Consumers’ Preferences for Digital Corporate Content on Company Websites: A Best–Worst Scaling Analysis

Digital content marketing (DCM) complements traditional marketing communication approaches and is a major focus of research. Uses and gratifications research posits that DCM only unfolds positive effects if it provides valuable content to consumers. However, there is limited evidence on what constit...

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Main Author: Clemens Koob
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2023-07-01
Series:Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/0718-1876/18/3/66
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author Clemens Koob
author_facet Clemens Koob
author_sort Clemens Koob
collection DOAJ
description Digital content marketing (DCM) complements traditional marketing communication approaches and is a major focus of research. Uses and gratifications research posits that DCM only unfolds positive effects if it provides valuable content to consumers. However, there is limited evidence on what constitutes gratifying digital corporate content on company websites. This study aimed to elicit consumers’ preferences for key characteristics of digital corporate content on company websites and whether preferences differ among consumer subgroups. Best–worst scaling (BWS) was used to reveal preferences. To obtain BWS data, a cross-sectional survey was employed. The study sample comprised 1527 consumers from Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. Data were analyzed using counting analysis and conditional logit modeling. Subgroup comparisons were performed with <i>t</i>-tests and one-way ANOVA. The results consistently show that consumers prioritize information value as the most important content characteristic, followed by value in use, entertainment value, process value, and social value. Subgroup comparisons revealed generally similar priorities among consumers, with the greatest heterogeneity being found in assessments of the importance of social value. The study also suggests that consumers prioritize digital corporate content characteristics on company websites differently than they do on social media. These findings contribute to the evolving literature on DCM and provide insights that could help set evidence-based priorities in DCM practice.
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spelling doaj.art-c4c4444824f246e6aa97c71bfd3cf9182023-11-19T11:32:10ZengMDPI AGJournal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research0718-18762023-07-011831301131910.3390/jtaer18030066Consumers’ Preferences for Digital Corporate Content on Company Websites: A Best–Worst Scaling AnalysisClemens Koob0Catholic University of Applied Sciences Munich, Preysingstraße 95, 81667 Munich, GermanyDigital content marketing (DCM) complements traditional marketing communication approaches and is a major focus of research. Uses and gratifications research posits that DCM only unfolds positive effects if it provides valuable content to consumers. However, there is limited evidence on what constitutes gratifying digital corporate content on company websites. This study aimed to elicit consumers’ preferences for key characteristics of digital corporate content on company websites and whether preferences differ among consumer subgroups. Best–worst scaling (BWS) was used to reveal preferences. To obtain BWS data, a cross-sectional survey was employed. The study sample comprised 1527 consumers from Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. Data were analyzed using counting analysis and conditional logit modeling. Subgroup comparisons were performed with <i>t</i>-tests and one-way ANOVA. The results consistently show that consumers prioritize information value as the most important content characteristic, followed by value in use, entertainment value, process value, and social value. Subgroup comparisons revealed generally similar priorities among consumers, with the greatest heterogeneity being found in assessments of the importance of social value. The study also suggests that consumers prioritize digital corporate content characteristics on company websites differently than they do on social media. These findings contribute to the evolving literature on DCM and provide insights that could help set evidence-based priorities in DCM practice.https://www.mdpi.com/0718-1876/18/3/66content marketingdigital content marketingdigital corporate contentcompany websitesmarketing communicationsbest–worst scaling
spellingShingle Clemens Koob
Consumers’ Preferences for Digital Corporate Content on Company Websites: A Best–Worst Scaling Analysis
Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research
content marketing
digital content marketing
digital corporate content
company websites
marketing communications
best–worst scaling
title Consumers’ Preferences for Digital Corporate Content on Company Websites: A Best–Worst Scaling Analysis
title_full Consumers’ Preferences for Digital Corporate Content on Company Websites: A Best–Worst Scaling Analysis
title_fullStr Consumers’ Preferences for Digital Corporate Content on Company Websites: A Best–Worst Scaling Analysis
title_full_unstemmed Consumers’ Preferences for Digital Corporate Content on Company Websites: A Best–Worst Scaling Analysis
title_short Consumers’ Preferences for Digital Corporate Content on Company Websites: A Best–Worst Scaling Analysis
title_sort consumers preferences for digital corporate content on company websites a best worst scaling analysis
topic content marketing
digital content marketing
digital corporate content
company websites
marketing communications
best–worst scaling
url https://www.mdpi.com/0718-1876/18/3/66
work_keys_str_mv AT clemenskoob consumerspreferencesfordigitalcorporatecontentoncompanywebsitesabestworstscalinganalysis