Social Media Marketing, eWOM, and Enrollment Intention: The Mediating Role of Brand Awareness

Abstract

This study examines the role of digital marketing strategies in influencing prospective students’ enrollment decisions in higher education. With the increasing importance of social media, universities are adopting Social Media Marketing Activities (SMMA) and Electronic Word of Mouth (eWOM) to enhance brand positioning and attract students. This study aims to analyze the effects of SMMA and eWOM on Brand Awareness and their impact on Intention to Enroll among prospective students of the Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Pakuan. A quantitative explanatory approach was employed using survey data collected from 100 respondents through purposive sampling. Data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling–Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS) with SmartPLS 4.0. The results indicate that SMMA has a positive and significant effect on Brand Awareness, while eWOM has a positive but insignificant effect on Brand Awareness. Furthermore, eWOM and Brand Awareness significantly influence Intention to Enroll, whereas SMMA does not have a direct significant effect on enrollment intention. Mediation analysis reveals that Brand Awareness significantly mediates the relationship between SMMA and Intention to Enroll but does not mediate the relationship between eWOM and enrollment intention. These findings suggest that social media marketing strategies primarily influence enrollment decisions indirectly through the formation of Brand Awareness, while eWOM directly affects students’ decision-making. The study concludes that higher education institutions should integrate SMMA and eWOM strategies by focusing on brand-building and encouraging positive peer-generated content to enhance student enrollment outcomes.