Hotel industry can use social media to engage customers and clients in dialogue and recognize their needs. Through these networking sites, hotel industry can interact with consumers before, during, and after the vacation experience. Social media is relatively new and the advantages are abundance such as it is affordable, it is viral and has the potential to spread brand awareness quickly and far and it is said to be able to develop link baits, attention and massive amounts of traffic. The purpose of this study was to investigate benefit factors of member participation and the relationships between community participation and brand commitment in hotel online communities. The present study identified five benefit factors (functional, hedonic, monetary, and social and psychological benefits) as the predictors of member participation in hotel Facebook fan pages. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was used to test the conceptual model. Based on the results of SEM, the results indicated that four benefit factors (functional, hedonic, social and psychological benefits) positively influenced member's community participation. The findings of this study provide significant insights for the researchers and marketers. From the theoretical perspective, this is the first empirical research that investigated consumer benefits and responses (i.e., community participation and brand commitment) in online communities managed by hotel sector. Thus, the study contributes to the understanding of consumer behavior in social media. From the practical perspective, the study suggests some strategies to effectively design hotel Face book
Social factors in user perceptions and responses to advertising in online soc...Andrey Markin
http://personal.cb.cityu.edu.hk/mkwydou/social%20factors%20in%20user%20perceptions%20and%20responses%20to%20advertising%20in%20online%20social%20networking%20communities.pdf
ABSTRACT: With the advent of popular Web destinations such as MySpace and Facebook, online social networking
communities now occupy the center stage of e-commerce. Yet these online social networking communities must balance the
trade-off between advertising revenue and user experience. Drawing on the sociology and advertising literature, this study
investigates the impacts of social identity and group norms on community users' group intentions to accept advertising in online
social networking communities. By outlining how this type of group intention could influence community members' perceptions
and value judgments of such advertising, this study delineates possible mechanisms by which community members may respond
positively to community advertising. The authors test the proposed theoretical framework on a sample of 327 popular online
community users in China and obtain general support. Implications for the prospect of advertising in online social networking
communities are discussed.
Impact of social branding on purchase intention: An empirical study of social...Sparkles Soft
Impact of social branding on purchase intention: An empirical study of social media websites.
Writer
Jahanzeb Khan
SPARKLES SOFT
www.sparklessoft.com
MobileWhatsApp/Viber: 00923004604250
00923124604250
Skype sparkles.soft
Vonage/Viber 00923004604250
thesis help, uk dissertation help, custom thesis writing in uk, uk mba thesis,
Literature Review of Information Behaviour on Social MediaDavid Thompson
Using your knowledge about information resource and skills in searching and evaluating information achieved in the first half of the semester, now you are required to choose a specific topic in the area of information research, explore the exisiting literature within this domain and write a literature review.
Social networks are websites which allow users to communicate, share knowledge about similar interests,
discuss favorite topics, review and rate products/services, etc. Even though social network marketing is still
in its infancy, it holds a potential success for businesses if it is carefully integrated in the marketing mix. This
paper discusses the advantages and risks that social network marketing holds. Future opportunities for
social networks, particularly mobile social networking, are also discussed
Determining Strategic Value of Online Social Engagementsinventionjournals
Over the past few decades social networking connections through individuals and open publishing in general have rapidly became a popular tool for maintaining relationships, communicating and expanding businesses. Individuals invest hours in building social capital and their social identify (SID) via online engagements. We present a methodology to quantify the multitude of artifacts that can be derived from online social engagements and develop a framework that measures the value of an individual's online social engagements. ASID value is used to deliver a score for each individual user; a score that will assist you in understanding your return on investment (ROI)and social capital from your online social networking activities. The framework creates a score to support and determine which specific engagements add and increase your personal value chain. This score can provide benefit to users for career, personal, and business opportunities.
Social factors in user perceptions and responses to advertising in online soc...Andrey Markin
http://personal.cb.cityu.edu.hk/mkwydou/social%20factors%20in%20user%20perceptions%20and%20responses%20to%20advertising%20in%20online%20social%20networking%20communities.pdf
ABSTRACT: With the advent of popular Web destinations such as MySpace and Facebook, online social networking
communities now occupy the center stage of e-commerce. Yet these online social networking communities must balance the
trade-off between advertising revenue and user experience. Drawing on the sociology and advertising literature, this study
investigates the impacts of social identity and group norms on community users' group intentions to accept advertising in online
social networking communities. By outlining how this type of group intention could influence community members' perceptions
and value judgments of such advertising, this study delineates possible mechanisms by which community members may respond
positively to community advertising. The authors test the proposed theoretical framework on a sample of 327 popular online
community users in China and obtain general support. Implications for the prospect of advertising in online social networking
communities are discussed.
Impact of social branding on purchase intention: An empirical study of social...Sparkles Soft
Impact of social branding on purchase intention: An empirical study of social media websites.
Writer
Jahanzeb Khan
SPARKLES SOFT
www.sparklessoft.com
MobileWhatsApp/Viber: 00923004604250
00923124604250
Skype sparkles.soft
Vonage/Viber 00923004604250
thesis help, uk dissertation help, custom thesis writing in uk, uk mba thesis,
Literature Review of Information Behaviour on Social MediaDavid Thompson
Using your knowledge about information resource and skills in searching and evaluating information achieved in the first half of the semester, now you are required to choose a specific topic in the area of information research, explore the exisiting literature within this domain and write a literature review.
Social networks are websites which allow users to communicate, share knowledge about similar interests,
discuss favorite topics, review and rate products/services, etc. Even though social network marketing is still
in its infancy, it holds a potential success for businesses if it is carefully integrated in the marketing mix. This
paper discusses the advantages and risks that social network marketing holds. Future opportunities for
social networks, particularly mobile social networking, are also discussed
Determining Strategic Value of Online Social Engagementsinventionjournals
Over the past few decades social networking connections through individuals and open publishing in general have rapidly became a popular tool for maintaining relationships, communicating and expanding businesses. Individuals invest hours in building social capital and their social identify (SID) via online engagements. We present a methodology to quantify the multitude of artifacts that can be derived from online social engagements and develop a framework that measures the value of an individual's online social engagements. ASID value is used to deliver a score for each individual user; a score that will assist you in understanding your return on investment (ROI)and social capital from your online social networking activities. The framework creates a score to support and determine which specific engagements add and increase your personal value chain. This score can provide benefit to users for career, personal, and business opportunities.
Can social media become the final frontier in customer experience management? This research paper was published in Nirma International Conference on Management, 5th Jan 2012. ISBN 93-81361-68-1
Are Social Networks more persuasive than traditional Word-of-MouthSimranDas4
A deep research study was conducted on the topic, where I have compared and highlighted both Social Networks and Word-of-Mouth and how both has influenced the buying behaviour of the consumers.
One of a few very well researched and written reports on social media. The writers align social to various elements of the customer journey ensuring context throughout. So good stats in here too. Worth the read. [I've made a few highlights to the areas I believe are most pertinent].
The Effects of the Determinants of Customer Satisfaction on Brand LoyaltySamaan Al-Msallam
ABSTRACT:- Most of marketing literature recognizes customer satisfaction as a significant antecedent to Brand loyalty. Further, the relationships between both satisfaction constructs with Brand loyalty have mostly been studied separately. The purpose of this study is to explore the effects of three customer perceptions (perceived quality, brand image, price fairness) on customer satisfaction and Brand loyalty. A combination of a convenience and judgmental sample survey of 584 mobile phone users, from undergraduate students of major universities in Damascus, was used to the test the hypotheses. The results illustrate that customer satisfaction significantly affects customer loyalty. Also, the factors of perceived quality , brand image and price fairness affect Brand loyalty. Customer perception of perceived quality, brand image and price fairness are almost equally to build up the satisfaction. We suggest that managers should consider perceived quality and price fairness as foundations to build up customer satisfaction, Brand loyalty and, also to improve brand image as an added on value for customers.
The Effects of Customer Expectation and Perceived Service Quality on Customer...Samaan Al-Msallam
ABSTRACT : The effect of the antecedents of satisfaction on customer satisfaction is an issue still under debate in the academic literature. Thus, the primary goal of this article is to analyze the relationship between two of the most important antecedents of customer satisfaction ( namely customer expectation and perceived service quality ) and customer satisfaction . Data were collected through a survey, including samples of 250 customers from the 5 Banks in Damascus, Syria . Spss is used to test the hypotheses. The finding show that customer expectation and perceived service quality have a positive effect on customer satisfaction . Bank managers must know how improvement in service quality influences customer satisfaction and what expectation levels they might consider to increase consumer satisfaction which ultimately retains valued customers. KEYWORDS : Customer Expectation , Perceived Service Quality, Customer Satisfaction.
The relationship between customer satisfaction and customer loyalty in the ba...Samaan Al-Msallam
Abstract
A large number of studies on customer satisfaction and customer loyalty have been conducted in marketing over
the years. Customer satisfaction is a crucial factor for bank success and it has the possibility to influence
customer loyalty. From a theoretical perspective it is very important to investigate which factors influence
customer satisfaction. This paper analyzes the basic factors which affects customer satisfaction towards services
of Bank. This study adopted empirical research design on the sample size of 401 respondents who were
customers of different banks in Syria. Data is collected through survey questionnaires related to customer
expectation ,price fairness , customer satisfaction and customer loyalty towards services of banks . Data is
analyzed by using AMOS 18. The research reviews the current academic marketing literature and tries to
identify antecedents of customer satisfaction and customer loyalty. The findings from this study also provide
important managerial implications.
Keywords: bank, customer satisfaction, customer loyalty.
Customer satisfaction and brand loyalty in the hotel industrySamaan Al-Msallam
Abstract
Most of marketing literature recognizes customer satisfaction as a significant antecedent to Brand loyalty. Further, the relationships between both
satisfaction constructs with Brand loyalty have mostly been studied separately.
The purpose of this study is to explore the effects of three customer perceptions (brand image , price fairness) on customer satisfaction and Brand
loyalty. A combination of a convenience and judgmental sample survey of 584 guests of three different hotels in Damascus was used to the test the
hypotheses. The results illustrate that customer satisfaction significantly affects customer loyalty . Also, the factors of brand image and price
fairness affect Brand loyalty. Customer perception of brand image and price fairness are almost equally to build up the satisfaction . We suggest
that managers should consider price fairness as foundations to build up customer satisfaction , Brand loyalty and, also to improve brand image as an
added on value for customers .
Key words: customer satisfaction, brand loyalty, brand image, price fairness.
An overview of the types of brand architecture. A brand architecture needs to align to the corporate's overall brand strategy. It needs to be robust and have the ability to grow and adapt.
Can social media become the final frontier in customer experience management? This research paper was published in Nirma International Conference on Management, 5th Jan 2012. ISBN 93-81361-68-1
Are Social Networks more persuasive than traditional Word-of-MouthSimranDas4
A deep research study was conducted on the topic, where I have compared and highlighted both Social Networks and Word-of-Mouth and how both has influenced the buying behaviour of the consumers.
One of a few very well researched and written reports on social media. The writers align social to various elements of the customer journey ensuring context throughout. So good stats in here too. Worth the read. [I've made a few highlights to the areas I believe are most pertinent].
The Effects of the Determinants of Customer Satisfaction on Brand LoyaltySamaan Al-Msallam
ABSTRACT:- Most of marketing literature recognizes customer satisfaction as a significant antecedent to Brand loyalty. Further, the relationships between both satisfaction constructs with Brand loyalty have mostly been studied separately. The purpose of this study is to explore the effects of three customer perceptions (perceived quality, brand image, price fairness) on customer satisfaction and Brand loyalty. A combination of a convenience and judgmental sample survey of 584 mobile phone users, from undergraduate students of major universities in Damascus, was used to the test the hypotheses. The results illustrate that customer satisfaction significantly affects customer loyalty. Also, the factors of perceived quality , brand image and price fairness affect Brand loyalty. Customer perception of perceived quality, brand image and price fairness are almost equally to build up the satisfaction. We suggest that managers should consider perceived quality and price fairness as foundations to build up customer satisfaction, Brand loyalty and, also to improve brand image as an added on value for customers.
The Effects of Customer Expectation and Perceived Service Quality on Customer...Samaan Al-Msallam
ABSTRACT : The effect of the antecedents of satisfaction on customer satisfaction is an issue still under debate in the academic literature. Thus, the primary goal of this article is to analyze the relationship between two of the most important antecedents of customer satisfaction ( namely customer expectation and perceived service quality ) and customer satisfaction . Data were collected through a survey, including samples of 250 customers from the 5 Banks in Damascus, Syria . Spss is used to test the hypotheses. The finding show that customer expectation and perceived service quality have a positive effect on customer satisfaction . Bank managers must know how improvement in service quality influences customer satisfaction and what expectation levels they might consider to increase consumer satisfaction which ultimately retains valued customers. KEYWORDS : Customer Expectation , Perceived Service Quality, Customer Satisfaction.
The relationship between customer satisfaction and customer loyalty in the ba...Samaan Al-Msallam
Abstract
A large number of studies on customer satisfaction and customer loyalty have been conducted in marketing over
the years. Customer satisfaction is a crucial factor for bank success and it has the possibility to influence
customer loyalty. From a theoretical perspective it is very important to investigate which factors influence
customer satisfaction. This paper analyzes the basic factors which affects customer satisfaction towards services
of Bank. This study adopted empirical research design on the sample size of 401 respondents who were
customers of different banks in Syria. Data is collected through survey questionnaires related to customer
expectation ,price fairness , customer satisfaction and customer loyalty towards services of banks . Data is
analyzed by using AMOS 18. The research reviews the current academic marketing literature and tries to
identify antecedents of customer satisfaction and customer loyalty. The findings from this study also provide
important managerial implications.
Keywords: bank, customer satisfaction, customer loyalty.
Customer satisfaction and brand loyalty in the hotel industrySamaan Al-Msallam
Abstract
Most of marketing literature recognizes customer satisfaction as a significant antecedent to Brand loyalty. Further, the relationships between both
satisfaction constructs with Brand loyalty have mostly been studied separately.
The purpose of this study is to explore the effects of three customer perceptions (brand image , price fairness) on customer satisfaction and Brand
loyalty. A combination of a convenience and judgmental sample survey of 584 guests of three different hotels in Damascus was used to the test the
hypotheses. The results illustrate that customer satisfaction significantly affects customer loyalty . Also, the factors of brand image and price
fairness affect Brand loyalty. Customer perception of brand image and price fairness are almost equally to build up the satisfaction . We suggest
that managers should consider price fairness as foundations to build up customer satisfaction , Brand loyalty and, also to improve brand image as an
added on value for customers .
Key words: customer satisfaction, brand loyalty, brand image, price fairness.
An overview of the types of brand architecture. A brand architecture needs to align to the corporate's overall brand strategy. It needs to be robust and have the ability to grow and adapt.
Assessing Your Brand Architecture August 2015Carol Phillips
THIS PRESENTATION IS OLD. SEE UPDATED VERSION 2019.
Learn more about how to optimize Brand Architecture to provide a clear and leverage able ‘face’ for your business strategy.
The Verification Of Virtual Community Member’s Socio-Demographic Profileacijjournal
This article considers the current problem of investigation and development of method of web-members’
socio-demographic characteristics’ profile validation based on analysis of socio-demographic
characteristics. The topicality of the paper is determined by the necessity to identify the web-community
member by means of computer-linguistic analysis of their information track (all information about webcommunity
members, which posted on the Internet). The formal model of basic socio-demographic
characteristics of virtual communities’ member is formed. The algorithm of these characteristics
verification is developed.
THE VERIFICATION OF VIRTUAL COMMUNITY MEMBER’S SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE acijjournal
This article considers the current problem of investigation and development of method of web-members’
socio-demographic characteristics’ profile validation based on analysis of socio-demographic
characteristics. The topicality of the paper is determined by the necessity to identify the web-community
member by means of computer-linguistic analysis of their information track (all information about webcommunity
members, which posted on the Internet). The formal model of basic socio-demographic
characteristics of virtual communities’ member is formed. The algorithm of these characteristics
verification is developed.
Current Research Questions in Word of Mouth CommunicationAlexander Rossmann
Word of mouth (WOM) communication, long recognized as a highly influential source of information, has taken on new importance with the proliferation of online WOM. The rise of online forums and communities has dramatically increased the scope of word of mouth marketing, allowing consumers greater access to information from subject matter experts and other key influentials who impact new purchases. Online WOM data have been widely used in the literature to examine topics such as the impact of WOM recommendations and reviews, brand community involvement, and product adoption. For all the valuable contributions made by WOM research, a lot of important questions still remain unexplored. One is delineating the preconditions for user engagement in WOM communication; another is exploring the role of WOM content and WOM context on the efficacy of WOM in general. And there is final area where research is needed, focusing on organizational capabilities firms need in order to foster the impact of WOM communication on purchasing behavior.
The Effect of Social Media Marketing To Brand Loyalty (Case Study at the Univ...inventionjournals
: Social media marketing is one medium that can be used to build and maintain brand loyalty. This study aims to determine the effect of campaigns advantageous offer, offer relevant contents, offer popular content, apprears on various platforms, offer applications on social media brand loyalty conducted at the University Budi Luhur, Jakarta. Data analysis used regression method with 325 respondents. The sampling technique used a proportional random sampling. Validity and reliability tests are used in testing instruments. The results of this study indicate that offer advantageous campaigns, offer relevant contents, offer popular content, apprears on various platforms, offer applications on social media has a significant influence on brand loyalty. The benefit of social media marketing is one of them as a customer relationship management. Suggestions for further research are able to use variables such as trust and service quality.
The Effect of Social Media Marketing To Brand Loyalty (Case Study at the Univ...inventionjournals
Social media marketing is one medium that can be used to build and maintain brand loyalty. This study aims to determine the effect of campaigns advantageous offer, offer relevant contents, offer popular content, apprears on various platforms, offer applications on social media brand loyalty conducted at the University Budi Luhur, Jakarta. Data analysis used regression method with 325 respondents. The sampling technique used a proportional random sampling. Validity and reliability tests are used in testing instruments. The results of this study indicate that offer advantageous campaigns, offer relevant contents, offer popular content, apprears on various platforms, offer applications on social media has a significant influence on brand loyalty. The benefit of social media marketing is one of them as a customer relationship management. Suggestions for further research are able to use variables such as trust and service quality
Abstract
Over the last decade, the way people communicate with each other has been changing astonishingly. The
extensive new plethora of media has given to customers more options to gather and provide information
about products and services. This study attempted to identify and measure the degree to which Social
Networking Sites influence people's professional lives, their social skills and work productivity and
ultimately boost effectiveness. Quantitative and qualitative methodologies were used for this research.
The results reveal that Social Networking Sites play an essential role in employees‟ relations with
customers, that Instant Messaging (IM) services offered by Social Networking Sites can be a crucial
element for organizations in disseminating information, enabling knowledge sharing, increasing
productivity and promoting teamwork. It seems that customer engagement and Customer Relationship
Management (CRM) are vital tools for organizational effectiveness, not only to maintain loyal clients but
also to survive and keep maintaining profitability.
Keywords: Social Media, Social Commerce, Social Networking, CRM, Instant Messaging (IM), Web
2.0, Facebook, Instagram, Linked In, Twitter, Marketing, Social Media Marketing, Cyprus.
Extracting Targeted Users from SNS using Data Mining ApproachIJSRD
In the recent year’s development of Internet is an increasingly important factor in today’s lifestyle. As online advertising budgets of marketers are growing every year, internet advertising has developed in similar way. The following types of online advertisement: banner advertisement, pop-up advertisement, web advertising also called. To deliver promotional marketing messages to consumers, internet advertising can be used as internet advertising is a type of marketing. Fast retrieval of the relevant information from databases has always been a significant issue. Data clustering is one of the chief techniques among the numerous techniques developed for this purpose. Social media is the collaborative tools used for communication that helps the companies to gain the potential users and makes them visible who have no knowledge of their products. Companies can locate target users by analysing their interests, in particular brand and for this purpose social media advertising can be used. It will lead to a systematic approach by developing a technique to effectively improve the marketing plans. This can be possible if we are using data mining clustering algorithm to find out key users to rise up the marketing tactics in internet advertisement. It describes the general working behaviour, the methodologies followed by these approaches and the parameters which affect the performance of these algorithms. The main objective of this paper is to gather more core concepts and techniques in the large subset of cluster analysis.
Social Media Role in Improving Customer Relationship Management: An Empirical...journal ijrtem
The study aimed to identify the impact of Social media in improving customer relationship
management (CRM) at Jordanian Islamic banks (JIB), identify the impact of achieving the effectiveness of
Social media at JIB. To achieve the objectives of the study, the researcher prepared a questionnaire to measure
the role of Social media on CRM. The researcher selected the study sample randomly by distributing 365
questionnaires on the customers of JIB where (302) were retrieved. After reviewing the questionnaires, it was
found that there were (28) questionnaires invalid for the statistical analysis. Thus, the total number of
respondents was (274). In order to answer the study questions and test its hypotheses, the researcher extracted
the arithmetic means and standard deviations and applied the multiple regression equation. Accordingly, the
study reached too many results, most important of which is that there is a statistically significant effect for
Social media on achieving the effectiveness of the CRM. The study recommended the need that JIB seeks for
adding various characteristics of editing, deleting, copying, and setting time on the basis of text messaging
through such networks as well as the need of conducting marketing studies aimed to enabling banks to achieve
the customers' wishes in a method matching their expectations.
Social Media Role in Improving Customer Relationship Management: An Empirical...IJRTEMJOURNAL
The study aimed to identify the impact of Social media in improving customer relationship
management (CRM) at Jordanian Islamic banks (JIB), identify the impact of achieving the effectiveness of
Social media at JIB. To achieve the objectives of the study, the researcher prepared a questionnaire to measure
the role of Social media on CRM. The researcher selected the study sample randomly by distributing 365
questionnaires on the customers of JIB where (302) were retrieved. After reviewing the questionnaires, it was
found that there were (28) questionnaires invalid for the statistical analysis. Thus, the total number of
respondents was (274). In order to answer the study questions and test its hypotheses, the researcher extracted
the arithmetic means and standard deviations and applied the multiple regression equation. Accordingly, the
study reached too many results, most important of which is that there is a statistically significant effect for
Social media on achieving the effectiveness of the CRM. The study recommended the need that JIB seeks for
adding various characteristics of editing, deleting, copying, and setting time on the basis of text messaging
through such networks as well as the need of conducting marketing studies aimed to enabling banks to achieve
the customers' wishes in a method matching their expectations.
Similar to The Effects of Social Media Marketing In the Hotel Industry: Conceptual Model for Development of an Effective Online Community (20)
In this presentation, Danny Leibrandt explains the impact of AI on SEO and what Google has been doing about it. Learn how to take your SEO game to the next level and win over Google with his new strategy anyone can use. Get actionable steps to rank your name, your business, and your clients on Google - the right way.
Key Takeaways:
1. Real content is king
2. Find ways to show EEAT
3. Repurpose across all platforms
Everyone knows the power of stories, but when asked to come up with them, we struggle. Either we second guess ourselves as to the story's relevance, or we just come up blank and can't think of any. Unlocking Everyday Narratives: The Power of Storytelling in Marketing will teach you how to recognize stories in the moment and to recall forgotten moments that your audience needs to hear.
Key Takeaways:
Understand Why Personal Stories Connect Better
How To Remember Forgotten Stories
How To Use Customer Experiences As Stories For Your Brand
The What, Why & How of 3D and AR in Digital CommercePushON Ltd
Vladimir Mulhem has over 20 years of experience in commercialising cutting edge creative technology across construction, marketing and retail.
Previously the founder and Tech and Innovation Director of Creative Content Works working with the likes of Next, John Lewis and JD Sport, he now helps retailers, brands and agencies solve challenges of applying the emerging technologies 3D, AR, VR and Gen AI to real-world problems.
In this webinar, Vladimir will be covering the following topics:
Applications of 3D and AR in Digital Commerce,
Benefits of 3D and AR,
Tools to create, manage and publish 3D and AR in Digital Commerce.
Most small businesses struggle to see marketing results. In this session, we will eliminate any confusion about what to do next, solving your marketing problems so your business can thrive. You’ll learn how to create a foundational marketing OS (operating system) based on neuroscience and backed by real-world results. You’ll be taught how to develop deep customer connections, and how to have your CRM dynamically segment and sell at any stage in the customer’s journey. By the end of the session, you’ll remove confusion and chaos and replace it with clarity and confidence for long-term marketing success.
Key Takeaways:
• Uncover the power of a foundational marketing system that dynamically communicates with prospects and customers on autopilot.
• Harness neuroscience and Tribal Alignment to transform your communication strategies, turning potential clients into fans and those fans into loyal customers.
• Discover the art of automated segmentation, pinpointing your most lucrative customers and identifying the optimal moments for successful conversions.
• Streamline your business with a content production plan that eliminates guesswork, wasted time, and money.
It's another new era of digital and marketers are faced with making big bets on their digital strategy. If you are looking at modernizing your tech stack to support your digital evolution, there are a few can't miss (often overlooked) areas that should be part of every conversation. We'll cover setting your vision, avoiding siloes, adding a democratized approach to data strategy, localization, creating critical governance requirements and more. Attendees will walk away with actions they can take into initiatives they are running today and consider for the future.
When most people in the industry talk about online or digital reputation management, what they're really saying is Google search and PPC. And it's usually reactive, left dealing with the aftermath of negative information published somewhere online. That's outdated. It leaves executives, organizations and other high-profile individuals at a high risk of a digital reputation attack that spans channels and tactics. But the tools needed to safeguard against an attack are more cybersecurity-oriented than most marketing and communications professionals can manage. Business leaders Leaders grasp the importance; 83% of executives place reputation in their top five areas of risk, yet only 23% are confident in their ability to address it. To succeed in 2024 and beyond, you need to turn online reputation on its axis and think like an attacker.\
Key Takeaways:
- New framework for examining and safeguarding an online reputation
- Tools and techniques to keep you a step ahead
- Practical examples that demonstrate when to act, how to act and how to recover
10 Video Ideas Any Business Can Make RIGHT NOW!
You'll never draw a blank again on what kind of video to make for your business. Go beyond the basic categories and truly reimagine a brand new advanced way to brainstorm video content creation. During this masterclass you'll be challenged to think creatively and outside of the box and view your videos through lenses you may have never thought of previously. It's guaranteed that you'll leave with more than 10 video ideas, but I like to under-promise and over-deliver. Don't miss this session.
Key Takeaways:
How to use the Video Matrix
How to use additional "Lenses"
Where to source original video ideas
The session includes a brief history of the evolution of search before diving into the roles technology, content, and links play in developing a powerful SEO strategy in a world of Generative AI and social search. Discover how to optimize for TikTok searches, Google's Gemini, and Search Generative Experience while developing a powerful arsenal of tools and templates to help maximize the effectiveness of your SEO initiatives.
Key Takeaways:
Understand how search engines work
Be able to find out where your users search
Know what is required for each discipline of SEO
Feel confident creating an SEO Plan
Confidently measure SEO performance
SEO as the Backbone of Digital MarketingFelipe Bazon
In this talk Felipe Bazon will share how him and his team at Hedgehog Digital share our journey of making C-Levels alike, specially CMOS realize that SEO is the backbone of digital marketing by showing how SEO can contribute to brand awareness, reputation and authority and above all how to use SEO to create more robust global marketing strategies.
Digital Commerce Lecture for Advanced Digital & Social Media Strategy at UCLA...Valters Lauzums
E-commerce in 2024 is characterized by a dynamic blend of opportunities and significant challenges. Supply chain disruptions and inventory shortages are critical issues, leading to increased shipping delays and rising costs, which impact timely delivery and squeeze profit margins. Efficient logistics management is essential, yet it is often hampered by these external factors. Payment processing, while needing to ensure security and user convenience, grapples with preventing fraud and integrating diverse payment methods, adding another layer of complexity. Furthermore, fulfillment operations require a streamlined approach to handle volume spikes and maintain accuracy in order picking, packing, and shipping, all while meeting customers' heightened expectations for faster delivery times.
Amid these operational challenges, customer data has emerged as an important strategy. By focusing on personalization and enhancing customer experience from historical behavior, businesses can deliver improved website and brand experienced, better product recommendations, optimal promotions, and content to meet individual preferences. Better data analytics can also help in effectively creating marketing campaigns, improving customer retention, and driving product development and inventory management.
Innovative formats such as social commerce and live shopping are beginning to impact the digital commerce landscape, offering new ways to engage with customers and drive sales, and may provide opportunity for brands that have been priced out or seen a downturn with post-pandemic shopping behavior. Social commerce integrates shopping experiences directly into social media platforms, tapping into the massive user bases of these networks to increase reach and engagement. Live shopping, on the other hand, combines entertainment and real-time interaction, providing a dynamic platform for showcasing products and encouraging immediate purchases. These innovations not only enhance customer engagement but also provide valuable data for businesses to refine their strategies and deliver superior shopping experiences.
The e-commerce sector is evolving rapidly, and businesses that effectively manage operational challenges and implement innovative strategies are best positioned for long-term success.
When most people in the industry talk about online or digital reputation management, what they're really saying is Google search and PPC. And it's usually reactive, left dealing with the aftermath of negative information published somewhere online. That's outdated. It leaves executives, organizations and other high-profile individuals at a high risk of a digital reputation attack that spans channels and tactics. But the tools needed to safeguard against an attack are more cybersecurity-oriented than most marketing and communications professionals can manage. Business leaders Leaders grasp the importance; 83% of executives place reputation in their top five areas of risk, yet only 23% are confident in their ability to address it. To succeed in 2024 and beyond, you need to turn online reputation on its axis and think like an attacker.
Key Takeaways:
- New framework for examining and safeguarding an online reputation
- Tools and techniques to keep you a step ahead
- Practical examples that demonstrate when to act, how to act and how to recover
How to Run Landing Page Tests On and Off Paid Social PlatformsVWO
Join us for an exclusive webinar featuring Mariate, Alexandra and Nima where we will unveil a comprehensive blueprint for crafting a successful paid media strategy focused on landing page testing.With escalating costs in paid advertising, understanding how to maximize each visitor’s experience is crucial for retention and conversion.
This session will dive into the methodologies for executing and analyzing landing page tests within paid social channels, offering a blend of theoretical knowledge and practical insights.
The Pearmill team will guide you through the nuances of setting up and managing landing page experiments on paid social platforms. You will learn about the critical rules to follow, the structure of effective tests, optimal conversion duration and budget allocation.
The session will also cover data analysis techniques and criteria for graduating landing pages.
In the second part of the webinar, Pearmill will explore the use of A/B testing platforms. Discover common pitfalls to avoid in A/B testing and gain insights into analyzing A/B tests results effectively.
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Marketing as a Primary Revenue Driver - Lee Levitt
The Effects of Social Media Marketing In the Hotel Industry: Conceptual Model for Development of an Effective Online Community
1. International Journal of Business and Management Invention
ISSN (Online): 2319 – 8028, ISSN (Print): 2319 – 801X
www.ijbmi.org || Volume 5 Issue 7 || July. 2016 || PP—01-12
www.ijbmi.org 1 | Page
The Effects of Social Media Marketing In the Hotel Industry:
Conceptual Model for Development of an Effective Online
Community
Samaan Al-Msallam , Abdullah Alhaddad
Department Of Marketing, Arab International University, Damascus, Syria
Abstract: Hotel industry can use social media to engage customers and clients in dialogue and recognize their
needs. Through these networking sites, hotel industry can interact with consumers before, during, and after the
vacation experience. Social media is relatively new and the advantages are abundance such as it is affordable,
it is viral and has the potential to spread brand awareness quickly and far and it is said to be able to develop
link baits, attention and massive amounts of traffic. The purpose of this study was to investigate benefit factors
of member participation and the relationships between community participation and brand commitment in hotel
online communities.
The present study identified five benefit factors (functional, hedonic, monetary, and social and psychological
benefits) as the predictors of member participation in hotel Facebook fan pages. Structural Equation Modeling
(SEM) was used to test the conceptual model. Based on the results of SEM, the results indicated that four
benefit factors (functional, hedonic, social and psychological benefits) positively influenced member's
community participation.
The findings of this study provide significant insights for the researchers and marketers. From the theoretical
perspective, this is the first empirical research that investigated consumer benefits and responses (i.e.,
community participation and brand commitment) in online communities managed by hotel sector. Thus, the
study contributes to the understanding of consumer behavior in social media. From the practical perspective,
the study suggests some strategies to effectively design hotel Face book fan pages, which can strengthen the
relationships with current consumers and attract potential consumers.
I. Introduction
Social media has recently been adopted by a small group of organization's integrated marketing plans. There by
infusing a mix of advertisement, public relations, their sales promotion to produce a customer focused message.
With the evolution of platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, we have the opportunity for
exceptional access to the guest (Lanz et al., 2010). Since social media is so available to anyone with an internet
connection, it should be a platform that can be recommended to the hotel industry to increase their brand
awareness and facilitate direct feedback from their customers. Alhaddad (2015) found that advertising
awareness has positive effect on brand equity on social media. A business that understands the advantage of
social media is well aware that social media is essential in developing new business in the current competitive
and online driven marketplace.
The majority of marketers would agree that the operation of a successful online community is now highly
relevant to successful marketing activities for many companies, yet studies regarding online communities have
been rarely conducted in the hotel industry. For this reason, the present study proposes the necessity of
identifying and understanding the factors that attract consumers to online communities for hotels, and
investigating the relationships between consumer participation and commitment to brands. From a theoretical
perspective, this research provides an enhanced understanding of consumer's motives for online social
exchanges (e.g., Internet-based social gatherings with other consumers and with a company) and of their
cognitive processes during the development of commitment to a particular brand. From a practical perspective,
online marketers can establish sustainable marketing strategies to keep online communities active, identify what
benefits community members look for in participating, and retain members who are willing to be involved in a
long-term relationship with the community.
II. Literature Review
2.1. Characteristics of an Online Community
Wang et al. (2002) considered the sociological aspects of online communities, with particular regard to the
question of whether people apply the same social roles and governance as those of physical communities. From
theoretical and operational perspectives, Wang et al. (2002) specific functions and features of online travel
communities are described in Figure1. The theoretical characteristics are place, symbols, and virtual. Place
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involves more than communication technologies; rather, it is a physical community that exists in members„
minds. Symbols refer to the meanings and identities given to community members. Virtual characteristics
represent computer systems that influence how people form communities. Wang et al. (2002) 's operational
characteristics of an online community include (a) people, who are the core of the community and actively
perform activities; (b) the purpose(s) shared by members and used to attract potential members, (c) the policies
that direct member's online behaviors; and (d) the computer system that makes this phenomenon feasible in
cyberspace.
2.2. Online Community Participation
Participation in online communities can be characterized as passive or active. Active community members are
those who interact with other members as opposed to those who merely observe information (Madupu, 2006).
Passive members browse online
Figure 1 Concepts of the virtual community
(Source: Wang et al., 2002, p. 410)
communities but rarely become involved in community activities. Such members are referred to as lurkers or
free riders (Preece, et al., 2004). Because lurkers generate traffic and increase Website hits, if online
communities have a large number of members (i.e., both passive and active members), they tend to be
successful. However, the numbers of lurkers in an online community does not guarantee the community„s
success, given that these members do not contribute to community activities. Rather, lurkers tend to pursue their
own goals and merely take.
In contrast, active members are highly motivated to participate in online communities and thus they are likely to
share information and knowledge, contribute to fast dissemination of valuable content to other members, and
provide emotional support to other members (Casaló et al., 2007). For instance, the popularity of YouTube is
due to active members„ considerable contributions to the community (Casaló et al., 2007). As community
members actively post product information and share experiences, the community acquires substantial
information that can attract new consumers and maintain strong relationships with existing members.
Furthermore, member's active participation enhances their knowledge regarding brands and products (Muniz &
O„Guinn, 2001) and thus enables them to offer suggestions to solve problems with product usage and help each
other make purchasing decisions (Flavián & Guinalíu, 2006). Active member participation is the key predictor
of determining community growth and ensuring the community„s long-term survival (Koh & Kim, 2004).
2.3. Participation Benefits
In order to build successful online communities, community marketers must attract participants and encourage
them to remain loyal to the community. In online tourism community, members seek to accomplish a variety of
travel-related tasks such as gathering travel information, making transactions (e.g., booking travel packages)
and anticipating new relationships with people in remote and international places (Wang et al., 2002).
According to Wang and Fesenmaier (2004a), these can be considered as tourist's fundamental needs (i.e.,
human needs), and they have been generally accepted and classified into four categories: functional, social,
psychological, and hedonic.
Wang and Fesenmaier„s (2004a) framework is employed in the present study because hospitality-related
communities have features similar to travel communities. Members of a hotel or restaurant community are
likely to be involved with activities such as searching for information about a property (e.g., the ambience of
hotel or restaurant and the quality of service), sharing service experiences with other members, and
communicating with the service provider.
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In addition to the four benefits identified by Wang and Fesenmaier (2004a), the present study considers
consumer desire for economic advantages from building a relationship with a service provider (Harris et al.,
2003). The term “monetary benefit” is adopted from Gwinner et al. (1998); this benefit can significantly
influence the extent of member's participation in online communities. Based on the discussion above, the
present study proposes that members hope to gain five specific types of benefits from participation in the online
community: functional, social, psychological, hedonic, and monetary.
2.3.1. Functional benefits:
According to Peter et al. (1999) a functional benefit is one that increases the ease and/or efficiency of
completing transactions (i.e., purchasing products and services) and exchanging information (i.e., information
gathering and sharing). One of the functional benefits of an online community is that interaction with other
community members can facilitate purchasing decisions (Armstrong & Hagel, 1996). Information exchange is
one of the major reasons for online community participation (Arsal et al., 2008).
The relationship between functional benefits and community participation has been well documented but
inconsistent in tourism research. Wang and Fesenmaier (2004a) found that functional benefits have a negative
impact on member's participation. One reason for this negative relationship may be that members enjoy the fun
and interactive parts of the community activities more than the task-oriented ones. Hwang and Cho„s (2005)
study revealed no significant relationship between functional benefits and members„ community activities. In
contrast, Chung and Buhalis (2008) found a positive relationship between members„ information acquisition
and their participation. Although members might not have specific plans for travel or dining out, they can still
collect and share information about destinations, hotels, and the best restaurants in the area. If members can
achieve their specific goals, such as acquiring information quickly, they are more likely to visit their online
community.
Based on the above discussion, the present study posits that the relationship between functional benefits and
community participation can vary depending on what community users want to gain from the community (i.e.,
whether they focus on entertainment or information acquisition). However, the present study postulates that
members in specifically hospitality-related communities have explicit needs to obtain information with regard
to hotel facilities, room rates, restaurants, and tourism information, especially when they are actively planning a
trip. They will also share their experiences with others, offering suggestions or responding to questions. Thus,
the following hypothesis, indicating a positive relationship to stimuli members„ active participation, is
proposed:
H1: Functional benefits have a positive influence on online community participation.
2.3.2. Social benefits:
Social benefits are the various kinds of help and support that members provide for each other (Wang &
Fesenmaier, 2004a). Community members help and support each other by exchanging ideas and opinions of
interest, answering other member's questions, and introducing new topics for discussion (Dholakia et al , 2009).
Previous studies have indicated that social benefits significantly influence member's attitude toward an online
community (Chung & Buhalis, 2008; Wang & Fesenmaier, 2004a). Coon (1998) found that the primary reason
people choose to participate in online communities is to build friendships with others who have similar interests
or purposes. Online community members tend to increase the number and length of visits to online
communities, and to actively participate in online community activities, when they recognize that they share
mutual interests with other members (Hwang & Cho, 2005). Based on these findings, the following hypothesis
is proposed:
H2: Social benefits have a positive influence on online community participation.
2.3.3. Psychological benefits:
Psychological benefits are derived from feeling connected to community members, and include identity
expression through the community, a sense of belonging to the community, and a sense of affiliation with other
members (Bressler & Grantham, 2000). Bressler and Grantham (2000) indicated that psychological benefits are
a starting point for joining an online community due to an individual„s need for a fulfilling sense of belonging
to a community.
Previous studies show that psychological benefits have a positive influence on online community participation
than not (Dholakia et al., 2004; Kim et al., 2004). Consumers may increase their level of participation in order
to express their preferences, which lead to the formation of an emotional attachment with other members and
the community (Lee, 2005). A sense of community enables consumers to share experiences and solve problems
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related to consumption (Bakos, 1998). This is an effective way to allure new consumers and retain them as loyal
consumers (Kim et al., 2004). Thus, the following hypothesis is proposed:
H3: Psychological benefits have a positive influence on online community participation.
2.3.4. Hedonic benefits
Hedonic benefits include positive emotional states, such as feeling entertained and amused and experiencing
enjoyment that occurs when participating in community activities (Wang & Fesenmaier, 2004a). According to
Armstrong & Hagel (1995) in online communities, members are likely to engage in activities that not only
provide valued information but also elicit positive emotions (e.g., happiness, excitement, and enthusiasm).
For some online community members, hedonic benefits are more important than other benefits (Hoffman &
Novak, 1996). Participation in an online community is influenced by hedonic benefits that members gain from
discussion forums, electronic bulletin boards, and features for sharing pictures and videos (Dholakia et al.,
2004). If participating in an online community is perceived as fun or entertaining, members are more likely to
visit the community and to spend more time visiting it. Therefore, the following hypothesis regarding hedonic
benefits and community participation is proposed:
H4: Hedonic benefits have a positive influence on online community participation.
2.3.5. Monetary benefits:
Consumers seek to receive economic advantages from a relationship with a service provider, which can be
referred to as monetary savings (Gwinner et al., 1998). Monetary savings (i.e., discounts or special price breaks)
is a primary reason for a consumer to develop a relationship with a company (Harris et al., 2003; Peterson,
1995). Gwinner et al. (1998) illustrated the importance of monetary benefits when developing a relationship
with a service company.
In hospitality research, monetary benefits have been considered a part of individualized services that fulfill
consumers„ specific needs (i.e., special treatment benefits) (Lee, et al., 2008). Han and Kim (2009) found that
special treatment benefits (e.g., gift certificates) had a positive effect on the way that consumers felt about a
restaurant. A similar process is likely to occur in online communities for hotels (Kozinets, 1999). That is,
offering monetary benefits is likely to have as positive an effect on online community members as it does on
actual patrons of a hotels (Kozinets, 1999). These businesses tend to offer special promotions and coupons to
attract new members and benefit online community members (Treadaway & Smith, 2010). For example,
community events and contests that provide winners with something of monetary value (e.g., coupons,
information about sales) may encourage member participation and entice nonmembers to register with the
community. Thus, monetary benefits attract new members and maintain existing relationships. Therefore, the
following hypothesis is proposed regarding the relationship between economic benefits and community
participation:
H5: Monetary benefits have a positive influence on online community participation.
2.4. Outcomes of Online Community Participation
In this section, the relationships between online community participation, and brand commitment are explored
and hypotheses are developed. Through participation in online communities, members provide helps to others
and receive helps when they need it. Because hospitality products and services cannot be evaluated without
consumption, consumers can be significantly influenced by others who had experiences with those products and
services. Once consumers find information provided by other people to be trustworthy, they learn to rely on
these opinions (Paris et al., 2010). A high level of trust fosters emotional attachments among members of online
communities (Hess & Story, 2005); it also increases their level of commitment to a particular brand (Casaló et
al., 2007).
2.5. Brand commitment of online community members
An online community often constitutes a group of committed consumers because the group consists of people
who share common interests and purposes (Bagozzi & Dholakia, 2002). Members are likely to discuss how to
use products, and ask other members for product repair and maintenance information (Casaló et al., 2007). As
members frequently and actively participate in online communities, they become more familiar with the brand,
and thus develop expertise on products and brands. These members also are likely to help other members within
the community (Muniz & O„Guinn, 2001). Information or content posted by these members contains positive
messages in support of their favorite brands, which protects their attitudinal positions about those brands (Raju
et al., 2009).
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Being highly involved in community activities (e.g., participating in discussions and posting positive messages
about a brand) positively affects commitment and emotional attachment to a brand (Algesheimer et al., 2005).
Consumer's emotional ties toward particular brands can develop as a result of active participation in online
communities (Casaló et al., 2007). For example, when consumers discuss common issues related to their
favorite brands, they are more likely to create emotional ties with each other, and they reach agreement more
easily. Active participation increases member's commitment to particular brands because members who share
similar interests in those brands can communicate and interact with each other through community discussion
boards. When they experience shared sympathy on specific issues related to their preferred brands or
consumption experiences, positive attitude toward those brands can be enhanced (Algesheimer et al., 2005;
Wang & Fesenmaier, 2004a). Therefore, the level of participation positively affects commitment to a brand.
Thus, the following hypothesis is proposed:
H6: Online community participation has a positive influence on brand commitment.
III. Research Model
Based on the above discussion, the present study proposes a conceptual research model of relationships: (a) the
relationships between community participation and participation benefits, and (b) the relationship between
community participation and brand commitment shown in Figure 2. The present study investigates hotel brand's
Facebook pages. These group was selected because it is the most important segment of the hospitality industry.
Many Facebook pages for hotels have incorporated unique features (e.g., promotions) in order to encourage
member participation. Among the numerous fan pages on the site, four hotel's Facebook pages was chosen from
the list of 7 Awesome Hotel Facebook Pages to Like. The successfulness of these Facebook pages was based on
a high number of fans as well as a high number of postings by members (Preece et al., 2004). Facebook pages
for five stars hotels in Damascus that meet both criteria were chosen.
Figure 2 Proposed conceptual model for development of an effective online community
IV. Research Methodology
4.1. Selection of Online Communities in Facebook
4.1.1. Sample
The sample for the present study consisted of fans of the hotel brand's Facebook pages. An online survey was
developed and distributed to potential respondents, both male and female, of at least 18 years of age. The
advantages of online surveys are their (a) low cost, (b) interactivity, (c) high accessibility to the respondent
without time and space constraints, and (d) convenience for data entry and checking (Stopher et al., 2004).
4.1.2. Survey Instrument
The survey consisted of four sections: (1) participation benefits; (2) community participation, and brand
commitment; (3) demographic information and (4) manipulation checking. Prior to starting the first part of the
survey, participants were asked whether they had ever joined either hotel or restaurant brand's Facebook pages.
Only those who had confirmed that they have been or currently were a member of a Facebook page operated by
a hospitality company were eligible to complete the survey.
The first part of the survey measured five categories of member benefits (exogenous variables): functional,
social, psychological, hedonic, and monetary benefits, using five-point Likert-type scales ranging from 1 (not
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important at all) to 5 (extremely important). Five benefit variables (functional, social, psychological, hedonic
and monetary) were adapted from Wang & Fesenmaier (2004a), Gwinner et al. (1998) and Lee et al. (2008);
these have been successfully used in a number of studies of online communities. The second part of the survey
examined levels of community participation and brand commitment (i.e., endogenous variables). To measure
community participation, four items were adapted from Koh & Kim (2004) and Casaló et al. (2007). To
measure brand commitment, three items were adapted from Ahluwalia (2000). All items in the second part were
measured using a 5-point Likert-type scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). The third
part of the survey elicited demographic information such as education, gender, and age. Table (1) show items of
the survey .
In the last part of the questionnaire, respondents were asked about the perceived success of the Facebook page
as a manipulation check: “ The interaction between the company and other members is active”, “The hotel
brand‟s Facebook page is successful”, and “I like visiting the hotel brand‟s Facebook page”. All items were
measured using a 5-point Likert-type scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree).
A pilot test was undertaken by distributing the survey to a total of 15 graduate students majoring in marketing to
determine whether wording changes were needed to enhance clarity. Based on the feedback gathered, minor
changes were made to ensure that participants would have no difficulty understanding or answering questions.
4.1.3. Data Collection
The data were collected between February 25 and April 5, 2016. An email invitation was sent to potential
participants, along with a link to the online questionnaire. A total of 500 invitations were sent to the alumni of
Arab International University list. From the 500 alumni, 250 responses were received with the response rate of
(50 %).
4.1.4. Data Analysis
In the data analysis process, descriptive statistics, including frequencies and percentages, were used for
demographic data. The present study employed the two-step structural equation modeling (SEM) approach
suggested by Anderson and Gerbing (1988).
Table 1 Constructs and items of the survey
Construct Measurement items
Functional benefits Obtaining up-to-date information
Ease/convenience of communicating with others
Efficiency of online communication
Sharing experiences
Social benefits Having trust in the community
Seeking self-identity
Communicating with other members
Getting involved with other members
Psychological benefits Seeking a sense of affiliation in the community
Seeking a sense of belonging
Establishing and maintaining relationships with other members
Hedonic benefits To be entertained by other members
To have fun
To seek enjoyment
To be entertained
Monetary benefits Obtaining discounts or special deals that most consumers don't get
Obtaining better prices than most consumers
Receiving free coupons for hotel stays by becoming a member of this
community
Community participation I take an active part in the hotel brand„s Facebook page
I usually provide useful information to other members in the hotel
brand„s Facebook page
In general, I post messages and responses in the hotel brand„s Facebook
page with great enthusiasm and frequency
I do my best to stimulate the hotel brand.
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Brand commitment If the hotel brand were not available for reservations (e.g., rooms), it
would make little difference to me if I had to make reservations at other
hotel/restaurant brand.
I consider myself to be highly loyal to the hotel brand.
When another brand has a special deal (e.g., lower room rate), I
generally stay at the hotel/visit the restaurant with the better deal rather
than the hotel brand.
The first step involved confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to validate the scales for the measurement of specific
constructs proposed in the research model (Hair et al., 1998). The second step involved examination of the
structural model through SEM in order to evaluate the validity of the proposed model and hypotheses. The
maximum likelihood procedure was used to estimate the measurement model and structural model (Namkung &
Jang, 2007) in Amos (18).
V. Results
This section reports the results of the analysis, which include demographic characteristics of the sample and
measurement and structural equation model tests.
5.1. Demographic Characteristics
A total of 250 questionnaires were collected, The data were screened to control response bias. Responses that
included one or more unanswered sections and those with extreme answers were removed. After deleting 43
invalid surveys, 207 responses were kept for further analysis. Table (2) present the demographic profile of the
hotel and respondents. In addition to demographic characteristics such as biological gender, age, and education,
tables include respondent's information regarding duration of membership and average time spent on hotel
brand's Facebook pages per week.
5.2. Brand Profile and Manipulation Check
To check the successfulness of Facebook pages operated by the hospitality companies named by the
respondents, the mean values for the three items related to the perceived successfulness of the Facebook page
were calculated for each brand (Table 3). All of the mean values were above 3.0, which indicated that
participants generally perceived the Facebook pages to be actively managed, successful, and they liked visiting
the brand's pages. Accordingly, the respondents created an appropriate sample for the present study due to their
strong interest and concern for Facebook page brand's related to the hotel and restaurant establishments.
VI. Measurement Model
6.1. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA)
A confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to empirically test the measurement model. Multiple tests on
construct validity and reliability were performed.
Construct reliability was assessed using Cronbach‟s α, composite reliability (CR) and average variance
extracted (AVE) using CFA. As the α-values (Table 4) for all the constructs are greater than the guideline of
0.70, it can be concluded that the scales0 can be applied for the analysis with acceptable reliability (Saunders et
al., 2003) . CR and AVE were calculated from model estimates using the CR formula and AVE formula given
by Fornell and Larcker (1981). In the measurement model, all constructs had a CR over the cut-off of 0.70 and
the AVE for all exceeded the recommended level of 0.5 (Bagozzi and Yi, 1988) . Based on these assessments,
measures used within this study were within the acceptable levels supporting the reliability of the constructs
(Table 4) .
Content validity was verified by expert judgment and by a careful literature review, To assess the discriminant
validity, Fornell and Larcker‟s (1981) criterion, that square root of the AVE for each construct should be greater
than the correlation between constructs, was used. Table (5) shows the values of the square root of the AVE are
all greater than the inter-construct correlations.
Table 2 Demographic characteristics
Demographic
characteristics
Frequency Percentage
Gender Male
Female
106
101
51.2
48.8
Age 18-20 Years old
21-30
31-40
41-55
10
59
50
63
4.8
28.5
24.2
30.4
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Over 55 25 12
Education Under graduate
Post graduate
190
17
91.7
8.3
Duration
of membership
Less than 12 months
12-24 months
25-36 months
Over 36 months
152
50
5
0
73.5
24.1
2.4
0
Average hour
spent per week
on facebook
pages
Less than 1 hour
1-5 hours
6-10 hours
More than 10 hours
60
136
8
3
29
65.7
3.9
1.4
Table 3 Perceived success of Facebook pages
Hotel (n = 207) Mean SD
There is active participation between the hotel and
members. 3.84 .81
The hotel brand's Facebook page is successful. 3.72 .83
I like visiting the hotel brand's Facebook page. 3.94 .82
Table 4 Result for the Measurement Model
Construct CR AVE Cronbach’s α
Functional benefits 0.954 0.742 0.954
Social benefits 0.974 0.902 0.973
Psychological benefits 0.945 0.850 0.944
Hedonic benefits 0.959 0.855 0.959
Monetary benefits 0.948 0.858 0.947
Community participation 0.920 0.742 0.918
Brand commitment 0.901 0.752 0.898
Table 5 Correlation and average variance extracted
Community
participation
Functional
benefits
Social
benefits
Psychological
benefits
Hedonic
benefits
Monetary
benefits
Brand
commitment
Community
participation
0.861
Functional
benefits
0.690 0.915
Social
benefits
0.575 0.541 0.950
Psychologica
l benefits
0.441 0.494 0.389 0.922
Hedonic
benefits
0.692 0.585 0.525 0.279 0.925
Monetary
benefits
0.042 0.008 -0.091 -0.010 0.054 0.926
Brand
commitment
0.144 0.070 0.081 0.134 0.026 0.128 0.867
Eight common model-fit measures were used to assess the model‟s overall goodness of fit. As shown in Table
(6), all the model-fit indices exceeded the respective common acceptance levels suggested by previous research
(Kim et al., 2004), demonstrating that the measurement model exhibited a good fit with the data collected.
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Table 6 Measurement Model Fit Indices
Fit index Recommended value Indices values
Chi-square / (df) ≤ 3.00 1.94
GFI ≥ 0.80 0.87
AGFI ≥ 0.80 0.83
NFI ≥ 0.90 0.93
IFI ≥ 0.90 0.97
CFI ≥ 0.90 0.97
TLI ≥ 0.90 0.97
RMSEA 0.05 to 0.08 0.05
Regarding the hypothesis test as shown in Table (7), functional benefit showed a positive effect on community
participation (ß =0.263 , p <0.001). Therefore, H1 confirmed. In addition social, psychological and hedonic
benefits had a positive effect on community participation (ß =0.143 , p <0.05 ; ß =0.094 , p <0.05 ; ß =0.348 p
<0.001). Hence, H2,H3 and H4 are supported . But, monetary benefit not effect on community participation (ß
=0.029 , p > 0.05 ) . indicating that H5 was rejected .The path
coefficient from community participation to brand commitment is not statistically significant (ß =0.127 , p >
0.05 ). These H6 was not supported. Figure (3) shows the Results of structural model.
Table 7 Results of testing
Figure 3 Results of Structural Model
VII. Discussion Of Finding
The result demonstrate that functional, social, psychological and hedonic benefits (H1, H2, H3 and H4) from
hotel brand's Facebook page members were found positively influence community participation. Monetary
benefits were found to be a non-significant factor in community participation (H5).
The positive relationship between functional benefits and community participation for hotel pages (H1) is
consistent with the findings of Chung and Buhalis (2008) and Hwang and Cho (2005), who indicated that
functional benefits as the most influential factors affecting the level of member's participation in online travel
communities. In relation to functional benefits, members of hotel brand's Facebook pages in the present study
desired efficiency and convenience of communicating with others online, and desired sharing information about
Structural equations Coefficients (α) t-values P Result
Functional benefits Community participation 0.263 4.512 *** Supported
Social benefits Community participation 0.143 2.502 ** Supported
Psychological benefits Community participation 0.094 1.980 ** Supported
Hedonic benefits Community participation 0.348 5.833 *** Supported
Monetary benefits Community participation 0.029 0.710 0.478 Rejected
Community participation Brand Commitment 0.127 1.858 0.064 Rejected
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their service experiences with the hotel brands. To fulfill these desires, members appeared to visit the site
frequently to gather information and communicate with others regarding the hotel and its services. Accordingly,
the findings of the present study identified functional benefits as a significant element that increased member
participation in the hotel brand's Facebook pages.
Hedonic benefits were found to be a significant motivating factor for community participation in the hotel pages
(H4). This supports previous findings that indicate that members participate in community activities because
they perceive these to be relaxing and entertaining (Ridings & Gefen, 2004; Wasko & Faraj, 2000). Members
are likely to spend more time, especially when hotel brands„ pages incorporate unique features that are geared
toward members„ interests and that give members another way to interact (Dholakia et al., 2004).
The significant relationship between social benefit, psychological benefit and community participation in this
present study also confirms the findings of previous studies (e.g., Ahuja & Galvin, 2003; Langerak et al., 2003).
These social and psychological benefits may also enhance the perceptions of community attractiveness and lead
to useful feedback about community service (Bendapudi & Berry, 1997).
Monetary benefit was a new construct added that extends Wang and Fesenmaier„s (2004b) conceptual model.
Contrary to past research looking at book clubs and airlines (Peterson, 1995), monetary benefits did not have a
significant relationship with community participation for the hotel pages (H5). The present results also
conflicted with the results from Treadaway and Smith (2010), Harris et al. (2003). Treadaway & Smith (2010)
found that monetary benefits potentially help generate member interest about hotel and restaurant brands and
encourage members to participate in community activities. Harris et al. (2003) reported monetary benefits as
consumer's primary reason to begin a relationship with a company. One possible reason for the conflicting
results is because the present study focused on taking part in activities rather than generating initial interest or
joining the community. For this reason, monetary benefits need to be more thoroughly investigated to determine
if they can stimulate potential consumers to join hotel brand's pages. In other words, monetary benefits can be
an influential factor that increases the number of members, but not necessarily the level of subsequent
participation.
The relationships between community participation and brand commitment (H6) was not supported . These
result indicated that community participation did not produce a positive feeling of attachment to a brand. The
results for H6 are contrary to the results of Jang et al. (2008) and Casaló et al. (2010), who found a positive
effect of member participation on commitment toward a brand.
One possible explanation for the behavior of hotel respondents is the amount of time dedicated to interaction
between members and brands. Ellonen et al. (2010) emphasized the role of online consumer-brand interactions
in strengthening consumer relationships with a particular brand. They pointed out two key influential factors of
consumer-brand relationships: frequent participation and longer individual visits to online brand communities.
According to Merisavo & Raulas (2004), positive emotional responses occur as consumers increase the amount
of time that they spend with a brand, which enhances the relationship with the brand (Merisavo, 2008). In
contrast to these findings (Merisavo & Raulas, 2004; Merisavo, 2008), member profiles of hotel respondents in
the present study showed that over 70% of respondents had relatively short-term relationships with hotel brand's
Facebook pages (e.g., the duration of membership was less than a year) and nearly 90% spent less than five
hours per week participating in activities on hotel brand's pages. This indicates that members of hotel brand's
pages have relatively low levels of interaction with hotel brands. In addition, members may intend to visit hotel
brand's pages more often when they need to fulfill specific needs, such as obtaining information about hotel
packages and events. Because of the goal-oriented behaviors of hotel members (pursuing specific needs for a
special occasion such as a trip), the member's visits to the hotel brand's pages are inclined to be infrequent
rather than consistent.
VIII. Conclusions And Implications
The present study suggests significant strategies for online community design by identifying benefit factors that
encourage member participation on hotel brand's Facebook pages. The findings indicated four desired
participation benefits for hotel members: functional, social, psychological, and hedonic benefits. These benefits
are related to multiple consumer needs. From a managerial perspective, marketers of hotel brand's pages first
need to be aware of their members characteristics and understand who their members are before developing
strategies for successful Facebook pages. In addition, these benefits can be used to attract potential consumers
to join the hotel brand's pages.
Hotel firms should provide communication devices with diverse formats (e.g., real-time synchronous or
asynchronous communication technologies such as chat or bulletin boards, virtual product presentations) that
enable members to exchange information about hotel properties/services, provide critiques of ambiance, and
share service experiences. Information gathering through brand pages is the most influential element to attract
potential consumers to join hotel brand's Facebook pages and to encourage current members to frequently visit
the page.
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Interactions and communication among consumers do not appear to help hotel brands develop consumer
commitment. Marketers may need to devise methods that depend on business-to-consumer activities rather than
facilitating interaction among consumers in order to build consumer commitment towards the brand. For
example, direct communication via online chat features between consumer service and consumers when making
reservations may be an effective approach to build consumer commitment. Through this process, hotel staff
could directly identify consumer preferences (e.g., the type of pillow or room they prefer) and special requests
(e.g., particular room temperature and particular newspaper they want to be delivered) (Weed, 2011). Based on
the information collected through this chat feature, hotels may provide personalized service that underlines the
value of staying at the hotel brand. This may enhance consumer commitment toward a hotel brand and produce
loyal customers.
Finally, social media is an innovative tool by which hotel brands can take a proactive approach to manage brand
relationships with their consumers. Hotel marketers can identify the most important attributes of their brands
(e.g., rooms, front desk, breakfast, room rates, and cleanliness) by analyzing the consumer's posts on the brand
pages. Following this analysis, marketers can take immediate actions based on both complimentary reviews and
complaints about service. Particularly for uncomplimentary reviews, marketers can mitigate their potential
harmful effects by effectively responding to consumers„ comments. All of these efforts can assist hotel brands
in creating favorable brand images and building strong relationships with their members.
IX. Limitation
The present study proposed a single final consequence of community participation, which was brand
commitment. Future research may investigate other consequences of active participation such as brand loyalty,
purchase intention, or brand equity. This may provide hospitality companies with specific information needed to
implement marketing strategies that encourage more active member participation.
Future research may investigate demographic characteristics of community members (age and gender) as a
significant potential factor in influencing member participation.
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