Social Media Conformity and Critic Information Review on Movie Consumer Behavior in Africa: Electronic Word-of-Mouth a Potential Communication Strategy for Moviegoers

Abstract

Social conformity occurs desire through the power of the “influence effect” of information source as a mechanism on movie consumer behaviour in Africa. This study investigated social media conformity with individual differences on potential moviegoers in Africa. Using Smart PLS-SEM, a cross-sectional sample population (n=500) was conducted by distributing online questionnaire among African students in China. The study focused on information source and valence, social media conformity, individual differences, and potential moviegoers mediated to predict electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM). Results showed males (62%) and females (38%), information source, social media conformity, individual difference significantly predicted eWOM except information valence. The potential moviegoers were significant on eWOM. Critic reviews overwhelmingly overshadowed by social media conformity as a communication strategy meeting potential moviegoers in the era of excerpts movies shown on Facebook. While the critic review was professional, the power of social media is significant to the need cognitive scale and self-monitoring scale. Potential moviegoers in decision-making partially fulfilled an intervention between information source and information valence.

Keywords: Social media conformity- electronic word of mouth (eWOM)- Potential moviegoers- Individual difference- Movie Consumer behaviour.