The Impact of Social Media Marketing on Consumer Engagement in Sustainable Consumption: A Systematic Literature Review

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Dec 11;19(24):16637. doi: 10.3390/ijerph192416637.

Abstract

Social media have progressed drastically in building successful consumer engagement both in brand building and sustainable consumption. This paper is a review of the articles concerning the influence of social media marketing on consumer engagement in sustainable consumption practices published over the last 8 years. We follow the PRISMA technique as a methodological approach. The review investigates 70 empirical research articles published between 2014 and 2022. A total of 70% of the reviewed articles were published during the last two years. The most influential theories in this field of study are relationship marketing and consumer engagement (16 articles), social exchange (10), and sustainable consumption (8). The most commonly used methods are quantitative (in as many as 61 of the 70 reviewed articles). A careful analysis of the reviewed articles suggests that the tools that are consistently contributing to sustainable consumption are influencer marketing along with creating meaningful content with the right balance of content design, quality, and creativity, as well as the use of emojis. Consumer involvement with a brand relationship quality is key to a sustainable lifestyle. Young individuals with an entrepreneurial vision and a high drive for increased social status demonstrate the highest social media engagement in sustainable consumption.

Keywords: bibliometric analysis; consumer engagement; relationship marketing; social media marketing; sustainable consumption; systematic review.

Publication types

  • Systematic Review
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Consumer Behavior
  • Drive
  • Humans
  • Marketing / methods
  • Social Marketing
  • Social Media*

Grants and funding

This research received no external funding.