Social Media Usage Practices of Luxury Automobile Consumers

Abstract

The dramatic rise in the use of social media tools and environments is becoming increasingly noticeable. In addition to corporate brands, consumers' usage practices are also observed. Along with the changes in economic and social conditions, the formation of new markets and different consumer groups is another key point. Exceeding geographical boundaries especially by luxury brands has led them to encounter new markets and consumers. Parallel to these changes, it is noteworthy that a new communication environment and a new generation have created differences in luxury brand usage. The association of luxury brands and social media environments at the corporate level causes them to take part in a new communication environment. At this point, the social media usage for personal means and the social media usage related to luxury brands gain a special importance. In this study, the aim is to determine the social media usage practices related to the personal means and luxury brands. For this, a survey was conducted for luxury brand users. In this way, revealing the luxury brands’ communication activities in social media and determining the personal social media usage of luxury brand users are aimed. The majority of participants are using as followings, Instagram, Youtube, Twitter and Facebook, for social media. The proportion of participants using Linkedin, Google+ and Pinterest social media environments is very low. In the social media usage practices of luxury brand car users for brands, Instagram, Facebook, Youtube and Twitter applications are used more frequently, and Google+, Pinterest and Linkedln applications are used much less. It has been concluded that social media communication tools are active and effective in the usage practices of personal and brands of luxury car users.