The Influence of Social Networks on the Choice of a University Brand by Generation Y

Social networks are actively penetrating into all spheres of our society. The influence of social media is strongly affected by the younger generation, who spends a lot of time in the virtual social space. The purpose of this study was to study the influence of social networks on the choice of a university brand by representatives of generation Y. The data was collected through an online survey using the Google forms service. The results obtained indicate that social media engagement has a positive effect on brand image. Firm-created and user-generated social media communication have a positive effect on brand equity in Higher Education Institutions. Brand equity positively influences Brand choice intention. The value of this study lies in the fact that it considered the influence of various factors on the formation of the intention of representatives of generation Y to choose brands of universities, taking into account the moderate effect of electronic word of mouth. The results obtained complement the scientific literature on the impact of social media on consumer behavior. The results of this study can help in understanding the choice of students of educational organizations, taking into account the influence of social networks and electronic word of mouth, which can help university marketing departments to promote brands more effectively in the social media space.