FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS OF SOCIAL MEDIA ENGAGEMENT AND CHATBOT USE: A FIRM-LEVEL STUDY IN EMERGING MARKETS

This study investigates the impact of key social media components—content quality, customer engagement, platform interactivity, and social listening—on the financial performance of firms in Pakistan, with chatbot usage examined as a moderating variable. Despite the growing use of digital platforms, many firms in Pakistan underutilize social media and AI tools due to a lack of empirical guidance on their financial contribution. The objective of this research is to determine the strength of these relationships and evaluate how chatbot integration enhances the effectiveness of social media strategies. A quantitative, cross-sectional design was employed, gathering data from 300 professionals across various industries through a structured questionnaire. Analysis was conducted using Smart PLS 4.0 and SPSS 26.0. The model explains 75.8% of the variance in financial performance (R² = 0.758). All direct relationships were statistically significant, with platform interactivity (β = 0.167), content quality (β = 0.196), and social listening (β = 0.167) showing strong positive effects. Chatbots significantly moderate these relationships, with the strongest effect on content quality (β = 0.147). The study recommends that firms enhance content strategies, adopt interactive features, implement social listening tools, and integrate chatbot technologies to improve performance. Future research should use longitudinal designs and explore industry-specific implications