Abstract

This research investigates the extent to which University of Botswana students engage in brand-related eWOM
via social media and the effects this could be having on their purchase decisions. A survey method involving a
structured questionnaire administered to a convenience sample of 300 students at the main campus of the
University of Botswana was used. Unexpectedly the results of the present study indicate that the level of
engagement in brand-related eWOM by University of Botswana students is relatively low. The results also
indicate that engagement in brand-related eWOM generally and opinion seeking behavior in particular positively
and significantly influences purchase decisions. This finding is consistent with previous studies which show that
consumers consider word-of-mouth to be a credible source of information about products and brands. This study
concludes that marketing practitioners in Botswana should both promote brand-related eWOM among university
students and incorporate it in their marketing tools.

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