Setting the future of digital and social media marketing research: Perspectives and research propositions

TLDR

The rise of internet and social media has reshaped consumer behavior and business practices, offering lower costs, greater brand awareness, and sales growth, while also presenting challenges such as negative electronic word‑of‑mouth and intrusive online brand presence. This article synthesizes insights from leading experts to explore challenges and opportunities in digital and social media marketing. The experts provide a detailed narrative on key aspects of digital and social media marketing, covering artificial intelligence, augmented reality, digital content management, mobile marketing and advertising, B2B marketing, electronic word‑of‑mouth, and ethical issues. The study identifies limitations in current research, outlines gaps, and proposes research questions and propositions to advance knowledge in digital and social marketing.

Abstract

The use of the internet and social media have changed consumer behavior and the ways in which companies conduct their business. Social and digital marketing offers significant opportunities to organizations through lower costs, improved brand awareness and increased sales. However, significant challenges exist from negative electronic word-of-mouth as well as intrusive and irritating online brand presence. This article brings together the collective insight from several leading experts on issues relating to digital and social media marketing. The experts' perspectives offer a detailed narrative on key aspects of this important topic as well as perspectives on more specific issues including artificial intelligence, augmented reality marketing, digital content management, mobile marketing and advertising, B2B marketing, electronic word of mouth and ethical issues therein. This research offers a significant and timely contribution to both researchers and practitioners in the form of challenges and opportunities where we highlight the limitations within the current research, outline the research gaps and develop the questions and propositions that can help advance knowledge within the domain of digital and social marketing.