Abstract:
This study investigates the effects of social media advertising features on consumers’
purchase intention in the context of Bangladesh. Data was collected from 318 social
media users through an online questionnaire survey and analyzed using Partial Least
Squares–based Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The study found diverse
results; specifically, interaction and eWOM have a significantly favorable influence
on brand image, while entertainment does not. Likewise, entertainment, interaction,
and eWOM are effective in creating brand awareness. An improved purchase
intention of consumers is found because of the brand image; however, brand
awareness was incapable of improving consumers’ purchase intention. Furthermore,
the study also estimated an indirect (mediation) analysis and found that brand image
has a significant mediating role in the relationships between interaction and
consumers’ purchase intention, while brand awareness does not. The findings will
expand the current knowledge of similar studies, and policy-makers can use it in
practice. The implications and future research directions are also outlined.
