Relevance Of Consumer Generated Content In Food Industry Of Pakistan

Abstract

This study aims to confirm the relevance of consumer generated content in the context of food industry of Pakistan to influence purchase intention of consumers. The communication landscape has changed drastically since the introduction of social media tools. There is a little understanding about how user-generated social media communication influences consumer behavior. User-generated content (UGC) is content that users create and post on social media platforms. It [1]has made it possible for customers to communicate and share information online with other customers. The current study, first, assesses the impact of user generated content on perceived usefulness (PU) and perceived credibility (PC) of product content which users create on Facebook. Secondly, it assesses the impact of PU and PC on consumers’ attitude towards product. Lastly, it examines the impact of consumers’ attitude towards product on their intention to select hotel, restaurant and cafe (HORECA). Data for this study is collected from 384 residents of Karachi, Pakistan. Data is analyzed through structure equation modeling using Amos. The results reveal that consumers find UGC useful and credible which influences consumers’ attitude toward a service. This attitude towards product or service has significant impact on the choice of HORECA. Findings of this study have useful implications for practitioners.