U&G of Audio Streaming Platforms

As the title suggests, this research aims to understand and explore the relationship of ritualised and instrumental use (U&G) of audio streaming platforms and brand experience, consumer satisfaction and brand loyalty. This study provides academic and social relevance in numerous ways. It extends the existing literature on U&G theory, brand experience, consumer satisfaction and loyalty and applies it to the relatively understudied context of audio streaming platforms. The research also provides a unique perspective on audio streaming platform use by also considering podcasts as part of the audio content distributed by streaming platforms, not just music. The research question is to what extent does the ritualised and instrumental use of audio streaming platforms affect brand experience, consumer satisfaction and brand loyalty? Data was collected quantitatively via an online survey shared on AmazonMechanicalTurk. The concepts operationalised were ritualised and instrumental use (of audio streaming platforms), brand experience, consumer satisfaction and brand loyalty. There was a total of 316 survey participants, who on average expressed favourable perceptions/levels of brand experience, consumer satisfaction and brand loyalty. The analysis also concluded that both ritualised use is greater among music listeners while instrumental use is greater among podcast listeners. In addition, brand experience positively affects consumer satisfaction, and consumer satisfaction positively affects brand loyalty. Moreover, brand experience mediated the relationship between ritualised and instrumental use, and consumer satisfaction mediated the relationship between brand experience and brand loyalty. The research and results emphasised the importance of brand experience in ensuring satisfaction and building loyalty among audio streaming platform users, which justifies the managerial implications that would elevating brand experience via innovative features for audio streaming platforms. This study concludes with avenues for future research such as a qualitative approach that extends this research and the assessment of parasocial relationships between media consumers and media creators (music artists and podcasters).