Effect of user and firm-generated content on usage intention of sports brands across social media platforms

Purpose Brands can effectively establish connections and engage with sports audiences through social media (SM) platforms. This study aims to bridge the void in the literature by proposing a conceptual model grounded in the theory of planned behavior and examining the effect of user-generated content (UGC) and firm-generated content (FGC) dimensions on the brand usage intention (BUI) of sports brands across SM platforms through brand trust (BT) and brand engagement (BE). Design/methodology/approach Responses were collected from 945 sports brand users in India who made multiple sports brands purchases across SM platforms over the past six months. The hypotheses and the proposed conceptual model were tested using AMOS 21.0 structural equation modelling. Findings The findings of the study revealed that UGC and FGC dimensions have a significant direct effect on BT and BE, and they also have an indirect effect on BUI of sports brands users across SM platforms. This study affirms the seminal influence of the dimension comments of UGC and SM interactive marketing of FGC in enhancing BUI through BT and BE. Originality/value This study addresses the gap in the literature, which lacks a comprehensive examination focused on the intricate relationships of the dimensions of UGC and FGC on BUI through the mediators BT and BE. The study provides insights to leverage UGC and FGC dimensions, demonstrating how they will influence users’ intention to use sports brands. It offers valuable insights to enhance BT and BE, thus contributing to and expanding the existing body of literature.