The Use of Social Media Marketing Among Online Fashion Companies in India

Social Media Marketing (SMM) has become a critical strategic tool for online fashion companies in India as consumers increasingly rely on digital platforms for product discovery and engagement. Despite widespread adoption, brands still lack clarity regarding which platforms, content formats, and influencer strategies generate the strongest behavioural outcomes. This study integrates findings from 48 academic publications along with primary data from 200 Indian social media users to examine how SMM influences consumer trust, engagement, loyalty, and purchase intention. The conceptual framework is grounded in the Stimulus–Organism–Response (S–O–R) model, which posits that SMM stimuli (ads, reels, influencer posts) shape internal consumer states (trust, authenticity, engagement) that ultimately drive behavioural responses such as purchase intention and loyalty. The study proposes that influencer authenticity is the strongest predictor of consumer trust, while engagement significantly mediates the relationship between SMM activities and brand loyalty. Validating these hypotheses can help brands shift from intuition-driven strategies to psychologically grounded SMM decision-making.