A Bibliometric Analysis of Social Media Marketing and Customer Engagement in Retail (2016–2024)

In recent years, both academia and industry have shown growing interest in social media marketing (SMM) due to its transformative role in enhancing customer engagement. Despite this rising importance, academic literature on SMM remains relatively underdeveloped. This study aims to present a bibliometric overview of research trends and thematic evolution in the domain of SMM and customer engagement. A total of 124 publications from 2016 to 2024 were retrieved from the Scopus database, with selection limited to English-language journal articles in the subject area of business, management and accounting. Utilizing the R-based Biblioshiny package and VOSviewer for bibliometric mapping and network analysis, the study explores key authors, journals, keywords and collaborative patterns in the field. The results indicate a significant growth in scholarly interest over the past decade, identifying clusters around customer engagement strategies, digital platforms, content marketing and influencer dynamics. However, several critical aspects—including regulatory concerns, integration of artificial intelligence and platform-specific practices—remain underexplored. The findings provide a foundational understanding of the intellectual landscape of SMM research and can guide future academic and practical endeavours by highlighting gaps and emerging opportunities. This study contributes to digital marketing literature by offering a structured roadmap for researchers and practitioners interested in leveraging SMM more effectively.