EVALUATING THE INFLUENCE OF DIGITAL ADVERTISING METRICS ON MULTIDIMENSIONAL CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT IN THE ONLINE BETTING INDUSTRY IN AKWA IBOM STATE, NIGERIA.

This study evaluated the influence of digital advertising metrics on multidimensional customer engagement in the online betting industry in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. The research was motivated by increasing reliance on quantifiable digital advertising indicators such as cost per click (CPC), ad personalization, and ad duration/exposure time. Anchored on Customer Engagement Theory, the study adopted a survey research design and collected primary data from 323 online betting customers selected through convenience sampling. Simple regression analysis was employed to test three hypotheses at a 0.05 significance level. Findings showed that all three digital advertising metrics significantly influenced multidimensional customer engagement. Cost per click demonstrated a strong positive effect (R = 0.821; R² = 0.831; F = 2632.807; p < 0.05), indicating that higher-quality, competitively placed paid ads enhanced user engagement. Ad personalization exhibited the strongest influence (R = 0.788; R² = 0.873; F = 2772.641; p < 0.05), suggesting that tailored advertising powerfully promoted cognitive, emotional, and behavioural engagement. Ad duration/exposure time also significantly affected engagement (R = 0.780; R² = 0.849; F = 2592.731; p < 0.05), confirming that optimal exposure frequency and duration improved attention, recall, and interactive responses. The study concluded that CPC, ad personalization, and exposure time are critical drivers of multidimensional customer engagement in the online betting industry. The study recommended increased investment in optimized CPC strategies, the adoption of data-driven personalized advertising, and careful adjustment of ad exposure lengths to maintain attention while preventing user fatigue. These insights provide strategic guidance for betting operators and policymakers seeking to enhance responsible and effective digital advertising practices