Purpose: Social media engagement is widely used by the higher education institutions (HEIs) to improve brand performance through brand image and brand loyalty. This study focusses on the effect of social media engagement on relationship quality and brand performance in the higher education marketing (HEM) context. Social media engagement dimensions comprising social interaction, sharing of information, surveillance and information quantity are tested as antecedents to relationship quality. Relationship quality is examined as antecedents to brand image and brand loyalty. Design/methodology/approach: Data are obtained through survey questionnaire from 410 undergraduate and postgraduate students from six HEIs in Malaysia. Structural equation modelling was applied for data analysis. Findings: The findings of this study reveal that social interaction, sharing of information, surveillance and information quantity have positive effect on relationship quality. Relationship quality has significant positive influence on brand image and brand loyalty, respectively. Originality/value: The study contributes to the extension of social exchange theory through the development of an integrative framework of social media engagement (exchange) needed for improving relationship quality (relational responses) and brand performance (behavioural outcomes) in the HEM.