Abstract

The growing use of social media (SM) indicates a potentially effective new platform for art museums to communicate with social network users. By conducting interviews with fans and followers of art museums and by executing a quantitative survey of museum pages users, we aim to discern their expectations and perceptions both of SM and the museums presented in SM platforms as well as their impact on consumer engagement and participation. Findings illustrate that a negative perception of SM negatively impacts consumers’ perceptions of museums on the SM and vice versa a positive perception impacts consumer outlooks positively. Expectations for information and benefits have a significant impact on consumer perceptions of museums on the SM. Consumers with higher expectations for information and benefits perceive museums more positively on the SM. However, consumers with a higher expectation to be entertained perceive museums more negatively on the SM. Interestingly, consumers with a positive perception of museums on the SM show a stronger desire for participation and community commitment. However, even when consumers have a negative perception of museums on the SM, such a negative perception does not necessarily hinder their intention to participate and commit. Findings provide valuable insights for museum professionals regarding their selection and future management of SM platforms.