This study shows that emojis are a significant element in brand communications, which still requires attention from researchers. Specifically, it describes the use of emojis by the four companies with the largest audiences on Twitter in the Spanish beer industry. Through a correspondence analysis, we found that those emojis were not a mere occasional resource within a message but rather a differentiating element for brand positioning. Likewise, we analyzed the existing relationship between the way in which they were used and the engagement generated. In this regard, we concluded that communications using emojis aimed at customer service and care, as well as those used in positive contexts and for emphasis, were the ones related to higher user engagement. We discuss herein the practical implications of these findings for businesses.

Cultural tourism consumers seek advice and recommendations from others before making buying decisions. The mobile instant messaging (MIM) boom could create a channel not only for social communication but also for information about cultural tourism and specifically the choice of restaurant. In this research we study which channels are most used by consumers when asking for gastronomic recommendations and, in particular, the factors behind the use of MIM as the preferred channels when obtaining tourist information. For this, an online survey was carried out with a sample of 393 individuals in Spain and descriptive statistical techniques were applied to the processing and analysis of the data. The results obtained show that: (1) its use is determined by its instantaneousness and permanent availability; and (2) people use it due to a lack of knowledge about the area.

Consumers use the Internet to obtain information on tourism products and services. When evaluating the alternatives, they are faced with a large volume of information that makes their purchasing decision difficult. In this context, the generalized use of mobile instant messaging (MIM) has led to the implementation of chatbots in these channels, to help to plan the purchase. This research explores restaurant selection through a WhatsApp mobile instant messaging (MIM) chatbot. A study is made of the channels consulted by travellers on Web 2.0 as well as the search models and restaurant selection processes, and a case study is presented. The results allow the diagnosis of the main criteria of user behaviour in this type of conversational interface in the decision-making process related to gastronomic consumption.Keywords: User-generated content (UGC); decision-making; tourist platforms; chatbots; MIM. ResumoOs consumidores pesquisam na Internet à procura de informações sobre produtos e serviços turísticos. No momento de avaliar as alternativas disponíveis, encontram-se perante um grande volume de informação que gera dificuldades na decisão de compra. Perante este contexto, o uso generalizado de serviços de mensagens instantâneas (SMI) têm vindo a provocar a implementação de chatbots nestes canais, com o fim de ajudar no planeamento da compra. Nesta investigação, estuda-se o processo de escolha de um restaurante com recurso a um chatbot existente para o serviço de mensagens instantâneas disponibilizado pela aplicação WhatsApp. Será feito o estudo dos canais consultados pelos turistas na Web 2.0 e dos modelos e processos de pesquisa na eleição de um restaurante, assim como é apresentado um estudo de caso. Os resultados do estudo vão permitir detetar as principais variáveis comportamentais dos utilizadores deste tipo de interfaces conversacionais no momento da tomada de decisões associada ao consumo gastronómico. Palavras-chave:Conteúdo gerado pelo utilizador (CGU); tomada de decisão; plataforma de turismo; chatbots; SMI. M. Romero-Charneco • A.M. Casado-Molina •P. Alarcón-Urbistondo[55]