Interactive Online Brand Community Loyalty Research

Brand community refers to social groups combining by those who use the same brand products. On the one hand, brand with its own community could effectively assemble consumers together and enhance their brand loyalty. On the other hand, as the emergence of network communication platform, online communities come into being which are similar to real communities. However, there are also some brand-themed ones, among those numerous online communities, which have both online and brand community characteristics.The structure of brand community is a 3-element map composed of 'consumer-brand-consumer'(Muniz and O'Guinn,2001). However, as the existence of network communication platforms, those online interactive activities among different brand communities will have an influence not only on both the relationship between consumers and also the relationship between consumers and brands.This paper takes the online automobile brand community as the example, importing 'interactivity', the concept of sociology, into online brand community study. It follows the logical way as'How does interactivity embody among the online communities→How about its deepening process?→What the results of interactivity will be?', that is, 'formation of the relationship (Interaction)-deepening of the relationship (identification)-result of the relationship(brand loyalty)', makes systematic study through the method of combining theory and case analysis together, and puts forward the marketing strategic direction for online brand communities.The result shows:online interaction within the brand community could be divided into the social interaction between consumers, and the individual interaction between consumers and brands. Meanwhile, it also point out that the components of social interaction are Mutuality, Connectedness and Influence; while the components of individual interaction are brand familiarity and enjoyment. In this study, sense of identity is considered as a medium factor of brand loyalty, which forms brand community identity through the social interaction between consumers, and the brand identity through the individual interaction. With the deepening process of the relationship, it will have an influence on brand loyalty ultimately.First of all, the results of this study will help companies to understand profoundly the value of online brand community and strengthen their conviction on operating online communities; secondly, it will help the community managers more deeply understand different effects that interaction impacted on the purchasing behaviors of online brand community. It also provides the new channel and management foundation for the companies engaging in attracting and maintaining loyal customers, and in order to offers business strategy and suggestions for community mangers or companies to promote the interaction between members of their communities, which will eventually contribute to shaping of brand image.