This book is an innovative attempt to identify and analyse the processes related to social influence in online buying behaviour, with special attention given to the phenomenon of social proof, which is the basis of social media, recommendation marketing and word of mouth (WOM) marketing.

Katarzyna Sanak-Kosmowska ¿ PhD in Economics, MSc in Psychology, Assistant Professor, Department of Marketing, College of Management Sciences and Quality, Cracow University of Economics, Poland. Her research interests include online marketing communication, the psychology of consumer behaviour, and advertising. She is the author of Rola Serwisów Spöecznosìciowych w Komunikacji Marketingowej Marki (The Role of Social Networking in Brand Marketing Communications). She is a member of the American Marketing Association, member of the International Association of Researchers and Scientists in Latvia, member of the Polish Scientific Marketing Association, and member of the Spokespersons for Science Association.

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION

PART I THE PHENOMENON OF SOCIAL IMPACT IN ONLINE MARKETING.

CHAPTER 2. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK - ONLINE MARKETING: BETWEEN PERSUASSION AND MANIPULATION

CHAPTER 3. STRUCTURE OF FUNCTIONS, FORMS AND ORGANIZATION OF SELECTED STRATEGIES OF MARKETING COMMUNICATION AND EMPLOYED TOOLS IN THE VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT.

CHAPTER 4. SOCIAL INFLUENCE AND ITS MANIFESTATION IN THE HYPERMEDIA COMPUTER ENVIRONMENT: REASONS, DEFINITION, MODELS AND CHARACTERISTICS.

CHAPTER 5. SOCIAL PROOF AS A KEY FACTOR IN SOCIAL COMMERCE

PART II SOCIAL PROOF IN MARKETING: EFFECTIVENESS AND IMPACT AWARENESS

CHAPTER 6. RESEARCH MODEL, SCIENTIFIC OBJECTIVES AND HYPOTHESES

CHAPTER 7. CONFIDENCE IN SOCIAL PROOF AND ITS IMPACT ON BUYING DECISIONS

CHAPTER 8 CHARACTERISTICS OF INDICATORS OF SOCIAL PROOF BASED ON EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH

CHAPTER 9. DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS IN GLOBAL CONTEXT

SUMMARY

INDEX