The Impact of Social Media Interaction on Emotional Engagement, Brand Relationship Quality, and Word of Mouth

ABSTRACT : This study examines the influence of social media interaction on emotional engagement, brand relationship quality, and word of mouth (WOM) within the context of the SMALAND music concert in Samarinda, Indonesia. Drawing on Uses and Gratification Theory, the research investigates whether emotional engagement and brand relationship quality mediate the relationship between social media interaction and WOM. Data were collected through an online survey distributed to 105 concert attendees who followed the official Instagram account of SMALAND. Using Partial Least Squares–Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM), the findings reveal that social media interaction significantly enhances brand relationship quality and directly influences WOM. Emotional engagement, however, does not play a significant mediating role, while brand relationship quality demonstrates a strong mediating effect between social media interaction and WOM. These results highlight that effective social media strategies can build meaningful consumer–brand relationships that drive voluntary advocacy. The study contributes to the literature on digital engagement and event marketing by providing empirical evidence from a community-based concert setting in Indonesia. Practical implications suggest that event organizers should emphasize relationship-building strategies on social media to strengthen audience loyalty and maximize WOM outcomes.

KEYWORDS– Social Media Interaction, Emotional Engagement, Brand Relationship Quality, Word of Mouth Event Marketing