Social Media has Rocked our World

 Annotated Bibliography

Alam, M. S., & Khan, B. M. (2019). The Role of Social Media Communication in Brand Equity Creation: An Empirical Study. IUP Journal of Brand Management, 16(1), 54–78. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/336666716_The_Role_of_Social_Media_Communication_in_Brand_Equity_Creation_An_Empirical_Study
Dr. Alam is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Business Administration, Aligarh Muslim University in West Bengal, India.  He has 8 publications on ResearchGate, four of which focus on social media and commercial communication.  This study was designed to show how brand-created social media impacts and influences brand image, and how user-generated comments and content support brand awareness, both of which impact purchasing decisions. One of the main takeaway points is that social media has changed marketing communication tactics and that marketers must be aware that the communications that consumers are seeing about their brands are no longer generated and controlled solely by the company,  Web 2.0 was built on the premise that users play an important role in content creation, which necessitates that businesses work with users to generate honest and authentic messaging.

Cacioppo, J. T., Cacioppo, S., & Petty, R. E. (2017). The neuroscience of persuasion: A review with an emphasis on issues and opportunities. Social Neuroscience, 13(2), 129–172. https://doi.org/10.1080/17470919.2016.1273851
John Cacioppo, was a professor at the University of Chicago and is considered a founder of the field of social neuroscience. His wife Stephanie, who is  the director of the Brain Dynamics Laboratory at the University of Chicago co-authored this study.  The focus of the study which provides a review of existing research on behavior theories of persuasion and social influence, which provides interesting insight into how people react to various stimuli on social media.

Dong, X., Liu, H., Xi, N., Liao, J., & Yang, Z. (2024). Short video marketing: what, when and how short-branded videos facilitate consumer engagement. Internet Research, 34(3), 1104–1128. https://doi-org.ezproxy.snhu.edu/10.1108/INTR-02-2022-0121

Xuebing Dong holds a doctorate in business administration and is affiliated with the Shanghai University School of Management. He is well published in the field of business and new media technologies, with 29 studies listed on ResearchGate.  This particular study examined the four most essential factors in developing short-form branded videos, including, content matching, storytelling, emotion and relevance, and how they affect consumer engagement.   The study also examined how the release time of short-form videos affects engagement and viewership, with a firm recommendation for releasing videos in the morning to enhance warmth, excitement and joy.   The article contains clear recommendations for evaluating short-form videos which are instructive for media professionals.

Evans, N. J., Balaban, D. C., Naderer, B., & Mucundorfeanu, M. (2022, December 1). How the Impact of Social Media Influencer Disclosures Changes over Time: Discounting Cues and Exposure Level Can Affect Consumer Attitudes and Purchase Intention. Journal of Advertising Research, 62(4), 353. https://www.journalofadvertisingresearch.com/content/62/4/353
Dr. Nathaniel J Evans is an associate professor in advertising and public relations at the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Georgia.  He has received awards for articles and papers by the American Academy of Advertising and the Journal of Interactive Advertising.   He has 28 publications listed in ResearchGate, most focusing on the intersection of new communication technologies and business messaging.  The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of social media influencer advertising over a long time period. The important message to communicators is that when consumers are exposed to many social media influencers, there is a short-term negative outcome in terms of skepticism and brand attitude.  However, the negative effects appear to mitigate as time passes.  The study recommends that influencers maintain a balance of sponsored and non-sponsored posts to avoid appearing overtly commercial. The study also supports the use of disclosures on Instagram advertising posts as they lead to decreased consumer skepticism toward the generated content.  As social media influencers and micro influencers become an increasingly important form of commercial messaging, this research provides important ideas for best practices.

Guzman, A. L., & Lewis, S. C. (2020). Artificial intelligence and communication: A human–machine communication research agenda. New media & society, 22(1), 70-86.
Andrea Guzman, the lead author of this study, is well published, with 21 research articles and two books dealing with AI and Huma-Machine Communication.  She is an associate professor of communications at Northern Illinois University and former chair of the ICA Human-Machine Communication Interest Group.  The focus of this study is interesting as it seeks to redefine Human-Machine Communication technology as creating meaning between human’s and machines.  This is a major adjustment in communication technology which previously acted as a conduit between two people who were creating meaning.

Karlsson, M., Couvering, E. V., & Lindell, J. (2022). Publishing, sharing, and spreading online news: A case study of gatekeeping logics in the platform era. NORDICOM Review: Nordic Research on Media and Communication, 43(2). https://doi-org.ezproxy.snhu.edu/10.2478/nor-2022-0012

Michael Karlsson, PhD, is the lead author of this study and is a professor in the Department of Geography, Media and Communication at Karlstads University in Sweden.  Dr. Karlsson has 73 publications listed on ResearchGate which focus on journalism, mass communication and new media.    This study was of interest because it examines the traditional gatekeepers of news dissemination and how Facebook’s algorithms have altered those relationships, influencing news content and distribution.

Lu Jiang, & Kodono Yukio. (2024). How VLOG Promotion Content Influences Consumer Attitudes. Marketing & Management of Innovations / Marketing ì Menedžment Ìnnovacìj, 15(1), 241–251. https://doi-org.ezproxy.snhu.edu/10.21272/mmi.2024.1-18
Lu Jiang, the lead author of this study, is listed as a being associated with the Graduate School of Commerce, Kindai University, Osaka Japan.  Although this is the only article listed in for this author in ResearchGate, the study was published in the quarterly journal, “Marketing and Management of Innovations”, which has been published since 2010.   The website indicates that all articles are double-blind peer-reviewed and tested in both StrikePlagiarism and iThenticate.   This study, published in 2024, examines how Vlog messaging impacts consumer attitudes toward brands.  The research indicates that there are three main qualities that are essential for influencing the behavior of consumers. The first is that the Vlogger needs to have a good understanding of the product itself and be approachable.  The second quality is that the videos need to be engaging and entertaining in order to establish a connection between the Vlogger and the viewer and encourage viewers to share the post.  The third quality is that the Vlogger actively engage with their viewers comments, both favorable and unfavorable.  This study provides additional valuable training for communication professionals who are considering the use of influencers and video messaging.

 

McDonald, J. (2021). What’s next? How digital media shapes our society. UCLA School of Education and Information Studies. Retrieved May 26, 2024, from https://seis.ucla.edu/news/whats-next-how-digital-media-shapes-our-society
This article was written by John McDonald, The Director of the Sudikoff Institute of Education and Media at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA).   Professor MacDonald is well published in the fields of Communication and Education and is an independent communications consultant.  He has worked in news, government and communications for over 40 years.  McDonald uses his professional insight to review a book, entitled, “Routledge Handbook of Digital Media and Communications”.  The article provides an excellent sociological look at the impact of technology in recent years through quotes from the handbook and from Professor MacDonalds own opinions, specifically looking at how mass communications has evolved into networked communications and how private organizations and government are controlling an increase portion of that communication.  The article provides interesting perspectives on how digital media has transformed society and adds to the knowledge base of professional communicators seeking to understand the societal impact of these technologies.

 

Pascucci, F., Savelli, E., & Gistri, G. (2023). How digital technologies reshape marketing: evidence from a qualitative investigation. Italian Journal of Marketing. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43039-023-00063-6
Federica Pascucci, the lead author of this study, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Management at the Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Italy.  Her ResearchGate profile indicates that she has been published 57 times since 2007.  This study, published in 2023, examine how digital technologies are currently being utilized in marketing, and analyzes how the digital technological innovations over the past 2 decades have transformed marketing, both in its organization and the in the tools that are being engaged.  The results indicate that new digital technologies are improving digital analytic metrics, competitive pricing, and enhancing relationships with customers.  The study also looks at the changing and intensified relationship between business and the customer.  Today that relationship allows both to have a more dynamic relationship where customers can be introduced to brands online and conduct research and express their needs, and experiences (both positive and negative) in online platforms.  Finally the study examines the impact of what it refers to as mature technologies, including mobile, cloud computing and IOT, versus the anticipated impact of emerging technologies such as blockchain and AI.   This article provides important information for professional communicators who are engaged in marketing.

 

Shtepura, A. (2018). The Impact of Digital Technology on digital natives’ learning: American Outlook. Porìvnâlʹna Profesìjna Pedagogìka/Comparative Professional Pedagogy, 8(2), 128–133. https://doi.org/10.2478/rpp-2018-0029
Alla Shtepura, is an Assistant Professor at Nizhyn Gogol State University in Ukraine.   Her ResearchGate profile indicates that she has published 10 articles since 2018.   This study looks at the impact of younger user’s of digital technology, specifically “digital natives” or GenZ, who have been born into world of social media and are both victims and beneficiaries of the byproducts of these tools.  This younger generation adapts easily to the newest digital media devices, including mobile devices, computers, video games, social media and apps.  The study looks primarily at digital natives, but occasionally compares them to digital immigrants, which are older generations who have migrated into digital media. The main emphasis of this study is to examine how digital natives function in traditional learning environments, and how their brains have been trained to operate differently.  Of particular interest is the concern that there has been a profound degradation of mental processing, as deep mental work has been replaced by superficial digital surfing and less processing of information.  Digital natives also may be more comfortable operating and socializing in “virtual worlds”, therefore education may have to adapt to reach them in ways in which they respond more positively, and which address the different learning styles of individuals.  Although education focused, the research included in the study offers important insights for professional communicators who wish to reach this growing generation of consumers and who wish to remain relevant in the future.