How does green communication promote the green consumption intention of social media users?

Promoting green consumption is one of the most important ways to realize energy savings and emission reductions. Based on the perspective of green communication, this study focused on the influence mechanisms of green thinking (perception of green communication), social media marketing (way of green communication), and receptivity to green communication (emotional attitude towards green communication) on social media users' green consumption intentions. Structural equation modeling-artificial neural network modeling and bootstrapping were used to analyze the relationship between variables and the importance of variables. The results showed that green thinking, social media marketing, and receptivity to green communication had significant effects on green consumption intention, among which receptivity to green communication was the most important factor affecting green attitudes and green consumption intention. The relationship between social media marketing and green consumption intention was mediated by green attitude and moderated by green trust. Social media users were further categorized to analyze how the green consumption intentions of different categories of social media users were influenced. The results of a multi-group analysis provided references for future use in differentiated green communication strategies and policy implications. This research is of great significance in determining how best to conduct green communication activities and further cultivate green behavior.