Attitudinal loyalty, behavioural loyalty and social media: an introspection

The advent of social media in early 2000, though largely used as an interface among individuals to build, share opinions and establish relationships, also has its implications for marketing in business. Social media has been sufficiently used as an important tool to acquire new customers. However, its role in retaining existing customers and enhancing loyalty requires a deeper exploration from a theoretical and empirical standpoint. The concept of 'loyalty' looked at from a behavioural and an attitudinal perspective requires a focussed analysis in terms of its sources and dimensions to discuss the influence of social media on the same. This paper conducts a critical analysis of the two types of customer loyalty, namely, attitudinal and behavioural loyalty, and discusses the influence of social media on them. Out of the analysis, it emerges that social media has more likelihood of influencing attitudinal loyalty than behavioural loyalty, however it may not be loyalty-generating in its own right.