Digital content marketing as a catalyst for e-WOM in food tourism

Using the Use and Gratifications Theory (UGT), this paper explores how the social impact of Digital Content Marketing (DCM) in food tourism leads to electronic word-of-mouth (e-WOM) communication. Specifically, this paper investigates how DCM can generate social impact, and in turn, it explores how this social impact can lead to e-WOM. A sample of 707 Chinese tourists completed an online survey. The data was analysed using structural equation modelling. Positive associations were found between content entertainment (CE) and Informational Social Impact (ISI) and between self-expression (SE) and Normative Social Impact (NSI). Content information (CI) and social interaction (SI) had a positive relationship with both NSI and ISI. NSI and ISI positively influenced e-WOM. Social impact played a mediating role between DCM and e-WOM. This study provides a theoretical basis for further investigation of DCM in food tourism, adds to the literature on Social Impact Theory, and will likely drive further research into e-WOM in food tourism.