Pengaruh electronic Word of Mouth dalam Pemasaran Media Sosial terhadap Customer Engagement, Purchase Intention dan Purchase Decision pada Online Transportation

Abstract

Kemacetan lalu lintas merupakan masalah di banyak kota besar. Transportasi online menjadi salah satu alternatif untuk mengurangi kemacetan, terlihat dari perkembangan transportasi online di Indonesia yang sangat pesat. Meskipun industri transportasi di Indonesia memiliki tingkat persaingan tinggi, ditandai oleh kehadiran sejumlah perusahaan dengan beragam penawaran. Terdapat potensi besar untuk ekspansi serta peningkatan kontribusi pada sektor ini, dilihat dari kenaikan gross merchandise value (GMV) layanan transportasi online. Perlu adanya strategi pemasaran yang tepat bagi perusahaan layanan transportasi online untuk dapat meningkatkan keterlekatan, minat hingga keputusan konsumen dalam menggunakan transportasi online. Electronic word of mouth (eWOM) menjadi faktor penting dalam strategi tersebut. Penelitian ini menganalisis pengaruh eWOM usefulness dan credibility terhadap eWOM adoption. Selanjutnya, menganalisis pengaruh eWOM adoption terhadap customer engagement, purchase intention dan purchase decision. Penelitian ini juga menganalisis pengaruh customer engagement terhadap purchase intention serta pengaruh purchase intention terhadap purchase decision. Selain itu, penelitian ini menganalisis faktor dari variabel dominan yang mempengaruhi layanan transportasi online. Survei dilakukan pada bulan April hingga Mei 2025 dengan teknik non probability, metode purposive sampling dengan kriteria berdomisili di Jabodetabek, berusia lebih dari 18 tahun, pernah melihat ulasan dan menggunakan layanan transportasi online. Data yang diperoleh merupakan data primer hasil kuesioner sebanyak 230 data, dianalisis menggunakan Structural Equation Modelling - Partial Least Square (SEM-PLS). Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa eWOM usefulness dan eWOM credibility berpengaruh positif dan signifikan pada eWOM adoption. Informasi dari ulasan pengguna transportasi online di media sosial akan lebih mudah diterima apabila disampaikan secara detail, relevan dengan kebutuhan, serta berasal dari sumber yang kredibel, tulus, dan jujur. Kemudian eWOM adoption berpengaruh positif dan signifikan pada customer engagement, purchase intention dan purchase decision. Ulasan positif yang diterima dengan baik di media sosial menimbulkan keterlekatan bahkan sebelum menggunakan transportasi online. Ulasan yang diterima dengan baik juga meningkatkan minat untuk menggunakan layanan transportasi online di masa depan, sekaligus memengaruhi keputusan penggunaan layanan tersebut. Selain itu, customer engagement tidak berpengaruh signifikan pada purchase intention. Keterlekatan seseorang pada transportasi online di media sosial tidak serta merta mempengaruhi minat menggunakan transportasi online. Keterbatasan dalam menggunakan transportasi online di wilayahnya menjadi alasan keterlekatan di media sosial tidak berpengaruh pada minat seseorang. Selanjutnya, purchase intention berpengaruh positif dan signifikan pada purchase decision pada transportasi online. Minat terhadap suatu layanan biasanya berlanjut pada keputusan pembelian atau penggunaan, bergantung pada kondisi calon pelanggan. Jika kebutuhan atau keinginan terpenuhi, minat menggunakan transportasi online akan berubah menjadi keputusan penggunaan. Variabel eWOM adoption terbukti menjadi faktor dominan yang berpengaruh signifikan pada penelitian ini, baik mempengaruhi secara langsung maupun tidak langsung, terhadap customer engagement, purchase intention, serta purchase decision pada layanan transportasi online. Keberhasilan strategi yang dijalankan oleh perusahaan layanan transportasi online, ditentukan oleh sejauh mana pengguna media sosial mampu menerima informasi dari ulasan yang dianggap kredibel dan bermanfaat. Implikasi penelitian menekankan pentingnya strategi pemasaran berbasis konten dan forum yang kredibel dan bermanfaat, dengan mengutamakan eWOM. Perusahaan diharapkan dapat membangun komunitas online. Ulasan dalam komunitas umumnya lebih dipercaya karena disampaikan oleh individu berpengalaman langsung dalam menggunakan layanan transportasi online. Di samping itu, pengguna juga terdorong untuk lebih aktif memberikan rekomendasi maupun sekadar berkomentar, sehingga memperkuat keterlibatan mereka dengan layanan transportasi online. Selain itu, perusahaan dapat mengintegrasikan eWOM ke dalam strategi pemasaran digital. Perusahaan dapat mengelola serta memanfaatkan eWOM secara strategis guna meningkatkan minat masyarakat. Perusahaan dapat memberikan insentif agar pelanggan termotivasi untuk membagikan pengalaman positif mereka dalam bentuk konten atau ulasan. Terakhir, perusahaan tentunya perlu meningkatkan kualitas layanan transportasi online, seperti mengurangi keterlambatan pengemudi dalam menjemput, maupun memberikan jaminan keamanan bagi pengguna transportasi online.

Traffic congestion is a common problem in many major cities. Online transportation has become an alternative solution to reduce congestion, as reflected in its rapid growth in Indonesia. Although the transportation industry in Indonesia faces intense competition, marked by the presence of numerous companies offering diverse services, there remains significant potential for expansion and increased contribution to the sector, as indicated by the rise in the gross merchandise value (GMV) of online transportation services. Therefore, appropriate marketing strategies are needed for online transportation companies to enhance customer engagement, purchase intention, and purchase decisions in using these services. Electronic word of mouth (eWOM) plays a crucial role in this strategy. This study analyzed the influence of eWOM usefulness and credibility on eWOM adoption. Furthermore, it analyzed the effect of eWOM adoption on customer engagement, purchase intention, and purchase decision. The study also analyzed the impact of customer engagement on purchase intention as well as the effect of purchase intention on purchase decision. In addition, it analyzed the dominant variable factors that influence online transportation services. The survey had been conducted from April to May 2025 using a nonprobability sampling technique, purposive sampling. The criteria included respondents residing in Jabodetabek, aged over 18 years, who had seen reviews and used online transportation services. A total of 230 primary data were collected through questionnaires and analyzed using Structural Equation Modelling - Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS). The results indicated that eWOM usefulness and eWOM credibility had a positive and significant effect on eWOM adoption. Information from online transportation reviews on social media was more likely to be accepted when it was presented in detail, was relevant to users needs, and came from credible, sincere, and honest sources. Furthermore, eWOM adoption had a positive and significant effect on customer engagement, purchase intention, and purchase decision. Positive reviews that were well received well on social media created engagement even before using online transportation. Well received reviews also increased interest in using online transportation services in the future and simultaneously influenced the decision to use them. In addition, customer engagement did not have a significant effect on purchase intention. An individual’s attachment to online transportation on social media did not necessarily influence their interest in using online transportation. Limitations in accessing online transportation services in their area are the reason why social media attachment did not affect a person’s interest. Furthermore, purchase intention had a positive and significant effect on purchase decision in the context of online transportation. Interest in a service generally led to a purchase decision, depending on the customer’s condition. When needs or desires were fulfilled, the intention to use online transportation was likely to turn into an actual decision to use the service. The eWOM adoption variable was proven to be the dominant factor that significantly influenced this study, both directly and indirectly, on customer engagement, purchase intention, and purchase decision in online transportation services. The success of strategies implemented by online transportation service companies was determined by the extent to which social media users were able to accept information from reviews perceived as credible and useful. The implications of this study highlighted the importance of content based marketing strategies and credible, useful forums, with an emphasis on eWOM. Companies were expected to build online communities. Reviews within these communities were generally more trusted because they were provided by individuals with direct experience in using online transportation services. In addition, users were also encouraged to be more active in giving recommendations or simply leaving comments, thereby strengthening their engagement with online transportation services. In addition, companies can integrate eWOM into their digital marketing strategies. They could manage and strategically utilize eWOM to increase public interest. Companies might provide incentives to motivate customers to share their positive experiences in the form of content or reviews. Lastly, companies were expected to improve the quality of online transportation services, such as reducing driver delays in pick ups and ensuring the safety of online transportation users.