The Dimensions and Roles of Online Content in Social Commerce: A Systematic Literature Review and Future Research Agenda

Abstract

Due to the increasing ubiquity and acceptance of online shopping, social commerce research has attracted the attention of many scholars, leading to an exponential growth of the literature within a short span of a few years. Among the numerous investigations in the field, research relating to online content is warranted owing to the rapid evolution of content and its importance in the shopping arena. This study systematically reviews the literature on various dimensions of content and how these dimensions influence customer-level outcomes in social commerce. The study adopts a framework-based approach and organizes 169 content-focused research articles. The framework proposes three content dimensions—format, source, and platform, and four outcome categories based on transactionality and favorability of outcomes. The findings reveal an evolution of content dimensions and consumer behavior outcomes. Additionally, identified gaps and future research directions have been discussed.