Assessing the Impact of Social Media and Digital Marketing on Business

This report assesses the impact of social media and digital marketing on business operations, focusing on the cloud kitchen sector and using Just Eat as a case study. It explores the concepts, methods, and techniques of social media and digital marketing, and evaluates their influence on business growth. The research includes a literature review, methodology, data analysis, and a conclusion with recommendations. The objectives include understanding the concepts, identifying marketing techniques, evaluating the impacts of social media, and providing recommendations to address implementation challenges. The report covers the background of marketing, the evolution of digital marketing, and the importance of promotion in business success, as well as the significance of the study for businesses, marketing professionals, and government. The research questions address the concepts, techniques, impacts, and recommendations related to social media and digital marketing. The structure of the dissertation includes an introduction, literature review, research methodology, data analysis, conclusion, and recommendations.

TO ASSESS THE IMPACT
OF SOCIAL MEDIA AND
DIGITAL MARKETING
IN THE GROWTH OF
BUSINESS OPERATIONS

Table of Contents
Table of Contents.............................................................................................................................................
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................................
Background.............................................................................................................................................3
Background of sector...............................................................................................................................4
Research aim and objectives....................................................................................................................5
Research Question...................................................................................................................................5
Rationale of studying...............................................................................................................................5
Significance of study...............................................................................................................................6
Dissertation structure...............................................................................................................................6
Chapter 2: Literature Review........................................................................................................................
Theme 1: Social media and digital marketing..........................................................................................8
Theme 2: Methods and techniques of social media and digital marketing.............................................10
Theme 3: Impact of social media marketing on growth.........................................................................12
CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY........................................................................................
Research type.........................................................................................................................................16
Research Approach................................................................................................................................17
Research Philosophy..............................................................................................................................18
Research Design....................................................................................................................................19
Research Onion.....................................................................................................................................20
Data Collection......................................................................................................................................20
Data Analysis........................................................................................................................................21
Reliability and Validity..........................................................................................................................22
Research Limitation...............................................................................................................................22
Ethical Consideration............................................................................................................................23
CHAPTER 4: DATA ANALYSIS...............................................................................................................
Social media and digital marketing........................................................................................................25
Social media and digital marketing strategies........................................................................................28
Impact of social media marketing and digital marketing on growth......................................................36
Chapter 5: CONCLUSION and Recommendations...................................................................................
Conclusion.............................................................................................................................................39
Recommendations.................................................................................................................................40
REFERENCES.............................................................................................................................................

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
Background
Marketing is denoted as promoting company’s products and services in front of the
potential customers in the respective market. In respect to the corporate sector and organizations
marketing is among the major activity which favour the entities to achieve the overall objectives
behind the business practices deliver by such organizations. Digital marketing and social
media promotion has become a crucial part of business activity as these practices belong to the
primary activities involve in doing business operations. This research project will cover all
different areas and practices associated with the marketing and promotion of the organizations
associated with the business environment (Gupta and Nimkar, 2020). Over the period of time
business environment has addressed multiple changes due to its volatile and capability of serving
new ideologies and believes which in longer context has served and catered multiple new ideas
and strategies which could expand the scale of business operations. Promotion has become one
of the major functional activity which organization cater and deliver in the regular business
operations. The background of the study is totally based on understanding the concept of
marketing and promotions in order to achieve business objectives. This study further will
reflect over the role marketing and promotion will play in against to do the business practices.
The concept of marketing and promotion is about to highlight the products and services offer by
organization in such a way that company get to convince the potential level of customers to
producer the product or services offer by company. It is necessary that organization and business
entity reflect the utility of the product and services in all its marketing and promotion activities
than only it will be capable to motivate customers to buy such products.
Competition is also a major element which influence the marketing and promotion
activity entertained by business ventures. On the basis of level of competition which organization
needed to address in respective market place entire promotion and marketing campaign is
designed and form by organizations. This study would identify and try to figure out what does
marketing operations means to an organization and also the elements involve in marketing
activity that undertake immense success of the company against the promotion activity
entertained by business ventures. Marketing and promotion has been a part of business

operations since very long time now and all these operations and activities are delivered with the
support of effective and potential strategies that can project the product of company in the best
way possible (Oluwasola, 2020). This entire study will also focus over identifying the best
suitable approaches or strategic choices which company can deliver in order to achieve the
overall promotion and marketing objectives play a role in the overall growth and success of the
business operations. Over the period of time due to the openness and healthy competition
associated with the business environment it could continuously cater to new techniques and
approaches which can favour the marketing and promotion strategies of the respective business
organizations. Earlier many traditional mode or ways that could involve in marketing and
promotion of companies like radio, television, holding and other such tactics and approaches
which could favour the marketing and promotion approaches of the business entity (Ayers,
2020). Over the period of time business environment cater to immense amount of changes which
also modified approximately every single operation and functional activity associated with the
business environment. The modern era of promotion and marketing due to technological
advancement has been keen towards modern approaches like social media marketing, digital
promotions and such related strategic choices that can allow companies to not only promote the
product or services offer by them along with these techniques favour the companies to control
respective marketing and promotion campaigns of company. Digital marketing and social media
marketing are such techniques and approaches that support businesses in not only promote the
services and products of company but also these strategies provide necessary support to control
the respective campaigns.
Background of sector
Cloud Kitchen is the services in which companies provide home delivery services
related to food products. Under this practice customer get the facility where they can order food
of their wants and interest from any restaurant, hotel or other places that offer delicious food
items. This is the modern way to deliver catering services where customers get the opportunity to
order their meal just on one click (TADELE, 2019). Companies like Just Eats are involved in
delivering the cloud Kitchen services to customers in United Kingdom. This is among the major
business entity that is engaged in delivering its services to customers across the United Kingdom.
The organization has gained immense level of popularity with the support of customer friendly
services and facilities that could convert in positive brand value across United Kingdom.

Research aim and objectives
Aim
 To assess the impact of social media and digital marketing in the growth of business
operations. A study on Just Eat.
Objectives
 To understand concept of social media and digital marketing in respect to business
operations.
 To identify different methods or techniques for social media and digital marketing in
respect to Just Eat.
 To evaluate key impacts social media and digital marketing on growth of Just Eat and its
contribution in cloud kitchen industry.
 To provide necessary recommendations for addressing the challenges of implementing
social media and digital marketing.
Research Question
Q.1) What is the concept of social media and digital marketing in respect to business operations?
Q.2) What are the key techniques of social media and digital marketing in respect to cloud
Kitchen sector?
Q.3) What are the key impacts of social media and digital marketing in the growth of businesses
in cloud kitchen sector?
Q.4) What are recommendations to address the challenges associated with social media and
digital marketing?
Rationale of studying
This research is delivered to identify the effectiveness of the marketing and promotion
activity of the business entity. This research would address all key areas associated with the
marketing and promotion in respect to business houses. The key reason behind doing this
research is to know the impact marketing campaign and operations can create in the overall
growth and success of the business entity. Over the period of time marketing has been evolved
immensely and this has also become one of the key reason behind doing this research.

Understanding social media and digital marketing concept has become one of the major reason
behind doing this entire research project. The rationale of research focuses over the importance
of the digital and social media marketing in the overall growth of the business entities. This
study will also try to evaluate the key approaches that can favor the overall success of the social
media and digital marketing tactic. The another key reason behind doing this study is to identify
the potential level of development entire marketing campaign will deliver in the success of
business entity. The focus of this study is also over addressing various key challenges that
overcome the potential success of marketing and promotional campaign.
Significance of study
Management of the Just Eat will get the potential advantage from this study as they
will get to know and understand the significance of marketing and digital promotion in the
overall growth and development of business entity. Marketing and social media professionals
who have been involved in delivering effective level of marketing and promotion campaign will
also get an eye in respect to suitable marketing and promotional strategies that can favour the
overall success of the marketing campaign. Government will also be among the key stakeholder
involve in this study as they get the clear vision in regard to grow the various social media and
digital promotion channel as the overall success of the businesses directly favour to government.
This entire study will benefit to many individuals that are directly or indirectly associated with
the marketing and promotion activities. All types of business entity not only Just Eat but other
also who are involved in delivering services under cloud kitchen sector will get a potential
advantage from this study as they get to understand the need and requirement of digital and
social media marketing activities in the overall growth of business activities.
Dissertation structure
This dissertation would be done based on the standard approach and structure used to
channelizes research report. This would start with the introduction section that would cover
research aim and objectives, research question, rationale of the study, significance of the entire
research. Furthermore, structure of the research comprises with literature review author in the
basis of the opinions and views given by different intellectual and writers over marketing will be
presented with the support of suitable theme to address all the objectives behind the research.
Furthermore, this dissertation covers the research methodology section. This section will
comprise with types of research, data collection, data analysis and other such aspects related to

the research. IN the final stage of the research data analysis section would present with the
support of collected information. Data analysis has been among the key section part of the
research that would create a huge influence over the outcomes of the entire research. IN the end
of the dissertation study the crux of the research would be concluded with the support of
conclusion section and suitable recommendations will provide to deal with different challenges
identified behind the marketing of the organisation. Dissertation structure involve following
chapters that can be denoted in the following points.
Introduction chapter: This involve brief introduction of the entire report. IT comprises with the
background, aim, objectives, rationale, significance and such related topics. This chapter of
dissertation involve precise description about the study.
Literature review chapter: This section of study involves views and opinions given by
different authors and researchers over the topic. Critical evaluation over the topic of study is
done in this part of study.
Research Methodology Chapter: This part of study involves research type, approach,
philosophy, data collection, analysis, ethical consideration like topics. This involves basic
structure of research study or the fundamental of the entire project or study.
Data Analysis Chapter: This involve analysing information. This part is conducted with the
support of questionnaire technique where peoples are involved in interview process so that
researcher can collect necessary information over the topic of study.
Conclusion and Recommendations Chapter: This part off study comprises with conclusion
and also researcher will provide necessary recommendations under this part of study.
Chapter 2: Literature Review
Literature review is a chapter where views and studios of different author is discussed.
Opinion and views provided by writers and book authors over social media and digital

promotions in respect to cloud kitchen sector will be discussed in this part of the research
project. Critical evaluation will summarise that will be helpful in identifying all positive and
negative areas associated with the topic.
Theme 1: Social media and digital marketing
Social media and digital marketing both these concepts are interlinked with each other.
Mavragani, Nikolaidou and Theodoraki, (2019), has defined as social media marketing and
digital promotion is the similar marketing concept the only difference is in form of channels used
for promotion. The basic concept of marketing is used in these practices also but the key focus is
over utilizing social media platforms and digital channels to promote the product and services
offer by business entity. Over the period of time many platforms have been evolved and
developed like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat and other social media platforms
along with many digital channels like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hot star and other such digital
platforms that are involved in OTP network to entertain people. Company can use these
platforms or channels under the social media and digital marketing to promote the products and
services company is offering to its customers. The basic concept is about to promote the products
and services offer by business entity with the support of different social media platforms and
digital channels that can provide potential reach of customers. These platforms create a huge
reach of potential customers for the business entities as billions of peoples are constantly active
over these applications which create a massive reach for the companies to promote the products
and services they are offering to target customers in market.
As per the views of Karaaou and Çiçek, (2019), over social media and digital marketing
in context to cloud kitchen sector it is predicted that these are the modern techniques and
methods of promotion and marketing. These techniques use new age ideologies and tactics like
social media platforms include Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and other such platforms of
promotion and marketing. The reach of social media platforms is huge as billions of users are
constantly active over these platforms which make them significant for marketing and promotion
practices. The mass number of users constantly being involved in this platform make it more
useful in favor of the companies and business entities that are delivering business objectives
under the could kitchen sector. Especially in case of cloud kitchen sectors the entire industry
totally driven through different social media channels as the potential customers belong to the
sector are active over these networks which further expand the reach of these platforms in

respect to promote the services. The cloud kitchen sector is totally uninfluenced with the digital
marketing and social media promotion as all the obvious customer base are active over these
network.
Views of Adeola, Hinson and Evans (2020), over social media and digital marketing
denote that this entire concept is about to use the modern or latest tools and platforms to promote
the product and services of the business entity. Earlier marketing and promotion was very hectic
as it required plenty of efforts and time of professionals to deliver successful marketing
campaign. Involvement of digital channels and social media platforms has played a massive role
in the success of the marketing and promotion technique. The concept of social media marketing
and digital promotion is only not restricted to channelize the marketing and promotion campaign
along with this involve controlling the overall outcome of the campaigning. In case of marketing
controlling campaign is equally important than to deliver the marketing or promotion activities in
respect to business entity.
The concept of digital marketing and social media promotion is similar as compare to
usual marketing or promotion but the only difference is in choosing the platforms where these
campaigns will launch by the business entity. Ištvanić and et.al. (2017), has also projected in its
studios over digital marketing and social media promotion that it involves utilization of all the
major social media and digital platforms to conduct promotion of company’s products. In case of
cloud kitchen sector marketing play the key role as it allows company to attract customers to
fetch the order. The entire industry is involving order food products by sitting at home. As the
sector require digital tools and application which favor by the digital marketing and social media
marketing technique to promote the products and services of organization. Digital marketing and
social media promotion is among the primary practices which business entities are undertaking
to boost up growth opportunities for these organizations.
Theme 2: Methods and techniques of social media and digital marketing
As per the views illustrated by Kent and et.al. (2019), over social media marketing and
digital promotions of company’s product is that the entire practice is associated with multiple
techniques or methods. Organizations can use tools or platforms like Facebook, Instagram,
Twitter in regard to channelize the social media marketing practice. All these platforms carry
billions of active users all across the globe which significantly favor to the company in order to

entertain massive success against the business. In case of digital promotions platforms like
Netflix, Amazon Prime and other such platforms are used to channelizes marketing and
promotion campaigning of business entity. Ortega and et.al. (2018), projected that all these
platforms allow the organization to deliver its marketing campaign in such a way that
professionals get opportunity to not only implement marketing campaign along with they also
get the scope for controlling entire campaign. Social media promotion and digital marketing both
these campaigning create scope for business entity to not only sustain the sales capacity of
business organization along with these practices further allow the business entity to boost up
overall growth of the entity. In case of business operation growth is considered as among the
major objectives behind the operation activity deliver by organization.
In the study over digital marketing and social media promotion Prajapati and Bhavsar
(2018), has reflected the approaches like in the initial level of campaigning layout all goals are
done. This involve identifying all the goals that drive the marketing and promotion campaign.
The second step is about to identify the potential customer base and also to learn the audience.
This involve highlighting the possible consumer which business entity can attract in against to
the services and products deliver by business entity. Zahoor and Qureshi, (2017), identified that
this practice involves surveying the product to identify the audience, demographics are also
analyzed so that possible customer base can identify by the entity. The other approaches used in
the social media and digital marketing is that company do not keep the same strategy for all the
platforms used under marketing activity. Every single platform is analyzed and on the basis of
the evaluation of single platform marketing activities are deliver by the business professionals.
Every platform has its own significance and characteristic and on the basis of such
elements marketing and promotion activities are deliver by the organization. It is crucial that
based on the level of presence of target customers over different platforms diversification must
be sustained by the professionals to achieve the overall target of promotion and marketing.
Buchanan and et.al. (2018), has focuses over video driven content for promotion and marketing.
The study of author reflects that majority of potential customer base favor or take interest in
video oriented content rather than over reading material. Video driven content make marketing
activities more engaging and energetic in favor of the potential customers in market. Videos can
attract to all types of consumer irrespective of individual scale of organization to attract customer

base. It is also crucial that company usage user generated content as a part of digital marketing or
promotion activities.
Kayumovich and Kamalovna, (2019), has criticized the social media and digital
marketing in its study over the promotions as it has stated that all these platforms are full of
wrong campaigning. The criticism Facebook, Instagram, Twitter face is related to authenticity. It
is experienced that over these network many wrong or unauthentic campaigning is identified
which completely spoil the essence of marketing. Trust is a big and crucial element work behind
the overall success of the marketing activities and due to the fake campaigning and frauds with
many customers these platforms could lose the customer loyalty. It is important to gain the
success against the marketing and promotion activity that company gain trust of its customer
base against the marketing activity only if the customer has trust in campaigning. Many cases
have been reported where customer got cheated over these platforms that could demolish the
success of marketing and promotion over these platforms.
As the views illustrated by Ho and Wang, (2020), social media marketing and digital
promotion immensely influence with the social media influence. Companies approaching social
media and digital stars that are influence in nature. These stars can attract to customers very
easily. Especially in case of cloud kitchen sector where services are delivered over online
platform marketing help in engaging with potential customers in market. MacInnis and et.al.
(2020), Social media and digital influence provide a suitable basis where company get to
promote its products in such a way that customers find it engaging in respect to the product and
services it delivers. In case of cloud kitchen sector where customer loyalty plays key role in the
overall success and failure of the marketing campaign. These social media influences can
provide a support to the organization in gaining customer loyalty against the campaigning it
could deliver by the business entity. Furthermore, many other strategic choices like brand
ambassador is also a clinical practice where company can try to motivate the customers to buy
products and services offer by business entity. This strategic choice is a potential way to deliver
marketing and promotion campaign.
On the basis of opinions given by Kakouri (2020), over social media and digital
marketing strategies there are several criticisms that provide as a limitation for these marketing
tools. Many times influencers in process to earn extra money start doing wrong advertisements

and the promotion of famous people brands and products. This all creates negative environment
for the digital marketing and social media promotion. People and customers in market started
losing the interest in the product as they feel these campaigns will result into a fraudulent activity
which will result into loss of the funds and financial resources. Many times due to inappropriate
research and study social media stars start doing promotion which result into non-profitable and
bad decision-making on behalf of the potential customers in market. All these are the negative
side associated with the social media and digital marketing that result into the bad publicity and
marketing activities result. It becomes the huge responsibility of the starts and influences who
are involved in promotion and marketing activity that they should assess and analysis the market
situation and the authenticity of product they are trying to sell before doing any contract with
respective brand. This will improve the brand value of the product along with the support
towards the influence and star that are associated with the campaign. Many criticisms are face by
social media and digital promotions due to these star do not take any accountability once they
face any scandal against the marketing advertisements they try to portrait. All these create
negative environment in respect to the promotional practices used by these stars.
Theme 3: Impact of social media marketing on growth.
According to the Ekwueme, and Akagwu (2017), growth of company is now depending
upon the digital marketing and online platforms which has become major part in marketing. It
increases the social media platform of the company which help company to grow worldwide and
capture new market. New audience can be reached through digital platforms which leads to
increase in sales. Whereas, Asare (2018) criticizes that, digital marketing is time-consuming
process where marketer have to spend more time to engage the online platforms and brings
traffic to your website and timely responsive to the audience who are interested. Time is
consumed to bring new customers to your website and proper research have been done which
take time.
As per the view of Ibrahim and Liu, Schuckert and Law (2018), digital marketing
increase brand promotion to worldwide and can be known in major of the market. This market is
covered through digital platforms with the use of hashtag and updated status, reach more and
more people to engage the interested people looking for the same. It shows the brand presence to
interested customers in the market to make the purchase of the product or service. While, Huang,
and et.al. (2019), criticize that, digital platforms also bring risk of being negative impact on the