A survey research on the effect of social media marketing on brand equity and brand loyalty

Developments in information technologies have revealed social media marketing, the new marketing application and communication environment of the digital age. Traditional marketing methods, along with ever-evolving technology, replace in social media marketing. The easy access of consumers to smart devices allows more time on the internet and increases the power of social media. Increasing competition has made technological improvements and differentiation of products in the same category difficult to establish brand value and brand loyalty. Traditional media practices are inadequate in this period while digital change affects every sector. In this context, businesses aim to reach consumers with the right market segmentation by choosing social media marketing activities in brand strategies. With social media marketing applications, it has become more effective for the consumer to attract attention to the brand, to raise awareness and to create an emotional bond. The research realized in the extent of this study aims to determine whether social media marketing has an impact on brand value and brand loyalty as well as whether brand equity is an intermediary in creating brand loyalty of social media marketing applications. According to the findings of the research, social media marketing has a positive effect on brand equity and brand loyalty; at the same time, it was determined that brand value played an intermediary role in creating brand equity in social media marketing. It has also been found that the concepts of social media marketing, brand equity and brand loyalty differ according to the consumer's demographic characteristics.