The Consequences of Digital Storytelling-Based Customer Engagement in Social Media for the Tourism Industry

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Media Management and Business Communication, Faculty of Business Management, College of Management, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.

2 Prof., Department of Media Management and Business Communication, Faculty of Business Management, College of Management, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.

3 Associate Prof., Department of Leadership and Human Capital, Faculty of Public Administration and Organizational Sciences, College of Management, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.

4 Associate Prof., Department of Media Management and Business Communication, Faculty of Business Management, College of Management, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.

5 Assistant Prof., Department of Natural Heritage, Research Institute of Cultural Heritage and Tourism, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

Objective
Businesses and companies must establish enduring and advantageous relationships with their customers. Marketers have recently exerted considerable efforts to enhance the customer engagement experience in both the physical and digital realms. Concurrently, the rise of social media has presented an opportune platform for managers to facilitate communication and engage customers through innovative methods such as digital storytelling. Employing digital storytelling as a business strategy and model in branding, advertising, and product marketing results in improved customer retention, loyalty, and engagement. Despite the creative and innovative nature of engagement activities, it is crucial to address the repercussions of customer engagement to gauge the effectiveness of these initiatives in light of the emergence of new technologies. Consequently, this research aims to investigate the implications of digital storytelling-based customer engagement on social media within the tourism sector in Iran.
 
Methodology
The current investigation adopted an interpretive research philosophy, an inductive-quantitative approach, and the grounded theory strategy developed by G. Goldkuhl and Stefan Cronholm. Data collection was carried out through semi-structured interviews. The research community, comprised of experts in tourism and social media marketing in Iran, was sampled using the snowball method, resulting in a sample size of 18 individuals.
 
Findings
The study's results indicate that customer engagement can lead to either positive or negative outcomes, with each type encompassing four main categories: customer-oriented, subject-oriented, media-oriented, and environment-oriented. Overall, the research findings identify eight main categories, each with multiple subcategories.
 
Conclusion
Companies and enterprises should leverage social media platforms to actively engage with their clientele while remaining aware of the repercussions and effects on customers, the media, and the broader environmental context. Business executives can seek guidance in identifying and evaluating the outcomes of both favorable and unfavorable customer interactions. This allows them to ascertain and implement appropriate approaches, methodologies, and tactics for effective customer management. Management personnel can mitigate and eliminate adverse influences by recognizing and addressing the aftermath of negative customer interactions. By making relevant adjustments to strategies and adopting suitable methodologies, they can avoid potential harm and negative impacts on marketing efforts and brand integrity. Such actions may significantly affect customer retention and prevent defection, prompting managers to consider the implications of positive customer interactions in enhancing the adoption of effective engagement techniques. Additionally, this approach can help acquire and retain new clientele, ultimately fostering increased economic value and profitability for the enterprise.
 

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

 
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Journal of Business Management
Volume 16, Issue 2
2024
Pages 478-517

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