Satisfaction on the Driving Seat: Exploring the Influence of Social Media Marketing Activities on Followers’ Purchase Intention in the Restaurant Industry Context

Ashraf Mohamed Anas, Ahmed Hassan Abdou (), Thowayeb H. Hassan, Wael Mohamed Mahmoud Alrefae, Fathi Mohammed Daradkeh, Maha Abdul-Moniem Mohammed El-Amin, Adam Basheer Adam Kegour and Hanem Mostafa Mohamed Alboray
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Ashraf Mohamed Anas: Social Studies Department, College of Arts, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia
Ahmed Hassan Abdou: Social Studies Department, College of Arts, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia
Thowayeb H. Hassan: Social Studies Department, College of Arts, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia
Wael Mohamed Mahmoud Alrefae: Social Studies Department, College of Arts, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia
Fathi Mohammed Daradkeh: Social Studies Department, College of Arts, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia
Maha Abdul-Moniem Mohammed El-Amin: Department of Education and Psychology, College of Education, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia
Adam Basheer Adam Kegour: Department of Education and Psychology, College of Education, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia
Hanem Mostafa Mohamed Alboray: Department of Education and Psychology, College of Education, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 9, 1-21

Abstract: Recently, social media marketing has become an effective tool for restaurants to gain visibility, increase customer engagement, and boost sales. Through social media marketing activities (SMMAs) including customization (CUST), entertainment (ENTR), trendiness (TRND), and interaction (INTR), restaurants can connect with their customers in a dynamic way that may affect their satisfaction and purchasing behavioral intention. Hence, this study primarily aims to empirically explore the individual influence of SMMAs namely CUST, ENTR, TRND, and INTR on social media followers’ satisfaction and purchase intention in a sample of casual-dining restaurants in Saudi Arabia. Furthermore, drawing on the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) model, we also seek to investigate the influence of customer satisfaction as a mediating variable in the relationship between CUST-PI, ENTR-PI, TRND-PI, and INTR-PI. Furthermore, to examine the direct influence of CS on PI. In order to meet these objectives, an online survey was created to collect data from a convenience sample of restaurant social media followers. Data from 415 followers were analyzed using the PLS-SEM with a bootstrapping technique to confirm the research hypotheses. The findings of the study illustrated the significant positive effect of CUST, ENTR, and INTR on followers’ purchase intention, respectively. Trendy social media marketing activities did not significantly affect purchase intention. Additionally, CS partially mediated the relationships between CUST, ENTR, INTR, and PI but fully mediated the trendiness-purchase intention relationship. The results from this research can assist restaurant operators to leverage the benefits of social media more effectively by understanding how SMMAs influence customers’ purchase intentions and enhancing their understanding of how customer satisfaction can be used to capitalize on the benefits of social media.

Keywords: social media marketing; customer satisfaction; purchase intention; restaurant industry; Saudi Arabia; casual-dining restaurant (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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