Social media platforms differ in the extent to which users reveal their identities, as well as users\u27 ability to detect others\u27 identities, both of which could lead to differential effects of social media generated word-of-mouth (eWOM) on actual consumer behavioral responses. Based on prior research on social identification, and relationship orientation of social networks in marketing, the authors examine whether eWOM on identity-focused (e.g., Facebook) and non-identity-focused (e.g., Youtube) platforms impact an objective consumer response variable: motion pictures box office sales. Using social media posts data for 58 randomly selected movie releases across all platforms during the period November 2014 - February 2017, the authors demonstrate that the overall volume of eWOM across all social media is positively associated with movie box office sales. The authors further find that eWOM on identity and nonidentity-focused platforms each have a positive effect on sales, and the magnitude of their effect is not significantly different, suggesting that both types of platforms merit attention from marketing managers
