Word of Mouth and Testimonial Practices in Digital Marketing: Integrating Islamic Ethics into MSME Promotion
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.30863/palakka.v7i1.11535Keywords:
Islamic Ethics, Digital Marketing, Testimonials, Word of Mouth, Consumer TrustAbstract
Digital marketing is becoming more dangerous because of phony reviews and information manipulation. To keep community-based enterprises going, it is important to follow ethical procedures. This study examines customer testimonials and Word of Mouth (WOM) practices in the digital marketing of Jipangta” Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs, also referred to as UMKM), investigates their influence on consumer trust and explores the integration of Islamic ethical values in digital promotional activities. Utilizing a qualitative case study methodology, the research incorporated comprehensive interviews with the business owner, social media administrator and consumers, alongside the observation of digital marketing practices on Instagram and WhatsApp Business and the documentation of social media content. Data were examined through the interactive model of Miles, Huberman and Saldaña, utilizing Islamic ethical principles (ṣidq, amanah, al-'adl, tadlīs, gharar) as analytical frameworks. Jipangta” MSME uses customer reviews and word-of-mouth as their main digital marketing tools. Testimonials are a form of social proof that builds trust in customers by being real. Both digital (e-WOM) and conventional methods help WOM happen and the strong social ties in Bone Regency make it even stronger. Islamic ethical standards are applied in specific situations, such as honesty (ṣidq) in advertising and accountability (amanah) in customer service. However, it is still hard to keep up with the same level of openness all the time. This study enhances the digital marketing literature by including Islamic ethics as an empirical analytical framework into local MSME contexts, offering a contextual comprehension of value-based marketing strategies in religious groups.
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