Customer experience with the branded content: a social media perspective

Purpose: Social media platforms are important channels to create a favourable customer experience. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the types of experiences customers can have with the branded content on social media. 

Design/methodology/approach: Data were collected from 20 participants using semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the qualitative data. 

Findings: The results identify seven types of branded content experience which are evoked when customers interact with branded content on social media. The results also suggest that branded content experience acts as a driver of consumer engagement with branded content which eventually leads to customers' sense of virtual community.

Research limitations/implications: The findings provide theoretical implications for content creators. Further research should aim at comparing the branded content experience on different social media platforms and across different product categories. 

Originality/value: This study contributes to customer engagement and experience literature in social media content by enhancing the understanding of branded content experience concept and its conceptual relationship with customer engagement in the social media context.