engleski

The importance of websites in museum marketing practice

Contemporary museums are facing changes coming from the micro and macro marketing environment. To meet the challenges of modern society, museums should implement the marketing concept and apply web marketing in communicating with the target audience. It is particularly important to pay attention to content and website design. The purpose of this paper is to prove that the positive assessment of museums’ websites has a positive effect on increasing the number of visitors. Three hypotheses were set which assume that the design of the museums’ websites is in positive correlation with the intention of visitors to return to the websites, to personally visit the museums, and with the intention of visitors to recommend the website to their friends and relatives. To achieve the purpose of the research, empirical research was carried out. The respondents evaluated the websites of 145 Croatian museums and responded to questions which indicate their intention of revisiting the website, personally visiting the museums and recommending the website to other people. The hypotheses are tested and confirmed using the partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). The results of this research contribute to the theory and practice. Contribution to the theory of marketing and consumer behaviour is obvious in proving the importance of websites in the communication of museums with the market. Contribution to practice is reflected in demonstrating the importance of websites in increasing the number of visitors and, consequently, enhancing business performance.

museum marketing ; web marketing ; website ; content analysis ; PLS

nije evidentirano