A mixed method study of Social Media Engagement Patterns and Their Influence on Online Purchasing in the MENA Region

Purpose – This study examines consumer engagement (CE) with social media brand pages in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region through the lens of Uses and Gratifications Theory (UGT). It aims to identify the primary gratifications that influence CE and provide culturally grounded insights for optimizing digital marketing strategies. Design/methodology/approach – A mixed-methods design was adopted. The quantitative phase involved a structured survey administered to 600 respondents across Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Egypt. Data were analyzed using SPSS to assess reliability, correlations, and regression relationships among CE constructs. The qualitative phase complemented this by conducting a thematic analysis of 600 consumer comments collected from Facebook brand pages in the same countries, supported by NVivo software to identify dominant engagement patterns. Findings – Quantitative results indicated that entertaining content, sharing behavior, informational content, remuneration, and trendy content significantly enhance CE, while customization and interaction were not statistically significant. The qualitative analysis revealed five dominant engagement themes: information, entertainment, social connection and belonging, convenience, and trust. Across the three countries, informational gratifications emerged as the most influential factor driving engagement, reflecting consumers’ reliance on social media as a primary source of product-related information. Research limitations/implications – The study is limited to three MENA countries and focuses solely on Facebook as the platform of analysis. Future research should extend to other social media platforms and incorporate longitudinal or experimental designs to better capture evolving consumer gratifications and causal mechanisms. Practical implications – The findings provide actionable insights for marketers seeking to strengthen consumer–brand relationships in MENA markets. Strategies emphasizing informative, entertaining, and trust-oriented content are most effective for sustaining engagement in culturally diverse digital contexts. Originality/value – By integrating quantitative and qualitative perspectives, this study advances the application of UGT in cross-cultural digital settings. It offers a multidimensional understanding of CE in MENA social media environments and provides empirically grounded recommendations for enhancing regional digital marketing practices.