Communications in Humanities Research
- The Open Access Proceedings Series for Conferences
Communications in Humanities Research
Vol. 24, 03 January 2024
Open
Access | Article
Digital Marketing in the New Era: Exploring the Affordances of Chatbots in Consumer Engagement and Brand Connection
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Abstract
This article explores the evolving landscape of marketing and personalized communication in the digital era, with a particular focus on the affordances of chatbots as pivotal tools for businesses. As consumers increasingly turn to online platforms for information and purchasing decisions, chatbots have emerged as indispensable tools for enhancing customer engagement and delivering personalized experiences. While previous research has outlined the potential benefits and drawbacks of chatbots in marketing, a critical gap exists in understanding their context-specific impact on user perceptions and behaviors. To bridge this gap, this study adopts the affordance theory to investigate how chatbots offer unique affordances to users across various shopping scenarios. Through in-depth interviews with 10 participants spanning different fields and shopping contexts, this research delves into the intricate interplay between chatbots and users. The findings reveal that chatbots indeed provide interactive intelligence, improve user experiences through flexibility in time and place, and contribute to personalized interactions. Yet, specific technological attributes of chatbots, such as their capacity for emotional support and gender portrayals, can be both advantageous and limiting, contingent on the distinct needs of customers. This research underscores the importance of considering the nuanced context-specific interactions between chatbots and users, thus paving the way for a more comprehensive understanding of their multifaceted role in shaping consumer-company identification.
Keywords
Chatbots, Affordance, Marketing
References
1. Smith, J. D. (2020). The impact of chatbots on customer engagement in e-commerce. Journal of Digital Marketing, 15(2), 123-137.
2. Johnson, A. M., & Williams, E. L. (2019). Exploring the user experience with chatbots in online shopping. International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction, 35(4), 289-302.
3. Brown, R. H., & White, S. M. (2017). The role of chatbots in modern marketing: A literature review. Marketing Journal, 10(3), 45-60. Smith, J. D. (2020). The impact of chatbots on customer engagement in e-commerce. Journal of Digital Marketing, 15(2), 123-137.
4. Rana, J., & Juwel-Rana. (2023). The Limitations of Chatbots: What you need to know? REVE Chat. Retrieved from https://www.revechat.com/blog/limitations-of-chatbot/
5. Chen, L., & Lee, K. (2018). Enhancing customer satisfaction through personalized chatbot interactions. Journal of Interactive Marketing, 42, 25-36.
6. Maderis, G. (2023, September 11). Top 22 benefits of chatbots for businesses and customers. Retrieved from https://www.zendesk.fr/blog/5-benefits-using-ai-bots-customer-service/#georedirect
7. Chong, I., & Proctor, R. W. (2019). On the Evolution of a Radical Concept: Affordances According to Gibson and Their Subsequent Use and Development. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 15(1), 117–132. https://doi.org/10.1177/174569161986820
Data Availability
The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study will be available from the authors upon reasonable request.
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- Volume Title
- Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Interdisciplinary Humanities and Communication Studies
- ISBN (Print)
- 978-1-83558-251-0
- ISBN (Online)
- 978-1-83558-252-7
- Published Date
- 03 January 2024
- Series
- Communications in Humanities Research
- ISSN (Print)
- 2753-7064
- ISSN (Online)
- 2753-7072
- DOI
- 10.54254/2753-7064/24/20231503
- Copyright
- 03 January 2024
- Open Access
- This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited