Social Media Marketing Activities, Brand Image, Online Trust, and E-Reputation: A Conceptual Model for the Moroccan Digital Context

Abstract

The proliferation of social media as a strategic brand-building arena has generated a substantial body of empirical work, yet the theoretical architecture linking specific Social Media Marketing Activities (SMMAs) to brand e-reputation through the sequential mediation of brand image and online trust remains underdeveloped, particularly in emerging market contexts. Drawing on Engagement Theory, Online Trust Theory, and Reputation Theory, this paper develops and justifies a comprehensive conceptual model in which five SMMA dimensions, namely trendiness, customization, entertainment, eWOM, and influencer marketing, are hypothesized to shape brand image, which in turn drives both online trust and e-reputation. Online trust is further posited to mediate the brand image and e-reputation relationship. The model yields nine testable hypotheses operationalized through twenty-eight reflective measurement items. Grounded in the Moroccan digital landscape, the proposed framework advances theory by integrating constructs previously examined in isolation and offers a replicable methodological template for emerging-market researchers.