#COVID-19: forms and drivers of social media users’ engagement behavior toward a global crisis

Azer, J. , Blasco-Arcas, L. and Harrigan, P. (2021) #COVID-19: forms and drivers of social media users’ engagement behavior toward a global crisis. Journal of Business Research, 135, pp. 99-111. (doi: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2021.06.030)

Abstract

Social media constitutes a pervasive communication media that has had a prominent role during global crises. While crisis communication research suggests that individuals use social media differently during a crisis, little is known about what forms of engagement behavior may emerge and what drivers may lead to different forms of social media users’ engagement behavior toward a global crisis. This study uses netnography and in-depth interviews to explore social media users’ behavioral manifestations toward the COVID-19 crisis; thereby, we identify nine forms and six drivers and develop a framework of relationships between these forms and drivers. Those findings provide a better understanding of social media engagement toward the crisis from individual users’ perspectives, which helps commercial and non-commercial marketers to determine the users’ sentiments and reactions reflected in their engagement behaviors, hence, communicate more effectively and in a more engaging way during and beyond a global crisis.

• Item Type: Articles
• Keywords: COVID-19, crisis communication, engagement, Facebook, social media, Twitter.
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Azer, Dr Jaylan
• Authors: Azer, J., Blasco-Arcas, L., and Harrigan, P.
• Subjects: H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General)
• College/School: College of Social Sciences > Adam Smith Business School > Management
• Research Group: Marketing
• Journal Name: Journal of Business Research
• Publisher: Elsevier
• ISSN: 0148-2963
• ISSN (Online): 1873-7978
• Published Online: 20 June 2021
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc.
• First Published: First published in Journal of Business Research 135: 99-111
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the publisher copyright policy