The Role of Self-Congruence in Active Social Media Engagement Among Lurkers
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
This research investigates the role of self-congruence in active social media engagement among users who typically exhibit lurking behavior. Drawing on Self-Congruence Theory and the COBRAs framework, the study proposes an integrated model to examine how dimensions of self-congruence are associated with active engagement among passive users.
A quantitative research design was employed, using survey data collected from 200 social media users, and multiple regression analysis was used to test the hypothesized relationships.
The results indicate that the proposed model explains 37.8% of the variance in active engagement. Influencer-product congruence emerged as the strongest predictor of active engagement ( = 0.455, p < 0.001), followed by consumer-influencer congruence (
= 0.179, p = 0.021). Consumer-product congruence, however, showed no significant effect. These findings suggest that lurkers may be more likely to report active participation when they perceive a strong alignment between the influencer and the endorsed product, as well as a sense of identity similarity with the influencer.
The research contributes to the literature by integrating three dimensions of self-congruence within the context of influencer marketing and by demonstrating their differential effects on active engagement among lurking users. Practical implications are provided for influencer selection and content strategy, highlighting the importance of identity alignment in fostering meaningful consumer engagement in contemporary social media environments.
Article Details
References
Belanche, D., Casaló, L. V., Flavián, M., & Ibáñez-Sánchez, S. (2021). Understanding influencer marketing: The role of congruence between influencers, products, and consumers. Journal of Business Research, 132, 186-195. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2021.03.067
Brodie, R. J., Hollebeek, L. D., Juric, B., & Ilić, A. (2011). Customer engagement: Conceptual domain, fundamental propositions, and implications for research. Journal of Service Research, 14(3), 252-271. https://doi.org/10.1177/1094670511411703
Cochran, W. G. (1977). Sampling techniques (3rd ed.). John Wiley & Sons.
Dolan, R., Conduit, J., Fahy, J., & Goodman, S. (2019). Social media engagement behavior: A framework for engaging customers through social media content. European Journal of Marketing, 53(10), 2213-2243. https://doi.org/10.1108/EJM-03-2017-0182
Escalas, J. E., & Bettman, J. R. (2005). Self-construal, reference groups, and brand meaning. Journal of Consumer Research, 32(3), 378-389. https://doi.org/10.1086/497549
Khan, I. (2024). Understanding social media engagement: From passive to active participation. Journal of Marketing Communications, 30(1), 45-61.
Kim, H., & Yoon, S. (2024). The role of influencer credibility and self-congruence in driving consumer engagement. International Journal of Advertising, 43(3), 375-398.
Koay, K. Y., & Lim, S. (2025). The mediating role of self-congruence between influencer marketing and active engagement. Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, 37(1), 101-119.
Koay, K. Y., Ong, D. L. T., & Khoo, K. L. (2023). Bridging the gap: The influence of parasocial relationships on online engagement. Journal of Consumer Behaviour, 22(1), 88-104.
Lee, S., Sung, Y., & Kim, Y. (2020). Brand personality congruence effects on social media: The role of self-expression and self-concept. Journal of Interactive Advertising, 20(2), 109-123. https://doi.org/10.1080/15252019.2020.1718382
Malär, L., Krohmer, H., Hoyer, W. D., & Nyffenegger, B. (2011). Emotional brand attachment and brand personality: The relative importance of the actual and the ideal self. Journal of Marketing, 75(4), 35-52. https://doi.org/10.1509/jmkg.75.4.35
Muntinga, D. G., Moorman, M., & Smit, E. G. (2011). Introducing COBRAs: Exploring motivations for brand-related social media use. International Journal of Advertising, 30(1), 13-46. https://doi.org/10.2501/IJA-30-1-013-046
Nonnecke, B., Preece, J., & Andrews, D. (2021). Why lurkers lurk revisited: An update on online participation. Information Research, 26(2), Article 911.
Nunnally, J. C. (1978). Psychometric theory (2nd ed.). McGraw-Hill.
Schivinski, B., Christodoulides, G., & Dąbrowski, D. (2016). Measuring consumers’ engagement with brand-related social media content: Development and validation of a scale that identifies different levels of engagement. International Journal of Market Research, 58(6), 887-907. https://doi.org/10.2501/IJMR-2016-044
Shan, Y., Chen, K. J., & Lin, J. S. (2020). When social media influencers endorse brands: The effects of self-congruence, parasocial interaction, and brand trust. Journal of Promotion Management, 26(3), 414-438. https://doi.org/10.1080/10496491.2019.1661348
Sirgy, M. J. (1982). Self-concept in consumer behavior: A critical review. Journal of Consumer Research, 9(3), 287-300. https://doi.org/10.1086/208924
Venciūtė, D., Mackeviciene, I., Kuslys, M., & Correia, R. F. (2023). The role of influencer-follower congruence in the relationship between influencer marketing and purchase behaviour. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 75, Article 103506. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2023.103506
Xiao, M., Wang, R., & Chan-Olmsted, S. (2021). Followers’ perceptions of influencer-brand congruence, influencer credibility, and branded content: The effects on parasocial relationships and engagement. Journal of Product & Brand Management, 30(5), 735-748. https://doi.org/10.1108/JPBM-12-2019-2701
