STUDY ON SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING INFLUENCE ON CONSUMER DECISION-MAKING WHEN IT COMES TO PURCHASING ELECTRONIC PRODUCTS ONLINE

STUDY ON SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING INFLUENCE ON CONSUMER DECISION-MAKING WHEN IT COMES TO PURCHASING ELECTRONIC PRODUCTS ONLINE
 
Table of Contents
1. Purpose of Research 3
1.1 Introduction 3
1.2 The Aim and Objectives of Study 4
2. Literature Review 4
2.1 The Significance of Online Marketing Strategies to Influence Consumers’ Buying Behavior 4
2.2 Social Media Marketing Strategies Used on Facebook and Instagram 5
2.3 Challenges of Implementing Social Media Marketing Strategies on Facebook and Instagram 6
2.4 Measures Taken by Business Organizations to Resolve Identified Issues 7
2.5 Literature Gap 7
3. Suitable Design for the Research 7
3.1 Philosophy and Approach 7
3.2 Type of Investigation 8
3.3 Quality Considerations 9
3.4 Ethical Considerations 10
3.5 Time-scale 10
Reference list 11


 
1. Purpose of Research
1.1 Introduction
In recent times, access to the Internet is readily available to the common mass. People nowadays spend ample time on different “social media platforms” like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for entertainment or other reasons. Therefore, the concept of social media marketing is becoming more popular as contemporary business organizations use exclusive marketing strategies to promote their products on “social media platforms”, attract consumers’ attention, and influence their decision-making process. It has been identified that businesses consider “social media marketing” as one of the most effective modes of communication, particularly during periods of economic downfall and recession (Cooley and Parks-Yancy, 2019). It is so as a strategic implementation of a social media marketing strategy facilitates openness, participation, connectivity, community, and conversation amongst online users. In this context, a renowned brand tends to choose social media marketing over others to influence buying behaviors of consumers, create significant value by generating market demand, and secure further business growth.
The research will attempt to explore how effective “social media marketing” strategies influence consumers’ decision-making process, specifically those who tend to purchase electronic products online. In this regard, the research will mainly focus on two particular social media platforms: Facebook and Instagram. These platforms will be focused on as they offer necessary resources to refine “paid social marketing” through different content options (Zak and Hasprova, 2020). Moreover, both Facebook and Instagram provide analytics, thereby giving deep insight into which promotional messages don’t work and which ones do. On the other hand, it has been identified that Facebook possesses an overall 3.06% CTR for promotional campaigns, whereas Instagram has 0.68%. It provides sound competitive advantages to companies aspiring to promote their products on these platforms (Al-azzam and Al-Mizeed, 2021). Additionally, the “visual nature” of Facebook and Instagram enables marketers to influence consumers’ marketing decisions significantly. Therefore, the study will mainly focus on marketing strategies used on Facebook and Instagram to influence consumers’ buying decisions who tend to purchase electronic gadgets online.
1.2 The Aim and Objectives of the Study
Aim
The research will attempt to explore how “social media marketing” strategies used on Facebook and Instagram influence consumers’ decision-making process, specifically those who tend to purchase electronic gadgets online.
Objectives
● To examine the significance of online marketing strategies to influence consumers’ buying behavior through Facebook and Instagram
● To explore the influence of “social media marketing” strategies used on Facebook and Instagram on consumers’ “decision-making process” who tend to buy electronic products online
● To determine issues and challenges faced by consumers while purchasing electronic gadgets online
● To identify issues and challenges faced by companies in terms of developing and implementing marketing strategies on Facebook and Instagram
● To find out trustworthy ways to resolve identified issues and challenges
2. Literature Review
2.1 The Significance of Online Marketing Strategies to Influence Consumers’ Buying Behavior
In this era of sound technological advancement, the concept of “online marketing” broadly represents exclusive communication opportunities as well as unconventional and new thinking to ensure that “product orientation” and “brand orientation” are experienced by customers. As stated by Chopra et al., (2020), “social engagement” and “digital communication” serve as paramount to modern business strategies in this contemporary era. Therefore, organizations nowadays focus more on exclusive online marketing strategies to get sound competitive advantages and remain globally competitive. On the contrary, it has been opined by Akter and Sultana (2020) that businesses nowadays use different online marketing strategies to explore innovative and more compelling lanes in terms of attracting bigger customer pools. Implementing an online marketing strategy tactfully can help a business to reach the targeted customers during their purchase decision journey. Moreover, an effective online marketing strategy can influence consumers’ buying behavior by promoting the “right product” at the “right time” and in the “right place” where customers are more intended to make impulsive or spontaneous purchases. Informing customers about exclusive offers, deals, and discounts through online platforms can entice the targeted customers to purchase a particular product or service.
2.2 Social Media Marketing Strategies Used on Facebook and Instagram
In recent times, the extensive growth of different social media platforms has enabled contemporary organizations to increase “situational awareness” among consumers in a fiercely competitive and ever-changing business environment. In this regard, “social media marketing” plays a crucial role in terms of attracting broader customer pools and influencing their buying pattern. As a result, it has been found that 90% of marketers opt for Facebook for their social media marketing activities, whereas Instagram comes in second place and is used by 79% of social media marketers. (Statista.com, 2023). It has been stated by Silvia (2019) that contemporary businesses use different social media marketing strategies effectively on Facebook and Instagram. In the first place, the “Low-Ticket Tripwire Strategy” is increasingly used by businesses on Instagram and Facebook to introduce new customers to their marketing funnel. This dynamic strategy is also used to engage both end and direct users, build online relationships, and start upselling or cross-selling processes. On the contrary, it has been opined by Arora et al., (2019) that the “5-Day Challenge Strategy” is more popular on Facebook and Instagram compared to the previous one. Moreover, “Contest and Giveaway” is also popular in terms of dragging customers’ attention and influencing their buying behavior.

Figure 1: Most used social media platforms by the marketers
(Source: Statista.com, 2023)
2.3 Challenges of Implementing Social Media Marketing Strategies on Facebook and Instagram
Businesses are identified to face several difficulties in terms of implementing social media marketing strategies on platforms like Instagram and Facebook. As stated by Malesev and Cherry (2021), the most intense challenge is related to the “lack of connection” across various departments. In this context, companies also find it difficult to align other departments with the online marketing team to enhance a varied range of proficiencies. Additionally, companies have also found it challenging to find talents whose knowledge and expertise can significantly contribute to their social strategy. Contradictorily, it has been further stated by Gentina et al., (2021) that companies also face difficulties in targeting the right pools of customers, mapping their journey, and developing suitable social media marketing strategies based on recent trends and customer demands. Additionally, a lack of understanding of the “target audience”, declining “organic engagement”, and changing “social media algorithms” serve as crucial challenges to businesses aspiring to implement social media marketing strategies on Facebook and Instagram.
2.4 Measures Taken by Business Organizations to Resolve Identified Issues
It is evident in the existing literature that business organizations nowadays use several effective measures to resolve or negotiate the above-mentioned issues. Companies put an enormous effort to adapt their core marketing team to identified challenges related to social media marketing before hiring new talent. As stated by Ford et al., (2019), business organizations invest strategically in their social media teams as well as other departments that significantly contribute to their social marketing strategies. Contradictorily, it has been further stated by Dolega et al., (2021) that social media marketers reach out to various departments such as sales, HR, R&D, and customer service before developing strategic marketing goals. Furthermore, companies are also identified to use effective “Social Listening Tools” for capturing customer insights, drilling down into their conversations around a brand, products/services that are offered by it, and niche. In order to shape social media marketing content and marketing goals by eradicating identified challenges, companies are also attempted to understand customers’ pain points and sentiments.
2.5 Literature Gap
In the given discussion, it is clearly evident that past researchers did not consider the role of social media marketing strategies in influencing buying decisions of consumers who tend to purchase electronic products online. It can be stated from the above discussion that a number of information blocks are missing in the existing literature. Therefore, the research will investigate undetermined and understudied research variables related to the given topic. The researcher will further attempt to conceal the above-mentioned gaps by exploring the role played by effective social media marketing strategies in influencing buying decisions of consumers, particularly on Facebook and Instagram, who tend to purchase electronic gadgets online.
3. Suitable Design for the Research
3.1 Philosophy and Approach
In order to explore the role of social media marketing strategies used on Facebook and Instagram to influence consumers’ buying decisions, “Interpretivism” will be selected from among other research philosophies. Selecting this particular research philosophy will help to examine and evaluate the aptness of the given topic. Additionally, the researcher will also use an interpretive research philosophy to organize all topic-related innovative ideas logically (Mason et al., 2022). It will further enable the researcher to analyze real-life experiences through a considerable degree of subjectivism and social regulation. On the other hand, the researcher will use an “Inductive” approach to explore the research background in an adjustable manner. The researcher will further use this particular approach to make logical assumptions about possible future events as well as highlight the potential barriers associated with those events (Young et al., 2020). Moreover, using this particular approach will help the researcher to pursue “actual observation” for collecting authentic topic-related data.
3.2 Type of Investigation
Design of the Research
An “Explanatory research design” will be utilized here to collect first-hand qualitative data in a convenient manner. It will further enable the researcher to predict future occurrences as well as why or how they are occurring, thereby creating an in-depth understanding of the given topic. Using an Explanatory research design will also enable the researcher to put all collected data and information together, thereby exploring research questions better (Asenahabi, 2019).
Research Strategy
In terms of the study, a “Qualitative Survey” will be conducted by the researcher on randomly chosen research samples. The researcher will use this less-structured research strategy to collect vivid information about the underlying motivations and reasoning of research participants about the given topic (Aspers and Corte, 2019). Using this particular research strategy will further help the researcher to generate a clear understanding of the research topic as well as problems and issues related to it from an individual perspective.
Research Method
A “Mono method” will be closely followed by the researcher to collect non-numeric primary data through interviews. This qualitative research method will enable the researcher to focus on a particular data collection process and pursue the research in a convincing manner (Vizcarguenaga-Aguirre and López-Robles, 2020).
Time Horizon
A “Cross-sectional” time horizon will be utilized by the research to extract necessary data from reliable sources. Selecting this specific time horizon will further enable the researcher to compare & contrast unalike research variables together (Oh and Wachter, 2022).
Data Collection
A “Primary Qualitative” approach will be used by the researcher to collect topic-related data in a strategic manner. Here, “interview” will be used as the most convenient data collection instrument (DeJonckheere and Vaughn, 2019). The researcher will conduct an online semi-structured interview and research participants will be asked some open-ended questions related to the given topic.
Sampling Technique
The researcher will use “Non-probability sampling” to develop the research sample from among the research population. The technique will be used here as it does not need an entire survey frame (Pace, 2021). Moreover, this particular sampling technique is easier, faster, and more cost-effective than probability sampling. Here, the researcher will implement a “Purposive sampling” method to collect qualitative responses and generate logical research outcomes by exploring a small “population of interest” interest in depth (Campbell et al., 2020).
Data Analysis Technique
A “Thematic analysis” will be conducted by the researcher here to analyze and evaluate all collected data and information in a logical way. Here, the researcher will develop topic-related themes and analyze them accordingly in light of pre-published sources (Sundler et al., 2019).
3.3 Quality Considerations
The researcher will collect first-hand primary data by interviewing the research participants to generate authentic research outcomes. It will help the researcher to fabricate a high-quality research paper. As opined by Khoo et al., (2020), a quality fulfilled study could only deliver the desired outcomes enriched with necessary information. The research participants will be chosen randomly to avoid research bias. Additionally, “data manipulation” will be avoided in every possible way and analysis will be done in a truthful manner.
3.4 Ethical Considerations
The entire research will be conducted by following all ethical norms and regulations to avoid future controversies. Consent will be collected from each research participant before scheduling interviews with them. Participants will be interviewed in a sensitive way and their privacy will be kept intact. The “Data Protection Act 2018” will be followed in every possible way to practice administration over sensitive first-hand data (Legislation.gov.uk, 2023). Interview responses and research outcomes will be preserved in a password-protected file and only be used for academic reasons. During the research, any individual, organization, environment, or community will not be harmed.
3.5 Time-scale
The research will start in May and finish in September 2023. Based on the given period, a time-scale is attached below:
Planned task Time frame
Discussion with the research guide for topic finalization Beginning of April
Set research aim, objectives, and questions Middle of April
Conduct in-depth literature review Beginning of May
Pursue the data collection process Middle of May
Sort and arrange collected data June/July
Data analysis July/August
Generate research outcomes Middle of August
Writing up and submit the dissertation September

Table 1: Time-scale
(Source: Self-developed)
 
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