Research Proposal and Timeline Development

This assignment requires the development of a research proposal and timeline for a social media marketing project. The proposal should include a clear background, aim and objectives, methodologies, data collection and analysis, and a conclusion. A detailed timeline is also required to outline the activities and milestones for completing the project within 13 weeks.

PROJECT PROPOSAL REPORT

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
Literature Review.............................................................................................................................2
Research Methodologies..................................................................................................................3
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................7

INTRODUCTION
Background
The marketing is one of the crucial part of the company as with the help of this,
promotional activities are effectively accomplished by firm. In relation to this, social media
marketing has paved the way for company in getting proper marketing which is time-saving and
cost-effective as well. It has become better tool for building stronger relationship with
consumers. There are numerous social media sites of which most popular used by hospitality
businesses are Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter as it is largely utilised by people.
Apart from marketing, firms can obtain feedback regarding their products by effectively
monitoring conversations made on online (4 Ways Hotels Can Benefit from Social Media. 2017).
This helps to make improvement in goods and services and as a result, customers are satisfied on
one hand and marketing activities are accomplished on other hand. Hospitality industry in which
Hilton Hotel operates also has much usage of social media marketing for promotional purpose.
This helps firm to attain profits in effective manner as better marketing is done.
Aim-
“To assess the significance of social media marketing on marketing activities of
organisation- A study on Hilton Hotel”
Objectives-
 To analyse importance of social media marketing on enhancing promotional activities of
Hilton Hotel
 To evaluate factors of social media marketing benefiting Hilton Hotel in achieving goals
 To make recommendations on improving social media marketing efforts of Hilton Hotel
Research Questions
Q1. What are the factors of social media marketing which are benefiting Hilton Hotel?
Q2. Do social media marketing is important to Hilton Hotel in marketing of its products and
services?
Q3. What is the relationship among social media marketing and success of firm?
Rationale of research
The social media marketing has offered various benefits to hospitality industry to market
its services to guests in a better way. For understanding factors and advantages of social media
1

marketing on marketing activities of firm, this topic has been taken. The main reason for
selection of this topic is that researcher has much interest in exploring facts about the same in
effective manner. In relation to this, benefits of social media marketing will be assessed on
Hilton Hotel to carry out appropriate results in the best way possible. Thus, such topic has been
taken for analysing results with ease.
Literature Review
Theme 1- Relationship of social media marketing and success of firm
As per the views of Xiang and et.al. (2017), marketing through online social media
channels have become increasingly popular among firms in order to attain better marketing. One
of the main factor by which social media is adopted by organisation is that it is time-saving. This
is evident from the fact that advertisement or post made on social media channels are
immediately accessed by people within shorter duration in effective manner. Further, it is cost-
effective for firm as in traditional method, more costs were being incurred for initiating
marketing activities.
According to Leung, Sun and Bai (2017), success of firm can be ascertained in effectual
way with the help of Internet and Web-based tools which provides faster way of marketing in the
best way possible. There is abundance of advantages of social media marketing by which
customers are communicated in a better way. Low cost investment is one of main essence of
marketing through social media as low costs are incurred for establishment but maximum
benefits are accomplished to business. The success is attained with the help of using social media
tools.
Theme 2- Relationship of social media marketing and direct communication
Harrigan and et.al (2017) says that social media marketing has paved the way for
organisation which was not accomplished by using traditional marketing tools. Direct
communication with the help of digital media channels can be achieved because of
implementation of such marketing. Direct communication allows for enabling two-way
communication with customers and social media. One of main benefit of such communication is
that transparency and honesty is attained. This helps firm to get familiar with company's
operations and enhances reputation of brand with ease.
2

As per the views of Alalwan and et.al. (2017), social media is tool for connecting with
customers and getting useful insights from them by carrying out their needs and demands in
effectual way. Due to online reviews posted on social media channels regarding customer's
experience with hotel, organisation can effectively analyse shortcomings and make
improvements. This leads to achievement of marketing activities of company in the best manner
possible. Engagement in social media is to be made by company so that it may be able to make
direct communication with the customers quite effectually. This will not only lead to
achievement of marketing objectives of firm but it will also strengthen its public relations.
Theme 3- Social media marketing and hospitality industry
Dieck and et.al. (2017) argues that hospitality industry is benefited by implementing
social media marketing as their tool for promotion of its products and services. Monitoring of
behaviour of audience through social media is the biggest advantage being available to company
in effective manner. Highly targeted campaigns being run by firm can be later monitored
whether responsive rate of customer's is high or below average. Thus, valuable information is
gathered leading to attainment of organisation's goals quite effectually. Customer relationship
can be enhanced by taking into account digital communication channels so as to enhance
customer experience and satisfaction, thereby, strengthening relationship with them.
Ukpabi and Karjaluoto (2017) says that social media marketing is impactful to hotel as it
can be used for continuous brand management. Customers can be provided with better
experience and as a result, customers can be provided with solution in the event of problems
encountered. Social media marketing is also useful for company as it helps to assess the views of
customers which can be beneficial for taking out feedback. This is beneficial for hospitality firms
in order to maximise satisfaction level of guests and also they become loyal to firm. This helps to
increase profits as marketing activities are successfully accomplished.
Research Methodologies
Research Type-
The research type is required so as to accomplish research results in a better way.
Basically, there are two types of research, qualitative and quantitative. Qualitative deals with
theoretical framework and takes into account qualitative factors (Fletcher, 2017). While,
numerical figures are being arrived by implementation of quantitative method. The researcher
3

will use quantitative method for research analysis in order to analyse significance of social media
marketing on Hilton Hotel.
Research Design-
The research design is another important part of research as through this, researcher is
able to execute the research in a proper direction quite effectually. There are two widely used
research design namely exploratory and descriptive. In present research, descriptive research
design will be used by researcher so as to analyse importance of social media marketing in
effective manner.
Research Approach-
The research approach provides way to scholar regarding the framework of steps needed
for accomplishment technique of data collection, making analysis and interpreting the same.
Deductive and inductive are research approaches used by researcher. In current study, deductive
approach will be taken by scholar for setting perfect framework for the project. This will be
taken by formulating hypothesis and after observation, rejection or acceptance of project will be
made.
Research Philosophy-
The philosophy in research is a belief and through this, data should be gathered and used.
Two philosophies which are mostly used are positivism and interpretivism by the researcher. In
current research, scholar will use interpretivism philosophy in order to make interpretations in a
better way. Thus, through implementation of interpretivism, researcher will be able to attain
appropriate outcome in the best way possible.
Sampling-
It is required that sampling must be done so that data can be gathered quite effectively. In
relation to this, simple random sampling method will be used by researcher so that researcher
may be able to attain desired results in effective manner (Ledford and Gast, 2018). The sample of
30 customers of Hilton Hotel will be taken by issuing questionnaires to them. Thus, desired
results will be accomplished in a better manner.
Data Collection-
4

The data can be attained through primary and secondary sources. In present research,
scholar will attain primary data by giving questionnaire to respondents for gathering their
viewpoints. On the other hand, secondary data will be collected from reliable sources such as
books, internet articles, journals etc. for getting desired data. Thus, access to both data will be
made and results will be accomplished.
Data Analysis-
Collecting data is important for researcher and after that analysing data is extremely
crucial for generating results of research. The scholar will produce themes on the basis of
questionnaire and outcome will be assessed. While, for more effective representation, charts will
also be made for enhancing visual presentation of results.
Timeline of research
Activiti
es 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
Resear
ch
propos
al topic
Listing
aim
and
objecti
ves
Backgr
ound of
researc
h topic
Applyi
ng
5

researc
h
method
ologies
Collect
ing
data
from
sources
Data
examin
ation
Interpr
etation
of data
Conclu
sion
and
recom
mendat
ions
Report
submis
sion
(draft)
Addres
sing
feedba
ck
6

comme
nts
Submis
sion
The above timeline shows that research will be completed within 13 weeks of time.
Hence, outcome will be attained.
7