TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Title page i
Certification ii
Dedication iii
Acknowledgement iv
Table of Contents vi
List of Figure ix
List of Tables x
Abstract xii
CHAPTER
ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the study 1
1.2 Statement of the Research 3
1.3 Research questions 4
1.4 Research objectives 5
1.5 Research hypotheses 5
1.6 Justification for the study 5
1.7 Scope of the study 6
CHAPTER
TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Preamble 7
2.2 Conceptual
framework 7
2.2.1 Social
media 7
2.2.2 Social
media marketing 10
2.2.3
The role of social media networks 12
2.2.4 The
power and value of social media networks 14
2.2.5 Social
media metric 17
2.2.6 Offline
versus Online network 19
2.2.7 Social
media as a means of giving consumers a voice 21
2.2.8 Importance
of social media monitoring and management tools 22
2.2.9 Social
media as a means of giving consumers a voice 23
2.2.10 Traditional advertising channels 24
2.2.11
Type of social media 25
2.2.12
Social Network Sites 28
2.3
Theoretical Reviews 32
2.3.1
Social Exchange Theory 32
2.3.2 Social Penetration Theory 35
2.4
Empirical Review 37
CHAPTER
THREE: METHODOLOGY
3.1 Preamble 40
3.2 Research
design 40
3.3 Population
of the study 40
3.4 Sampling
and sampling size 41
3.5 Method
of Data Collection 41
3.5.1 Method
of Data Analysis 41
CHAPTER
FOUR: DATA
PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
4.1 Introduction 43
4.2 Demographic
Characteristics of Respondents 43
4.3 Regression Analysis 62
4.4 Discussion of Findings 67
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND
RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Preamble 70
5.2 Summary
of Finding 70
5.3 Conclusion 71
5.4
Recommendation 72
References 74
Appendix
I 79
Appendix
II 83
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1 The Dynamics of Social in the
Social Network Sphere 14
List of
Table
Table 4.1: Demography Variables Presentation 43
Table 4.2: Gender 44
Table 4.3: Marital Status 45
Table 4.4: Department of the Students 45
Table 4.5: Level 46
Table 4.6: I spend a lot of time thinking about social media 47
Table 4.7: I
use more of a social media than initially intended 48
Table 4.8: I engage in social media in order to get
quality goods 49
Table 4.9: I use social media in order to ease the
stress of going to market to buy goods 50
Table 4.10: I use social media in order to reduce
feelings of anxiety and depression 51
Table 4.11: I have been advised to reduce my usage of
social media 52
Table 4.12: I become restless or troubled if I have
been restricted from using social media. 53
Table 4.13: I give less priority to hobbies, leisure
activities and exercise because of social media. 54
Table 4.14: I feel bad if am unable to log on to some
of my social media for any reason. 55
Table 4.15: I use social media to communicate to my
supplier. 56
Table 4.16: I use social network to interact with my
suppliers. 57
Table 4.17: Social media enables me to buy what I like
at anytime 58
Table 4.18: I use social media to get more information
about a product. 59
Table 4.19: Social media improves the quality of my
taste 60
Table 4.20: I use social media to find out how
industries uses the concepts I learn in class. 61
Table 4.21: H01: Social media marketing have no
significant effect on online consumers 62
Table 4.22: H02: Social media do not
have significant impact in communicating company product/brand to consumers 64
Table 4.23: H03:
Social
media have no significant impact on consumer’s perception of brands/products 66
ABSTRACT
As
noted in marketing and consumer behavior literature, information that consumers
get from their interpersonal sources invariably influences their decisions
towards whether to purchase a particular brand. Even though advertisement
commercials and other non-personal messages are also significant in the
development of consumer awareness towards brands, products or services,
word-of-mouth (WOM)—which is known as an act of exchanging marketing
information among different customers—has been seen to play an even more
critical role in changing consumer behavior and attitude toward different
products and services. This study therefore seeks to
investigate the effect of social media on online consumers. In order to attain
this objective, the study focused on students of college management science in Al-Hikmah
University Ilorin who are the users of selected social media platforms (such as
instagram, Facebook, Twitter and BBM) as a case study. Convenience sampling
technique was used to select the sample from the population of 911 college of
management sciences students who are users of social media. With the aid of the
sample size of 337was determined. Data were analyzed using frequency table,
correlation and regression was used in testing the research hypotheses. The
findings indicated that social media serves as a credible source for consumers’
decision making therefore social media marketing significantly affect online
consumers decision. It was also discovered that social media have significant
impact in communicating company product/brand to consumer. It was then
recommended from the result of findings that Managers should be aware of the
importance of social media sites in influencing online shopping by identifying
and targeting different types of customers and taking initiatives to recognize
and highlight customer interests.
CHAPTER
ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background
to the Study
Human beings are social and
nowadays, consumers are participating in variety of activities, from consuming
content to sharing knowledge, experiences, opinions, and involved in discussion
with other consumers online (Heinonen, 2011).
In the present competitive business
world, marketers are now moving from the traditional brick and mortal world to
marketing space, the ways in which most marketers interact with their
respective customers has brings about quick response from company via their
customer’s complaints. Technology advancement has brought about online business
where both the buyer and seller meet together to interact for exchange of goods
and services and where company’s engaged in other for them to promote their
products. In recent years online environment is viewed by users from a new
perspective, in a commercial way. Development and the emergence of online
stores have turned users into consumers. Also the most important role of social
media has changed the way of how consumers and marketers communicate (Hennig-Thurau, Gwinner & Walsh, 2004). Informational society
influences affects the consumer decision processes and product evaluations.
Social media provides a new channel to acquire product information through peer
communication (Kozinets, 1999). Moreover, by using social media, consumers have
the power to influence other buyers through reviews of products or services
used. Consumers are also influenced by other psychosocial characteristics like:
income, purchase motivation, company presentation, company or brand's presence
on social networks, demographic variable (age, sex, disposable income etc.),
workplace method of payment, type of stores (online or physical), etc.
The unique aspects of social media
and its immense popularity have revolutionized marketing practices such as
advertising and promotion (Hanna, Rohn & Crittenden, 2011). Social media
has also influenced consumer behavior from information acquisition to
post-purchase behavior such as dissatisfaction statements or behaviors about a
product or a company (Mangold & Faulds, 2009). In the last few years, it
can be noticed that there is great influence of the companies on online
networks. Social media websites provide an opportunity for businesses to engage
and interact with potential consumers, encourage an increased sense of intimacy
with consumers, and build all important relationships with potential consumers (Mersey,
Davis, Malthouse & Calder, 2010). Organizations need to differentiate by
the company or brand image through which to communicate distinctive advantages
and positioning of the product. Many marketers believe that the organizations
should aggressively promote only one advantage in the market concerned (Moise,
2011) and social networks in the online environment allows them to appear more
attractive to consumers. The much higher level of efficiency of social media
compared to other traditional communication channels prompted industry leaders
to state that companies must participate in Facebook, Twitter, My space, YouTube,
Blogs, Black Berry Messenger (BBM)among others, in order to succeed in online
environments (Kaplan & Haenlein, 2010). The social media tools are used to communicate company
brand to consumer, with this feedback is easy to get via using the social media
tools by both company and consumers. Communication of brand/company and users help create a
favorable or less favorable image of other users who read information posted
and consider them in the information or purchase. Interactivity with target
brand in social media is perceived differently by consumers depending on the
message they convey (Shin, 2008). The perceived risk of purchasing and how much
money are willing to pay for a product also determines the user to think more
about the quality and the utility of the product( Ioanas, 2012).
1.2 Statement of the research problem
As noted in marketing and consumer
behavior literature, information that consumers get from their interpersonal
sources invariably influences their decisions towards whether to purchase a
particular brand. Even though advertisement commercials and other non-personal
messages are also significant in the development of consumer awareness towards
brands, products or services, word-of-mouth (WOM)—which is known as an act of
exchanging marketing information among different customers—has been seen to
play an even more critical role in changing consumer behavior and attitude toward
different products and services. This is mainly because interpersonal sources
commonly are seen as more credible and reliable than non-personal or commercial
sources.
The majority of the online
consumers rely on the word-of-mouth when they want to purchase a specific
product or a service. Findings from studies (South Africa Social Media Landscape ,2012) found
out that 33% of Twitter users share opinions about companies or products at
least once per week. These opinions and views affect other consumers with
regards to purchasing products or services. The growth of online social
networks around the world has created a new place of interaction and
communication among people. Individuals can share their knowledge, opinions,
and experiences with one other due to the online social networks provided features
and may have an impact on people’s behavior in terms of communication and
purchasing. In recent years, social networking has received an increased
emphasis on business as well as individuals’ lives. Therefore, this research
study observe that consumers nowadays rely more on social media to get
information about product/brand than advertisements for buying products and
services. The purpose of this study will to investigate the effect of social
media on online consumers.
1.3 Research Questions
In-order
to achieve the objectives of this study, the following research questions will
serve as the bases of which the write –up will make an in depth enquiries on
effect of social media marketing on online consumers. The following research
questions will be raise;
i.
Does
social media marketing have
impact on online consumers?
ii.
Are
social media tools is more effective in communicating company product/brand to
consumers?
iii.
Does interaction on social media have impact on
consumer’s perception of brand/ product?
1.4 Research Objectives
The
main objective of this study is to examine the effect of social media marketing
on online consumers. Other specific objects are:
i.
to
examine whether social media marketing have an effect on online consumers
ii.
to
determine if social media are effective
in communicating company product/brand to consumers
iii.
to
determine if social media have significant impact on consumer’s perception on brands/product.
1.5 Research Hypotheses
The
following Null hypotheses will be tested;
H01: Social media marketing have no significant impact
on online consumers
H02:
Social media do not have significant impact in communicating company product/brand
to consumers
H03: Social
media have no significant impact on consumer’s perception of brands/products
1.6 Justification
of the Study
This study is intended to examine critically the
effect of social media marketing on online consumers. Thus, the outcome of this
study will serve as additional literature for further study. In addition, it
will serve as an essential material of information for marketers as to the
potency of using social media marketing tools such as Facebook, twitter, blogs,
MySpace, Black Berry Messenger (BBM) among others to communicate to target
audience. Finally, the outcome of the study will enhance student’s knowledge on
social media marketing and its effect on online consumers’.
1.7 Scope of the study
The
scope of the study will centered on effect of social media marketing on online
consumers. This study will thus focus on the social media marketing and its
effect on online consumer using student of Al-Hikmah University Ilorin, Kwara state
who are online
consumer as a case study. The purpose of restricting the study to Al-Hikmah
University is to
enable the ease of data gathering and complete the study within the time frame.
Click “DOWNLOAD NOW” below to get the complete Projects
FOR QUICK HELP CHAT WITH US NOW!
+(234) 0814 780 1594
Buyers has the right to create
dispute within seven (7) days of purchase for 100% refund request when
you experience issue with the file received.
Dispute can only be created when
you receive a corrupt file, a wrong file or irregularities in the table of
contents and content of the file you received.
ProjectShelve.com shall either
provide the appropriate file within 48hrs or
send refund excluding your bank transaction charges. Term and
Conditions are applied.
Buyers are expected to confirm
that the material you are paying for is available on our website
ProjectShelve.com and you have selected the right material, you have also gone
through the preliminary pages and it interests you before payment. DO NOT MAKE
BANK PAYMENT IF YOUR TOPIC IS NOT ON THE WEBSITE.
In case of payment for a
material not available on ProjectShelve.com, the management of
ProjectShelve.com has the right to keep your money until you send a topic that
is available on our website within 48 hours.
You cannot change topic after
receiving material of the topic you ordered and paid for.
Login To Comment