The study aims to investigate the relationship between the public's social media usage (SMU) and identification of local government image (ILGI) in Henan Province, China, and explore appropriate strategies to optimize local government image brand communication (GIBC) based on brand equity (BE) using government social media (GSM). This study used an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design. Firstly, in quantitative research stage, based on conceptual framework, this study developed a model with independent variable as SMU, dependent variable as ILGI, and mediator variables as social trust (ST) and social participation (SP), adapted from existing literatures to form the questionnaire. Data were analysed using SPSS 26.0 and SmartPLS 4, and structural equation modelling was developed through PLS-SEM. Seven hypotheses were tested and supported. Quantitative results indicated that SMU had a significant positive effect on ST, SP, and ILGI, and ST and SP had significant positive effect on I.....

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