Influence of Content Authenticity on Long-Term Consumer Loyalty in Digital Markets
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.64882/ijrt.v14.iS1.1070Keywords:
Content Authenticity, Consumer Trust, Long-Term Consumer Loyalty, Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), Digital MarketsAbstract
In today’s digital marketplace, consumers are bombarded with a vast array of promotional content, leading to scepticism and diminishing loyalty. This study explores how content authenticity influences long-term consumer loyalty in digital markets, focusing on the mediating role of consumer trust. Drawing on data from 135 participants, Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was employed to examine the relationships among content authenticity, consumer trust, and loyalty. Results demonstrate that authentic content significantly enhances consumer trust, which in turn strengthens long-term loyalty toward brands. The study confirms that consumer trust partially mediates the relationship between authenticity and loyalty, emphasizing trust as a key mechanism that transforms genuine communication into sustained consumer commitment. These findings extend existing marketing theories by integrating authenticity and trust within digital contexts and provide actionable insights for marketers seeking to build enduring customer relationships amidst increasing digital content saturation. The research underscores the strategic importance of prioritizing authenticity to cultivate trust and foster loyalty in the evolving digital landscape.
References
Agarwal, C., Pradesh, M. U., Jain, V., & Verma, C. The Influence of Ethical Leadership on Achieving SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions.
Ahmad, A. Y., Jain, V., Verma, C., Chauhan, A., Singh, A., Gupta, A., & Pramanik, S. (2024). CSR Objectives and Public Institute Management in the Republic of Slovenia. In Ethical Quandaries in Business Practices: Exploring Morality and Social Responsibility (pp. 183-202). IGI Global.
Audrezet, A., de Kerviler, G., & Moulard, J. G. (2020). Authenticity under threat: When social media influencers need to go beyond self-presentation. Journal of Business Research, 117, 557–569. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2018.07.008
Chahal, D. (2024). An economic analysis of organic farming in India. The Indian Economic Journal, 9, 135–145.
De Vries, L., Gensler, S., & Leeflang, P. S. H. (2017). Effects of traditional advertising and social messages on brand-building metrics. Journal of Marketing, 81(5), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1509/jm.16.0134
Dubey, V., Singh, S., Kumari, P., Patel, K., Jahan, T., & Dubey, S. (2026). AI-Driven Business Systems: Pioneering Innovation and Transformation. In Integrating AI and Machine Learning into Business and Management Education (pp. 297-332). IGI Global Scientific Publishing
Dwivedi, R., & Hasan, N. (2025). Enhancing brand awareness and loyalty through gamification in the metaverse. In Addressing Practical Problems Through the Metaverse and Game-Inspired Mechanics (pp. 259-288). IGI Global Scientific Publishing.
Gerlich, M. (2023). The power of virtual influencers: Authenticity, trust, and consumer response. Psychology & Marketing, 40(9), 1631-1647. https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.21840
Hair, J. F., Black, W. C., Babin, B. J., & Anderson, R. E. (2019). Multivariate data analysis (8th ed.). Cengage Learning.
Hajli, N., Sims, J., Zadeh, A. H., & Richard, M. O. (2017). A social commerce investigation of trust. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 121, 152–161. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2016.11.015
Hasan N, Agarwal C, Joshi A, Rahal D, Traisa R, Sharma S (2025;), "The two-way influence of green banking practices and green electronic word of mouth in driving green trust and green loyalty: a trust transfer perspective". International Journal of Ethics and Systems, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOES-10-2024-0326
Hasan, N., Nanda, S., Agarwal, M.K. et al. Evaluating the mediating effect of financial literacy between fintech adoption in microfinance services. Int J Syst Assur Eng Manag (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13198-024-02256-4
Hasan, N., Singh, A. K., & Dwivedi, R. (2024). Determinants of FinTech adoption by microfinance institutions in India to increase efficiency and productivity. International Journal of Business Innovation and Research, 35(3), 393–411. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJBIR.2024.142306
Hasan, N., Singh, A. K., & Tariq, H. (2020). Sustainability and outreach of microfinance institutions in India. Shodh Sarita, 9(7). http://shabdbooks.com/Vol-9-Issue-7-2020/
Jain, V., & Verma, C. Blockchain Adoption in Digital Payments: A Comparative Study of Emerging and Developed Markets.
Jain, V., Verma, C., Chauhan, A., Singh, A., Jain, S., Pramanik, S., & Gupta, A. (2024). A Website-Dependent Instructional Platform to Assist Indonesian MSMEs. In Empowering Entrepreneurial Mindsets With AI (pp. 299-318). IGI Global.
Jin, S. V., Muqaddam, A., & Ryu, E. (2019). Instafamous and social media influencer marketing. Marketing Intelligence & Planning, 37(5), 567–579. https://doi.org/10.1108/MIP-09-2018-0375
Khushbu, & Agarwal, C. (2025). Green banking in the digital age: Transforming finance to sustainable finance. In Industry 5.0: Sustainable business practices for a bright future (pp. 225–247). Nova Science Publishers.
Kim, A. J., & Ko, E. (2021). Customer equity in digital branding. Journal of Business Research, 124, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2020.11.059
Kline, R. B. (2016). Principles and practice of structural equation modeling (4th ed.). Guilford Press.
Kujur, F., & Singh, S. (2020). Visual communication and consumer-brand relationship. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 53, 101934. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2019.101934
Lee, J., & Hong, S. (2020). Content characteristics and consumer engagement on digital platforms. Journal of Interactive Advertising, 20(3), 200–213. https://doi.org/10.1080/15252019.2020.1760085
Lou, C., & Yuan, S. (2019). Influencer marketing: How message value and credibility affect consumer trust. Journal of Interactive Advertising, 19(1), 58–73. https://doi.org/10.1080/15252019.2018.1533501
Rai, P., Jaiswal, R., Singh, P., & Singh, A. K. (2024). Trends and Prospects for Artificial Intelligence in Business and Economics Research. International Journal of Innovations in Science, Engineering And Management, 341-344.
Rani, A. (2023). Green farming in India: issues and policy perspective.
Rather, R. A. (2021). Customer experience and loyalty in digital environments. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 58, 102318.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2020.102318
Schivinski, B., Christodoulides, G., & Dabrowski, D. (2021). Measuring consumers’ engagement with brand-related social media content. Journal of Advertising Research, 61(1), 64–80. https://doi.org/10.2501/JAR-2021-005
Singh, A., & Katiyar, N. (2022). Trust and loyalty in digital retailing: An empirical study. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 64, 102751. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2021.102751
Sokolova, K., & Kefi, H. (2020). Instagram and YouTube bloggers’ credibility. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 53, 101742. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2019.01.010
Verma, C., & Jain, V. (2023). Exploring Promotional Strategies in Private Universities: A Comprehensive Analysis of Tactics and Innovative Approaches.
Verma, C., & Jain, V. Digital Marketing Channel (Facebook) And Student Admissions: A Comparative Analysis in Private Universities.
Verma, C., Sharma, R., Kaushik, P., & Jain, V. (2024). The Role of Microfinance Initiatives in Promoting Sustainable Economic Development: Exploring Opportunities, Challenges, and Outcomes.
Verma, C., Vijayalakshmi, P., Chaturvedi, N., Umesh, U., Rai, A., & Ahmad, A. Y. B. (2025, February). Artificial Intelligence in Marketing Management: Enhancing Customer Engagement and Personalization. In 2025 International Conference on Pervasive Computational Technologies (ICPCT) (pp. 397-401). IEEE.
Verma, V., Gupta, K., Verma, C., & Pradesh, U. Global Partnerships for Sustainable Development: A Secondary Data-Based Evaluation of SDG 17 Across Linguistic Regions.
Wadhawan,D.N., C. S. A. K.(2023). The evolving landscape of digital marketing: Trends, impacts, and opportunities in India. Journal of Data Acquisition and Processing, 38(2), 2157–2168.
Wadhawan,N., R. K. A. (2020). Understanding e-commerce: A study with reference to competitive economy. Journal of Critical Reviews, 7(8), 805–809.
Wang, Y., & Li, H. (2023). Content authenticity and loyalty in livestream commerce. Electronic Commerce Research and Applications, 56, 101230. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.elerap.2022.101230
Zhang, L., & Zhao, X. (2022). Digital content authenticity and consumer brand loyalty: The mediating role of trust. Journal of Consumer Behaviour, 21(6), 1105–1118. https://doi.org/10.1002/cb.2019
Downloads
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
