The Effect of Content Quality and Brand Interactivity on Purchase Behavior with the Mediating Role of Users' Cognitive and Emotional Involvement in Social Networks

Social networks based on interaction are shaping companies, brands, and consumers, as many businesses are focusing on introducing and selling products and services nowadays. Due to the increase in this trend, the present study examines the impact of content quality and brand interaction on shopping behavior with the mediating role of cognitive and emotional involvement of users in the social network (Instagram) based on the stimulus-organism-response framework. The present research is practical and descriptive survey in terms of purpose and method, respectively. The statistical population of the study is the followers of the Wiesland leather brand on Instagram. Thus, 384 of them have been selected as the sample using the MORGAN table and available sampling method. The data collection tool is an online questionnaire whose validity has been assessed through content and constructs validity (convergence and divergence). Moreover, Cronbach's alpha and combined reliability are used to measure its reliability. The analysis of research data has been done through the structural equation method with help from SPSS and SMART-PLS statistical software. Research findings show that the quality of content and brand interaction has a positive and significant effect on emotional involvement as well as cognitive involvement and shopping behavior. Emotional involvement and cognitive involvement have a positive and significant impact on the intention to buy. Also, the intention to buy affects buying behavior. And finally, the effect of emotional involvement as a mediator of rejection and cognitive involvement is confirmed.

Social networks are shaping the way to interact with companies, brands, and consumers, as today they are the focus of many businesses to introduce and sell products and services. Considering that social networks have a great impact on consumer behavior, today they have provided suitable challenges and opportunities for companies and brand owners to engage them in their brand by providing attractive and new content and increasing interaction with users. They also influence consumers’ purchase decisions. Considering the increase of this trend, the present research has investigated the effect of content quality and brand interaction on purchasing behavior with the mediating role of cognitive and emotional involvement of users in social networks (Instagram). The current research is based on the stimulus-organism-response framework, with the stimulus variable (content quality, brand interaction) as the independent variable, the organism variable (emotional and cognitive involvement) as the mediating variable, and the response variable (purchase intention, purchase behavior) as the dependent variable.

The present research is practical in terms of purpose and is descriptive-survey in terms of method. The statistical population of the present study is the followers of the Wiesland leather brand on Instagram. In this regard, 384 of them were selected as a sample using the Morgan table and the availability sampling method. The data collection tool in the present study is an online questionnaire whose validity has been assessed through content validity and structural validity (convergence and divergence). Cronbach's alpha and combinatorial (structural) reliability were also used to measure its reliability. The analysis of research data was performed using the structural equation method and SPSS and SMART-PLS statistical software.

      According to the obtained results, it can be said that high-quality, up-to-date, attractive, different and excellent brand content engages the consumer's mind and affects his purchase decision. The quality of the content has a positive and meaningful effect on the intention to buy. Therefore, it is suggested to the managers of Wiesland leather brand in social networks by presenting high-quality and expressive photos, sharing videos, podcasts, having a specific theme and format on their brand page, using software to design posts, providing creative advertisements to introduce the brand, using relevant hashtags, stating the facts, avoiding lies, sharing attractive and catchy posts, avoiding long and boring captions, providing accurate and valuable information, sharing posts and stories at times when more people are online, the use of music and the use of attractive and happy colors can increase the quality of their brand content so that they can stimulate their audience, involve their minds and emotions in their brand and finally affect their purchase intention.

The results of the study show that the quality of content and brand interaction has a positive and significant effect on emotional involvement as well as cognitive involvement and shopping behavior. Moreover, emotional involvement and cognitive involvement have a positive and significant impact on the intention to buy. Also, the intention to buy affects buying behavior. Finally, the effect of emotional involvement as a mediator of rejection and cognitive involvement is confirmed. According to the results, brand and business owners in the social network (Instagram) can be offered to provide quality content to influence the intentions and behavior of their customers and constantly interact with their customers and get them involved with their brand. To engage customers, display photos, videos, and podcasts have a two-way conversation with their customers through holding live videos and getting feedback from their audience.