A Conceptual Review of Social Media Marketing Outcomes Brand Image and the Conditional Pathway to Purchase Intention

Deliana, Marlina
Poluan , Nadia Amelia Elyana
Simanjorang, Feronica

Journal Business Administration (JBA): Entrepreneurship and Creative Indutry
Vol. 5 No. 1 (2026): Journal Business Administration: Entrepreneurship & Creative Industry

This study reviews prior research to explain how social media marketing (SMM) influences brand image, and ultimately purchase intention—and highlights that the link from SMM → purchase intention is often inconsistent and may depend on mediators. This is a conceptual / literature-based paper: it builds the framework using deductive reasoning and a systematic review of prior literature. The findings suggest that a strong brand image plays a crucial role in bridging the gap between social media marketing efforts and actual purchasing behavior.