The Mediating Role of Brand Equity in Social Media Marketing, Brand Trust, and Purchase Intention: Evidence from Bangladesh

Purpose: This study investigates the role of brand equity (BE) in bridging the gap between social media marketing (SMM) and consumer purchase intention (PI) in Bangladesh. It further examines the direct and indirect relationships among SMM, brand trust (BT), BE, and PI. Design/Methodology/Approach: A total of 500 questionnaires were distributed among active users of social media platforms in Bangladesh, and 460 valid responses were collected for analysis. The proposed model was validated using structural equation modeling (SEM). Additionally, demographic and behavioral characteristics of respondents were examined to ensure representativeness of the sample. Findings: The findings indicate that the relationship between social media marketing (SMM) and purchase intention (PI) is significantly positive, with brand equity (BE) serving as a partial mediator. Consistent with this result, social media (SM) plays an important role in influencing consumers’ buying decisions. The results further show that brand trust (BT) has a positive and significant effect on brand equity; however, its direct relationship with purchase intention is negative and statistically insignificant, suggesting that BT contributes to PI only indirectly through brand equity rather than through a direct influence. Originality/Value: This study highlights how brand equity mediates the impact of social media marketing on purchase intention, offering insights for organizations to refine online strategies. It also contributes to the literature on consumer behavior in emerging markets like Bangladesh.