1Institute of Management, Nirma University, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India
2Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India
3XIM University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits non-commercial use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission provided the original work is attributed as specified on the SAGE and Open Access page (https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/open-access-at-sage).
Purpose This research aims to establish an understanding of the drivers of brand engagement and brand image on websites and social media platforms, through independent variables such as brand storytelling, user-generated content (UGC) and collaboration within the S-O-R framework. Given rapidly changing trends and simultaneous consumer preferences, understanding the key drivers behind these shifts is essential.
Methodology This study uses a standardised online survey tool to gather data from a diverse group of individuals in the state of Gujarat, India. This study analyses the data through partial least squares–structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) to understand the key drivers of brand image and consumer engagement.
Findings These findings of the study show positive responses for all the variables, specifically brand storytelling and UGC in context with social media, which indicated shaping consumer engagement and brand image. However, collaboration did not necessarily indicate a positive impact on both consumer engagement and brand image. Also, in the context of websites, UGC did not have a positive impact on consumer engagement.
Practical implications This article suggests a strategic selection and use of online marketing channels for brands to foster brand engagement and strengthen brand image.
Originality The combined significance of brand storytelling, influence of UGC and collaboration on websites as well as social media for understanding the impact on brand image and engagement has not been studied previously.
Brand Image, Brand Engagement, User-generated Content, Brand Storytelling, Collaboratio
Aaker D. A. (1996). Measuring brand equity across products and markets. California Management Review, 38(3), 102–120.
Abelse E. G., Domas White M., & Hahn K. (1998). A user–based design process for web sites. Internet Research, 8(1), 39–48.
Ahmed S., Sharif T., Ting D. H., & Sharif S. J. (2024). Crafting emotional engagement and immersive experiences: Comprehensive scale development for and validation of hospitality marketing storytelling involvement. Psychology and Marketing, 41(7), 1514–1529. https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.21994
Ajzen I. (1991). The theory of planned behaviour. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50(2), 179–211. https://doi.org/10.1016/0749–5978(91)90020–T
Aldhamiri A., Carlson J., Vilches–Montero S., Rahman S. M., & Gudergan S. P. (2024). What drives higher active customer engagement in luxury brands’ social media? Measurement and contingencies. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 79, 103804. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2024.103804
Appel G., Grewal L., Hadi R., & Stephen A. T. (2020). The future of social media in marketing. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 48(1), 79–95. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747–019–00695–1
Ashley C., & Tuten T. (2014). Creative strategies in social media marketing: An exploratory study of branded social content and consumer engagement. Psychology & Marketing, 32(1), 15–27. https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.20761
Brodie R. J., Hollebeek L. D., Juri? B., & Ili? A. (2011). Customer engagement: Conceptual domain, fundamental propositions, and implications for research. Journal of Service Research, 14(3), 252–271. https://doi.org/10.1177/1094670511411703
Chaffey D., & Smith P. R. (2021). Digital marketing: Strategy, implementation, and practice. Pearson.
Chatterjee S., & Kar A. K. (2020). Why do small and medium enterprises use social media marketing and what is the impact: Empirical insights from India. International Journal of Information Management, 53, 102103.
Cohen J. (1988). Set correlation and contingency tables. Applied Psychological Measurement, 12(4), 425–434.
Davies B., Turner M., & Udell J. (2024). The importance of social cues when browsing appearance–focused social media content: A think aloud protocol analysis using fitspiration images and Instagram feed browsing. Media Psychology, 27(3), 352–378. https://doi.org/10.1080/15213269.2023.2242251
de Almeida J. O., Lugosi P., & Quinton S. (2025). Child viewers’ engagement with social media influencers: Exercising socialisation–driven agency. Journal of Business Research, 200, 115590. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2025.115590
Dessart L., & Pitardi V. (2019). How stories generate consumer engagement: An exploratory study. Journal of Business Research, 104, 183–195. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.06.045
Diniso C. (2025). The influence of brand awareness, brand image and perceived quality on Generation Y’s brand satisfaction and brand love: A Samsung smartphone case study. African Journal of Economic and Management Studies, 17(1), 104–118. https://doi.org/10.1108/AJEMS–02–2025–0092
Djafarova E., & Bowes T. (2021). ‘Instagram made me buy it’: Generation Z impulse purchases in fashion industry. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 59, 102345.
Djafarova E., & Rushworth C. (2017). Exploring the credibility of online celebrities’ Instagram profiles in influencing the purchase decisions of young female users. Computers in Human Behavior, 68, 1–7.
Dolan R., Conduit J., Fahy J., & Goodman S. (2019). Social media engagement behaviour: A framework for managing customer–brand interactions. Journal of Business Research, 96. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2018.11.045
Dwivedi Y. K., Ismagilova E., Rana N. P., & Raman R. (2023). Social media adoption, usage and impact in business–to–business (B2B) context: A state–of–the–art literature review. Information Systems Frontiers, 25(3), 971–993.
Evan A. G. (2021). How celebrity endorsement influences consumers’ purchase intention of fashion products on Instagram. Indonesian Business Review, 4, 44–56.
Evans N. J., Phua J., Lim J., & Jun H. (2017). Disclosing Instagram influencer advertising: The effects of disclosure language on advertising recognition, attitudes, and behavioral intent. Journal of Interactive Advertising, 17(2), 138–149.
Fu X., Liu X., & Li Z. (2024). Catching eyes of social media wanderers: How pictorial and textual cues in visitor–generated content shape users’ cognitive–affective psychology. Tourism Management, 100. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2023.104815
Gharib R., García–Pérez A., Dibb S., & Iskoujina Z. (2019). Trust and reciprocity effect on electronic word–of–mouth in online review communities. Journal of Enterprise Information Management, 33, 120–138.
Godey B., Manthiou A., Pederzoli D., Aiello G., Donvito R., & Singh R. (2016). Social media marketing efforts of luxury brands: Influence on brand equity and consumer behavior. Journal of Business Research, 69(12), 5833–5841.
Hair J. F., Black W. C., Babin B. J., & Anderson R. E. (2019). Multivariate data analysis (8th ed.). Pearson.
Hair J. F., Howard M. C., & Nitzl C. (2020). Assessing measurement model quality in PLS–SEM using confirmatory composite analysis. Journal of Business Research, 109, 101–110.
Hanadi A., & Salhab A. A.–A. (2023). The impact of social media marketing on purchase intention: The mediating role of brand trust and image. International Journal of Data and Network Science, 7, 591–600.
Henseler J., Ringle C. M., & Sarstedt M. (2014). Composite–based structural equation modelling: Assessing high–tech research technology models from a transactional perspective. Springer.
Henseler J., Ringle C. M., & Sarstedt M. (2015). A new criterion for assessing discriminant validity in variance–based structural equation modeling. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 43(1), 115–135.
Hollebeek L. D., Glynn M. S., & Brodie R. J. (2014). Consumer brand engagement in social media: Conceptualization, scale development and validation. Journal of Interactive Marketing, 28(2), 149–165. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intmar.2013.12.002 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10796–021–10106–y
Hollebeek L. D., & Macky K. (2019). Digital content marketing’s role in fostering consumer engagement, trust, and value: Framework, fundamental propositions, and implications. Journal of Interactive Marketing, 45, 27–41. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intmar.2018.07.003
Ika Sari G., Winasis S., Pratiwi I., Wildan Nuryanto U., & Basrowi. (2024). Strengthening digital literacy in Indonesia: Collaboration, innovation, and sustainability education. Social Sciences and Humanities Open, 10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssaho.2024.101100
Iveson A., Davvetas V., Hultman M., & Boso N. (2026). Relationship norms, rewards and consumer–brand bonds: When cultural context and attachment anxiety matter. International Marketing Review, 43(7), 1–24. https://doi.org/10.1108/IMR–02–2025–0082
Jiang K., Qin M., Deng D., & Zhou D. (2025). Smile or not smile: The effect of virtual influencers’ emotional expression on brand authenticity, purchase intention and follow intention. Journal of Consumer Behaviour, 24(2), 962–981. https://doi.org/10.1002/cb.2451
JungHwa (Jenny) Hong J. Y. (2022). Sharing consumers’ brand storytelling: Influence of consumers’ storytelling on brand attitude via emotions and cognitions. Journal of Product and Brand Management, 31(2), 265–278. https://doi.org/10.1108/JPBM–03–2021–2920
Kaplan A. M., & Haenlein M. (2010). Users of the world, unite! The challenges and opportunities of social media. Business Horizons, 53(1), 59–68.
Kaplan A. M., & Haenlein M. (2021). Users of the world, unite! The challenges and opportunities of social media. Business Horizons, 64(1), 51–59. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bushor.2020.09.003
Keller K. L. (1993). Conceptualizing, measuring, and managing customer–based brand equity. Journal of Marketing, 57(1). https://doi.org/10.2307/1252054
Kim A. J., & Ko E. (2012). Do social media marketing activities enhance customer equity? An empirical study of a luxury fashion brand. Journal of Business Research, 65(10), 1480–1486. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2011.10.014
Kosakarika S. (2023). Brand storytelling techniques arousing emotional bonds in different customer groups based on cluster analysis. Kasetsart Journal of Social Sciences, 44(1), 281–292.
Kotler P., & Keller K. L. (2016). Marketing management (15th ed.). Pearson Education.
Krishen A. S., Dwivedi Y. K., Bindu N., & Kumar K. S. (2021). A broad overview of interactive digital marketing: A bibliometric network analysis. Journal of Business Research, 131, 183–195. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2021.03.061
Kumar V., Bhaskaran S., Mirchandani R., & Shah M. (2020). User–generated content and its impact on consumer engagement. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 48(4), 422–448. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747–019–00706–1
Lanz A., Goldenberg J., Shapira D., & Stahl F. (2024). Buying future endorsements from prospective influencers on user–generated content platforms. Journal of Marketing Research, 61(5), 839–857. https://doi.org/10.1177/00222437231207323
Levesque N., & Pons F. (2020). The human brand: A systematic literature review and research agenda. Journal of Customer Behaviour, 19(2), 143–174.
Levin T., Tiggemann M., Harriger J., & Fardouly J. (2025). The influencer effect: Current findings and future directions for research on social media influencers and body image. Body Image, 55. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2025.102000
Liu X., Burns A. C., & Hou Y. (2020). An investigation of brand–related user–generated content on social media. Journal of Business Research, 106, 4–15.
Lu J., Fan X., & Zhou M. (2022). Exploring B2B customer engagement on social media: Message source and content effects in LinkedIn. Industrial Marketing Management, 102, 514–526. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indmarman.2022.02.012
Malhotra N. K. (2004). Marketing research: An applied orientation (4th ed.). Prentice Hall.
Martinez E., & de Chernatony L. (2004). The effect of brand extension strategies upon brand image. Journal of Business Research, 57(12), 1340–1350.
Mehrabian A., & Russell J. A. (1974). An approach to environmental psychology. The MIT Press.
Mirzaei A., Wilkie D. C. H., & Burgess A. J. (2024). Does human value–expressive brand anthropomorphism on social media lead to greater brand competitiveness? Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 81. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2024.104032
Natasha Zunvindri, & Abdurachman E. (2021). The effects of social media, e–mail marketing, website, mobile applications towards purchase intention–consumer decisions. Proceedings of the 2nd Southeast Asian Academic Forum on Sustainable Development (SEA–AFSID 2018), 168, 10–12. https://doi.org/10.2991/aebmr.k.210305.002
Nurfadila S. (2020). Impact of influencers in consumer decision process: The fashion industry. Interdisciplinary Journal on Law, Social Sciences and Humanities, 1(2), 1.
Orús C., Ibáñez–Sánchez S., & Flavián C. (2026). The impact of creativity in social AR filters on brand awareness, image, and behavioral intentions: The role of intrusiveness and Ad recognition. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 225, 124521. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2025.124521
Osorio–Andrade C., Rospigliosi P. A., & Zarco A. J. (2025). eWOM and content marketing strategies: Maximizing brand engagement among social media users in Spain. European Research on Management and Business Economics, 31(3). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iedeen.2025.100293
Owusu R. A., Mutshinda C. M., Antai I., Dadzie K. Q., & Winston E. M. (2016). Which UGC features drive web purchase intent? A spike–and–slab Bayesian variable selection approach. Internet Research, 26(1), 22–37.
Paraskeva N., Haywood S., Hasan F., Nicholls D., Toledano M. B., & Diedrichs P. C. (2024). An exploration of having social media influencers deliver a first–line digital intervention to improve body image among adolescent girls: A qualitative study. Body Image, 51, 101753. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2024.101753
Pattipeilohy V. R., & Riry J. (2019). The effect of celebrity endorsement and brand image on consumer purchase intention on Maspion products in Ambon City. Scientific Research Journal (SCIRJ), VII(IX).
Pizzi G., Mazzucci F., & Scarpi D. (2022). The effect of sensory experiences on purchase intention and on the mediating role of sensory memories. Journal of Consumer Marketing, 39(5), 528–539.
Plosc? T. R., Curiac C. D., & Curiac D. I. (2024). Investigating semantic differences in user–generated content by cross–domain sentiment analysis means. Applied Sciences (Switzerland), 14(6), 2421. https://doi.org/10.3390/app14062421
Schivinski B., & Dabrowski D. (2016). The effect of social media communication on consumer perceptions of brands. Journal of Marketing Communications, 22(2), 189–214.
Shehu E., Abou Nabout N., & Clement M. (2021). The risk of programmatic advertising: Effects of website quality on advertising effectiveness. International Journal of Research in Marketing, 38(3), 663–677. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijresmar.2020.10.004
Smith K., & Taylor J. (2019). Marketing communications: A brand narrative approach. Kogan Page.
Tao Chen P. S.–C. (2022). The impact of online reviews on consumers’ purchasing decisions: Evidence from an eye–tracking study. Frontiers in Psychology. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.814702
Wang Y. S., & Tang T. I. (2003). Assessing customer perceptions of website service quality in digital marketing environments. Journal of Organizational and End User Computing (JOEUC), 15(3), 14–31.
Xie Y. (2021, December). The influence of brand story types on consumers’ brand attitude. In 7th Annual International Conference on Social Science and Contemporary Humanity Development (SSCHD 2021) (pp. 282–286). Atlantis Press.
Xu X., & Schrier T. (2019). Hierarchical effects of website aesthetics on customers’ intention to book on hospitality sharing economy platforms. Electronic Commerce Research and Applications, 35. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.elerap.2019.100856
Yin R. K. (2018). Case study research and applications: Design and methods (6th ed.). Sage Publications.
Zviran M., Glezer C., & Avni I. (2006). User satisfaction from commercial websites: The effect of design and use. Information & Management, 43(2), 157–178.