Social media marketing and consumer buying behaviour in Malaysian coffee franchises: the roles of trust, interaction, and entertainment

Abstract

Social media has become a powerful marketing platform that enables brands to engage directly with consumers and influence their purchasing decisions. Through strategies such as interactive communication, entertaining content, online communities, celebrity endorsements, and trust-building activities, companies can enhance brand visibility, strengthen consumer trust, and foster meaningful relationships with their audiences. Previous studies have shown that social media marketing can significantly influence consumer buying behaviour. However, excessive marketing content may also encourage impulsive purchasing rather than cultivating long-term brand loyalty and sustainable consumer relationships. This study examines the relationship between social media marketing factors namely perceived trust, interaction, entertainment, online communities, and celebrity endorsement and buying behaviour among consumers of Malaysian coffee franchises and brands. A quantitative research approach was employed, and data were collected through a questionnaire survey conducted between 2 November 2025 and 23 December 2025. A total of 210 valid responses were obtained and analyse using descriptive statistic and multiple regression analysis via SPSS. The findings reveal that three social media marketing factors; perceived trust, interaction, and entertainment have significant positive relationships with consumer buying behaviour. In contrast, online communities and celebrity endorsement do not demonstrate significant relationships with buying behaviour among the respondents. The study contributes to the growing body of knowledge on social media marketing by identifying the factors that most strongly influence purchasing decisions in the Malaysian coffee industry. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed to provide insights for researchers and marketing practitioners seeking to develop more effective and sustainable social media marketing strategies.