Factors Influencing the Transition from Media Consumer to Participant among Subscribers of the Facebook Page of the Shiite Endowment Office of Iraq
Keywords:
consumer, media, participant, Facebook subscribers, Shiite Endowment Office of IraqAbstract
The present study aims to identify and explain the factors influencing the transition from media consumers to active participants among subscribers of the Facebook page of the Shiite Endowment Office of Iraq. Methodologically, the study employs a qualitative grounded theory approach alongside a descriptive quantitative design. The qualitative population consisted of experts and specialists familiar with media studies and the Facebook page under investigation. Using the snowball sampling method, theoretical saturation was achieved with 18 participants. The quantitative population included all subscribers of the Facebook page of the Shiite Endowment Office of Iraq, totaling 8,000 individuals affiliated with the organization. Based on Morgan’s table, a sample size of 351 participants was determined for the quantitative phase. Data collection was conducted in three stages: library research, fieldwork using interviews, and fieldwork using questionnaires. In the qualitative section, the procedures included transcription of discussions (open coding), line-by-line reading of the data, extraction of concepts and key statements, formation of initial categories and classes (axial coding), classification of data, identification of subcategories, and formation of final categories (selective coding) by linking categories to each other. To obtain the necessary data for hypothesis testing, a questionnaire was employed as the primary instrument, and its reliability was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha. The analysis of the data revealed several factors influencing the transition from media consumers to media participants, including: intrinsic motivations of participants (interest in religious topics), extrinsic motivations (obtaining social credibility), individual factors, spiritual and ideological motivations, social factors, a sense of belonging to a like-minded community, feelings of identity and community attachment, perceived transparency, neutrality, and relevance of content to user needs, opportunities for two-way interaction and managerial responsiveness, perceived influence and visibility by others, increased internet access, the emergence of social networks and expansion of digital tools, proximity of media to its audience, growth of the audience and the media’s target community, expansion and development of media content, facilitation of media use, among others.
Downloads
References
[1] M. Ṣamadī, Consumer Behavior. Tehran: Āyīzh Publications, 2003.
[2] M. Moḥammadkhānī, B. Yūsefī, and S. Sharīfī, "Investigating the Explanation of Strategic Management of Consumer Behavior," in The 10th International Conference on Strategic Management, Tehran, 2013.
[3] Ḥ. Ṣabūrī and N. Āzargūn, "The Effect of Virtual Social Networks (Facebook) on Social Identity (Case Study: Islamic Azad University Students)," Media Studies, vol. 8, no. 21, 2012.
[4] B. Yazdkhāstī, S. Adlī Pūr, and Ā. Sepehrī, "Content Analysis of Facebook Social Network Pages and Groups with Habermas's Theory of the Public Sphere," Social Research and Studies in Iran, vol. 2, no. 1, 2013.
[5] F. Simon and V. Tossan, "Does brand-consumer social sharing matter? A relational framework of customer engagement to brand-hosted social media," Journal of Business Research, vol. 85, pp. 175-184, 2018, doi: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2017.12.050.
[6] R. Guesalaga, "The use of social media in sales: Individual and organizational antecedents, and the role of customer engagement in social media," 2015, doi: 10.1016/j.indmarman.2015.12.002.
[7] K. H. Bāstān Samān and S. Ardakānzādeh, "Mainstream Media People and New Media Consumption: A Survey of Media Consumption, Trust, Satisfaction, and Participation of Tehran Citizens," New Media Studies Quarterly, vol. 4, no. 14, 2018.
[8] F. Rāstī, S. M. Ṭabāṭabā'ī Nasab, S. M. Al-Ḥoseinī Al-Mudarrisī, S. Sa'īdā Ardakānī, and M. Pūrreẓā'ī, "Developing a Three-Dimensional Model for the Antecedents and Consequences of Consumer Engagement with Brands on Social Networks: A Hybrid Approach," Brand Management Journal, vol. 10, no. 2, Serial 34, 2023.
[9] Z. Khabīrī and S. Furūtanī, "Analysis of Consumer Attitude Towards Social Media Advertising in Developing Countries," in National Conference on New Research in Science and Technology, 2022.
[10] S. Shokūhyār and O. Dehqān, "Identifying Factors Influencing Consumer Participation in Mobile Phone Recycling with Emphasis on Social Media," Shahid Beheshti University, Faculty of Management and Accounting, 2022.
[11] Z. Dehdashī Shāhrokh and P. Behyār, "Antecedents and Consequences of Consumer Participation in Virtual Communities," Quarterly Journal of Smart Business Management Studies, no. Serial 21, pp. 33-64, 2017.
[12] A. Rahman and R. Chatterjee, "Social Media Marketing and Its Effect on Consumer Buying Behavior, Brand Loyalty, and Brand Relationships: A Study of the Media Industry," Journal of Technology and Humanities, vol. 5, no. 1, pp. 48-56, 2024, doi: 10.53797/jthkkss.v5i1.6.2024.
[13] E. J. Juaton, A. Enaga, J. M. B. Lazaro, and H. B. Carmona, "Social Media Influence, Brand Reputation, and Electronic Word-of-Mouth Marketing: A Structural Equation Model on Consumer Purchase Decision Making on Apparel Businesses," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, vol. 9, no. 5, pp. 1519-1537, 2025, doi: 10.47772/IJRISS.2025.905000121.
[14] N. Pathak, A. Kumar, A. Chouhan, and R. Kv, "The Impact of Social Media Marketing on Consumer Buying Behaviour," International Journal of Research Publication and Reviews, vol. 5, pp. 3598-36, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/380037657_The_Impact_of_Social_Media_Marketing_on_Consumer_Buying_Behaviour.
[15] P. Otto, "The impact of digital marketing on consumer purchase intention through the mediating role of consumer engagement and the moderating role of trust," Journal of Marketing Research, vol. 61, no. 1, pp. 45-60, 2024.
[16] T. F. Kao, Y. Z. Du, J. C. Tu, and M. Chen, "Effect of Cause-Related Marketing and Brand on Consumer Purchase Intention: Mediating Role of Emotions," Sustainability, vol. 17, no. 10, p. 4328, 2025, doi: 10.3390/su17104328.
[17] L. Leung, "The influence of social media marketing communication on consumer loyalty," Journal of Promotion Management, vol. 31, no. 2, pp. 109-127, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://www.emerald.com.
[18] M. Gholāmī and Z. Moḥammadī, "Studying the Role of Media Consumption in Creating a Spirit of Political Participation: Case Study: Master's Students," Payame Noor University, West Tehran Branch, Media Management, 2020.
[19] D. Drossos, C. Coursari, and E. Kagiouli, "Social media marketing content strategy: A comprehensive framework and empirically supported guidelines for brand posts on Facebook pages," Journal of Consumer Behaviour, vol. 23, pp. 1175-1192, 2023, doi: 10.1002/cb.2269.
[20] M. H. Qadri, "Exploring Dynamic Brand Experience Through Co-Creation and E-Wom: Implications for Consumer Equity in Social Media Marketing," Ijss, vol. 3, no. 2, pp. 712-732, 2025, doi: 10.59075/ijss.v3i2.1518.
[21] E. Mittal and T. Rani, "Moderated Mediation Between Consumer Mindfulness and Impulse Buying," Management, vol. 29, no. 2, pp. 97-112, 2024, doi: 10.30924/mjcmi.29.2.8.
[22] S. S. Dunn and G. S. Nisbett, "College NIL Athletes as Social Media Influencers: Examining Sports vs Lifestyle Posts on Consumer Perceptions," International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship, 2025, doi: 10.1108/ijsms-08-2024-0194.
Downloads
Published
Submitted
Revised
Accepted
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Ammar Adnan Challoob Al-Muttairi, Ali Rashidpoor, Marwa Abdulalah Abbas Al-Tahhan, Saeed Mir (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
