Analysis of Social Media Marketing Studies

The provided assignment is a collection of 13 social media marketing studies, published in various journals and books between 2014 and 2018. The studies cover topics such as the influence of social media on customer satisfaction, brand strategies in social media, the power of social media analytics, and the impact of social media on organizational sales performance. The documents are likely to be useful for students and researchers looking for past papers and solved assignments related to social media marketing.

Research Project P1

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
LITERATURE REVIEW................................................................................................................3
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY: ..................................................................................................7
ACTIVITIES AND TIMESCALE..................................................................................................9
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION
Title of research study: The impact of social media marketing in transforming perception of
consumers; a study on Morrisons
Introduction
Social media marketing refers to the marketing tactics utilised by the business organisation
where they promote and advertise about their products and services using social media websites.
With the rise in internet technologies and evolution of social media perception of individuals and
societies have been drastically transformed. Marketers of today's organisation have been greatly
influenced from social media as they get a platform where they can promote organisational
goods and services effectively and efficiently (O'Reilly and Lancendorfer, 2015). In order to
sustain in competitive environment it is very essential and crucial for marketers to utilise new
and advance technologies for their marketing practices. Social media websites such as Instagram,
YouTube, Facebook, etc. provides immense opportunities to marketers where they can promote
organisational products and services efficiently. Social media marketing drastically transformed
perception of customers worldwide. In this context, this research will aid in understanding
impact of social media marketing in transforming perception of consumers by analysing study on
Morrisons. Morrisons is considered as fourth largest supermarket in United Kingdom. It has
enormous customer base and provides quality products and services to their target customers.
The management of Morrisons known for providing creative and innovative marketing tactics
which provides them competitive advantages (Constantinides, Schepers and Vries, 2015).
Researcher will conduct literature review in the study in order to compare and contrast on the
articles and journal he or she obtained. The purpose of carrying out literature review is to
establish theoretical framework in the study. Furthermore, researcher will elaborate about
research methods that he or she will going to use in order to accomplish the aim and objectives
of the study. Digital technologies gives rise to innovative and creative methods through which
organisation enhances their productivity and profitability.
Background of study
Digital technologies indeed transforms organisational culture. By implementing advance
and latest technologies within organisational framework, management is now able to obtain
competitive environment. Researchers in their previous studies have examined the implications
of social media marketing in enhancing growth and development of organisation. In this study,
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researcher will more focus on how social media marketing transforms the perception of
consumers. How much impact social media marketing laid on customer through which they
attract towards the organisation. Researchers in their past studies also examined the process of
social media marketing and digital marketing and in this research researcher will examine the
challenges faced by the organisation during the process of social media marketing.
Rationale of study
Through this research, researcher will be able to enhance his or her level of knowledge
effectively and efficiently regarding the influence of social media marketing on consumers
perception. From this research, researcher will be able to gain access to Morrisons which is one
of the biggest supermarket and retail organisation in United Kingdom. This research will help
researcher in enhancing his or her level of knowledge regarding social media.
Aim and objectives
The aim of research study is “To understand the impact of social media marketing in
transforming perception of consumers; a study on Morrisons.”
Objectives
To summarised objectives to underpin the aim are listed below:
 To understand social media marketing strategies and methods.
 To analyse the impact of social media marketing in transforming perception of
consumers.
 To identify the challenges faced by Morrisons in social media marketing. To recommends ways which can improve social media marketing strategies of Morrisons.
Research Questions
Research questions are rudimentary part of research study. In order to enhance the
effectiveness of research, researcher needs to made certain sets of question that reflects on
research aim and objectives. In this context, in the following research researcher will answer
following questions which are described below:
1. What is social media marketing strategies and methods?
2. What are the impact of social media marketing in transforming perception of consumers?
3. What are the challenges faced by Morrisons in social media marketing?
Significance of study
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This research study will help in enhancing the level of knowledge of end readers. Social
media marketing is new trend which floats around the marketers of the organisation. Marketers
used different tactics to provide quality and creative advertisement on social media platform. In
this context, this research will further aid in enhancing the level of knowledge of marketers
working at Morrisons. From this research study, academicians preparing for or have competed
course in digital marketing will also be benefited as they will be able to know more about social
media marketing. Researcher will provide set of recommendations at the end of research project
which will help the management of Morrisons from which they can improve their social media
marketing practices.
LITERATURE REVIEW
In literature review, researcher contradicts and creates an argument by analysing the views of
authors and researchers in order to enhance his or her understanding about the subject matter.
The purpose of conducting literature review is to compare and contrast on what senior
researchers and academicians have proposed.
Social media marketing strategies
According to Fan and Gordon, (2014) social media marketing strategies refers to the
methods which are used by marketers where they promote goods and services of organisation on
social media platforms. These strategies are dynamic and changes according to the change in
trends and situations. In order to gain attraction from customers it is essential for the
organisations to utilise effective and efficient marketing strategies. Perera and Perera, (2018)
argued that social media marketing has been defined as the process of marketing on social media
websites. Marketers implement diverse strategies and methods in order to create marketing on
social media websites. In order to sustain in competitive environment it is essential and
important for the management of organisation to focus on devising plans and strategies that
enhances marketing and promotional activities.
Rodriguez Peterson and Ajjan, (2015) said that social media marketing becomes latest
trend among marketers. Through effective social media marketing strategies, marketing
management of organisations able to promulgates organisational productivity and profitability.
Social media marketing refers to the marketing tactics utilised by the business organisation
where they promote and advertise about their products and services using social media websites.
With the rise in internet technologies and evolution of social media perception of individuals and
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societies have been drastically transformed. Rowley and Keegan, (2017) said that marketers of
today's organisation have been greatly influenced from social media as they get a platform where
they can promote organisational goods and services effectively and efficiently. In order to sustain
in competitive environment it is very essential and crucial for marketers to utilise new and
advance technologies for their marketing practices. Social media websites such as Instagram,
YouTube, Facebook, etc. Social media marketing indeed transforms the perception of consumers
as well as marketers. With the evolution of internet and advance technologies, social media
marketing becomes the latest trends. It is time saving, cost effective and management needs to
put limited efforts to promote organisational products and services. Agnihotri, Hu and Krush,
(2016) argued that social media marketing indeed helps in enhancing the promotional activities
of the organisation but it also have some negative effects on organisation.
First, it is an open source as any individual can create account of particular social media
and can comment negative on organisational products and services. The comment can be viewed
by other viewers which might affects their psychology and hamper organisational reputation.
Second, any advertisement which target specific community or group on social media might
affects the psychology of particular community and management of that organisation has to face
legal consequence. Thus, it is essential for the marketers to construct quality advertisement on
social media website so that growth in customers can be seen. Digital technologies indeed
transforms organisational culture. By implementing advance and latest technologies within
organisational framework, management is now able to obtain competitive environment. One
such method of digital marketing is social media marketing. Tsimonis and Dimitriadis, (2014)
elucidated that social media marketing transforms the perception of marketers of today's
organisation. In order to sustain in competitive environment it becomes essential and equally
important for marketing management of the organisation to fully utilise social media platform
and create advertisement adequately in order to enhance the productivity and profitability of the
organisation.
Impact of social media marketing on consumer perception
O'Reilly and Lancendorfer, (2015) social media marketing are used many people because
it is user-friendly and anyone can use them. They are used for the advertising and promotion of
product on the website. The technology has become a major component that are useful for the
marketing purpose. The marketing strategic used with the help of new technology. At that time,
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social media marketing can play an important role in business process. Most of the companies
focus on their social factor. The presence of global expansion and using new technologies are
essential part of marketing such as promotion, prize, product, place etc.
Many companies are using different type of technologies that could be helpful for
expanding brand, improving the marketing strategies, many technologies as a foundation of
customer interaction. Constantinides, Schepers and Vries, (2015) agreed that social media and
information technologies are trend in the
market and with the help of advertising the company directly interacted with the customer.
Basically, Social media marketing are used widely for the product marketing and new branding
promotion through twitter, Facebook etc. Social media website is the origin of information
technology including the new product details, distribution detail of product. It will provide the
unique techniques to spread the detail of product on the web.
It will generate the wide range of online information through the internet. It will provide
the marketing tool to search the detail related product through web based and mobile phones
with share the detail of product (Fan and Gordon, 2014). Some times it very challenging part
when the company determine how the customer related information and what are the branding
impact on the customer in which positive comments shows the good impact on the internet and
negative comment impact wrong thing on the internet. These comment are known as brand
dialogue and can not be controlled by the company.
Social media is a very effective platform that are commonly used by company to support
the online marketing and branding. Facebook is platform that would be consider as a marketing
approach because Many new product are launched through the Facebook and they also provide
the information related brands and product details. This is the new way to introducing the
product and exchange the information to the customer. At that time, 93% business are done by
this social networking site because the product detail and their brand detail already given by this
platform. In 2013, 200 million people are using the online sites in the united states that will
spend 29 hours on the online product searching and networking site (Perera and Perera, 2018).
Facebook is the biggest platform because most of the people are using this technology. Internet is
essential part of every business for promoting their product and understanding the requirement of
customer. Brand knowledge is very important for every customer because they identify the actual
product detail and determine the quality of product. Brand is important when how the customer
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response towards the product. It is the best approach to directly interact with the consumer and
taking their feedback.
Challenges faced by marketers in social media marketing
Charlesworth, (2014) elaborated that there are various challenges faced by the
management of business organisation in the process of social media marketing. These challenges
become obstructions in delivering information to the customers using social media marketing.
O'Reilly and Lancendorfer, (2015) said that creating quality content is one of the biggest
challenge and obstruction faced by the organisation and marketers. Customers who does not find
the content or promotion creative or innovative tends to avoid that advertisement. This
negatively affects the marketing tactics of the organisation. To enhance the attraction of
customers it is essential for the marketers to create quality and innovative content. This will
enhance the profitability and customer attraction towards the organisation. Constantinides,
Schepers and Vries, (2015) said that another challenge of social media marketing faced by the
marketers is measurement of return on investment (ROI). It becomes difficult for business
organisation to measure return on investment on social media without using proper analytical
tools.
As per Buckley and Mossaz, (2018) it was said that intensity of use of technology within
companies is gradually decreasing the organic reach towards the customer by organisations. On
very fast bases there is increase in number of social media users that on monthly bases. So this is
amounting in larger number of social media traffic on these channels when people are positing
this post could be suppressing others in larger number. So this increased and higher social media
traffic which is then increased at the time when network would be working on very slow bases
and thus ultimately hindering the content of viewers.
Cantrell and Vallone, (2018) also included that there are number of cross channel
strategies which are been used and created which is optimising the content of social media
channels. It was seen that this multichannel strategies are sometime proven to be very much
challenging as number of channels are having their own format that could be dedicated to their
content and how it should be fitting as well. All the targeted audience of these pages or social
media channel would be having their own preference and habits which are not always necessary
that are meeting strategies of company. This is kind of impossible task that all these are working
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RESEARCH METHODOLOGY:
Research methodology is the structure of research study. In this circumstances, this part
considering explanation of research philosophy, research approach, research design, and research
strategy this all selected to research. Moreover, this report is providing information regarding the
way of data collection, sampling and data analysis. He or she must follow to study and research
limitations while facing the conducting and research the history.
Research philosophy: this report is dealing with source, nature and development of knowledge.
The first area which is covered by the is Saunders research onion. The research philosophy
classified into four parts that is interpretive, positivism, realism, and pragmatism. Inductive and
deductive two approaches are classified in research philosophy. The deductive research
approach is defined as used by researcher in their study where they have developed possibility in
the study. In the inductive research, where the question is research in their study.
Research Design: the researchers is defined in a different ways of research design. Some
researcher are followed between qualitative and quantitative. Some believes in researcher gather
precise data and analyse it. The term research design refers to the plan through which researcher
able to attempt research questions. To study there are so many different types of research design
are their for the researcher. Taking the help of qualitative research strategy assist to analyse the
numerical data in effective and efficient manner, therefore, aim and research study are helping in
qualitative research strategy.
Research strategy: Research strategy is an effective plan of action which is formulated by the
researcher in context of assisting him or her in attaining the set of objectives and aims of this
research projection. The researcher has utilised both qualitative and quantitative researcher
strategy in terms of accomplishment of the research's aim and objectives effectively.
Data Collection: In order to formulate, that whatever the data is generated by the researcher is
applicable and precise data. Essentially part of data collection is described by the research
history by the researcher. Primary and secondary sources are those two types of sources which
can be collect the data. Conducting surveys and interviews by the researcher is the part of the
primary sources. The study will be carried out at Morrisons where the contestant of research
would be marketing decision maker and employees working at marketing sector. Morrisons have
capabilities to gain the knowledge of about marketing to methodologies.
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Tsogether in collaboration in making cohesive brand impression so that they would be able to
respond to their audience.
Carah and Brown, (2018) said that no matter how hard work companies are doing on
their social media channels it could never be able to organise their work in weekly bases. So it
could be included that management of time and that of work is very much essential which is not
been able to be conducted on very easy and smooth note. Other than this management companies
are also suffering form their mismanagement in data like that of listening and learning about
their audience with the help of measuring brand reputation which is required.
The main challenges are facing in the social media marketing is connecting with the
consumer on their personal and individual level. They are using the marketing tool to connect
with the customer such as buffer Reply and Tweet Deck are using free and low cost.
There are some challenges of social media marketing are as following:
Create Social media marketing: Social media marketing strategy is very important
because without any specific plan there is no used for the marketing because the social media
plan to determine the actual need of customer.
Consistently coming with good content: Social media managing is the time-consuming
and it becomes full-time job for the employee. The media manager create the detail of product
that would be manage the response, update and controlled many profiles.
Content Quantity over the quality: In the social networking site, there are many posts
uploaded on the Facebook and high amount of data are to be store on the internet. Most of the
companies are post less content on the internet so that they will suffer so many problems.
Consumer are followed the brand and daily check the detail of item so that it is helpful to
manage their post on the internet (Kasemsap, 2018). Marketer will manage the whole digital
posts and uploaded graphics and generating the blogs.
Content to large social audience: Its very challenging part to promoting the product,
influence with the item, record the audience feedback this all are very challenging part of social
media marketing. The most important part to encouraging the news so that people are enjoyed
the blogs and there are many chances that people interact with the website and then will enjoy
the social media as well.
Finding new way to encouraging social media: This is also very challenging part because
the media manager will find the important information that work on internet few times. Hence,
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the other platform like Facebook, Instagram are posting many links and Article on the internet.
Twitter is the best example for the content because it can store information related new
launching product, new branding information and most of the people are using the twitter
(Misirlis and Vlachopoulou, 2018).
Create graphics and visuals: These are the most important factor of social media because
create a graphics, visual are very challenging part. These are the skill related challenges faced on
the social media marketing. Growth is the different factor that will figure out the activities and
focus on the social media marketing.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
ACTIVITIES AND TIMESCALE
Task / Duration in week 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Selection of topic
Developing the project
Preparing aims and objectives
Carrying out literature review
Developing research
methodology
Conducting primary research
Analysis of data
Evaluation of data
Conclusion and
recommendations
Draft Submission
Final submission to tutor
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Agnihotri, R., Hu, M.Y. and Krush, M.T., 2016. Social media: Influencing customer
satisfaction in B2B sales. Industrial Marketing Management, 53, pp.172-180.
Buckley, R. and Mossaz, A., 2018. Private conservation funding from wildlife tourism
enterprises in sub-Saharan Africa: Conservation marketing beliefs and practices. Biological
Conservation. 218. pp.57-63.
Cantrell, J., and Vallone, D., 2018. Recruiting and retaining youth and young adults: challenges
and opportunities in survey research for tobacco control. Tobacco control. 27(2). pp.147-
154.
Carah, N., and Brown, J., 2018. Emerging social media ‘platform’approaches to alcohol
marketing: a comparative analysis of the activity of the top 20 Australian alcohol brands on
Facebook (2012-2014). Critical Public Health. 28(1). pp.70-80.
Charlesworth, A., 2014. An introduction to social media marketing. Routledge
Constantinides, E., Schepers, L. and Vries, S.D., 2015. B2C social media value gap-model: a
study of the Dutch online retailing. International journal of electronic marketing and
retailing, 6(3), pp.179-193.
Fan, W. and Gordon, M.D., 2014. The power of social media analytics. Communications of the
ACM, 57(6), pp.74-81.
Kasemsap, K., 2018. The roles of social media marketing and brand management in global
marketing. In Social Media Marketing: Breakthroughs in Research and Practice (pp. 425-
453). IGI Global.
Misirlis, N. and Vlachopoulou, M., 2018. Social media metrics and analytics in marketing–
S3M: A mapping literature review. International Journal of Information Managemen. 38(1).
pp.270-276.
O'Reilly, K. and Lancendorfer, K.M., 2015. Using the power of social media marketing to build
consumer-based brand equity. In Marketing and Consumer Behavior: Concepts,
Methodologies, Tools, and Applications (pp. 2135-2156). IGI Global.
Perera, G.R. and Perera, I., 2018. Influence of Social Media Marketing on the Brand Image of
Organizations in the Hospitality Industry of Sri Lanka. In Media Influence: Breakthroughs
in Research and Practice (pp. 371-383). IGI Global.
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Rodriguez, M., Peterson, R.M. and Ajjan, H., 2015. CRM/social media technology: impact on
customer orientation process and organizational sales performance. In Ideas in Marketing:
Finding the New and Polishing the Old (pp. 636-638). Springer, Cham.
Rowley, J. and Keegan, B., 2017. Looking back, Going forward: the role and nature of
systematic literature reviews in digital marketing: a meta-analysis.
Tsimonis, G. and Dimitriadis, S., 2014. Brand strategies in social media. Marketing Intelligence
& Planning, 32(3), pp.328-344.
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