The Impact of Social Media on Customer Behavior: Ryanair Case Study

This report investigates the impact of social media on customer behavior and decision-making, using Ryanair Airlines as a case study. The research examines how social media platforms influence consumer choices, brand recognition, and customer loyalty within the airline industry. It explores key elements affecting consumer decisions, such as service quality and online marketing strategies. The methodology includes qualitative research methods, specifically focusing on descriptive design and inductive approaches to gather insights from Ryanair customers. The report outlines the research methodology, including data sampling and ethical considerations, and presents a timeline for research activities, from setting objectives to data collection and analysis. The analysis aims to identify effective social media channels for Ryanair and provide recommendations for enhancing customer engagement and marketing effectiveness.

RESEARCH PROJECT

Table of Contents
1.1 Background of research field................................................................................................1
1.2 Stating the reason of chosen topic.........................................................................................2
1.3 Literature review...................................................................................................................2
1.4 Research methodology..........................................................................................................4
1.5 Appropriate timeline of research activities for agreed investigation....................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8

Title:- “To analyse the impact of social media on customer behaviour and their decision making:
A case study on Ryanair Airlines”
1.1 Background of research field
In modern era, social media can be stated as one of famous platform by which companies
easily reach to their customers. This part plays an important role in a research project where
researcher gets summary of an inquiry. Assignment's motive is to show effect of social media
that puts impact on buying ability of end users. Apart from this, project is also going to put light
on decision making process that consumers uses in same context (Ioanăs and Stoica, 2014). In
research area, few questions are also going to be made which will answer regarding all project
related scenarios.
Ryanair Airlines is an organisation which is running its business in all over the world.
This company was found in the year 1984. In initial years, most of the flights were flying in
domestic area only. In year 2016, company became the largest airline of Europe and it’s
headquarter is in Dublin, Ireland. But, primary operations is being done at London Stansted
airport from a long period. Ryanair airlines are serving their services in more than 34 countries.
In 2017, they made €6.648 billion as revenue and it has employees around 13000 who are
delivering services to its clients all around the globe (Kim and Ko, 2012). Away from this, there
are some tools and techniques which is helping in doing research has also been included under
this project. Lastly, few investigating strategies have also been considered which will aid in
completing the research in an effective and efficient manner.
There are some key aims and objectives in this research as mentioned below that are required to
be finished right on time :
 To find out some social media channels that can be termed as important
 To look at some elements that aid or affect consumer's while making determinations
 To endorse some tools by which Ryanair can grab attention of clients at marketplace
In this context, some questions are mentioned beneath:
 What are the social media channels that can be termed as important in marketing of
Ryanair Airlines?
 How and what are the elements aid or affect consumer's while making determinations?
 What are the tools by which Ryanair can grab attention of clients at marketplace?
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1.2 Stating the reason of chosen topic
In the present research report, the topic which have been selected is “To analyse the
impact of social media on customer behaviour and their decision making: A case study on
Ryanair Airlines”. This topic is being chosen because in today's world, most of the people stay
active on social media (Pookulangara and Koesler, 2011). Thus, it is one of ample number of
reasons while choosing this subject. It has been found that most of the firms are selecting social
media while doing promotional activities in marketing sector because people usually stay
connected with each other on some popular social sites like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc.
Apart from this, a type of media which can also be stated as cheap from other media as it do not
cost much to organisations and grabs attention of large number of clients.
Promotional activities can be done for many reasons like improving the profitability of
company, increasing sale of products and services, etc. Therefore, Analyst found that this topic is
an important element which needs to be properly taken with care by Ryanair Airlines so that
both; productivity and profitability will be increased. Complete analysis will pull up different
tools and techniques that are required to be used by this firm so that attention in large number
can be grabbed in a short period of time. In this context, advertisements can be stated as mostly
used by industries to give detailed knowledge of goods and services that they are delivering at
marketplace.
1.3 Literature review
This element can be termed as one of the main factors that provide views or thoughts of
scholars and researchers with regard to selected topic. In some researches, few investigators
stated that airline sector can be stated as a sensitive one. Because, it is important for these type of
industries to keep on building the interest of their clients. This scenario can easily help in making
long term relations with the end users (Rapp and et. al., 2013). It is essential for airlines to
become more consumer oriented as then only they will survive in the marketplace. Clients trust,
proper and regular usage of same service by them and etc., directly may put positive impact on
goodwill and brand image of Ryanair Airlines.
Social media channels that are important in marketing of Ryanair Airlines
According to Solomon and et. al., (2014), in the modern era, social media has taken over
places of many entertainments. Thus, people mostly stay active on social sites like Facebook,
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Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, etc. Therefore, Ryanair Airlines can grab the attention of clients by
utilising these sites in doing promotion. Apart from this, they have also made application which
is continuously helping them in giving proper and high level services to users. This site that they
have made gives so many opportunities to consumers like, they can see the arriving and
departure timing of flights, booking the tickets and paying them through EFT and etc. In a
research, it has been found that 70% of voyager promotes a brand if they meet with requirements
and needs of them.
According to Wang and Wei, (2012), there are many importance of social media and
these are mentioned beneath:
Brand Recognition: Sign or logo of Ryanair Airlines can easily help clients in
recognising the brand on social media. Apart from this, people can turn into consumer of
industries by reading comments of other clients on social media.
Brand Loyalty: Companies which have their own sites will automatically raise the
loyalty of their users as they can easily find changes that they have made in a detailed manner.
People become more loyal with Ryanair Airlines after looking at images of services that they
were providing in flights on their owned website.
Cheapest promoting media: In today's world, it has been located that most of people
stays connected to each other or stay active on social sites. Hence, most of organisations like
Ryanair Airlines, Easy jet and etc. uses this sort of advertisement as it do not cost much and
grabs attention of end user in a huge amount.
As per Solomon and et. al., (2014), it is stated that companies can uses different sort of
tools and techniques in doing promotions in this context. This also aid in getting advantages in
giving rivalry to competitors. Few social sites that most of people all around the world uses are
Canva, Facebook, Viral heat and etc. Away from this, most of business people are using
Facebook for promoting their products and services. Therefore, Ryanair Airline can also utilise
this sort of element that makes their position stronger at marketplace.
Elements influencing consumer's while making determinations
According to Ioanăs and Stoica, (2014), it is analysed that various factors are there which
influences consumers while making decisions. Few of these elements are : quality of goods and
services that an organisation is delivering to consumers, social media that has been chosen by
firms in different promotional aspects and etc. Few organisations uses these elements in an
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adequate manner who already have experience and already gained a huge image of brand at
marketplace.
Apart from this, there are ample number of examples in this context. It has been
concluded that an organisation who promoted their products and services on online sites may
easily grab attention of people in large amount. These online sites are : Facebook, Whatsapp,
Instagram and etc. Also, clients can give feedbacks on these sites regarding their experience that
they had in both positive and negative manner (Smith. 2015).
1.4 Research methodology
For researchers, it is essential to grab the data so that a conclusion can be made of
investigation that he/she have done. Apart for this, it is also mandatory for investigator to utilise
techniques by which person can come to a final and decent outcome at last of research when it
gets finished. In this context, analyser may use many methodologies to collect detailed data.
Kind of research
Usually most of investigators uses two different methods and these are qualitative and
quantitative. These researches includes perceptions and thoughts of common people (Hutter and
et. al., 2013). Here, analysts sets some targets and ask questions or take feedbacks from targeted
area and this collected information can be stated as relevant data for set objective. Apart from
this, some other ways can be like, taking interviews, survey and etc.
Most of time, firms uses quantitative method which pulls up results in form of numbers,
facts and figures. Mainly, investigators utilises this type of procedure to compare current
situation with past. Techniques which has been used in this context give opportunities to
superiors so that better determinations can be made for future. Mathematical analyses or statistics
are usually being used in this type of analyses.
In context of presented report, qualitative method has been used. This type of technique
aid in grabbing perceptions of people that what they think about industries. Taking feedbacks
from clients regarding their experiences that they had in past can come under this methodology.
Research design
Under this, whole activities comes which needs to be done by investigator in regards to
research. It includes various sort of strategies that may help in getting logical and illogical results
at the end of subject. These designs are of three types and are as follows: experimental,
descriptive and exploratory. In context of this report, descriptive design can be stated as most
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suitable one to pull up the results in both effective and efficient manner (Hudson and Thal,
2013).
Research approaches
Under this, assignment gets divided into two important elements and these are deductive
and inductive. To bring put suitable conclusions, qualitative method is being used most of time
in an adequate manner (Goodrich and De Mooij, 2014). Hence, inductive can be termed as more
befitting structures in this contexts. Both of these structures do differs from each other. Inductive
gives results in form of detailed data regarding set objective and aid in making new theory. On
the other hand, deductive can be stated as a testing theory.
Data sampling
Investigator, uses this type of method very often. It is a statistical method which is being
utilised by researcher in choosing, evaluating or bringing up good measures. This is mostly
shows difference between past and current position and aid them in making better decisions for
future. There are two methods like Probabilistic and Non Probabilistic can be used to achieve set
targets right on time. In this kind of research, investigator chose 20 respondents that are already
clients of Ryanair Airlines.
Ethical consideration
Under this area, investigator faces many problems and matters while researching in
context of set objective. Hence, this aid in attaining goals or resolving issues regards to research.
Respondents while answering questionnaire may get hesitated. It is mandatory for workers who
are taking feedbacks from respondents to make them belief that gathered information will stay
confidential (Chu, 2011).
1.5 Appropriate timeline of research activities for agreed investigation
To carry out this research for Ryanair Airlines it is essential to make proper schedule
which organisation can adopt:
Designing aims and objectives : This can be stated as initial stage where investigator
needs to set targets. In regards to this, researcher may take 2 to 3 days in pulling out desired
objective.
Preparation of primary data source : this can be stated as the part where analysts asks
some questions from consumers by which their perceptions and appropriate data can be pulled
out.
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Data collection : In this context, data can be collected in two different ways and these are
primary and secondary.
Data analysis : Investigators under this, analyses all the relevant data which has been
collected by them (Castronovo and Huang, 2012). This helps them in planning all the detailed
decisions which needs to be taken to improvise situations.
Conclusion and recommendations : After making determination and implementing
them. Final job is to carry out results that needs to be as same as desired target (Bruhn,
Schoenmueller and Schäfer, 2012). Apart from this, suggestions can also be taken from team
members who worked while doing research.
Work break down structure
Gantt chart
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Critical path
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REFERENCES
Books and journals
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.
Castronovo, C. and Huang, L., 2012. Social media in an alternative marketing communication
model. Journal of Marketing Development and Competitiveness, 6(1), p.117.
Chu, S.C., 2011. Viral advertising in social media: Participation in Facebook groups and
responses among college-aged users. Journal of interactive advertising, 12(1), pp.30-43.
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.
Hudson, S. and Thal, K., 2013. The impact of social media on the consumer decision process:
Implications for tourism marketing. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing, 30(1-2),
pp.156-160.
Hutter and et. al., 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.
Ioanăs, E. and Stoica, I., 2014. Social media and its impact on consumers behavior. International
Journal of Economic Practices and Theories, 4(2), pp.295-303.
Kim, A.J. and Ko, E., 2012. Do social media marketing activities enhance customer equity? An
empirical study of luxury fashion brand. Journal of Business Research, 65(10),
pp.1480-1486.
Pookulangara, S. and Koesler, K., 2011. Cultural influence on consumers' usage of social
networks and its' impact on online purchase intentions. Journal of Retailing and
Consumer Services, 18(4), pp.348-354.
Rapp, A., Beitelspacher, L.S., Grewal, D. and Hughes, D.E., 2013. Understanding social media
effects across seller, retailer, and consumer interactions. Journal of the Academy of
Marketing Science, 41(5), pp.547-566.
Solomon, M.R. and et. al., 2014. Consumer behavior: Buying, having, and being (Vol. 10).
Pearson.
Wang, X., Yu, C. and Wei, Y., 2012. Social media peer communication and impacts on purchase
intentions: A consumer socialization framework. Journal of interactive marketing,
26(4), pp.198-208.
Online
Smith. 2015. [Online]. Available through : <https://www.lyfemarketing.com/blog/importance-
social-media-business/>.
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