Media Brand Loyalty Through Online Audience Integration?

Abstract

This chapter discusses the question whether audience members become loyal toward a media brand when sharing, liking or commenting on online media content -or are loyal readers more inclined to write comments on online articles or to like and share them? The aim is to answer this chickenegg causality dilemma on the audience integration-loyalty relation on a theoretical basis. Therefore, the concept of attitude-behavior consistency, the theory of reasoned action, involvement theory, uses and gratifications theory, and current research are reviewed. In conclusion, audience integration can be defined as behavioral dimension of loyalty and affects gratifications obtained that determine satisfaction, which in turn determines loyalty and future gratifications sought. Abstract This chapter discusses the question of whether audience members become loyal toward a media brand when sharing, liking or commenting on online media content -or are loyal readers more inclined to write comments on online articles or to like and share them? The aim is to answer this chicken-egg causality dilemma of the audience integration-loyalty relationship on a theoretical basis. Therefore, the concept of attitude-behavior consistency, the theories of reasoned action and planned behavior, involvement theory, uses and gratifications theory, and current research are reviewed. In conclusion, audience integration can be defined as behavioral dimension of loyalty and affects gratifications obtained that determine satisfaction, which in turn determines loyalty and future gratifications sought.

Examining the benefits of audience integration

“…The degree of accordance of sought and obtained gratifications affects repeat media choice, or online, revisit intention. For online news, Yoo (2011) as well as Chung and Nah (2009) show that audience integration mediates the 2 JULIANE A. LISCHKA AND MICHAEL MESSERLI relation between gratifications sought and obtained and thus determines future media use, which is a relevant loyalty dimension for media brands (Lischka 2015). In the following, first, motivations for sharing and commenting activities are derived from previous research in order to understand socio-psychological dynamics of audience integration.…”

Brand loyalty in online brand communities in Malaysia: A Uses and Gratifications perspective

“…Previous study highlights that only when the consumers feel the values perceived are worthwhile, they are more likely to be active on a brand page and stay loyal to the brand (Ismail, 2017). Additionally, they suggest that consumer gratifications obtained should be consistent to drive for not only active participation in brand community, but also brand commitment and loyalty (e.g., Lischka, 2015). Wirtz et al (2013) has pointed out that due to the: "dramatic technology-lead changes that continue to take place in the marketplace, researchers and practitioners alike are keen to understand the emergence and implications of online brand communities".…”