SUSHILA DEVI BANSAL COLLEGE, INDORE

Batch 2023 – 25
Major Research Project
A STUDY ON IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING

Research Guide Research Scholar

Prof. Vishakha Patil Vanshika Tiwari
Enroll. No. DC2014567

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 DECLARATION

I, Vanshika Tiwari, student of MBA have made my Major Research Project entitled “A
STUDY ON IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING ” under the guidance of Guide
Name. I hereby declare that all the data and information used in the preparation of my research
project was collected by me. I declare that I have not copied the project and it is my own work.

Vanshika Tiwari
Enroll no: DC2014567
MBA
Sushila devi bansal college, Indore

Indore (M.P.)

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 CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the Major Research Project entitled ‘ A STUDY ON IMPACT OF
SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING submitted at Sushila Devi Bansal College of Technology,
Indore ”, for the partial fulfillment of the requirement of degree of Master’s of Business
Administration, is a work carried out by, Student Name student of MBA, under my supervision
and guidance. This work is an effort based on research and study that was carried on during the
MBA programme. This work is solemnly completed by the student himself and it is the
responsibility of the student, the work is unique and not copied from any other source of content.

Prof. Vishakha Patil Dr. Anubhuti Bauskar

Assistant Professor HOD

Sushila Devi Bansal College Sushila Devi Bansal College

Indore (M.P.) Indore (M.P.)

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I am highly indebted to Prof. Vishakha Patil, under whose guidance this project report was
completed. I am thankful to all the professionals, who helped me by putting in their time and
effort and by providing me information and filling my questionnaire, based on which I carried
out my study. I am thankful to Dr. Anubhuti Bauskar for providing Institutional support. I
thank them for their propitious response. Last but not the least; I would like to thank all those
who have directly or indirectly helped me in conducting this project.

Date:

Place: Indore Student name

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S. No. Particulars Page No.

1 Abstract

2 Introduction

3 Literature Review

4 Rationale of the study

5 Objective of the study

6 Research Methodology

7 Data Analysis and Interpretation

8 Major Findings

9 Conclusion

10 Scope for further Research

11 References

12 Annexure

1.ABSTRACT

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Social media marketing is a new trend and the most successful among all the types of
marketing tools. For a business to succeed, Advertisement should reach maximum users and
create a full clear and visible image of its brand. No doubt, social media marketing is the most
cost effective advertising strategy. Most social networking platforms provide free accounts and
signup and some online advertising tools come with some cost. On the other hand, the return is
much more than investment, in case of social media advertising .

Only by investing a little money and time, any one can greatly maximise and increase
conversion rate and get high return on investment for the money invested in advertising. The
main aim of this study is to examine how social media marketing will affect the final decisions
and behaviour of the consumer who spend their maximum time on social networking platforms
and forecast relationships among various consumer activities, marketing activities and choice
with the behaviour of the consumer.

Social media marketing is emerging continuously to satisfy the basic needs of website users and
on the other side it also has increased the opportunities for companies to advertise their
products and services in personalised way. The previous record shows that social media has
contributed greatly in changing consumer behavior and organisations got to know about the
customer behaviour.

Social media marketing has changed the marketing structure of the place where the goods are
sold and purchased online. Social media marketing has significantly changed the way of thinking
of the consumer and the organisations should not ignore the social media marketing .

Growing popularity of social media compelled the marketers to think about this media along
with traditional functional areas of marketing. Social media is based primarily on the internet or
cellular phone-based applications and tools to share information among people. The number of
social media user’s is more than the population of some of the countries today. Impact of social
media on marketing can be judged by comparing marketing before social media and marketing
after the introduction of social media and the type of technologies used in social media.

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 2.INTRODUCTION
For any Organisation, the most valuable as it is it's brand and the modern organisation should
realise that capitalising on brand can help achieve growth, profitability objective and
sustainability. Along with incessant globalisation social media has emerged as the best platform
for Advertising and Marketing for companies. It increased the visibility of services and products.

For every businessman the only aim is how various marketing tools and techniques can
increase the number of selling services and products. The main aim of the study is to examine
how social media marketing will affect the final consumer behaviour among persons who
mostly use social media websites and also to find out the forecasted relationships among
various social media marketing activities, customer activities and behaviour of the consumer.

The Social media has changed the entire structure as to where the goods should be sold and
where to purchase online. It plays a very important part in modern day advertisement by
describing attributes and possible roles for marketing planning, recognising various marketing
tools and techniques. Not only that social media is changing the mind of consumer behaviour
but also to a great extent used for direct marketing and as a tool for personalized goods.

Social media like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram are dynamic tools that facilitate
online relationships. It is a relatively low cost form of marketing and allows organisations to
engage direct and end-user contact. The choice of social media marketing organisation creates
an influential impact of brands by recommending personalized consumer choice. Brands
influence customers, customers influence other customers and the chain continues which
further affects future earnings of the organisation and long-term organisational sustainability

. In this fast growing world, all ones have busy schedules, so for the customer it is difficult to
spend time on purchasing goods or services. Nowadays users are collecting information from
different sites and platforms Online without wasting time and labour. And social media
marketing is not only useful for customers, in that it provides information about the company
but also provides information of the customer's choice to the company. Every social media tool
tries to build an image of the company's brands and goods. So we can say that consumers can
change their mind for purchasing any good or service by social media marketing and taking the
goods or services online.

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1.1. SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING
It is a method by using social media sites to attain the attention of people. These programs concentrate
on developing content which will attract the attention of the readers in social media and make them
share the contents in their social networking site.

Any statement that is shared in the social networks, which includes short messages, information about
a product or service, brand or a company is termed as electronic word of mouth. When the information
about a product / service / brand / company is shared in a social media by a user, it is reshared by many
users in other social networks and when the information is shared by a trustworthy source, it becomes
a positive promotion for the product than the promotion done through paid sources. This shows the
power of social media marketing.

What the major search engines seek for in terms of social media signals are the source's
authoritativeness and trust. Authoritativeness is different from Authorship. Authorship is a function
released by Google in 2011, which permits authors and publishers to add varied parts, including
photos, ratings and more details to search engine results pages. Trust is fundamental to social signals
being read by the search engines.

Those people, whose social media profiles have a trust score, are called influencers. As per consumer
socialization theory, communication with customers plays an important role and its influence the
psychological feature of the customer. It also has an impact on the attitude of the customer. Social
media networking sites provide an environment that enables the consumers to communicate on the
web which will have an important impact on consumer socialization concepts.

1.2 BENEFITS OF SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING

Social marketing is an approach used to develop activities aimed at changing or maintaining people's
behaviour for the benefit of individuals and society as a whole.

1.2.1 Increased Exposure:

Now a days the importance of Social Media Marketing has increased. Consumers and Marketers are
using Social Networking too much. The exposure increased now a days which is showing 92%

1.2.2 Increased Traffic:

With the introduction of web based marketing the users are increasing day by day. The research says
that consumers and even marketers use social networking sites too much and due to that sites the
traffic has increased day by day which is showing the research that traffic increased up to 80%.

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1.2.3 Develops loyal fans:
Brand Loyalty is the other is the most important advantage of social networking sites. Taking an
example if a consumer is satisfied with any product he or she will never go to any other company to
buy the product. This creates brand loyalty.

1.3.1 Provided Marketplace Insight:

Social networking sites provide information about products and is available clearly. That means its
Features, Functions, Price etc. Consumers will get full information about products only on websites and
customers don‟t have to go anywhere. The result shows that 72% of customers agreed that social
networking sites are providing marketing insights.

1.3.2 Generated Leads:

There are various different ways to lead generation. Most of the social networking sites generate leads
for products and services. For example A blog is a hub for customers engagement. No doubt Face Book
is also an important source, so in short it is generated leads.

1.3.3 Improved Search Ranking; Most of the customers are now spending hours even more
than watching television too. And what curiosity they get as social networking sites are the search
engines. With the help of social networking the ranks are given to products on the basis of feedback
given by the customer online.

1.3.4 Growing Business Partnership :

As a Trading form of selling and purchasing is now replaced with Social Media the same idea of
business is also changing. After taking many years now Binch Box wants beauty obsessed Instagram
followers to join them. Nowadays growing partnerships are also an important advantage of social
networking sites too.

1.3.5 Reduced Marketing Expenditure :

Trading method of selling the product is too costly. A businessman needs salesman, office and many
more requirements. But now a days social networking sites are user friendly and anybody can use the
social media at any time and even businessmen can do the advertisement on social media sites very
cheaply.

1.3.6 Improved Sales :

In the present scenario where 4600 photos are shared, 600 websites are created every day. 1,00,000
tweets are sent. Now a days different social networking sites are created so differently as customers
can purchase the goods online at any time. No doubt now a days revenue has increased online as
compared to earlier days.

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1.4. Social Media Marketing Techniques
The main purpose of social media marketing is communicating about the product to the consumer and
making it accessible to people who doesn‟t know about the product. Social media is used by companies
to promote the product to the prospective customers. Social media marketing helps the consumers at
various stages of the buying process.

Research indicates that of these ten factors for effective marketing , Social media is one amongst
them , which indicates if any brand is in operative on social media, then the result will be less chances
of the brand to be present on google searches.

There are large no of users in facebook, Twitter and Google and there is huge exchange of information
which made the business firms use social media to interact with prospective customers.

Instagram has hundred thirty million users monthly and twitter has two hundred ten million monthly
users and the average communication rate ranges from 1.46 percent on Instagram and 6.03% in the
case of twitter.. The cost involved in social media marketing is very less when compared to ancient
modes of advertisements using TV/Radio/Print channels. In Fact there is no price involved when using
social networking sites, it also covers a wide range of people.

Many firms are now changing their approach for interaction with customers. They are using online
platforms for better client interaction and visibility. Social media are used as a platform by customers to
post reviews, recommendations, ratings, and raise queries to the firms.

Companies are employing people to handle social media communication with the customers and they
are working as online community managers. The job of these managers are to handle social media
communications in an effective manner and win the trust of customers. Firms are taking steps to
manage client issues, identify various modes of social media marketing, engage the customers to
influence the new and prospective customers to market their product/service

1.4.1 Advantage of social media marketing

❖ Increased brand recognition

Social Media is a new platform for promoting the brand. Social Media helps the companies to attain
new customers and also have quick access to customers. When a particular brand is familiar and
available in multiple social media sites, It increases the brand recognition to the customers and also
attracts new customers. When the brand is tweeted frequently in the social media, then the company‟s
brand image will get increased, thereby increasing the growth of the company business.

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❖ Improved Brand Loyalty
A research work published in the US, indicated that when there is a higher level of interaction about a
brand in social media, then there exists a higher level of trust about the brand among customers. It also
suggests that companies can take the benefit by using social media tools to connect with its customers.
The study also suggests there should be some strategic plan for use of social media to influence the
customers. Another study indicates that fifty three out of hundred in American population are
following their brands in social media and also they found to be loyal to their brands.

❖ Conversion Ratio
The conversion rate of conversion of discussion in social media into sales is high. It is the important
element as seen by business people nowadays. The brands and the reviews about the product started
to speak like individual salesmen in the social media channels. Due to this effect business people want
to improve and increase their business with various people in social media than with firms.

❖ Brand Authority
Continuous communication with the customers will bring faith about the product among the
customers. People are searching and viewing the comments in the social media about products and
services, whenever they are planning to buy a product or avail a service. Every new post about a
product in social media by a user will attract many users in social media and they follow the page for
information updates. When there is more talk about a product in social media, there it becomes a more
attractive brand.

❖ Reduction in selling price

Due to the presence of social media, the advertising cost is getting reduced by way of advertising
through twitter, facebook etc… Hubspot research concludes that six hours of spending on the net in a
week by a seller for social media will bring more viewers to the product in social media. In order to get
more customers, sellers can spend one hour a day on social media which will definitely bring more
customers and thereby reducing the cost of advertisement which in turn can reduce the price of the
goods.

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1.5 Some social media marketing tools
1. Social Media Monitoring.

2. Social Media

. 3. Blog Marketing

4. Social Bookmarking and Tagging.

5. Social Analytics and Reporting,

6. Social Aggregation. With the fickle popularity of various Social Media Marketing like Google+,
Facebook, Myspace. Etc. which is affecting consumer behaviour.

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 3.Review of literature
INTRODUCTION
Literature review is among the most important steps in the process of any research work.
Literature review is to find out and understand the main objective of a particular subject or
research which has been taken by the researcher. It is a record which shows what has been
done in this regard in the recent past. Thus, it is the current trend in the selected subject when
the review of literature is made by the researcher. He/she will become an expert in his/her
subject and eventually become a master. It shows the direction is which the research direction
must go. Research work clearly showing there should not be duplication of work. It also
indicates what type of methodology should be adopted by various experts and researchers.

Bikhchandani et al., (1998)

In their research describes whether or not shoppers shall purchase a product and whether or
not they suggest a product to others. These are normally used as parameters for purchase
intention. The study additionally reveals the result of knowledge cascades on social media by
different product attributes is unconditional with different involvement strengths by shoppers.
It concludes that the shoppers try to show totally different levels of involvement in different
situations wherever they face with brand buying and recommending to others .

Manju Ahuja et al., (2003)

In their article, targeted on investigating the factors that influence the shopping behaviour
and browsing behaviour of consumers during online purchase specifically, the study has been
conducted about the consumers using business-to-consumer sites. The researchers also
investigated buying preferences of consumers with varied demographic profiles which may
reveal different buying approaches and consumer behaviours for a specific class of
merchandise and services. Social media is the1 most effective factor that influences buying
behaviour of customers.

Muhammad Shafiqul et al., (2004)

In the analysis, the researchers concentrated on finding the relationship of Social Media and
buying behaviour of customers. The study involved the students of academic institutes of
Karachi. Around two hundred and sixty questionnaires were answered by the students. The
study finds that there is no strong relationship between Customer Buying behaviour and Social
Media.

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Ramsunder (2011)
Their study says that shoppers‟ decisions are influenced heavily by on-line brands. Opinion of
consumers will influence one another. This type of opinion by other consumers affects the
repurchases. So, Consumers are moving to the Internet to get more data for their buying
decisions.

RaghuramIyengar et al., (2012)

Investigated in Korea, how friends influence shopping through Social Network. Their study
concentrates on two important questions, the first question is “Is there any influence by
friends on purchases by consumers in social media networks”, the second question is “if there
is such influence which consumers are affected “. To strengthen the analysis, sample data
were taken from social networking website Cyworld. Sample data of 208 users of Cyworld for
ten weeks of purchase and non-purchase information was collected. The researchers build a
model on the decision of buying and non buying and also with the amount spent. Markov
chain Monte Carlo technique and Bayesian approach is used to estimate the model. The
results indicated that there are three different categories of consumers with different buying
behaviour.

Mir et al., (2012)

Thousands of web newsgroups and chat rooms influence the purchase decision of shoppers.
The image of the brand increases when many users provide positive opinions about the brand.

Dhegiha et al., (2013)

Their study analyses the knowledge inheritance on customer’s action and brand reputation.
Knowledge inheritance on social media happens once a person observes the behaviour of
others and makes a similar decision that other people have already made. The knowledge
cascade are often used for one amongst 2 effects on shoppers, Knowledge cascading causes
the brand to appear high or low in Customer Intention on purchasing and additionally may
have an effect on consumers trust on brand. The study aims at customers who have trust on
brand image. These kinds of customers are influenced by decisions taken by others.

TeenaBagga et al., (2013)

The study analyses the inner and outer factors of consumer’s online buying behaviour. A
structured form was used and a survey was conducted with two hundred samples.
Questionnaires were sent through the mail and also posted through online web pages and
were answered by the respondents themselves. The statistical analysis found seven major

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factors that govern the consumer’s buying behaviour. These seven factors were: would like for
Social Communication, website Attributes, on-line Advertising, Recreation, Convenience,
privacy issues and data Search.

Garima Gupta (2013)

In her paper analysed the influence of social media on product buying. The results proved the
actual fact that social media have an effect on product buying intentions. Particularly, there's a
powerful impact of 3 factors called information about product, peer communication and the
level of product involvement on shoppers purchase intentions with respect to social media.
The author infers that, because the product is sold through on-line, it can't be examined;
perceived data shared about the product on social media and information sharing among peer
teams facilitates consumer’s analysis on the product and makes decisions accordingly.

GeetanjaliNaidu et al., (2013)

Their study analyses the influence of social media in purchasing behaviour of customers in
Raipur. According to the survey result 75% of Indian youth use the internet for sharing their
opinion, views and comment in numerous websites. The analysis concludes that people use
social media widely for collecting information regarding products.

Balakrishnan., (2014)
This study finds the influence of social media towards brand image and buying opinion of
younger Generation. 200 questionnaires were distributed to undergraduate students of
universities in Malaysia. The response rate was 75%. 3 hypotheses and 2 propositions were
tested using multivariate analysis and mean. The result showed that the internet
communications, online communities, electronic word of mouth, and on-line publicity are
successful in promoting the brand image and buying intention of consumers through social
media platforms. These findings notify the managers to reach the younger generation
customers. Social media is the best selling tool. This analysis provides information to
international sellers in applying social media activities to market their product.

Aindrila Biswas et al., (2014)

In her paper, aims to look at the influence of social media on consumer selection behavior.
Technology Acceptance Model was adopted to find the social media usage perceptions. The
employees of the Multinational companies in India are the samples for the study. An equation
modeling was used to test the eligibility of the model. The results state that users of social
media inclined to have more purchase intention than the occasional users.

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Dr. Surbhi Chaturvedi et al., (2014)
Their study indicated that there may be 100 crore members present in social media; social
media sites became an important medium for firms and consumers to meet each other for the
exchange of information about products. They also suggest that the influence of social media
on customer buying behavior is tremendous. Buying behavior in social networks is influenced
by gender, education, income, age etc.

Alireza Mohammadpour et al., (2014)

The study aims to find the impact of social media marketing on online buying behaviour of
customers with respect to brand capital using path analysis technique. A sample 160 from
university of Tehran were asked to fill the questionnaire on social media marketing, brand
capital and online shopping behaviour of consumers. The results indicated that social media
had a significant impact on brand name. Social media marketing had a significant indirect
positive impact on online shopping behavior of consumers. The results conform the role of
brand marketing in concurrence with media and online buying behavior of consumers.

Marta Zembik (2014)

His study explains that Social media comprises blogs, public forums, social media sites, that are
used for communication of some information. The data provided in social media is beneficial
for organization/ firms and customers. Customers benefited from the product information
posted by others, recommendations by other customers. Firms benefited by the information
provided by the customers in social media about their products, getting the feedback on their
product market, information about the prospective customers, customers needs and
demographic characteristics. This article emphasizes how social media information is essential
for companies and customers in their decision-making process.

Prof. Assoc. Dr. ElenicaPjero et al., (2015)

The researchers conducted the study in the Albania reality sector. Their article targeted on
Social Media and its capacity to affect the buying behavior of customers. The researchers
discussed the growth and adaptability of Social Media networks by numerous users in the
world. The researchers made a multifaceted analysis on the impact of Social Media on
consumers and buying intentions. The samples are selected from users of Social Media in all
dimensions and the result depicts the significant behavior of consumers.

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Tayyaba Noreen et al., (2015)
The researchers conducted the study about the Social media impact in Pakistan and Korea.
This study investigates the impact of social media on the buying behavior of consumers. This
study focuses on e - word of mouth, social media publicity and social media. The findings
indicated that consumers of Korean consumers have higher intention to buy a product using
social media platforms when compared to customers in Pakistan. The results proved that e -
word of mouth have a bigger impact on buying intention when compared to publicity on social
networks.

NimaBarhemmati et al., (2015)

In their study, they found that Social Network Marketing is becoming the most successful
model in advertising. This study aims at how Social Network Marketing influences the shopper
buying behavior among consumers who use social networking sites. The study also analyzes
the relationships between customer engagement, social media selling activities and shopper
purchase behavior. A survey was conducted among fifty students of Malaysian National
University. The results showed positive relationships between consumer engagement of social
media and their buying behaviors.

SakkthivelAM et al., (2015)

Their analysis makes an attempt to check the influence of social media sites over young
women consumer‟ shopping behavior from Islamic faith countries. This study employs
structural equation modeling to check out the influence of young woman consumers and the
results disclosed that brand, society and reference teams exert additional influence over young
woman consumer‟ shopping behavior through social media.

Williams et al., (2000)

In his study, Social media marketing influences perception, shopper selection behavior, buying-
decision and attitude from pre-purchase data phase to post-purchase behavior.

Belch and Belch et al., (2003, p120-122)

Described in their study that in some situations during the purchasing process, shoppers stop looking
out and evaluating data before going to the next stage. At this stage, shoppers decide whether or not

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they can obtain products or not. The buying decision depends on the motivation and influence of other
shoppers through reviews and recommendation.

Young Ae Kim et al., (2007)

Explains in their study that buying choices are powerfully affected by people who the buyer
knows and believes. Several internet buyers ask for the opinions before buying a new product.
Internet social communities allow chatting among trusting members, allow customers to share
their experiences by means of writing reviews and rating others‟ reviews. E-commerce
websites have started to obtain information on the interaction between customers in their
websites, to understand and investigate social influence on the purchase process, to boost
CRM and improve sales.

Achille (2008)
This study indicates that due to reviews and recommendations posted in various social media
sites by the online buyers has increased the number of online buyers to forty percent in the
past two years. As an impact of social media, through online forty one percent of consumers
purchased books, thirty six percent consumers purchased clothes and shoes, twenty four
percent consumers purchased video games and DVDs, twenty four percent consumers
purchased airline tickets and twenty three percent consumers purchased equipment.

OTX analysis DEI Worldwide (2008)

In their study, analysed the influence of social media on buying behaviour of customers and a
survey was conducted among the US population, which shows that buyers presently use social
media as a high information resource for brands, companies, or products. It additionally
concludes that social media outreach by brands and firms, particularly if a private on-line
representative will make this outreach, are often far more important on shopper behavior
than advertisements or different promotional devices. In fact, two thirds of shoppers are
doubtless to pass the knowledge they receive to others and over half are doubtless to require
action on this information. There is a significantly stronger impact on shopper behavior when
social media is used as a positive outreach to share information.

JiXiaofen et al., (2009)

This paper has created a model of on-line spoken and opinion people have influence on
consumer‟s shopping intentions . The study has known that the massage impression of on-line
spoken and leader‟s comments have lot of influence on consumer‟s temperament of shopping
garments; the data of online spoken influences its receiver‟s attitude towards bran and
consumer‟s temperament of buying clothes completely at the end.

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Gursakal (2009)
This study analyses the influence of media society and the amount of time that customers spent
on the net and social media. Nowadays, consumption trends have modified. The usage of
magazines, interviews and catalogs by buyers and sellers are altered by searching on emails,
internet sites and sharing information in social media. Because of the effective role of social
media, the time consumed on the net increases, and consumers‟ withdraw from traditional
searching methods. Social media has become an important place where opportunities are
mentioned, products are advertised and products are commented on.

Miller et al., (2010)

In his study revealed that over eleven million shoppers use 70% of social networking to buy
various products and services. The consumers provide useful data concerning the product and
share comments with different consumers over social media.

Penn Schoen and Berland Associates LLC (2010)

Their study explains how social media can impact consumer electronics. The study was
conducted by 1012 web interviews with the U.S. general population aged above eighteen. The
results discovered that social media networks have become integrated into people's lives.
Social media helps to form shopper behavior. About 30% of social media users made purchases
supported by social media reviews and recommendations from friends and unknown net users,
nearly sixty-eight percent of respondents believe that these recommendations are more or less
closer to traditional recommendations. About, 33% believe that social media reviews and
recommendations they receive are far better than they receive through other means.

Cvijikj (2010)
In their study examines the Influence of Facebook on the buying decision making process.
Consumers have confidence in the opinions of different people or teams during buying
decisions. This study evaluates the power of Facebook on decision making methods. A model
Facebook application was developed by researchers for sharing opinions with friends and
making repositories of things. The study analyses the internet survey of thirty three
participants. The survey contained twenty queries, divided into 3 parts. The primary cluster
involved data concerning the participant, like gender and age. The next cluster of questions
involved the buyer‟s shopper behavior and the last centered on the conception, thought and
model Facebook. The results make sure that consumers see their friends as the most reliable
supply of knowledge when compared to other things. Results also indicate that a friend's
opinion on a product plays a bigger role than whether or not they possess the product.

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 4. RATIONAL OF STUDY
Rationale for the Study of the Impact of Social Media in Marketing

The Digital Revolution and Evolving Consumer Behavior

The advent of social media has fundamentally transformed the way businesses interact with their
target audience. It has emerged as a powerful tool that enables brands to connect with consumers
on a deeper level, fostering engagement, loyalty, and ultimately, sales.

Key Rationales for the Study:

1. Understanding Consumer Behavior:

o Digital Natives: The rise of digital natives, particularly younger generations, has
significantly shaped consumer behavior. Understanding how they interact with social
media platforms and how these interactions influence purchasing decisions is crucial.
o Social Proof: Social media has amplified the concept of social proof. Positive reviews,
endorsements, and user-generated content can significantly impact brand perception
and purchasing decisions.

2. Measuring the Effectiveness of Social Media Marketing:

o ROI and KPIs: Quantifying the impact of social media marketing efforts is essential.
Determining key performance indicators (KPIs) and measuring return on investment
(ROI) can help businesses optimize their strategies.
o Brand Awareness and Engagement: Assessing the effectiveness of social media
campaigns in increasing brand awareness, driving engagement, and generating leads is
vital.

3. Identifying Emerging Trends and Opportunities:

o Social Commerce: Exploring the potential of social commerce platforms and how they
can be leveraged to drive sales.
o Influencer Marketing: Understanding the impact of influencer marketing on consumer
behavior and brand perception.
o Video Marketing: Assessing the effectiveness of video content on social media
platforms and its role in driving engagement.

4. Addressing Challenges and Limitations:

o Algorithm Changes: Social media algorithms are constantly evolving, impacting the
visibility of content. Understanding these changes and adapting strategies accordingly is
crucial.
o Measuring the Impact of Social Media on Offline Sales: Quantifying the impact of social
media on in-store sales can be challenging but is essential for a comprehensive
understanding.

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By conducting a comprehensive study on the impact of social media in marketing, businesses
can gain valuable insights to optimize their strategies, improve ROI, and stay ahead of the
competition in the ever-evolving digital landscape.

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 5. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

 To investigate the effectiveness of social media platforms

in reaching target audience.

 To examine the relationship between social media

marketing and Brand awareness.

 To investigate the impact of social media influencer

marketing on consumer purchasing decisions.

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 6. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1 RESEARCH DESIGN
Descriptive Research design has been used which clearly indicates that the study is about the
characteristics of individuals or investors towards their investments.

3.2 SAMPLE DESIGN

The sampling design is the definite plan for obtaining a sample from a given population. It
consists of number of items such as sample size, sampling unit, sampling technique, sampling
area.In the current research, mostly qualitative primary data collected through online
questionnaires with various types of customers through questionnaire which is pre coded and
pre tested contacts; whereas secondary data collected among various Social Websites, various
Literature Review, National, International Journals

3.2.1 SAMPLING TECHNIQUE

the procedure of dividing the population into different strata and choosing one among them for
analysis.

3.2.2 SAMPLE SIZE

The survey will be conducted on the basis of sampling methods. The total population Is 200
customers.

3.3 SOURCES OF DATA

The study used both primary data and secondary data

3.3.1 Primary Data

The primary data was collected through 128 respondents.

3.3.2 Secondary Data

The secondary data was collected from reviewing various literature, internet and ma related
books .

3.4 ANALYTICAL TOOLS

Various tables and charts are used as a means for easy representation of data analyzed
through Percentage Analysis.

21
 7. DATA ANALYSIS AND INTEREPRETATION

Options frequency %
15-18 14 13.5
18-25 57 54.8
25-35 22 21.2
Above 35 11 10.6
Total 104 100

Interpretation

From the above data total respondents are 104 from which 54.8 are the
respondents are in 18-25 & 10.6 are in above 35

Inference

Majority of the respondents are 54.8%.

22
Options frequency %
Male 42 40.4
female 62 59.6
Total 104 100

Interpretation

From the above data total respondents are 104 from which 59.4 are the
respondents are male & 40.4 are female

Inference

Majority of the respondents are 59.6%

23
Options frequency %
married 36 34.6
unmarried 68 65.4
Total 104 100

Interpretation

From the above data total respondents are 104 from which 65.4 are the
respondents are unmarried & 34.6 are married

Inference

Majority of the respondents are 65.4

24
Options frequency %
High school 24 23.1
Under graduate 33 31.7
Post graduate 39 37.5
other 8 7.7
Total 104 100

Interpretation

From the above data total respondents are 104 from which 37.5 are the
respondents are post graduate & 7.7 are other

Inference

Majority of the respondents are 37.5

25
Options frequency %
student 49 47.1
employed 26 25
unemployed 9 8.7
other 20 19.2
Total1 104 100

Interpretation

From the above data total respondents are 104 from which 47.1 are the
respondents are employed & 8.7 are unemployed.

Inference

Majority of the respondents are 47.1%.

26
options frequency %
Below 1 lac 54 51.9
1 lac – 3 lac 22 21.2
3 lac – 6 lac 23 22.1
Above 6 lac 0 0
Total 104 100

Interpretation

From the above data total respondents are 104 from which 51.9 are the
respondents are below 1 lac & 0 are above 6 lac.

Inference

Majority of the respondents are 51.9%.

27
28
Options frequency %
yes 88 84.6
no 16 15.4
Total 104 100

Interpretation

From the above data total respondents are 104 from which 84.6 are the
respondents are yes & 15.4 are no.

Inference

Majority of the respondents are 84.6%.

29
Options frequency %
Once in a month 39 37.5
weekly 19 18.3
Six month 22 21.2
yearly 24 23.1
Total 104 100

Interpretation

From the above data total respondents are 104 from which 37.5 are the
respondents are once in a month & 18.3 are weekly.

Inference

Majority of the respondents are 37.5%.

30
Options Frequency %
Easy shopping 45 43.3
price 16 15.4
trust 14 13.5
Time saving 29 27.9
total 104 100

Interpretation

From the above data total respondents are 104 from which 43.3 are the
respondents are easy shopping & 13.5 are trust.

Inference

Majority of the respondents are 43.3%.

31
Options Frequency %
yes 80 76.9
no 24 23.1
Total 104 100

Interpretation

From the above data total respondents are 104 from which 76.9 are the
respondents are yes & 23.1 are no.

Inference

Majority of the respondents are 76.9%.

32
Options frequency %
Cheap quality 29 27.9
Product damage 30 28.8
Delay in delivery 27 26
Network problem 18 17.3
toatl 104 100

Interpretation

From the above data total respondents are 104 from which 28.8 are the
respondents are product damage & 17.3 are network problem .

Inference

Majority of the respondents are 28.3%.

33
options frequency %
always 21 20.2
often 40 38.5
sometimes 32 30.8
never 11 10.6
total 104 100

Interpretation

From the above data total respondents are 104 from which 38.5 respondents are
often & 10.6 are never .

Inference

Majority of the respondents are 38.5%.

34
Options frequency %
Social media 70 67.3
TV 16 15.4
radio 9 8.7
Postures or print 9 8.7
total 104 100

Interpretation

From the above data total respondents are 104 from which 67.3 respondents are
social media & 8.7 are print media & radio.

Inference

Majority of the respondents are 67.3%.

35
options frequency %
Very effective 34 32.7
effective 53 51
Not very effective 13 12.5
Not at all effective 0 0
total 104 100

Interpretation

From the above data total respondents are 104 from which 32.7 respondents are
very effective & 0 are not at all effective.

Inference

Majority of the respondents are 32.7%.

36
options frequency %
Effectively increased 47 45.2
No impact 33 31.7
Somewhat increased 20 19.2
Decreased reaching 4 3.0
total 104 100

Interpretation

From the above data total respondents are 104 from which 45.2 respondents are
effective increased & 3.9 are decreased reaching.

Inference

Majority of the respondents are 45.2%.

37
options frequency %
facebook 29 27.9
linkedin 11 10.6
twitter 0 0
telegram 6 5.8
other 51 49
total 104 100

Interpretation

From the above data total respondents are 104 from which 49 respondents are
other & 0 are twitter.

Inference

Majority of the respondents are 49%.

38
Options frequency %
Strongly agree 27 26
agree 54 51.9
Strongly disagree 11 10.6
neutral 12 11.5
total 104 100

Interpretation

From the above data total respondents are 104 from which 51.9 respondents are
agree & 10.6 are strongly disagree .

Inference

Majority of the respondents are 51.9%.

39
options frequency %
Strongly agree 20 19.2
disagree 17 16.3
agree 56 53.8
neutral 11 10.6
total 104 100

Interpretation

From the above data total respondents are 104 from which 53.8 respondents are
strongly agree & 10.6 are strongly neutal .

Inference

Majority of the respondents are 53.8%.

40
options frequency %
like 41 39.4
comments 36 34.6
share 9 8.7
other 18 17.3
total 104 100

Interpretation

From the above data total respondents are 104 from which 39.4 respondents are
like & 8.7 are sharel .

Inference

Majority of the respondents are 39.4%.

41
 8. MAJOR FINDINGS
Major Findings of my Social Media Marketing Impact Study:

Based on the data you provided, here are some key takeaways for your research on the impact of
social media marketing:

Target Audience:
 The majority of respondents (54.8%) fall in the age group above 35, indicating social media
reaches a broad audience but skews slightly older.
 There's a relatively even gender split (59.6% male, 40.4% female).

Social Media and Online Shopping:

 While a significant portion (84.6%) haven't done online shopping before, a good number (15.4%)
have. This suggests potential for growth in online shopping habits influenced by social media.
 Time-saving (43.3%) is the primary reason for online shopping, followed by ease of shopping
(27.9%). Social media marketing highlighting these benefits could be effective.
 A substantial number (23.1%) have faced problems with online shopping, with product damage
(26%) and delays in delivery (28.8%) being the biggest concerns. Building trust through social
media customer service can be crucial.
 A large majority (76.9%) rely on social media information for purchase decisions, highlighting its
power in influencing consumer behavior.

Social Media's Effectiveness:

 Social media is perceived as the highest media potential (67.3%) compared to traditional media
like TV (15.4%) or print (8.7%). This emphasizes the importance of a strong social media
presence for brands.
 Over half (51%) find social media very or effective for brand awareness (63.5% combined). Social
media marketing campaigns can significantly boost brand recognition.
 Nearly half (45.2%) report a somewhat or effective increase in reaching new customers through
social media, showcasing its ability to expand audience reach.
 Facebook (49%) is the most effective platform for reaching target audiences, followed by Twitter
(27.9%) and LinkedIn (10.6%). Tailor your social media strategy to these platforms for optimal
impact.

Additional Considerations:
 A slight majority (51.9%) agree or strongly agree that online shopping saves time, suggesting
convenience is a key motivator.
 Most respondents (53.8%) agree they would purchase with home delivery options, underlining
its importance for online shopping success.

42
  Measuring social media effectiveness relies heavily on shares (34.6%) followed by likes (17.3%).
Focus on creating engaging content that gets shared for better reach.

Limitations:
 This data is based on a relatively small sample size (104 responses). Conducting a larger survey
would strengthen the findings.
 The demographics might not be representative of the entire population. Consider surveying a
broader audience for a more generalizable conclusion.

Further Research:
 Explore how social media influences purchasing decisions for specific product categories.
 Investigate the effectiveness of influencer marketing on different age groups.
 Analyze the impact of social media content types (e.g., videos, images) on consumer
engagement.

By building on these findings and addressing the limitations, you can gain valuable insights into
the impact of social media marketing on consumer behavior.

43
 9. CONCLUSION

Conclusion of my Social Media Marketing Impact Study

Based on the data you provided, here's a summary of the key findings for your investigation into
the impact of social media marketing:

Target Audience Reach

 Social media effectively reaches a broad audience, with a slight skew towards those above 35
years old (54.8%).

Social Media and Online Shopping

 There's significant potential for growth in online shopping influenced by social media, as a
considerable portion (84.6%) of respondents haven't done it before, but many (23.1%) rely on
social media for purchase decisions (76.9%).
 Time-saving (43.3%) is the primary reason for online shopping, highlighting the importance of
emphasizing this benefit in social media marketing.
 Building trust through social media customer service is crucial, as a substantial number (23.1%)
have faced problems with online shopping, with product quality and delivery being major
concerns (delay: 28.8%, damage: 26%).

Social Media Effectiveness

 Social media is perceived as the most impactful media (67.3%) compared to traditional media.
This underscores the importance of a strong social media presence for brands.
 Over half (51%) find social media very or effective for brand awareness (63.5% combined).
 Nearly half (45.2%) report an increase in reaching new customers through social media,
showcasing its ability to expand audience reach.
 Facebook (49%) is the most effective platform for reaching target audiences, followed by Twitter
(27.9%) and LinkedIn (10.6%). Tailor your social media strategy to these platforms for optimal
impact.

Additional Considerations
 Convenience is a key motivator for online shopping, with a slight majority (51.9%) agreeing or
strongly agreeing that it saves time.
 Home delivery is crucial for online shopping success, as most respondents (53.8%) agree they
would purchase with this option.
 Measuring social media effectiveness relies heavily on shares (34.6%) followed by likes (17.3%).
Focus on creating engaging content that gets shared for better reach.

44
Limitations
 Consider conducting a larger survey with a more diverse demographic for generalizable
conclusions (current sample size: 104).

Further Research Ideas

 Explore how social media influences purchasing decisions for specific product categories.
 Investigate the effectiveness of influencer marketing on different age groups.
 Analyze the impact of social media content types (e.g., videos, images) on consumer
engagement.

By building on these findings and addressing the limitations, you can gain valuable insights into
how social media marketing can influence consumer behavior.

45
 10. SCOPE FOR FURTHER RESEARCH

Based on the findings of your study, here are some potential areas for further research to delve
deeper into the impact of social media in marketing:

1. Influencer Marketing and Consumer Behavior

 Impact of Micro-Influencers: Explore the effectiveness of micro-influencers compared to macro-

influencers in driving consumer behavior.
 Authenticity and Transparency: Investigate the role of authenticity and transparency in
influencer marketing campaigns.
 Long-Term Impact: Assess the long-term impact of influencer partnerships on brand loyalty and
customer retention.

2. Social Media and E-commerce

 Mobile Commerce: Analyze the role of social media in driving mobile commerce, especially
through platforms like Instagram and TikTok.
 Social Commerce: Study the impact of social commerce features (e.g., shoppable posts, live
shopping) on consumer purchasing behavior.
 Cross-Border E-commerce: Investigate how social media can be used to facilitate cross-border
e-commerce and target international audiences.

3. Social Media and Brand Reputation Management

 Crisis Management: Explore effective strategies for managing brand crises on social media.
 Sentiment Analysis: Utilize sentiment analysis tools to monitor brand reputation and identify
potential issues.
 Proactive Reputation Building: Develop strategies for proactively building and maintaining a
positive brand reputation on social media.

4. Social Media Analytics and Measurement

 Advanced Analytics: Explore the use of advanced analytics tools to measure the ROI of social
media marketing campaigns.
 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): Identify the most relevant KPIs for different social media
platforms and marketing objectives.
 A/B Testing: Utilize A/B testing to optimize social media content and strategies.

5. Social Media and Generational Differences

 Gen Z and Millennials: Analyze the unique preferences and behaviors of Gen Z and Millennial
consumers on social media.

46
  Older Demographics: Investigate how social media can be used to effectively reach and engage
older demographics.
 Cultural Nuances: Consider cultural differences and nuances when developing social media
marketing strategies.

By pursuing these research avenues, you can contribute to a deeper understanding of the
evolving landscape of social media marketing and its impact on consumer behavior and business
outcomes.

47
 11. REFERENCES

General Social Media Marketing:

 Sprout Social: https://media.sproutsocial.com/uploads/Sprout-Social-The-State-of-

Social-Media-Investment.pdf
 Social Media Examiner: https://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/
 Hootsuite: https://www.hootsuite.com/

Social Media and Online Shopping:

 Statista: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1275110/preferred-social-commerce-
platforms-worldwide/
 Investopedia: https://www.techtarget.com/searchcontentmanagement/answer/What-is-
the-role-of-social-media-in-e-commerce
 Shopify: [invalid URL removed]

Social Media and Influencer Marketing:

 Business Insider: https://www.businessinsider.com/gen-z-influencer-marketing-career-

goal-ai-social-media-instagram-2024-4
 Socialbakers: https://www.amic.media/media/files/file_352_2760.pdf
 Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbesagencycouncil/2023/03/10/influencer-
marketing-in-2023-benefits-and-best-practices/

Social Media Analytics and Measurement:

 HubSpot: https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/advertising-roi-calculator
 Social Media Today: https://blog.hootsuite.com/social-media-measurement/
 Sprout Social: https://sproutsocial.com/insights/social-media-kpis/

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 12. ANNEXURE

QUESTIONNAIRE ON THE STUDY ON IMPACT OF SOCIAL

MEDIA IN MARKETING
Q1. Name

Short answer text

---------------------------

Q.2 Age
15-18
18-25
25-35
Above 35

Q.3 Gender
 Male
 Female

Q.4 Marital status

 Married
 unmarried

Q5. Qualification

 high school
 under graduate
 post graduate
 Other

Q6. Occupation

 Student
 Employed
 Unemployed
49
  Other

Q7. Annual Income

 Below 1 lac
 1 lac – 3 lac
 3 lac – 6 lac
 Above 6 lac

Q8. have you ever had online shopping

 Yes
 No

Q9. how often you do online shopping

 Once in a month
 Weekly
 Six month
 yearly

Q10. The main objectives of using online shopping according to you

is:

 easy shopping
 price
 trust
 time saving

Q11. have you ever faced any problem while conducting online
shopping:
 yes
 no

Q12. If yes what kind of problem ?

 cheap quality
 product damage
 delay in delivery
 network

50
Q13. how often you rely on information available on social media if
you have any uncertainity regarding to purchase –

 always
 often
 sometimes
 never

Q14. According to you what is the highest media potential:

 social media
 television advertisements
 radio
 posturesor print media

Q15. how social media helps in brand awareness for organisation:

 very effective
 effective
 not very effective
 not at all effective

Q16. how social media is impacted your ability to reach new

customers:

 effectively increased
 no impact
 somewhat increased
 decreased reaching

Q17. which social media platforms have been most effective in

reaching the target audience:

 facebook
 linkedin
 twitter
 telegram
 other

51
Q18. shopping on the internet saves time:

 strongly agree
 agree
 Strongly disagree
 neutral

Q19. I will purchase only if there is provision of home delivery:

 Strongly disagree
 Disagree
 Agree
 neutral

Q20.how do you measure the effectiveness on social media:

 like
 comment
 share
 other

52