Effectiveness of Bloggers in Influencing Online Buying Behavior of Consumers

This research evaluates the effectiveness of the blogs in influencing the buying behavior of the consumers. The research will also explore different theories, enabling the better understanding of the effectiveness of blogs in creating a negative or positive influence on the consumer buying behavior.

Running head: RESEARCH PLAN
RESEARCH PLAN
Name of the student
Name of the university
Author note

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Abstract
This research evaluates the effectiveness of the blogs in influencing the buying behavior of the
consumers. The research will also explore different theories, enabling the better understanding of
the effectiveness of blogs in creating a negative or positive influence on the consumer buying
behavior. The research will also offer different recommended actions that might be considered
by bloggers in order to enhance the blogging experience of the customers while buying a
product. The plan will outline the different activities that might be undertaken in order to
understand the efficacy of the bloggers and the manner in which the activities might be improved
in order to enhance the online buying experience of the customers.

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Table of Contents
Title: The identification of the effectiveness of the bloggers in influencing the online buying
behaviors of the customers..............................................................................................................3
1. Introduction..................................................................................................................................3
2. Key theoretical concepts of the study..........................................................................................4
2.1 Involvement theory and the blogging approach....................................................................4
2.2 Rational buying behavior influenced by the blogs................................................................5
3. Research problem and Research questions..................................................................................8
4. Methodology................................................................................................................................8
4.1 Research Philosophy..............................................................................................................8
4.2 Research approach.................................................................................................................9
4.3 Research design.....................................................................................................................9
4.4 Data collection process..........................................................................................................9
5. Expected Findings and analysis.................................................................................................12
6. Schedule.....................................................................................................................................13
Table 1: Schedule of the entire research....................................................................................14

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Title: The identification of the effectiveness of the bloggers in influencing the online buying
behaviors of the customers
1. Introduction
The research will be undertaking steps to understand the impact of bloggers on the
buying behavior of consumers. The growth of the e-commerce businesses and retail trades has
enhanced the competition in the retail market. The evolution of the e- commerce industry
increasingly depends on the consumer’s decision making relating to purchase of specific
commodities. Hsiao, Lu and Lan (2013) stated that the online bloggers play an important role
in assisting the customers undertaking a decision while making an online purchase. The study
will be aiming at improving the efficacy of the bloggers in creating blogs that will help in
enhancing the decision- making skills of the consumers while making a purchase through online
platforms.
The objective of undertaking the study is:
1. To identify the factors of effectiveness of the online blogging activities on the purchase
decision making of the consumers
2. To evaluate the manner in which the blogs and articles creates a negative or positive influence
on the buying behavior of the consumers
3. To recommend ways in which the online blogging activities might be improved
1.1 Rationale

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The issues that are faced by the customers while buying commodities online are
dependent on the lack of suitable information on the commodities. On the other hand, the
misleading online advertisements and fabrication of the commodities that are delivered to the
consumers has affected their interests diversely. In this situation, the bloggers have guided the
consumers in strengthening their decision making capabilities in order to enhance the online
buying experience of the same. The growth of the e-commerce industry has helped in the growth
of the online sales, which requires the customers to choose from among a variety of commodities
as per the needs. However, the customers face definite issues while choosing from among a
variety of commodities. This research will be focusing on the identification of the effect of the
blogging activities and the manner in which the blogs influence the buyer’s decision making
while making an online purchase. The identification of the assistance that is required by the
customers will be helping the bloggers in developing the blogs in order to facilitate the decision
making of the relevant consumers. Understanding how bloggers influence the decision making
process of consumers will contribute to our understanding of social commerce, building on
existing theory; it will also be of use to practitioners as bloggers, retailers and other actors in the
consumer/media environment.
2. Key theoretical concepts of the study
2.1 Involvement theory and the blogging approach
The identification of involvement theory in blogging has helped the bloggers, understand,
the different information that might be included in the posts and articles in order to make the
consumers aware of the different utilities and qualities of products (Schultz, Schwepker and
Good 2012). Blogging activities of the bloggers will help consumers in understanding the value

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that will be proposed through a particular commodity. It will be helping the customers in making
a right decision while making a buy of the product. The utilization of the theory will be helping
the bloggers in understanding the concerns of the customers while making an online buy of the
products.
The involvement theory focuses on identifying the two main forces that influence the
buyer’s decision making prospects. One of the factors in the theory being time and energy that is
invested by the consumers. On the other hand, the emotion and feelings of the consumers works
as an effective factor as it influences te impulsive buying behavior in the consumers. The
enumeration of the involvement theory will be helping the bloggers in understanding the type of
information that is to be included in their blogs. On the other hand, the theory also helps the
bloggers in understanding the presentation that might be best suited for assisting the customers
while undertaking a decision. The involvement theory helps the bloggers in understanding the
content value, technological value and the social value of the blogs that are created by the same.
The development of the content will be based on the identification of the concerns that are raised
by the consumers while making their buy of the products or services through an e- commerce
site.
2.2 Rational buying behavior influenced by the blogs
Rational buying behavior of the customers will be enhanced through the utilization of
suitable blogging activities (Mantrala and Albers 2012). Therefore, the research will be making
use of involvement theory and the consumer behavior theory, in order to identify the manner in
which proper blogging activity influence the online buying behavior of the customers. The
theories will also help in enumerating different recommended actions that might be considered
by the bloggers in order to enhance the blogging activities for assisting the customers in making

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suitable decisions while undertaking a buy through online sources (Orzan et al. 2015). The
identification of the buying behavior of the consumers and thereby planning the contents of the
blogs will be helping the blogger in inducing rationality in the decision making process of the
customers.
Dhar and Jha (2014) stated that the involvement theory helps in identifying the different
queries that arise in the mind of the consumers while making a buy of a commodity. The
involvement theory will be helping the bloggers in understanding the relevant areas and concerns
of the customers while creating the blogs. It will be helping the bloggers in guiding the
customers more efficiently during an online buying session. On the other hand, Sashi (2012)
stated that identification of the buying behavior of the customers is specifically based on the
behavioral theory emphasizing on needs. The enumeration of different blogs related to the
interests of the consumers will be helping the bloggers in influencing the buying behavior of the
same more viably. The4 identification of consumer buying behavior through the enumeration of
different paradigms will be facilitating the bloggers in developing contents with the aim of
influencing the buying behavior of the consumers.

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Impact of blogging activities on online buying behavior of customers
Involvement theory
of bloggers
Consumer buying
behavior
Effectiveness of the online
blogging activities on the
purchase decision making of
the consumers
Negative or positive influence
on the buying behavior of the
consumers
Recommendations for
improving the logging for
ensuring proper customer
decision making
Goals

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3. Research problem and Research questions
The research is important as it will be helping to identify the concerns of the customers
and thereby develop different blogging activities in order to support the buyer’s decision among
while purchasing a product online. There are different situations where the misinterpretation of
the reviews might affect buyer’s decision making while making an online purchase (Goodrich
and De Mooij 2014). The research will be helping the bloggers in understanding the concerns
that are faced by the customers and the manner in which the blogging might be developed in
order to resolve the queries for initiating suitable decision making the customers.
The research questions that will be developed during the research are:
1. How effective is online blogging activities in influencing buyer’s decision making?
2. What is the extent to which online blogging influence the buying behavior of the consumers?
3. What are the recommended activities through which online blogging activities might be
improved?
4. Methodology
4.1 Research Philosophy
The research will be made through the utilization of Positivism philosophy, which will
be helping the researcher in analyzing the different aspects of blogging activities and its
influence on buyer’s decision making through scientifically proven techniques.

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4.2 Research approach
The researcher will be undertaking a deductive approach which will be focusing on
focuses on scrutinising the available models and theories relating to the effectiveness of blogging
activities and the manner in which it influence the buyer’s decision making while making an
online purchase.
4.3 Research design
The research will be designed in a manner which will be helping the researcher in
guiding the study towards understanding the issues relating to consumer’s online purchasing
behaviour. In this connection the researcher will be utilizing Exploratory research design,
which will be helping in assisting the study with an inference based on the identification of the
issues and the recommended actions that might be undertaken by the bloggers in order to
influence the buying behaviour of the customers.
4.4 Data collection process
The research will be undertaken through an explorative study of the different samples,
which will be collected through quantitative primary data collection methodology. 150 customer
reviews will be collected through quantitative survey, which will be helping the researcher in
understanding the different issues that are faced by the same while undertaking decision on
buying a product online. On the other hand, the researcher will be undertaken through thorough
text analysis of the available literature on blogging activities and customer concerns while
making an online purchase. The large sample size will be helping to reduce different customer
biases and thereby undertake an unbiased study. The different biases that might be faced by the
researcher while assessing the feedbacks of the customers are generally based on the loyalty of
the customers towards buying from a particular e- commerce platform. The development of the

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research will be based on the unbiased evolution and assessment of the customer feedbacks.
Therefore, the large sample size that is being chosen by the researcher will be helping the same
in avoiding the biases and thereby conduct a research study aiming at finding an unbiased
solution of improving the blogging activities.
The questionnaire will be helping the researcher in understanding the perception, ideas
and views of the customers towards the effectiveness of the blogging activities. It will also help
the researcher in understanding the diverse range of pinions that are held by the customers
towards the blogging activity and the manner in which it assist the same in making a buy in a
scenario where e- commerce has grown widely. The questionnaire will be based on the
identification of the preferences of the customers relating to their buying behavior in e-
commerce platforms and the type of assistance that is expected by the same from the bloggers.
On the other hand, the identification of the expectations of the customers from the bloggers,
during the survey, will be helping the researcher in framing a set of appropriate recommended
actions that might be considered by the bloggers for improving their activities.
The survey will also help the researcher in understanding the role that is played by the
bloggers in making the customers aware of the quality and the utility that might be derived from
the products. The utilization of primary research while undertaking the survey will be helping to
enhance the research study and support the hypothesis that is created by the researcher. The
interdependence of the theories will be helping the researcher in maintaining the efficacy of the
research, which will be aiming at assessing the efficiency of the blogging activities and the
manner in which it affects the online buying behavior of the customers. The enumeration of the
theories and the definition of the research problem will be helping the researcher in guiding the
study towards the unbiased outcome of the same. The reviews from the customers will be

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helping the researcher in identifying the probable ways in which the different blogging activities
has influenced the buying behavior of the same. The unbiased data findings during the survey
will be helping the researcher in maintaining the efficacy of the research study as per the
objective of the same.
The survey will be undertaken through the utilization of network mapping by Survey
Monkey software, which will be assisting the researcher in creating the different questionnaires
for the study. In order to utilize the software, the researcher is required to have clarity of the
reason for undertaking the research. Moreover, the researcher must undertake relevant steps to
identify the demographics in order to position the questionnaire for culminating into desired
results of the study. As per the case, the researcher will be utilizing the survey monkey software
for creating questions in order to position the same to the customers. On the other hand, the
researcher will also make use of Google Forms in order to undertake the survey through the
creation of customer feedback forms. The customer feedback forms will be helping the
researcher in understanding the different notions that are presented by the customers towards the
effectiveness of the blogging activities.
The key elements that will be highlighted through the research are based on the
identification of the efficacy of the blogging activities and the manner in which they influence
the buying behavior of the customers while making an online purchase. The assessment of the
customer reviews will be collected and evaluated through correlation, regression and the
utilization of different inferential statistical methods. It will be helping the researcher in
culminating into a desired outcome of the study through reviewing the customer feedbacks. The
open -ended questions that will be created by the researcher during the survey will be helping the
researcher in understanding the viewpoint of the customers more elaborately. The elaboration of

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the different concerns of the customers will be helping the researcher in understanding the
different concerns of the customers relating to the blogging activities.
Additionally, the researcher will also be utilizing the SPSS platform in order to analyze
the data that is collected through the surveys by nonparametric inferential statistics. The
utilization of nonparametric inferential statistics as per the case will be helping the researcher in
guiding the study to its preferred conclusion. The utilization of the SPSS software will be helping
the researcher in guiding the research with the objective of identifying the different notions of
the customers. The analysis of the research will be supported through the assessment of the
customer feedbacks by utilizing the inferential statistics for concluding the findings. The sample
size that will be considered by the researcher during the research will be based on the priorities
of running an unbiased research.
5. Expected Findings and analysis
The findings of the study will be based on the different reviews that are collected through
the surveys. On the other hand, the literature that will be reviewed by the researcher during the
study will be helping the same in supporting the outcomes of the samples. The samples will be
analyzed through correlation and regression of the different reviews. The empirical review of the
current literature on the efficiency of bloggers in influencing buying behavior of the customers
will be helping the researcher in undertaking an efficient study. The findings will be helping the
researcher in reaching to the conclusion of the study that will primarily focus on bringing forth
changes in the blogging practices in order to enhance the efficiency of the same. It will be

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helping the customers in understanding the viability of the products while undertaking a decision
(Moran, Muzellec and Nolan 2014).
6. Schedule
Task Mont
h
1
Mont
h
2- 5
Mont
h
6 - 10
Mont
h
11-
16
Mont
h
17- 24
Mont
h
25- 28
Mont
h
29- 31
Mont
h
32-
34
Mont
h
35- 36
Selection of topic
and search for
justification
Constructing
literature
Selecting
appropriate
methods
Data collection
Data analysis and
representation
Reviewing the
outcomes
Conclusions and

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recommendations
Submitting draft
of the project
Printing and final
submission
Table 1: Schedule of the entire research
(Source: As created by author)

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References
Dhar, J. and Jha, A.K., 2014. Analyzing social media engagement and its effect on online
product purchase decision behavior. Journal of Human Behavior in the Social
Environment, 24(7), pp.791-798.
Goodrich, K. and De Mooij, M., 2014. How ‘social’are social media? A cross-cultural
comparison of online and offline purchase decision influences. Journal of Marketing
Communications, 20(1-2), pp.103-116.
Hsiao, K.L., Lu, H.P. and Lan, W.C., 2013. The influence of the components of storytelling
blogs on readers’ travel intentions. Internet Research, 23(2), pp.160-182.
Mantrala, M.K. and Albers, S., 2012. Impact of the Internet on B2B sales force size and
structure. Handbook of business-to-business marketing. Edward Elgar, Northhampton, pp.539-
555.
Moran, G., Muzellec, L. and Nolan, E., 2014. Consumer moments of truth in the digital context:
How “search” and “e-word of mouth” can fuel consumer decision making. Journal of
Advertising Research, 54(2), pp.200-204.
Orzan, G., Delcea, C., Ioanas, E. and Orzan, M.C., 2015. Buyers’ decisions in online social
networks environment. Journal of Eastern Europe Research in Business & Economics, 2015.
Sashi, C.M., 2012. Customer engagement, buyer-seller relationships, and social
media. Management decision, 50(2), pp.253-272.

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Schultz, R.J., Schwepker, C.H. and Good, D.J., 2012. An exploratory study of social media in
business-to-business selling: salesperson characteristics, activities and performance. Marketing
Management Journal, 22(2), pp.76-89.