The Impact of Digital Marketing Public Relations Factors on Online Shopping Behavior

Abstract

Purpose: With technological advancements, brands have increasingly carried out their marketing activities in digital environments, leading to the rise of digital marketing. Digital marketing refers to the promotion of products and services through digital platforms and tools. It has required brands to make more effort to influence consumer behavior and differentiate themselves from competitors. In this context, brands operating in the marketing field have started to seek support from various areas, one of which is public relations. In marketing, public relations aims to influence consumers by establishing communication and interaction with them, ensuring brand awareness, and increasing sales. The purpose of this research is to examine the impact of public relations factors in digital marketing on online shopping behavior.

Design/methodology/approach: In the study, scales for "public relations in digital marketing" and "online shopping behavior" were initially developed. In this context, three components of the public relations scale in digital marketing and four components of the online shopping scale emerged. The developed scales were applied to 1,085 consumers in Istanbul using purposive and simple random sampling methods through Google Forms in April and May 2023. The data obtained were analyzed using the SPSS program.

Results: The study concluded that public relations factors in digital marketing influence online shopping behavior.

Discussion: The findings of this research highlight the significant role of public relations factors in digital marketing. Future studies could provide more comprehensive insights by examining the impact of public relations activities on online shopping behavior in greater depth and through comparisons with brands from different industries.