SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING COMMUNICATION: EFFECT OF INTERACTIVITY AND VIVIDNESS ON USER ENGAGEMENT

Abstract

Objective: The study analyzes the effect of interactivity and vividness on Facebook posts with respect to user engagement, in a higher education institutions context. Method: Quantitative and descriptive. Data was collected by direct and structured observation of 1,981 posts from 16 Higher Education Institutions (HEI) and analyzed using descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression. Originality/relevance: The study investigates a relevant theme - social media marketing communication -, whereby a knowledge gap was detected; notably, with regards to HEI and developing countries. The results indicate several relevant effects involving the post's interactivity and vividness on Facebook that lead to user engagement. Results: Our findings show that posts with high interactivity have an inverse influence on the number of users' likes and comments. Posts with high vividness yield a higher quantity of likes, but a lower number of user comments and shares. Theoretical contributions: The research broadens the understanding of Facebook posting practices in the context of HEI, providing evidence on the timing of the posts and the typology of media (interactivity and vividness). At the same time, it allows us to confirm theoretical propositions and empirical findings that emanate from the literature regarding the effect of post characteristics with respect to user engagement in social media.