Mapping the Full Scope of Consumer Engagement on Social Media for Efficacy and Consumer Wellbeing

The aim of this project is to map the full scope of consumer engagement on social media and examine its relationship with consumer wellbeing. This project is of high relevance to advertising and digital media researchers, advertisers, publishers, media planning and advertising agencies in that it will supply innovative conceptual and methodological tools to better understand consumers' interests and intentions, and metrics to measure their engagement more accurately on social media than existing metrics, such as 'likes', comments or shares, allow. These outcomes will expand existing scholarship by recognising all forms of consumer engagement and help improve digital advertising effectiveness and its positive impact on consumer wellbeing. To achieve the project aim, the Fellow will expand on her PhD research, where she introduced the Digital Practices Tracing Methodological Framework based on screen recordings. The tool will be further developed to measure motivational and contextual factors and effects on consumer wellbeing. Consumer engagement data collected via the upgraded tool will then allow to develop the new engagement metrics. To deliver this innovative project and produce high-quality research outputs, the Fellow's expertise in digital methods and invisible engagement will be combined with the host institution's leading expertise in post-phenomenological enquiry, consumer engagement and digital media research. Working closely with international academic experts and industry partners will ensure the applicability of the new metrics and therefore the impact of the research outcomes across academia and industry. The collaboration between the Fellow and the host institution will be a mutually beneficial partnership that will enhance the Fellow's research capabilities and bring important research contributions.