner-Kräuter

Abstract

Sharing product information has become an integral part of today’s online social networking world. This research study addresses the effects of customer engagement behavior in online social networks on other consumers in order to understand how online social connections impact decision making. We investigate how different variations of a brand-related Facebook post trigger different response reactions. In particular, we analyze under which conditions negative posts can have positive consequences. The results of two online experiments set in a restaurant context suggest a difference when the user knows the restaurant brand. For users who are familiar with the restaurant brand, a positive effect of negative information posted by distant acquaintances is found with regard to the visiting intention of the user. The results of both experiments demonstrate that information posted by a close friend is perceived to be more diagnostic. For users not familiar with the restaurant brand, negative posts from strong ties induce the highest diagnosticity levels.

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  • Sofie Bitter & Sonja Grabner-Kräuter, 2016. "Consequences of customer engagement behavior: when negative Facebook posts have positive effects," Electronic Markets, Springer;IIM University of St. Gallen, vol. 26(3), pages 219-231, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:elmark:v:26:y:2016:i:3:d:10.1007_s12525-016-0220-7
    DOI: 10.1007/s12525-016-0220-7
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    Cited by:

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    2. Kwansoo Kim & Sang-Yong Tom Lee & Robert J. Kauffman, 2023. "Social informedness and investor sentiment in the GameStop short squeeze," Electronic Markets, Springer;IIM University of St. Gallen, vol. 33(1), pages 1-24, December.
    3. Amélia Brandão & Paolo Popoli & Inês Passos Tomás, 2022. "Joining the Anti-Brand Communities on the Internet: Who and Why," Scientific Annals of Economics and Business (continues Analele Stiintifice), Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, vol. 69(1), pages 1-27, March.
    4. Erik Ernesto Vazquez, 2021. "Effect of an e-retailer’s product category and social media platform selection on perceived quality of e-retail products," Electronic Markets, Springer;IIM University of St. Gallen, vol. 31(1), pages 139-157, March.
    5. Chen, Ruolan & Yuan, Ruizhi & Huang, Bo & Liu, Martin J., 2023. "Feeling warm or skeptical? An investigation into the effects of incentivized eWOM programs on customers’ eWOM sharing intentions," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).
    6. Oseyenbhin Sunday Osemeahon & Mary Agoyi, 2020. "Linking FOMO and Smartphone Use to Social Media Brand Communities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-11, March.
    7. Nadeem, Waqar & Tan, Teck Ming & Tajvidi, Mina & Hajli, Nick, 2021. "How do experiences enhance brand relationship performance and value co-creation in social commerce? The role of consumer engagement and self brand-connection," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    8. Ricardo Buettner, 2017. "Getting a job via career-oriented social networking markets," Electronic Markets, Springer;IIM University of St. Gallen, vol. 27(4), pages 371-385, November.
    9. Michael Weiler & Oliver Hinz, 2019. "Without each other, we have nothing: a state-of-the-art analysis on how to operationalize social capital," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 13(5), pages 1003-1035, November.
    10. Ulrike Baumöl & Linda Hollebeek & Reinhard Jung, 2016. "Dynamics of customer interaction on social media platforms," Electronic Markets, Springer;IIM University of St. Gallen, vol. 26(3), pages 199-202, August.
    11. M. Sadiq Sohail, 2023. "Understanding consumer engagement in online brand communities: An application of self-expansion theory," Journal of Marketing Analytics, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 69-81, March.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Social networking sites; Facebook; Customer engagement behavior; Valence; Tie strength; Diagnosticity;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • M31 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Marketing and Advertising - - - Marketing

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