A Conceptual Review of Social Media Marketing Outcomes Brand Image and the Conditional Pathway to Purchase Intention

Abstract

This study reviews prior research to explain how social media marketing (SMM) influences brand image, and ultimately purchase intention—and highlights that the link from SMM → purchase intention is often inconsistent and may depend on mediators. This is a conceptual / literature-based paper: it builds the framework using deductive reasoning and a systematic review of prior literature. The findings suggest that a strong brand image plays a crucial role in bridging the gap between social media marketing efforts and actual purchasing behavior.