Impact of Social Media Marketing on Consumer Behavior

This assignment delves into the profound impact of social media marketing on consumer behavior. Students will examine theoretical frameworks, empirical studies, and real-world examples to understand how social media platforms shape consumer perceptions, purchasing decisions, and brand engagement. The analysis will encompass various aspects such as influencer marketing, user-generated content, social listening, and the role of algorithms in shaping online experiences. Furthermore, students will evaluate the ethical considerations and potential challenges associated with social media marketing.

Running head: BUSINESS RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Business Research Methodology
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author’s Note

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Table of Contents
1. Introduction:................................................................................................................................2
2. Project Objective:........................................................................................................................2
3. Project Scope:..............................................................................................................................2
4. Literature review:.........................................................................................................................3
5. Research question:.......................................................................................................................4
6. Research design:..........................................................................................................................5
6.1 Qualitative research:..................................................................................................................5
6.2 Quantitative data analysis:.........................................................................................................6
7. Gnatt Chart:.................................................................................................................................7
8. Research Limitation:....................................................................................................................7
9. Time schedule:.............................................................................................................................8
10. Conclusion:................................................................................................................................8
Reference List:.................................................................................................................................9
Appendix: Time schedule..............................................................................................................11

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Topic: Opportunities and Challenges of Internet Marketing
1. Introduction:
After the emergence of internet marketing the business experts got ample opportunities in
endorsing their products and services in different geographical boundaries due to its wide range
of network. Advertisement with the help of traditional media is not sufficient enough in drawing
the attention of international customers. In the realm of globalization, business organizations aim
to expand their entire process of business in multinational countries. Internet marketing is the
most effective tools for introducing the brand in various geographical corners. On the other hand,
traditional media vehicles are not sufficient enough in gaining the brand image and reputation
internationally. This specific study has focused to make an in-depth evaluation on the overall
impact of internet marketing for rendering business image and reputation. At the same time,
marketing managers have to face innumerable challenges while conducting internet marketing.
2. Project Objective:
The primary objectives of this specific project are as follows:
 To evaluate the necessary opportunities of making internet marketing for brand promotion
 To critically understand the challenges of internet marketing for promoting a specific brand
 To provide major recommendations on how to overcome challenges of internet marketing
3. Project Scope:
In last five years the emergence of technological advancement has rendered a drastic
change on the business progress. At the very initial stage, business performers intended to
depend on traditional media for maintaining their promotional activities. With the rapid progress

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of globalization, the marketing executives have decided to change business promotional
strategies and policies for drawing the attention of international customers. Internet marketing is
one of the most significant ways of placing the brand on different geographical areas (Armstrong
et al. 2015). However, this specific study has focused to evaluate the necessary opportunities that
internet marketing is having for introducing the brand in different geographical areas. With the
help of internet marketing the service providers can communicate with the people of different
geographical boundaries directly by sitting at their workplace.
At the same time, internet marketing can drag the attention of customers from different
cultural backgrounds and attitudes. Therefore, the number of target customers can be increased
automatically. On the other hand, internet marketing is possessed with some of the major
challenges as well. In order to promote the brand by using technological advancement the
business experts as well as the employees should have technological skills and competency. Due
to the sudden technological barrier the entire business process fails to maintain its systematic
rhythmic flow (Erdoğmuş and Cicek 2012). However, this specific study has focused to make an
in-depth overview about the importance of internet marketing for expanding the entire process of
business for making effective promotional activities.
4. Literature review:
Summarizing literature review:
Taken Smith (2012) stated that the importance of internet marketing in rendering brand
recognition is the primary concern of this specific study. With the help of an effective internet
marketing strategies and policies brands can be introduced in different multinational countries. In
the literature review, various types of marketing strategies have been discussed among which the

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importance of social media marketing is most prominent. On the other hand, the study has
focused to critically evaluate the necessary opportunities of online advertisements. As opined by
Bruhn, Schoenmueller and Schäfer (2012), the brands can get the scope to draw the attention
Worldwide after promoting with the help of online advertisement.
Justification of research problem:
It has been observed the employees of business organizations are not competent enough
in handling advanced technology. Therefore, the business experts have to face difficulties in
promoting business with the help of internet marketing. Therefore, the study has focused to
evaluate both the positive as well as the negative impact of online media advertisement.
Literature gap and opportunity:
In this specific literature review the primary focus has been provided on the various types
of online marketing. The researcher had the opportunity to evaluate critically about necessary
opportunity and challenges of internet marketing. Therefore, the study could have focused on
analyzing the various impacts of online advertising in enhancing brand promotion rather than
discussing on the different types of internet marketing.
5. Research question:
Primary question:
 What are the necessary opportunities of making internet marketing for brand promotion?
Secondary question:
 What are the challenges of internet marketing for promoting a specific brand?

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 What should be the recommendations for overcoming challenges of internet marketing?
6. Research design:
In order to collect appropriate data and information the research would use data analysis
method for conducting the entire research work successfully. In this very specific study, both
qualitative as well as quantitative data collection technique would be used for conducting the
entire research work successfully.
6.1 Qualitative research:
Sample size:
In order to collect necessary response regarding the impact of internet marketing the
study would focus to involve international customers for collecting their response. Total 5
managers from different organizations would be involved for collecting data whether they get
necessary facility after internet marketing or not (Hutter et al. 2013). With the help of non-
probability sampling technique the study has focused to concentrate on those professionals who
like to conduct their promotional activities on social media pages.
Data collection technique:
An effective interview session would be conducted by involving the managers of those
specific organizations. With the help of an effective interview session the managers would like to
express their opinion on how the internet marketing has rendered enough recognition of a brand
beyond going the regional market (Laroche, Habibi and Richard 2013). The data analysts would
get the scope of acquiring immediate information from the participants. As a result, researcher
can accomplish the entire research work systematically.

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Reliability and validity:
Reliability of data implies that the researcher would like to gather necessary responses
from those participants who are directly aware and involved within the research issue. As a
result, the data that would be collected would have proper relevance (Galbraith‐Emami and
Lobstein 2013). On the other hand, the responses collected from the interviewees have proper
validity. The information are not backdated or previously recorded.
6.2 Quantitative data analysis:
Process of research design:
In order to make an in-depth evaluation of data the research focuses to use positivism
research philosophy with the help of deductive research approach by involving descriptive form
of research design. Positivism research philosophy enables the researcher to make an in-depth
observation on the research issue (Zarantonello and Schmitt 2013). Deductive approach helps to
analyze data based on existing theories. However, descriptive research design is the systematic
approach of explaining the entire research issue from different point of view without making self
interpretation.
Research instrument:
Survey questionnaires are used as one of the most significant research instruments based
on which the responses from the participants have been collected (Schultz and Peltier 2013). At
the same time, survey questionnaires helps to collect an immediate response from the
participants which is very much beneficial for the researchers for accomplishing the research
work.

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Data analysis process:
With the help of a graphical representation along with evaluating mean, median, mode
appropriate data and information would be collected from the participants. In addition, the
researcher would like to make survey questionnaires based on which the participants will
respond regarding the research issue.
Sampling size:
Sampling size enables in gathering data from a large number of population by involving
specific group of people. Sampling size is constituted with two major types including probability
sampling size and non-probability sampling size (Lu, Chang and Chang 2014). In this very
specific study, non-probability sampling size has been selected by involving 50 customers who
are highly influenced on social media promotion.
Interview and question design:
Question 1: Do you believe internet marketing is having major positive impact in promoting the
brand on the overall international market?
7. Gnatt Chart:
Serial No. Activities Start Date End Date Duration
1. Selection of topic 06/10/2017 08/08/2017 3
2. Formulation of aim and objectives 09/10/2017 10/08/2017 2
3. Literature review 11108/2017 20/08/2017 10
4. Research methodology 21/10/2017 24/08/2017 4
5. Data collection 25/10/2017 1/08/2017 8

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6. Data analysis 02/11/2017 07/09/2017 7
7. Conclusion 08/11/2017 10/09/2017 3
8. Final submission 11/11/2017 ------- 1
Selection of topic
Formulation of aim and objectives
Literature review
Research methodology
Data collection
Data analysis
Conclusion
Final submission
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
3
2
10
4
8
7
3
1
Duration
Gnatt Chart
(Source: Created by the author)
8. Research Limitation:
Every research is possessed with major limitations while dealing with the issue. In this
specific study, the researcher has taken small of sampling size for analyzing necessary data and
information. In order to evaluate the research issue properly the researcher could have focused
on dealing with large number of population. On the other hand, this specific study decides to
select positivism research philosophy. Positivism research philosophy is highly dependent on
keen observation. However, only an acute observation is not sufficient enough for evaluating

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data and information. Therefore, the study could have focused on selecting post positivism
philosophical approaches with the help of which research issue can be observed along with
proper evidence.
9. Time schedule:
(Time schedule has been attached in the appendix)
10. Conclusion:
With the dynamic progress of business process the needs and demands of the customers
are changing gradually. The business experts intend to expand their entire business wings beyond
going the regional market. Internet marketing is one of the most effective ways of drawing the
attention of customers from different geographical boundaries and attitudes. This specific
research issue has provided an in-depth overview on how business organizations get
opportunities in gaining organizational image and reputation with the help of internet marketing.
Some of the most effective challenges faced by the marketing managers have also been evaluated
in this specific study. In order to find out the research issue this specific study has focused to
make both qualitative research collection procedure as well as quantitative. Necessary responses
from the participants would be collected in order to know the opportunities and challenges of
internet marketing.

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Reference List:
Armstrong, G., Kotler, P., Harker, M. and Brennan, R., 2015. Marketing: an introduction.
Pearson Education.
Bruhn, M., Schoenmueller, V. and Schäfer, D.B., 2012. Are social media replacing traditional
media in terms of brand equity creation?. Management Research Review, 35(9), pp.770-790.
Erdoğmuş, İ.E. and Cicek, M., 2012. The impact of social media marketing on brand
loyalty. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 58, pp.1353-1360.
Galbraith‐Emami, S. and Lobstein, T., 2013. The impact of initiatives to limit the advertising of
food and beverage products to children: a systematic review. Obesity Reviews, 14(12), pp.960-
974.
Hutter, K., Hautz, J., Dennhardt, S. and Füller, J., 2013. The impact of user interactions in social
media on brand awareness and purchase intention: the case of MINI on Facebook. Journal of
Product & Brand Management, 22(5/6), pp.342-351.
Laroche, M., Habibi, M.R. and Richard, M.O., 2013. To be or not to be in social media: How
brand loyalty is affected by social media?. International Journal of Information
Management, 33(1), pp.76-82.
Lu, L.C., Chang, W.P. and Chang, H.H., 2014. Consumer attitudes toward blogger’s sponsored
recommendations and purchase intention: The effect of sponsorship type, product type, and
brand awareness. Computers in Human Behavior, 34, pp.258-266.

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Schultz, D.E. and Peltier, J., 2013. Social media's slippery slope: challenges, opportunities and
future research directions. Journal of research in interactive marketing, 7(2), pp.86-99.
Taken Smith, K., 2012. Longitudinal study of digital marketing strategies targeting
Millennials. Journal of Consumer Marketing, 29(2), pp.86-92.
Zarantonello, L. and Schmitt, B.H., 2013. The impact of event marketing on brand equity: The
mediating roles of brand experience and brand attitude. International Journal of
Advertising, 32(2), pp.255-280.

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Appendix: Time schedule
Main activities/ stages 1st
week
2nd
week
3rd
week
4th
week
5th
week
6th week
Topic Selection 
Data collection from secondary
sources
 
Framing layout of the research 
Literature review   
Formation of the research Plan  
Selection of the Appropriate
Research Techniques
 
Primary data collection  
Analysis & Interpretation of
Data Collection
 
Conclusion of the Study 
Formation of Rough Draft 
Submission of Final Work 