Social media marketing and brand recognition: multilevel evidence

Introduction: The article analyzed how social media marketing transformed the way brands built recognition, positioning, and links with consumers. It argued that these platforms were no longer just channels of dissemination but had become interactive spaces where value was co-created between users and companies. It also argued that brand recognition operated as a decisive element for purchase intention, trust, and loyalty, articulating cognitive, emotional, and social dimensions.Development: Based on international, national, and local evidence, the study described how social media marketing strategies positively influenced variables such as brand image, recall, and purchase intention. It showed that sustained digital activity, consistent visual management, and two-way interaction with users strengthened brand positioning. Theoretically, it integrated social identity theory, which explained belonging to brand communities on social media, and dual-process theory, which allowed for interpreting how consumers recognized and chose brands both automatically and deliberately. In addition, it defined operational dimensions of digital marketing—content dissemination, network presence, and customer interaction—and dimensions of brand recognition—familiarity, emotion, visual simplicity, and social reputation.Conclusions: The article concluded that social media marketing was a strategic tool for competitiveness, as it generated visibility, credibility, and emotional connection. It pointed out that brands with an active, coherent, and aesthetically consistent presence achieved higher levels of trust, preference, and recommendation. Finally, it stated that digital interaction translated into symbolic and commercial capital, and that the ability to connect authentically with the public became a differentiating and sustainable factor.