<![CDATA[The rapid expansion of digital platforms has transformed how local brands and technology-enabled small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) establish relationships with consumers, making digital brand communities increasingly important for fostering participation, engagement, and advocacy. This study examines the effects of brand community identification and customer participation on brand advocacy through the mediating role of customer-brand engagement. A quantitative explanatory design was employed using data from 250 consumers who had purchased local-brand products and interacted with brands through social media, marketplaces, social commerce, or digital brand communities. Data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The results demonstrate that brand community identification and customer participation positively influence customer-brand engagement, while customer-brand engagement has a significant positive effect on brand advocacy. Both identification and participation also directly influence advocacy, and customer-brand engagement partially mediates these relationships. Customer participation demonstrates a particularly important role in strengthening engagement and subsequent advocacy. These findings extend digital marketing and consumer behavior research by explaining how community-based interactions generate advocacy and provide practical guidance for local brands and SMEs seeking to shift from transaction-oriented digital marketing toward engagement-oriented community strategies.]]>
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