Impact of Social Media Marketing Activities on Purchase Intentions via Customer Equity Drivers: An Empirical Case Study on Smartphone Brands

In the light of growing interest and usage of social networking sites, smartphones, and internet availability, this study aims to analyze the impact of social media marketing activities on the purchase intentions of the customer via customer equity drivers- relationship equity, value equity and, brand equity in the context of the smartphone industry. An online survey was conducted with a total of 343 respondents who were active users of social media. The collected data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. The findings of the study revealed that interactivity was the most important dimension of social media marketing activities (SMMAs) and personalization and e-WOM being the second one. SMMAs were found to have a significant impact on customer equity drivers and value equity and brand equity were positively related to the purchase intentions of the customers. The findings of the study will help managers to develop SMMA strategies and boosting future sales by influencing the purchase intentions of the customers through perceived SMMA.