Genuine, fake, or does it matter? exploring engagement behavior driven by self-presentation

Abstract

Customer engagement research assumes engagement is underpinned by pre-existing purchase or usage relationships and genuine cognitive or emotional connections with a brand. However, social media research reveals extensive activity motivated by self-presentation, resulting in content that lacksveracity.This paper explores self-presentation-driven engagement behaviors on social media and thebrand relationships that drive them. A qualitative study employing semi-structured interviews with 30 Facebook users was conducted, revealingthree types of engagement behaviors for self-presentation (EBSP) — “staged,” “fanciful,” and “faked” behaviors — and identifying their underlying brand relationships and consumer motivations that deviate from existing assumptions in engagement research. This study contributes by(1) introducing new types of engagement behaviors informed by self-presentation theory; (2) challenging assumptions about the brand relationships that support customer engagement; (3) reframing how engagement should be conceptualized and studied; and (4) revealing how engagement behaviors reflect differing levels of congruity between the self and brand.