Investigating the Impact of Social Media Marketing Activities on University Brand Preference and Word of Mouth Communication

This study investigates the influence of social media marketing activities on university brand preference in South Africa. With the rapid proliferation of social media platforms, universities are increasingly leveraging these channels to enhance their brand presence and engage with students. The effectiveness of such endeavours in shaping brand preferences remains underexplored, particularly in an emerging market context where unique socio-economic factors may influence consumer behaviour. A total of 268 responses were collected from university students in South Africa through an electronic self-administered survey. Partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was used to analyse the data. The findings of this study revealed that social media marketing activities have a positive impact on brand attitude. Furthermore, brand attitude was proven to have a positive impact on university brand preference and word of mouth. However, the findings revealed an insignificant relationship between university brand preference and word of mouth. The study sheds valuable insights into the mechanisms through which social media engagement impacts brand perception and preference, shedding light on the strategic implications for universities seeking to leverage digital platforms to enhance their competitive positioning in emerging markets.