Influencing Gen-Z Consumer Perception of Online Course Participation: The Impact of Freebies, Social Proof, and Authority Bias in Social Media Promotion Captions

DOI

10.2991/978-94-6463-508-9_21How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Consumer Bias; Social Proof; Authority Bias; Freebies; Social Media Captions; Online Course; Gen-Z

Abstract

Unravelling the appeal of promotional advertising remains a marketing puzzle even in the age of digitalization. Behavioural economics exposes consumer irrationalities, notably the paradox of information abundance fostering confusion and decision complexity. Surprisingly, as choices multiply, consumers lean towards reactive rather than reflective decision-making, a tendency astutely exploited by marketers in social media captions. This study hones in on the influence of specific words freebies, social proof, and authority bias—on Gen-Z perceptions of online courses. Its aim is to distil practical insights for Digital Marketing and Search Engine Optimization classes, underscoring the critical role of captions and keywords in navigating the fierce competition for consumer attention in the digital landscape. Findings indicate that these factors contribute significantly to Gen-Z decisions, with “free” emerging as a powerful marketing tool. Social proof, driven by peer influence, plays a pivotal role, while authority bias has a modest impact. Understanding this interplay is crucial for Edtech success. However, the study acknowledges limitations, urging caution in generalizing to other demographics. Future research avenues include cross-generational comparisons, diverse examinations of authority bias, and global exploration for cultural nuances, aiming to enrich our understanding of Gen-Z preferences in online education marketing.

Copyright

© 2024 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Agung Stefanus Kembau
AU  - Arihta Tarigan
AU  - Christian Haposan Pangaribuan
PY  - 2024
DA  - 2024/09/19
TI  - Influencing Gen-Z Consumer Perception of Online Course Participation: The Impact of Freebies, Social Proof, and Authority Bias in Social Media Promotion Captions
BT  - Proceedings of the Twelfth International Conference on Entrepreneurship and Business Management 2023 (ICEBM 2023)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 248
EP  - 262
SN  - 2667-1271
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-94-6463-508-9_21
DO  - 10.2991/978-94-6463-508-9_21
ID  - Kembau2024
ER  -