Building a Strong and Sustainable Brand: Effective Communication Strategies on Social Media in Improving Business Performance
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37641/jimkes.v13i5.3872Keywords:
Brand Strength, Business Performance, Communication Strategy, Digital Marketing, Integrated Marketing Communication, MSME, PLS-SEMAbstract
Social media has fundamentally reshaped marketing communication by enabling direct and interactive engagement between brands and consumers. With more than 4.9 billion global users, these platforms present both opportunities and challenges for organizations seeking to build sustainable brand relationships. This study examines the impact of effective communication strategies via social media on brand strength and corporate performance, while also assessing the mediating role of brand power in the relationship between communication strategy and business performance. The study emphasizes the significance of sustainable, engaging, and value-driven digital communications in establishing a robust brand within a competitive digital landscape. A quantitative study was administered to 138 MSMEs in Sukabumi that actively utilize social media for marketing purposes. Data analysis was conducted via the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) technique via SmartPLS software. The findings indicated that communication techniques significantly influenced brand strength and company performance, while the effect magnitude was smaller. Brand strength significantly influences business success and mediates the connection between communication strategy and business performance. A Q² value means the model’s superior prediction ability. These findings corroborate the Integrated Marketing Communication Theory (IMC) and Stakeholder Theory, offering strategic insights for sustainable brand growth via digital communication
Downloads
References
Aisjah, S., Arsawan, I. W. E., & Suhartanto, D. (2023). Predicting SME’s business performance: Integrating stakeholder theory and performance-based innovation model. Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity, 9(3), 1-10.
Ajibade, P., & Mutula, S. (2020). Promoting SMEs effectiveness through innovative communication strategies and business-IT alignment. Problems and Perspectives in Management, 18(3), 233–244.
Alalawneh, A. A., Al-Omar, S. Y. S., & Alkhatib, S. (2022). The complexity of interaction between social media platforms and organizational performance. Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity, 8(4), 1–22.
Amri, A., Ramdani, Z., & Warsihna, J. (2021). Validasi konstruk Indonesian Spiritual Intelligence Questionnaire (ISIQ). Nathiqiyyah, 4(1), 43–50.
Anwar, M. (2018). Business model innovation and SMEs performance: Does competitive advantage mediate? International Journal of Innovation Management, 22(7), 1-12.
Appel, G., Grewal, L., Hadi, R., & Stephen, A. T. (2020). The future of social media in marketing. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 48(1), 79–95.
Appiah-Twumasi, E., Ameyaw, Y., & Anderson, I. K. (2022). Development and validation of questionnaire for physics learning self-efficacy among Ghanaian senior high schools. East African Journal of Management and Business Studies, 2(1), 8–18.
Arissaputra, R., Hurrriyati, R., & Dirgantari, P. D. (2023). Gamer’s loyalty: The role of co-creation value. Fair Value Jurnal Ilmiah Akuntansi dan Keuangan, 5(6), 2566–2580.
Bing, G., Al Mughairi, B., Karim, A. M., & Karim, A. M. (2024). Study on importance of brand loyalty for customer retention for consumer durable products: New era viewpoint. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 14(1), 453-464.
Capriotti, P., & Zeler, I. (2023). Analyzing effective social media communication in higher education institutions. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 10(1), 1-13.
Darwin, M., & Umam, K. (2020). Analisis indirect effect pada Structural Equation Modeling. Nucleus, 1(2), 50–57
De Vries, L., Gensler, S., & Leeflang, P. S. (2017). Effects of traditional advertising and social messages on brand-building metrics and customer acquisition. Journal of Marketing, 81(5), 1-15.
Dhone, Y. M., & Sarwoko, E. (2022). Internal communication and employee performance: The mediating role of motivation. Jurnal Ekonomi Modernisasi, 18(2), 255–263.
Dick, A. S. and B. S. D. (2015). Consumer loyalty: Toward on integrated conceptual framework. Journal of The Academy Marketing Science, 22(1), 99–113.
Efendioğlu, İ. H., & Durmaz, Y. (2022). The impact of perceptions of social media advertisements on advertising value, brand awareness and brand associations: Research on generation Y Instagram users. Transnational Marketing Journal, 10(2), 251–275.
Elegbe, O., & Dooshima, S. A. (2021). Influence of internal corporate communication on employee’s job performance improvement. Journal of Management and Social Sciences, 10(3), 1077-1095.
Erkmen, E., & Hancer, M. (2019). Building brand relationship for restaurants: An examination of other customers, brand image, trust, and restaurant attributes. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 31(3), 1469–1487.
Estrella-Ramón, A., Gálvez-Rodríguez, M. del M., & Herrada-Lores, S. (2024). Hashtag activism on Twitter: The effects of who, what, when, and how a tweet is sent for promoting citizens’ engagement with climate change. Communication and the Public, 1(2), 1–22.
Freeman, R. E., & Phillips, R. A. (2002). Stakeholder theory: A libertarian defense. Business ethics quarterly, 12(3), 331-349.
Garson, G. D. (2016). Partial least squares. Regression and structural equation models. North Carolina: Statistical Publishing Associates.
Gebrekidan, A. Y., Kebede, A., Worku, N., Lombebo, A. A., Efa, A. G., Azeze, G. A., Kassie, G. A., Haile, K. E., Asgedom, Y. S., Woldegeorgis, B. Z., Damtew, S. A., & Gebeyehu, S. (2024). Cross-cultural adaptation of the Amharic version of the compassionate care assessment tool for application in obstetric services of the Ethiopian context. Sage Open Medicine, 12(1), 1-10.
Ghozali, I., & Latan, H. (2015). Partial Least Squares: Konsep, Teknik dan Aplikasi Menggunakan SmartPLS 3.0 (2nd ed.). Semarang: Universitas Diponegoro.
Gujarati, D. N., & Porter, D. C. (2009). Basic Econometrics. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Habib, A. M. (2023). Do business strategies and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) performance mitigate the likelihood of financial distress? A multiple mediation model. Heliyon, 9(7), 1-12.
Hair, J., Hollingsworth, C. L., Randolph, A. B., & Chong, A. Y. L. (2017). An updated and expanded assessment of PLS-SEM in information systems research. Industrial Management and Data Systems, 117(3), 442–458.
Hanindharputri, M. A., & Mahaputra, I. K. A. (2020). The role of influencer in strategies to increase promotion of a brand. Seminar Nasional Sandyakala, 29(1), 335–343.
Henseler, J. (2017). Bridging design and behavioral research with variance-based Structural Equation Modeling. Journal of Advertising, 46(1), 178–192.
Hermundsdottir, F., & Aspelund, A. (2022). Competitive sustainable manufacturing - Sustainability strategies, environmental and social innovations, and their effects on firm performance. Journal of Cleaner Production, 1(1), 370-390.
Herrada-Lores, S., & Palazon, M. (2024). The communication of sustainability on social media: The role of dialogical communication. Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing, 19(2), 1–26.
Hollebeek, L. D., & Macky, K. (2019). Digital content marketing’s role in fostering consumer engagement, trust, and value: Framework, fundamental propositions, and implications. Journal of Interactive Marketing, 45(1), 27–41.
Huang, M. H., & Rust, R. T. (2022). A framework for collaborative artificial intelligence in marketing. Journal of Retailing, 98(2), 209–223.
Hudson, S., Huang, L., Roth, M. S., & Madden, T. J. (2016). The influence of social media interactions on consumer-brand relationships: A three-country study of brand perceptions and marketing behaviors. International Journal of Research in Marketing, 33(1), 27–41.
Jha, A. K., & Verma, N. K. (2023). Social media sustainability communication: An analysis of firm behaviour and stakeholder responses. Information Systems Frontiers, 25(2), 723–742.
Joshi, V., & Kinange, U. M. (2021). Content marketing and consumer engagement: The role of content source. International Journal of Creative Research Thoughts, 9(2), 1-12.
Jukka, T. (2023). Does business strategy and management control system fit determine performance? International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, 72(3), 659–678.
Keller, K. L. (1993). Conceptualizing, measuring, and managing customer-based brand equity. Journal of marketing, 57(1), 1-22.
Kertanegara, R. (2023). The role of social media influencers in brand communication strategy: Literature review. MEDIASI Jurnal Kajian dan Terapan Media, Bahasa, Komunikasi, 4(1), 12-24.
Kim, J., & Park, E. (2022). Social media marketing activities and business performance: A mediating role of brand awareness. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 180(1), 12-20.
Kraujalienė, L., & Kromalcas, S. (2022). Brand positioning strategy in the competitive aspect. Business: Theory and Practice, 23(2), 467–475.
Kumar, S., & Yadav, R. (2021). The impact of shopping motivation on sustainable consumption: A study in the context of green apparel. Journal of Cleaner Production, 1(1), 295-305.
Lamberton, C., & Stephen, A. T. (2016). A thematic exploration of digital, social media, and mobile marketing: Research evolution from 2000 to 2015 and an agenda for future inquiry. Journal of Marketing, 80(6), 146–172.
Li, F., Larimo, J., & Leonidou, L. C. (2023). Social media in marketing research: Theoretical bases, methodological aspects, and thematic focus. Psychology & Marketing, 40(1), 124-145.
Li, M. W., Teng, H. Y., & Chen, C. Y. (2020). Unlocking the customer engagement-brand loyalty relationship in tourism social media: The roles of brand attachment and customer trust. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 44(1), 184–192.
Lobo, J., Bernardo, B. D., Buan, E., Ramirez, D., Ang, G., Alfonso, X. J., Varona, D., Mabaga, J., & Malig, J. (2022). The role of motivation to dance engagement and psychological well-being. American Journal of Youth and Women Empowerment, 1(1), 22–29.
Lu, Q. S., & Miller, R. (2019). How social media communications combine with customer loyalty management to boost green retail sales. Journal of Interactive Marketing, 46(1), 87–100.
Mahajan, R., Lim, W. M., Sareen, M., Kumar, S., & Panwar, R. (2023). Stakeholder theory. Journal of Business Research, 1(1), 166-180.
Martínez-Cañas, R., Ruiz-Palomino, P., Jiménez-Moreno, J. J., & Linuesa-Langreo, J. (2023). Push versus Pull motivations in entrepreneurial intention: The mediating effect of perceived risk and opportunity recognition. European Research on Management and Business Economics, 29(2), 1-10.
Matushko, A., Kyryliuk, O., & Kyryliuk, I. (2022). Social networks as an innovative tool for the promotion of tourism services in modern conditions. Международный конкурс студенческих научно-исследовательских работ по экономике, 3(1), 23-29.
Mehta, D. (2023). Social media platform for marketing. Social Media Platform for Marketing, 48(2), 342–349.
Men, L. R., Tsai, W. H. S., Chen, Z. F., & Ji, Y. G. (2018). Social presence and digital dialogic communication: Engagement lessons from top social CEOs. Journal of Public Relations Research, 30(3), 83–99.
Nguyen, T. H., Le, X. C., & Vu, T. H. L. (2022). An extended Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) framework for online retailing utilization in digital transformation: Empirical evidence from Vietnam. Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity, 8(4), 1-22.
Nurlaini, N., & Almasdi, A. (2020). Pengaruh budaya organisasi dan keterlibatan kerja terhadap kinerja karyawan dengan komitmen organisasi sebagai variable intervening pada Pt. XYZ. Jurnal Profita Akuntansi dan Bisnis, 1(2), 101–119.
Osei-Frimpong, K., McLean, G., Islam, N., & Appiah Otoo, B. (2022). What drives me there? The interplay of socio-psychological gratification and consumer values in social media brand engagement. Journal of Business Research, 146(1), 288–307.
Pourkabirian, A., Habibian, M., & Pourkabirian, A. (2021). Brand attitude in social networks: The role of eWoM. arXiv preprint Retrieved on August 1, 2025, from arXiv:2109.15315.
Putra, J. E., Sulistyani, N. W., Ramadhan, F., & Hidayat, H. (2025). Effectiveness of content marketing in attracting Generation Z consumer loyalty. Oikonomia: Journal of Management Economics and Accounting, 2(2), 45–58.
Rachman, F. H., Wahyuni, S., & Imamah, I. (2024). Boosting competitiveness: Digital branding of the Sreseh mangrove tourism spot in Marparan Village. Jurnal Pengabdian Kepada Masyarakat (Indonesian Journal of Community Engagement), 10(3), 138–143.
Samanta, I. (2022). Examining relationship marketing and strategic branding in b2b Greek SMEs: A family business development. Innovative Marketing, 18(3), 110–120.
Sawaftah, D., Aljarah, A., & Lahuerta-Otero, E. (2021). Power brand defense up, my friend! Stimulating brand defense through digital content marketing. Sustainability (Switzerland), 13(18), 1-12.
Schultz, D., Kerr, G., Kim, I., & Patti, C. (2007). In search of a theory of integrated marketing communication. Journal of Advertising Education, 11(2), 21-31.
Shamsalinia, A., Moradi, M., Rad, R. E., Ghadimi, R., Farahani, M. A., Masoudi, R., Rabiei, L., & Ghaffari, F. (2021). Design and psychometric evaluation of epilepsy-related apathy scale (E-Ras) in adults with epilepsy: A Sequential Exploratory Mixed Methods Design. BMC Neurology, 21(1), 1-10.
Shmueli, G., Sarstedt, M., Hair, J. F., Cheah, J. H., Ting, H., Vaithilingam, S., & Ringle, C. M. (2019). Predictive model assessment in PLS-SEM: Guidelines for using PLSpredict. European Journal of Marketing, 53(11), 2322–2347.
Sipos, D. (2024). The role of social media in promoting sustainable brands: influencing consumer perceptions and behavior towards sustainable products. Technium Sustainability, 8(1), 1-11.
Smith, J., & Harvidsson, P. (2017). Content Marketing’s effect on customer engagement. Borås: University of Borås.
Squires, B., & Elnahla, N. (2020). The roles played by boards of directors: An integration of the agency and stakeholder theories. Transnational Corporations Review, 12(2), 126–139.
Trisnawati, T., Alhidayatullah, A., & Antony, A. (2024). Entrepreneurship and digital orientation in enhancing SME performance mediated by marketing capabilities. International Journal of Economics, Management and Accounting, 2(3), 455–470.
Voorveld, H. A. M. (2019). Brand communication in social media: A research agenda. Journal of Advertising, 48(1), 14–26.
Vu, T. N., Lehkonen, H., Junttila, J. P., & Lucey, B. (2025). ESG investment performance and global attention to sustainability. North American Journal of Economics and Finance, 75(1), 123-120.
Wang, X., Bart, Y., Netessine, S., & Wu, L. (2025). Impact of multi-platform social media strategy on sales in e-commerce. arXiv preprint Retrieved on August 2, 2025, from arXiv:2503.09083.
Yang, Q., Li, H., Lin, Y., Jiang, Y., & Huo, J. (2022). Fostering consumer engagement with marketer-generated content: the role of content-generating devices and content features. Internet Research, 32(7), 307–329.
Yang, X., Wang, C., & Liu, B. (2025). ESG performance and corporate labor investment efficiency: Evidence from China. International Review of Economics & Finance, 98(1), 103909.
Yoo, B., Donthu, N., & Lee, S. (2020). An examination of selected marketing mix elements and brand equity. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 28(2), 195–211.
Zahid, M. M., Ali, B., Samdani, H., & Kamal, N. (2021). Linking Social Media Engagement with Customer Relationships and Brand Loyalty: A Consumer-based Perspective. VFAST Transactions on Education and Social Sciences, 9(3), 90-99.
Zhang, Y. (2024). Research on brand communication strategies in the new media environment. Advances in Social Behavior Research, 8(1), 1–3.
