The Impact of User-Generated Content and Traditional Media on Customer Acquisition and Retention

Customer acquisition and retention are central components of customer relationship management (CRM) and the key drivers of a firm’s long-term profit. However, our understanding of the relative impact of user-generated content (UGC) and traditional media and their synergies on customer acquisition and retention is still underdeveloped. Thus, the purpose of this research is to address two key questions: What is the effect of UGC relative to that of traditional media on customer acquisition and retention? Is there any interaction effect between UGC and traditional media on both customer acquisition and retention? To understand the differential impacts of these media, we develop a conceptual framework and propose several hypotheses. We test our hypotheses using data from the automobile and mobile game industries. Our findings indicate that UGC is much more effective in acquiring customers, while traditional media is more important for customer retention. Moreover, the volume of UGC and traditional media have a synergistic effect on customer retention. This research therefore contributes to the acquisition-retention literature while also providing important insights to managers.