The Relationship between Social Media and Student Loyalty to Higher Education Institutions

Abstract

This research aimed to analyze the relationship between social media, trust, satisfaction, and loyalty of HEI students. Data collection took place through an online questionnaire, which obtained a sample of 239 students. The proposed model was analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). This research contributed to the scientific literature on social media in the educational field by creating and testing a model capable of identifying the relationship between social media, trust, satisfaction, and loyalty of HEI students, which provides a better understanding of the contributions of social media to institutions. The results indicate that students' confidence and satisfaction with HEIs influence their loyalty. They also point out that the use of social media by students and the communication generated by other students in social media influence trust in HEIs, while the communication generated by HEIs in social media influences trust and satisfaction. Finally, the results reveal that social media represent a relevant strategic tool for HEIs, allowing them to build and manage their relationship with the target audience better, generating trust, satisfaction, and loyalty.