Investigating electronic word‐of‐mouth on social media: An eye‐tracking approach

Abstract We investigate how individuals process electronic word‐of‐mouth (eWOM) about jobs and employers on social media. Employing eye‐tracking methodology, our study investigated: (1) the cognitive processing of positive and negative eWOM hosted on social media; (2) the factors influencing job seekers' cognitive processing of eWOM; and (3) the factors influencing perceptions of the credibility of eWOM as a source of employer information. Our results suggest the following. First, job seekers devote more attention to negative compared with positive eWOM. Second, existing employer knowledge in terms of familiarity and reputation influences how positive and negative eWOM are processed. Lastly, employer reputation and job search effort enhance one's perceptions of the credibility of eWOM. Overall, this research provides insights into the cognitive processing of online employer information and its implications for job search, recruitment, and employer branding.