Page 261 - Kỷ yếu hội thảo khoa học lần thứ 12 - Công nghệ thông tin và Ứng dụng trong các lĩnh vực (CITA 2023)

Thi-Thuy-Trinh Tran, Thi-Thanh-Minh Dang, Phuoc-Cuu-Long Le and Thi-Thu-Huong Dao 245

opportunities for electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) interactions. The education sec-
tor is no different. According to the above data from We Are Social and Kepios [25],
the majority of prospective and current university customers are mostly Generation Z,
a group with a high rate of social media usage. Today's students communicate and
share information with their friends, family, and acquaintances via social media plat-
forms like Facebook. If students have positive experiences with social networks, they
are more willing to share information online [9]. To reach and attract the right stu-
dents, marketing approaches in higher education have turned to digital marketing.
Obviously, social media is not just a platform for interpersonal connection but also an
indispensable bridge between brands and customers. Hence, boosting the effective-
ness of eWOM [8, 22]. Therefore, using social media channels to reach learners
is necessary, and the quality of the online experience is a matter of concern to
universities.
Despite this, universities in Vietnam have given digital marketing approaches
minimal consideration [5]. In addition, a previous study has examined the association
between social media experience and intention to use eWOM [17]. However,
according to Hussain S. et al. [13], attitude toward the brand greatly influences
eWOM usage behavior. People will share trustworthy, high-quality content from
brands they respect [5]. Unfortunately, there are few studies on social media experi-
ence in Vietnam, and empirical research has yet to explore the relationship between
social media experience and eWOM usage behavior in Vietnam. Consequently, this
study was conducted to examine the association between social media experience and
eWOM usage behavior among the University of Danang students based on their
attitude toward the website and brand. From there, suggestions are made for
universities in general and the University of Danang, in particular, to increase the
effectiveness of social media marketing and eWOM in order to promote brand
awareness and attract a large number of prospective students.

2 Literature Review and Hypothesis Development

2.1 Theoretical Basis

Social Media Experience
According to Larson and Watson [16], social media is a set of connectivity-enabled
apps that support engagement, publication, exchange, and co-creation of information
amongst related companies and consumer communities. The introduction of social
media enabled people to contact thousands of others and supply them with product
and brand information [21]. Based on this foundation, users are not only interested in
obtaining information on the website but also in enhancing their experiences by
submitting contact information, comments, images, videos, and other content on
social media platforms.

ISBN: 978-604-80-8083-9 CITA 2023