Social Marketing Research Report

Researchers at NSU Huizenga School of Business and Entrepreneurship finished a series of social media influence studies published in leading marketing journals. The empirical research spearheaded by Dr. Jim Barry and Dr. John Gironda was derived from in-depth surveys administered to 171 social media influence experts around the world. The effort culminated in three peer reviewed publications with the latest study released this past year. Two studies focused on conceptualizing key antecedents and outcomes of thought leadership as shown below. The third study conceptualized archetypes for developing social media influence.

Theory-based Framework for Thought Leadership Antecedents and Outcome

Typology of Social Media Influence - Four Distinct Archetypes

Industrial Marketing Management (IMM)

Barry, James and John Gironda (2019). Operationalizing Thought Leadership for Online B2B Marketing. Industrial Marketing Management. Vol. 81. August 2019, 138-159. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indmarman.2017.11.005. ?

Publication Abstract

Research is emerging on the vital role that social networking sites and digital content play in advancing B2B buyer/marketer relationships. But little is known of the influence these channels and content have on purchase decisions. This study examines how a marketer’s content and dialogue behaviors in social media contribute to a thought leadership reputation that is worthy of earning a buyer’s selective attention and patronage. From an exploratory inductive study and survey of leading marketing consultants, thought leadership was operationalized in the context of its determinants and outcomes. Results show that a B2B marketer’s trusted authority recognition mediates the influence that thought leadership competencies have on the marketer’s bridging social capital. The latter, a proxy for measuring content resonance, is partially influenced by the operational helpfulness offered by the marketer’s content. A marketer’s thought leadership competencies, in turn, are influenced by their perceived operational helpfulness, market foresight, dialogic responsiveness, and sharing generosity.

Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice (JMTP) Publication

Barry, James and John Gironda (2018). A Dyadic Examination of Inspirational Factors Driving B2B Social Media Influence. Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice. Vol. 26, No. 1-2. 117-143. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.10

Publication Abstract

This study demonstrates how digital content, engagement strategies and influence tactics inspire social media communities to embrace B2B marketers seeking their advocacy. Using grounded theory in the context of transformational and charismatic leadership, a model is proposed for examining a marketer’s capacity to inspire. Along with its proposed antecedents and outcomes, inspirational motivation was tested on a dyad of 171 influencer/content evaluators. Results confirmed that inspirational motivation drives social media influence. Inspirational motivation, in turn, is directly influenced by humor, visionary insights and engagement. Results also showed support for the mediating influence humor has on visual storytelling and inspirational motivation.

Publication Article (to view full text - click below)

Journal of Selling (JS) Publication

Barry, James and John Gironda (2018). Developing Social Selling Influence: An Archetypal Examination of Content Strategies and Influence Tactics. Journal of Selling. Vol. 18, No.

Publication Abstract

This research utilizes a mixed-method study to examine the role of content marketing and influence tactics in establishing social influence for sales personnel engaged in social networking. From content evaluations of leading social media influencers, cluster variates and survey instruments were derived in search of a behavioral structure that represents the inspirational appeal and consultation style of leading social influencers. A k-means cluster analysis was then conducted using measurements of inspiration, entertainment value, tactical guidance, credibility, empathy and engagement generosity as the cluster variate. A four solution cluster resulted from both a self-administered survey of 171 leading social influencers as well as from author examinations of the influencer’s content. Both support a two tiered typology epitomized by the type of inspirational appeal (impassioned or envisioned) and consultation style (engaging or enlightening) exhibited by the influencer. Cluster solutions suggest that sales personnel can best grow their social influence as Edu-tainers (impassioned inspiration and enlightening consultation), Motivators (impassioned inspiration and engaging consultation), Strategists (envisioned inspiration and enlightening consultation) or Mentors (envisioned inspiration and engaging consultation).

Publication Article (to view full text - click below)

Some key practitioner takeaways include the following:

• Stick to your personality - social media influence is better reached if you consistently see yourself as an analyst OR mentor OR edu-tainer OR motivator. Don't straddle the fence. Check the last table in the Journal of Selling on tactics to follow once you decide your archetype.
• Engagement and entertainment (e.g., storytelling and humor) only work to the point that audiences recognize your empathy and/or you inspire them. By themselves, they have only a short-lived impact.?
• Engagement requires sharing generosity and dialogic responsiveness (i.e., followers must witness you driving a conversation, not just responding out of courtesy)
• The operational helpfulness driving thought leadership requires either tactical instruction (how to's) or insights on what industry trends can introduce new best practices.

Acknowledgements

We would like to express our deepest gratitude to the following social media experts whose contributions were enormously valuable to our efforts (in alphabetical order).

Tinu Abayomi-Paul, Chris Abraham, Chuck Aikens, Ardath Albee, Mike Allton, AJ Amyx, Sandrine Andro, Sarah Arrow, Scott Ayres, Liz Azyan, Mark Babbitt, Brian Basilico, Amanda Blain, Michael Brenner, Dr. Judith Briles, Michael Brito, Jeff Bullas, Lilach Bullock, the late Kerry Butters, Lisa Buyer, Zoe Cairns, Steve Cartwright, Robert Caruso, Reginald Chan, C.C. Chapman, Ian Cleary, Mack Collier, Lynn Cooper, Andy Crestodina, Brent Csutoras, Jacob Curtis, Sima Dahl, Christina Daves, Todd Defren, Ryan Deiss, Juntae DeLane, Adel DeMeyer, Geoff Desreumaux, Adam Dince, Susan Dolan, Kevin Dugan, Mandy Edwards, Eric Enge, Nathan Engels, Dave Evans, Jason Falls, Nikki Fica, Janet Fouts, Stephanie Frasco Clegg, Jane Friedman, Kim Garst, Phil Gerbyshak, the late Barbara Giamanco, Mindy Gibbons-Klein, Paul Gillin, Dan Gingiss, Karima-Catherine Goundiam, Paul Greenberg, Ally Greer, Cathy Hackl, Jeff Haden, Lucy Hall, Kristi Hines, Rae Hoffman, Ryan Holmes, Adam Houlahan, Alex Howard, Timothy Hughes, Tara Hunt, Mohd Imran, Sugar Jones, Beth Kanter, Christin Kardos, Douglas Karr, Michael Kawula, Jason Keath, Dave Kerpen, Phyllis Khare, Sandi Krakowski, Shelly Kramer, Nicky Kriel, Michael Krigsman, Arnie Kuenn, Zbynek Kysela, Terezie Kyselova, Gabrielle Laine-Peters, Vincenzo Landino, Kent Lewis, Aliza Licht, Gary Loper, Ian Lurie, Ande Lyons, Brian Massey, David Mathison, Justin Matthew, Suzi McCarthy, Tamara McCleary, Darren McCowan, Tim McDonald, Rachel Miller, Kelly Mirabella, Justice Mitchell, Ammar Mohammed, Carrie Morgan, Shawn Murphy, Heather Murphy-Raines, Krista Neher, Craig Newmark, Stephanie Nissen, Jessica Northey, Jaana Nystr?m, Kerry O'Shea Gorgone, Sascha Pallenberg, Dr. Pete Meyers, Kevin Pho, Bob Pickard, Chad Pollitt, Dabney Porte, Joel Postman, Thomas Power, Skip Prichard, Dan Purvis, Michael Q Todd, Erik Qualman, Bill Quiseng, Rebekah Radice, Carl Ramallo, Rick Ramos, Augie Ray, Jean-Luc Raymond, Kim Reynolds, Heidi Richards Mooney, Jeff Rohrs, Kathryn Rose, Ma?l Roth, Ted Rubin, Laura Rubinstein, Lori Ruff, Stephanie Sammons, Mark Schaefer, Neal Schaffer, Mike Schiemer, Gina Schreck, Jana Seitzer, Ron Sela, Jeff Sheehan, Marji Sherman, Martin Shervington, Ravi Shukle, Gregor Sideris, Rich Simmonds, Harleena Singh, Ann Smarty, Dustin Stout, Michael Street, Elinor Stutz, Dawn Swick-Renshaw, Randy Thio, Kevin Thomas Tully, Natascha Thomson, Mark Traphagen, Eric Tung, Andrea Vahl, Dennis Wakabayashi, Martin Waxman, Warren Whitlock, Mike Whitmore, Travis Wright