Purpose – This study aims to identify how the influence of shared content and visibility of electronic Word of Mouth (eWOM) supports and influence movie promotions through social media among young moviegoers. The major purpose of this study was to analyze and understand the impact of major determining factors relating to the same. The study also aims to derive a conceptual framework to explain the relation with the major factors of eWOM through visibility and content sharing. The study identified three different predictable key variables in relation with the major factors of eWOM that include trust, peer influence and source credibility.Design/methodology/approach–A survey questionnaire was administrated to 184 students of Professional Colleges who constitute the young moviegoers across Kerala, a southern district in India. A Factor Analysis using varimax rotation was conducted to identify and remove unwanted variables that are less influencing and highly substituted with other variables given in general. Findings- First-The results through regression analysis highlighted that both shared content and visibility have an impact on eWOM. At the same time the overall eWOM are not significantly predicting the visibility of shared content. Second-The results of the study will surely provide a deep insight to the marketers to design different strategies to develop content as well as visibility that in turn improve E-WOM. Third-The study also reveals multidimensional scope relating to different other factors pertaining to the visibility and content sharing to enhance the present condition to a better competent structure to improve eWOM. Further, the present study definitely supports and add to the available body of literature and can provide with relevant inputs required for the future researches. The contextual as well as related studies to this research demonstrates insights which is highly valuable for researchers, marketers and will surely help the development of marketing strategies for current and new generation moviegoers on social media.Practical Implications- This study is limited to the young students of different professional colleges across Kerala, so the results to great extent cannot be generalized to elder citizens. The relevant recommendations proposed are based on the study in eWOM to improve the utilization of technology and online platforms to strengthen the visibility and content sharing of the moviemakers. The communication practitioners of Marketing definitely need to understand the fact that the strength of social media to spread across the globe effectively in no time through eWOM is of utmost importance. The strategy makers should use the insight from this study as a separate method to enhance their approach using Social Media as a new dimensional approach.Originality/value – This original and first hand research explains on how to improve the promotion of movies to young moviegoers through visibility and content sharing using eWOM as an intermediate in Social Media. The frame made by the researcher is of high value importance in the present context of fast moving virtual and digital life style.
Volume 11 | 08-Special Issue
Pages: 1714-1721