Social ties that bind: Investigating the mediating role of trust in linking community engagement to brand loyalty with WOM as a moderator

This deductive study aimed to examine the impact of social media brand community engagement and brand awareness on brand loyalty, with the mediating role of brand trust and the moderating role of word of mouth (WOM). In this quantitative cross-sectional study, data were collected at the primary level through a fully structured questionnaire distributed via an online survey link to social media users of fashion brands in China. The data were analyzed using SmartPLS and SPSS. The findings indicate that incorporating WOM effects enhances the influence of brand knowledge on brand trust in fashion brands. However, WOM is only effective when consumers’ awareness significantly shapes their confidence in a brand; otherwise, its value is limited. This study highlights that brand knowledge, trust, and WOM are interconnected factors, and neglecting any one of them can negatively affect the market reach of fashion businesses.