From the inside out: how internal branding drives social media use and competitive performance

Purpose Social media (SM) has become central to marketing, boosting brand visibility and enhancing customer experience. As digital transformation reshapes corporate strategy, employee capabilities have emerged as vital for ensuring competitiveness. Despite the growing interest in social customer relationship management (social CRM), theory regarding the role of employee commitment in internal branding is limited. This study was conducted to examine how employee training and internal communication affect social media marketing capabilities and how brand and SM skills drive competitive performance. Design/methodology/approach For this study, a quantitative survey was conducted on large-, small- and medium-sized enterprises in France, yielding a final sample of 176 respondents. PLS-SEM approach was selected to conduct the structural analyses. Findings The findings indicate that both social CRM and internal branding capabilities can directly drive competitive performance, whereas internal branding plays a mediating role in competitive performance within a structured organizational framework. Thus, structured organizational mobilization through social CRM capabilities can result in a significant direct effect on performance. Practical implications Finally, the study offers key insights for decision-makers and marketing managers engaged in digital transformation initiatives, since internal branding acts as a driver of competitive performance, particularly in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and business-to-business (B2B)-oriented organizations. Originality/value This study uniquely shows how internal branding, supported by employee training and communication, enhances SM capabilities and drives competitive performance, addressing a critical gap in linking internal brand commitment with external digital marketing success.