Journal Name: Journal of Promotion Management
Digitalization in the twenty first century has brought opportunities as well as challenges for both businesses and consumers. Businesses use social media platforms such as Facebook, Tik Tok, and Instagram as part of their marketing strategies to reach their target market. In the digital world, data privacy and the protection of consumer information are vital for consumer trust and corporate reputation. Marketing influencers have played an important role in the purchase intention of consumers (ElSayad, Citation2024; Saima & Khan, Citation2021) in this century. This special issue discusses shifts in marketing strategies, influencer relationships, and consumer behavior to highlight the difficulties of digital marketing in a world driven by social media. Key topics include consumer anxiety over promotions, audience self-branding, the role of financial influencers, ad disruption, and gamification in promotions.
The first article sets the stage for understanding the broader context of influencer marketing and the concept of “Power of the Platform”. It provides a theoretical foundation for the reader to gain valuable insights for both theory and practice regarding the contextual effects of influencers on consumers that can be referenced in subsequent articles.
The second article discusses the strategic importance of gamification in social media promotions. It builds on the previous article by exploring how personalization and engagement strategies can enhance promotional efforts.
The next article provides a specific case study of how Instagram is utilized in real estate marketing, illustrating practical applications of the theories discussed in the previous articles.
The fourth article introduces the FOMO concept in digital marketing, which ties into the themes of engagement and consumer behavior established in earlier articles. This article offers a new metric that can be applied across various marketing contexts.
The next article transitions to the financial sector, examining the role of FINfluencers. This article connects the influence of social media on consumer decision-making, adding depth to the discussion of influencer marketing.
The last article of this special issue addresses the darker side of digital marketing—consumer irritation with online ads. It provides a critical perspective on the challenges faced by marketers in engaging consumers effectively, highlighting the need for balance in promotion strategies.
We thank all the reviewers of this special issue whose inputs and insights provided authors with opportunities to improve and refine their research.
This Special Issue reviews current empirical data and outcomes in digital promotion strategies. It discusses various theories and models, including intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, self-determination, social learning, source credibility.