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Real-time marketing messages and consumer engagement in social media

Author

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  • Chae, Myoung-Jin
  • Rodríguez-Vilá, Omar
  • Bharadwaj, Sundar

Abstract

Branded advertising messages incorporating a transient context, such as events or holidays in their content and published in close temporal proximity to the particular context (i.e., real-time messages) have gained significant use. This research takes a firm-side perspective to study Real-Time Marketing (RTM) messages in social media and examines its effect on consumer engagement. Despite their growing use, we find that RTM messages do not significantly impact consumer engagement. However, the nature of the development process is a moderating factor and explains the heterogeneity in the effect of RTM messages on consumer engagement. The development process of RTM messages—Planned versus Improvised—plays a crucial role, with Planned RTM messages marginally enhancing consumer engagement, whereas Improvised RTM messages reduce it. We identify managerially controllable factors, namely targeting audience and having a product image enhance the effect of Improvised RTM messages on consumer engagement.

Suggested Citation

  • Chae, Myoung-Jin & Rodríguez-Vilá, Omar & Bharadwaj, Sundar, 2025. "Real-time marketing messages and consumer engagement in social media," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jbrese:v:191:y:2025:i:c:s014829632500089x
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2025.115266
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