Analysis of the Influence of Social Media Use on Consumer Behavior in Indonesia
Abstract
In recent years, social media has emerged as a powerful tool that shapes consumer behavior globally, especially in emerging markets like Indonesia. The growing prevalence of social media platforms has transformed the way consumers make purchasing decisions, engage with brands, and share their experiences. Despite the widespread use of social media in Indonesia, its specific influence on consumer behavior remains underexplored in academic research. This study aims to analyze the impact of social media use on consumer behavior in Indonesia. Specifically, it investigates how social media affects consumers' purchasing decisions, brand perception, and online shopping habits. A mixed-methods approach was used for this research. A survey was conducted with 500 Indonesian consumers who actively engage with social media platforms. The data collected were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical techniques, including regression analysis, to assess the relationship between social media usage and consumer behavior. The findings indicate a significant positive relationship between social media use and consumer purchasing decisions. Consumers who frequently engage with brand-related content on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter tend to have higher brand recall and are more likely to make purchases based on recommendations from influencers or online ads. Social media plays a pivotal role in shaping consumer behavior in Indonesia, influencing both direct and indirect purchasing decisions.
Full text article
References
Akbari, M., Fozouni Ardekani, Z., Pino, G., & Maleksaeidi, H. (2019). An extended model of Theory of Planned Behavior to investigate highly-educated iranian consumers’ intentions towards consuming genetically modified foods. Journal of Cleaner Production, 227, 784–793. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.04.246
Benitez, J., Ruiz, L., Castillo, A., & Llorens, J. (2020). How corporate social responsibility activities influence employer reputation: The role of social media capability. Decision Support Systems, 129, 113223. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dss.2019.113223
Billah, A., Rahman, M. A., & Hossain, M. T. B. (2020). Factors influencing Muslim and non-Muslim consumers’ consumption behavior: A case study on halal food. Journal of Foodservice Business Research, 23(4), 324–349. https://doi.org/10.1080/15378020.2020.1768040
Bilska, B., Tomaszewska, M., & Ko?o?yn-Krajewska, D. (2019). Analysis of the Behaviors of Polish Consumers in Relation to Food Waste. Sustainability, 12(1), 304. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12010304
Boccia, F., & Sarnacchiaro, P. (2020). Chi?squared automatic interaction detector analysis on a choice experiment: An evaluation of responsible initiatives on consumers’ purchasing behavior. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 27(2), 1143–1151. https://doi.org/10.1002/csr.1873
Cachero-Martínez, S. (2020). Consumer Behaviour towards Organic Products: The Moderating Role of Environmental Concern. Journal of Risk and Financial Management, 13(12), 330. https://doi.org/10.3390/jrfm13120330
Cherubino, P., Martinez-Levy, A. C., Caratù, M., Cartocci, G., Di Flumeri, G., Modica, E., Rossi, D., Mancini, M., & Trettel, A. (2019). Consumer Behaviour through the Eyes of Neurophysiological Measures: State-of-the-Art and Future Trends. Computational Intelligence and Neuroscience, 2019, 1–41. https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/1976847
Cheung, M. F. Y., & To, W. M. (2019). An extended model of value-attitude-behavior to explain Chinese consumers’ green purchase behavior. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 50, 145–153. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2019.04.006
Choi, S., Williams, D., & Kim, H. (2020). A snap of your true self: How self-presentation and temporal affordance influence self-concept on social media. New Media & Society, 1461444820977199. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444820977199
Cohen, E. L., Atwell Seate, A., Kromka, S. M., Sutherland, A., Thomas, M., Skerda, K., & Nicholson, A. (2020). To correct or not to correct? Social identity threats increase willingness to denounce fake news through presumed media influence and hostile media perceptions. Communication Research Reports, 37(5), 263–275. https://doi.org/10.1080/08824096.2020.1841622
Davies, B., Turner, M., & Udell, J. (2020). Add a comment … how fitspiration and body positive captions attached to social media images influence the mood and body esteem of young female Instagram users. Body Image, 33, 101–105. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2020.02.009
Diddi, S., Yan, R.-N., Bloodhart, B., Bajtelsmit, V., & McShane, K. (2019). Exploring young adult consumers’ sustainable clothing consumption intention-behavior gap: A Behavioral Reasoning Theory perspective. Sustainable Production and Consumption, 18, 200–209. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spc.2019.02.009
Dodson, R. E., Boronow, K. E., Susmann, H., Udesky, J. O., Rodgers, K. M., Weller, D., Woudneh, M., Brody, J. G., & Rudel, R. A. (2020). Consumer behavior and exposure to parabens, bisphenols, triclosan, dichlorophenols, and benzophenone-3: Results from a crowdsourced biomonitoring study. International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health, 230, 113624. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheh.2020.113624
Geusens, F., & Beullens, K. (2019). A Longitudinal Examination of the Moderating Influence of Peer and Parental Socialization on Alcohol-Related Social Media Self-Effects Among Late Adolescents. Media Psychology, 22(2), 273–297. https://doi.org/10.1080/15213269.2018.1476159
Hua, L., & Wang, S. (2019). Antecedents of Consumers’ Intention to Purchase Energy-Efficient Appliances: An Empirical Study Based on the Technology Acceptance Model and Theory of Planned Behavior. Sustainability, 11(10), 2994. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11102994
Hund, E., & McGuigan, L. (2019). Corrigendum to “A Shoppable Life: Performance, Selfhood, and Influence in the Social Media Storefront.” Communication, Culture and Critique, 12(3), 434–434. https://doi.org/10.1093/ccc/tcz022
Kang, I., He, X., & Shin, M. M. (2020). Chinese Consumers’ Herd Consumption Behavior Related to Korean Luxury Cosmetics: The Mediating Role of Fear of Missing Out. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 121. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00121
Keles, B., McCrae, N., & Grealish, A. (2020). A systematic review: The influence of social media on depression, anxiety and psychological distress in adolescents. International Journal of Adolescence and Youth, 25(1), 79–93. https://doi.org/10.1080/02673843.2019.1590851
Kim, J., & Yang, H. (2019). How Does a Radio Host’s Testimonial Influence Media Experiences? The Indirect Effect of Social Presence. Journal of Radio & Audio Media, 26(2), 336–350. https://doi.org/10.1080/19376529.2018.1509217
Kuei, W. W., & Thao, P. T. T. (2019). How Interpersonal Guanxi Position Influences the Purchase Intention on Social Media: An Analysis of Buyer’s Perceptions in Vietnam. Proceedings of the 2019 International Conference on Intelligent Medicine and Health, 23–27. https://doi.org/10.1145/3348416.3348427
Li, D., Wang, Y., Madden, A., Ding, Y., Tang, J., Sun, G. G., Zhang, N., & Zhou, E. (2019). Analyzing stock market trends using social media user moods and social influence. Journal of the Association for Information Science and Technology, 70(9), 1000–1013. https://doi.org/10.1002/asi.24173
Li, J., Hallsworth, A. G., & Coca?Stefaniak, J. A. (2020). Changing Grocery Shopping Behaviours Among Chinese Consumers At The Outset Of The COVID?19 Outbreak. Tijdschrift Voor Economische En Sociale Geografie, 111(3), 574–583. https://doi.org/10.1111/tesg.12420
Lima, M. M. D., Mainardes, E., & Cavalcanti, A. L. (2019). Influence of social media on restaurant consumers: A case study of Crab island restaurant. Journal of Foodservice Business Research, 22(5), 413–432. https://doi.org/10.1080/15378020.2019.1631657
Lindner, P., Miloff, A., Zetterlund, E., Reuterskiöld, L., Andersson, G., & Carlbring, P. (2019). Attitudes Toward and Familiarity With Virtual Reality Therapy Among Practicing Cognitive Behavior Therapists: A Cross-Sectional Survey Study in the Era of Consumer VR Platforms. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 176. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00176
Liu, Y., & Shi, J. (2019). How inter-city high-speed rail influences tourism arrivals: Evidence from social media check-in data. Current Issues in Tourism, 22(9), 1025–1042. https://doi.org/10.1080/13683500.2017.1349080
Loxton, M., Truskett, R., Scarf, B., Sindone, L., Baldry, G., & Zhao, Y. (2020). Consumer Behaviour during Crises: Preliminary Research on How Coronavirus Has Manifested Consumer Panic Buying, Herd Mentality, Changing Discretionary Spending and the Role of the Media in Influencing Behaviour. Journal of Risk and Financial Management, 13(8), 166. https://doi.org/10.3390/jrfm13080166
Mahardika, H., Thomas, D., Ewing, M. T., & Japutra, A. (2020). Comparing the temporal stability of behavioural expectation and behavioural intention in the prediction of consumers pro-environmental behaviour. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 54, 101943. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2019.101943
Mainolfi, G. (2020). Exploring materialistic bandwagon behaviour in online fashion consumption: A survey of Chinese luxury consumers. Journal of Business Research, 120, 286–293. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.11.038
Matar, C., Guillard, V., Gauche, K., Costa, S., Gontard, N., Guilbert, S., & Gaucel, S. (2020). Consumer behaviour in the prediction of postharvest losses reduction for fresh strawberries packed in modified atmosphere packaging. Postharvest Biology and Technology, 163, 111119. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.postharvbio.2020.111119
Nguyen, N., & Johnson, L. W. (2020). Consumer behaviour and environmental sustainability. Journal of Consumer Behaviour, 19(6), 539–541. https://doi.org/10.1002/cb.1892
Paço, A. D., Shiel, C., & Alves, H. (2019). A new model for testing green consumer behaviour. Journal of Cleaner Production, 207, 998–1006. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.10.105
Qi, X., Yu, H., & Ploeger, A. (2020). Exploring Influential Factors Including COVID-19 on Green Food Purchase Intentions and the Intention–Behaviour Gap: A Qualitative Study among Consumers in a Chinese Context. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(19), 7106. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17197106
Romeo-Arroyo, E., Mora, M., & Vázquez-Araújo, L. (2020). Consumer behavior in confinement times: Food choice and cooking attitudes in Spain. International Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science, 21, 100226. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijgfs.2020.100226
Safarzadeh, S., & Rasti-Barzoki, M. (2019). A game theoretic approach for assessing residential energy-efficiency program considering rebound, consumer behavior, and government policies. Applied Energy, 233–234, 44–61. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2018.10.032
Salim, N., Ab Rahman, M. N., Abd Wahab, D., & Muhamed, A. A. (2020). Influence of Social Media Usage on the Green Product Innovation of Manufacturing Firms through Environmental Collaboration. Sustainability, 12(20), 8685. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12208685
Samoggia, A., & Riedel, B. (2020). Assessment of nutrition-focused mobile apps’ influence on consumers’ healthy food behaviour and nutrition knowledge. Food Research International, 128, 108766. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2019.108766
Tang, S., Hao, P., & Feng, J. (2020). Consumer behavior of rural migrant workers in urban China. Cities, 106, 102856. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2020.102856
Tsourela, M., & Nerantzaki, D.-M. (2020). An Internet of Things (IoT) Acceptance Model. Assessing Consumer’s Behavior toward IoT Products and Applications. Future Internet, 12(11), 191. https://doi.org/10.3390/fi12110191
Valos, M. J., Mavondo, F. T., & Nyadzayo, M. W. (2019). How do alternative strategic orientations influence social media performance? Journal of Strategic Marketing, 27(1), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1080/0965254X.2017.1384039
Wang, N., Song, Y., He, Q., & Jia, T. (2020). Competitive dual-collecting regarding consumer behavior and coordination in closed-loop supply chain. Computers & Industrial Engineering, 144, 106481. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cie.2020.106481
Wang, X., Lin, X., & Spencer, M. K. (2019). Exploring the effects of extrinsic motivation on consumer behaviors in social commerce: Revealing consumers’ perceptions of social commerce benefits. International Journal of Information Management, 45, 163–175. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2018.11.010
Authors
Copyright (c) 2025 Reina A. Hadikusumo, Rahmat Saleh, Tiago Costa

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.