Objective: The aim of this study is to design a contingency and conceptual model of content marketing for Iranian e-book applications using two theoretical lenses: customer value and institutional theory.
Methodology: This study was conducted with a qualitative approach and content analysis method. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 10 content marketing experts familiar with e-book applications. Sampling was carried out using a purposive snowball method until theoretical saturation was achieved. Data analysis was performed with MaxQuda software in six steps, and the reliability of the coding was confirmed with a Holst coefficient of 0.82.
Findings: The final model consists of three main parts: 1) Dimensions of value creation for the user, including functional (ease of access), emotional (enjoyment of reading), social (sharing), cognitive (learning), and situational (use of dead times) values; 2) Institutional constraints of the Iranian environment at three levels of mandatory pressures (filtering, sanctions), normative (self-censorship, publisher monopoly), and imitative (copying competitors); 3) Operational elements of the strategy include goal setting, multi-format content production (podcast, video, text), targeted distribution (Instagram, the application itself), interaction with users, and performance measurement with indicators such as engagement rate and retention time.
Results: Successful content marketing in Iranian book reading programs requires creating a balance between creating value for the user and adapting to institutional constraints. The presented model, by identifying moderating variables (application and user characteristics), goes beyond common linear models and provides a flexible framework for developing a strategy tailored to the conditions of each program.