The Role of Social Media Marketing in Young Voters’ Involvement: The Mediating Effect of Political Expression and Internal Efficacy

Abstract

Voting is one of the most direct methods of participation of citizens in governance. With the heightened number of social media users, candidates resort to using this for marketing their campaigns and parties to influence voters. To develop a model of drivers and outcomes of young voters’ political expression and internal efficacy, the stimulus-organism-response (SOR) model was used. The indirect effect of the impact of word of mouth and interaction on political product involvement was positive and significant. When mediated by internal efficacy and political expression, WOM correlates positively to the outcome variable, political product involvement. Therefore, political expression and internal efficacy partially mediated the relationship between social media marketing strategies, namely, WOM and interaction and political product involvement. The study tested social media marketing in the context of elections and investigated specific components of social media. The findings underscored strategies to increase youth participation in governance. It is a unique addition to the exploration of gauging citizens’ needs and perspectives as springboards for pivotal government actions.