Online brand communication and building brand trust: social information processing theory perspective
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/GKMC-12-2020-0195 |
| Published date | 06 August 2021 |
| Date | 06 August 2021 |
| Pages | 584-604 |
| Author | Geeta Marmat |
Online brand communication and
building brand trust: social
information processing
theory perspective
Geeta Marmat
CharotarUniversity of Science and Technology (CHARUSAT),
Department of Management Studies, IIIM, Anand, Gujarat
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to presentthe mechanism of online customer brand trust building
through the lens of Walther’s Computer Mediated Communication (CMC) –Social Information Processing
Theory (SIPT).
Design/methodology/approach –This paper integrates a range of theoretical and empirical works
across branding and marketing, including concept of brand trust, use of online social media in brand
communicationand customer brand relations and CMC-SIPT theory and relationalmarketing literature other
relevant information whichwere found useful in the given context were reviewed. The aim was to collect a
broad spectrum of ideas, based on theirrelevance to the research purpose to propose effective online brand
trust buildingframework.
Findings –This paper proposes three different developmental stages in brand trust building on
online social media networks. Each stage is guided by the components of CMC-SIPT. Stage I is
interaction and compliance of the brand communicationclues which suggest that the aggregated level
of interaction and compliance in online brand communication on social media determine the
movement of the customer to the next level. Stage II suggests information processing at three
successive layers by the customer as identification, internalization brand information and bonding,
which eventually prompt the customer to the next level of brand trust building. Stage III is related to
trust building which is the critical stage as customer internal states of arousal are experienced, which
reduces the emotional risk of decision-making and increases confidence and trust of the customers in
brands.
Research limitations/implications –The proposed framework of brand trust building has not
been tested empirically. Future research could test and validate the proposed model trackingintrinsic
changes in the customer in different brand trust development stages. This research is important for
marketers or brands who wish to move beyond the notion of merely satisfying customers, to
establishing more powerful emotional bonds between their brands and customers. It fillsagapinbrand-
trust literature and provides marketers and researchers a means to understandand draw strategies for
consumers’attraction toward brands (Patwardhan and Balasubramanian, 2011). The proposed
framework has the capacity to revolutionize the way business and brands engage with society by
enhancing and establishing trusting relationship.
Originality/value –To date, this research has not been done specificallyfrom the SIPT perspective. This
research is the first to examine brand communication strategies in an effort of building brand trust in the
context of online socialmedia network from the CMC-Social information theory perspective.It highlights the
peculiarities of online brand communicationon social media networks and customer information processing
in presenting three stages of customer brand trust development to explain the development and flow of
events.
Keywords Brand trust, Brand communication, Trust building, Computer mediated communication,
Social information processing theory, Social media network
Paper type Conceptual paper
GKMC
71,6/7
584
Received14 December 2020
Revised24 May 2021
Accepted23 June 2021
GlobalKnowledge, Memory and
Communication
Vol.71 No. 6/7, 2022
pp. 584-604
© Emerald Publishing Limited
2514-9342
DOI 10.1108/GKMC-12-2020-0195
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
https://www.emerald.com/insight/2514-9342.htm
Introduction
Computer-mediated brand communication (CMBC) and online social media has given the
opportunity for marketers to be more customer-centric than ever before (Valos et al.,2016).
CMBC has a wider range of tools, platforms to explore and exploit, in brand trust-building
for facilitating meaningful customer-brand relationships (Gretry et al., 2017). Brand trust-
building has a key role in relationalmarketing (Morgan and Hunt, 1994). Conceptually, trust
signifies the tendency of an individual’s belief todelineate the amenability of others (Stoltz
and Lizardo, 2018;Alarcon et al., 2018). Because belief is the foundation for trust-building
rather than core-evidence, it is considered as integral, subjective and the highest level of
emotion, in an interpersonal relationship (Larzelere and Huston, 1980). In the business
context, trust initiates positive outcomes with greater communication and feedback, which
helps in identifying better solutions, to achieve goals and shoulder responsibility in the
organization effectively(Gundlach and Murphy, 1993;Amin Zineldin, 1998).
Research designates brand trust asa complex but important phenomenon that is not
built on one or two components but established by the interrelationships between complex
components that are entirely related to emotional tie-up (Azize et al.,2012). Chaudhuri and
Holbrook (2001) defined brand trust as the abilityof the brand to accomplish promises and
ability to perform its stated functions andservices. Previous research identified that brand
authenticity (Chaudhuri and Holbrook,2001) and brand commitment (Portal et al.,2019) are
some essential prerequisitesin the development of brand trust. It has been empirically found
that consumers develop true commitment toward authentic brands (Markovic et al.,2018).
Authenticity of the brand represents consumers’reliance in the brand promise (Chaudhuri
and Holbrook, 2001). However, in the context of internet era, presence of social media
network, building online brandtrust is even more complex and challenging due to the likely
chances of distortion of true voicesof customers and brand communications. It is critical for
them to distinguish true consumer opinions from fake ones that are artificially created by
social bots (Liu, 2019).
Researchers found that ample information is communicated by the brand in various
forms and on various social networking sites such as Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter (Bolat
et al., 2016). The substantial transformation in the way brands are managed online internet
has the potential to alter consumer behavior and brand preferences (Kohli et al.,2015).
Therefore, researchers and marketers are continuously looking for the effective ways of
online brand communication to build brand trust, where no personal relationships exist
(Matook et al., 2015a;Matooket al., 2015b).
Existing research establishes the relationship of brand communication and brand trust
(Chinomona, 2016; Alam and Yasin.,2010; Zehir, et al., 2011). But these studies merely focus
on antecedents of the brand trust such as security/privacy, perceived risk, word-of-mouth,
quality information and brand reputation (Alam and Yasin, 2010) perception and service/
product quality (Zehir et al., 2011) rather effective brand communication to build online brand
trust. However, a study indicated that building e-brand trust requires a systematic relationship
between a consumer and a particular brand web (Ha, 2004). Moreover, extantresearch explored
customer experience in the context of online social media networks that triggers a dialog
between customers and the brand marketers, which has immense potential to cement the
consumer’s brand trust (Gallaugher and Ransbotham, 2010;Mckinney and Benson, 2013).
Unique features of online social media network, such as sociability, interactivity,
personalization, are appealing to the customers (Zhanget al.,2014) as well as marketers, to
communicate brand information and harness valuable insights of the customer to build
strong quality brand relationships (Swani et al.,2017;Hudson et al., 2016). Garbarino and
Johnson (1999) confirmed that brandsown distinct characteristics that allow them to behave
Online brand
communication
585
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