Evaluating Social Media's Influence on Consumer Purchasing Decisions

This report investigates the influence of social media on consumer purchasing behavior. The study aims to evaluate how social media platforms and online advertisements affect consumer decisions. The research utilizes questionnaires and polls to gather data on user responses to online ads, factors influencing purchase decisions, and the impact of different advertisement schemes. The methodology includes both softcopy and hardcopy questionnaires distributed worldwide, targeting users across various demographics. A literature review explores existing research on the topic, and a timeline outlines the research activities. The findings of this research are intended to provide insights for businesses, helping them tailor their marketing strategies to align with consumer behavior patterns. The report also discusses the evolution of social media from a communication tool to a marketing platform and the importance of understanding consumer behavior in the digital age.

TO WHAT EXTENT DOES SOCIAL
MEDIA INFLUENCE CONSUMER’S
PURCHASES?

TABLE OF CONTENTS
PART 1............................................................................................................................................1
1.1 Introduction...........................................................................................................................1
1.2 Background and Significance of the study............................................................................1
1.3 Literature review...................................................................................................................2
1.4 Methodology.........................................................................................................................2
1.5 Timeline activities.................................................................................................................4
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6

PART 1
1.1 Introduction
The purpose of this research is to evaluate the level of the impact social media websites
and applications have had on consumer behaviour. In recent times, the use of social media
channels for communication has increased significantly, and it’s still on the rising trend. This
fact is clear when one considers the quarterly reports released by major social media sites such as
Facebook, Twitter, SinaWeibo, and the likes. Many marketers have noticed this trend and hence
decided to take their marketing to social media platforms. To this end, it becomes important to
get an understanding of the level of impact the social media has on consumer’s purchases since it
affects a marketer’s efforts.
In this study, I shall make use of questionnaires to evaluate how people respond to online
advertisements and what influences their purchase decisions. I shall also take into consideration
the different advertisement schemes, the pages’ people follow, and their interests in general. The
results of this research will help us understand what works and what doesn’t work regarding
marketing. I hope that this research will be helpful to businesses in general as it will help
businesses channel their efforts to suit consumer’s behavioural patterns.
1.2 Background and Significance of the study
It is human nature to socialise with people who share the same interests with them
(Distacco, 2014). Thus, humans take every feasible means of communication to interact with
others. For example, when radio and television were the mainstream media, people made use of
the phone in sessions on radio and TV talk shows to share air their views on issues with people
who are interested in it. However, with the advent of internet-based social media sites nowadays,
people air their views with others interested in it using social networks. Social media sites are
relatively cheaper to use and provide lots of functionalities when compared to radio, television,
and other means of communication (Brandtzaeg, 2009). The convenience of social media and its
functionalities are some reasons why people remain addicted to the use of social media sites
(Smith & Anderson, 2018). According to the Pew Research Center (2018), Facebook is the most
used social media platform in the United States, and it has been so since 2012 when it started
tracking user base of social media platforms.
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The rise of Internet-based social media platforms has made marketers reconsider their
marketing schemes. Also, social media platforms are helping the shift of marketing to social
media by providing analytic tools which aid better tracking of consumer behaviour and targeting
of advertisements. This can be noticed when one tracks the year-on-year increases in
advertisement revenues from major social media sites. To this end, this research becomes
important as it will help marketers understand the reasons behind consumer’s purchases. For
instance, a marketer will want to understand the factors on social media such as mentions,
friend’s recommendations, advertisements, etc. that influences a customer’s purchase decision.
In our attempt to understand the impact these factors, a list of potential factors that influences
consumer’s behaviour on social media shall be organised. Next, I shall make use of paid social
media poll systems to ask users of social media site show the listed factors affect their buying
decisions. Finally, a conclusion and suggestion shall be made based on the final results of polls.
Polls will be conducted on users of social media worldwide, and it shall cover users of all
demographics.
1.3 Literature review
The evolution of social media from a simple communication tool to a means of marketing
product and services has sparked many issues of discussion among several scholars. Some of
these issues range from security, privacy, fraud, government regulations, influences on
consumer’s purchases among several others. The influence of social media on customer’s
purchases is an issue many scholars have deliberated on in the past with different views on the
subject. For instance, Alsubagh, (2015) see the presence of firms on social media sites as an
influential factor in consumer’s choices and behaviours. (Fuller and et.al., 2009) are of the view
that through the use social media, consumers can create content and offer helpful information to
other users of platform which could influence buyer’s choices and preferences of a product.
While many literary works focus less on the use of social media tools for interaction with
users, this research shall focus more on the social media tools which influence consumer’s
behaviour. It shall go into details to study the impact of social media tools such as likes, retweets,
mentions, shares, videos, images, etc. on consumer’s preferences.
1.4 Methodology
In the course of this research, questionnaire shall be used extensively. The questionnaire shall
exist in two forms namely, softcopy and hardcopy. Softcopy questionnaires shall be delivered
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through the internet to respondents while hardcopy will be delivered to by hand to respondents.
The method of collecting data shall be anonymous,i.e., users will not be required to give us their
names or their social media identities. The use social media surveys and polls shall be
implemented during this research. The questionnaires and polls shall target users of social media
services worldwide of any demographic and it shall cover the major sites Facebook, Instagram,
Twitter, YouTube, Snapchat, We Chat, Weibo, and the likes. A possible difficulty which could
be experienced using questionnaires could be a low turnout of respondents which caused by fear
of loss of privacy or unwillingness to respond questionnaires. However, by assuring answering
that their information is confidential and by offering incentives to responsive this bottleneck
could be overcome. Research approach: Research approach determines to formulate successful plan to carry
present study. There are two kinds of approaches that are inductive and deductive. For
present study, deductive research survey selected to find appropriate outcomes (Lee and
Jarvik, 2014). Research design: Another methodology tool considers whole study in successful way. It
helps to support and collect relevant results at workplace. There are different designs
considered such as descriptive, experimental, etc. For the present investigating,
descriptive research design has been selected to find appropriate results. Research philosophy: Research philosophy depicts ways in which researcher is able to
gather more relevant data towards knowledge and analysis. There are different types of
research philosophies such as interpretivisim and positivism. In the present investigation,
interpretivisim research philosophy has been selected that assists to gather more relevant
outcomes (Daniel, Kumar and Omar, 2018). Methods of data collection: There are several ways that assists to acquire data and
information that is related with topic. In order to gather successful outcomes, it can be
stated that primary and secondary sources are required. Data collection: In the present research, two types of data are required such as primary
and secondary. For primary data collection, researcher considers questionnaire which is
designed to conduct survey. Furthermore, secondary data considers from previous
research and authors views. It helps to find appropriate consideration in whole program
(Vasilevsky, Schafer and Zwickey, 2015).
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 Data analysis: In the research, thematic analysis ascertained that develops with different
themes set by researcher on the basis of survey. On the basis of questionnaire, themes
must be prepared to focus on gathering more relevant work performances.
 Sampling: In order to determine sampling, it can be stated that simple random and non-
random methods are generally considered by researcher. In the present research,
researcher gathers data from simple random sampling. It helps to concentrate on
collecting more desired work performances (Pearson, Albon and Hubball, 2015). There
are 20 respondents selected as sample size that assists to find more effective work
performances.
1.5 Timeline activities
Activities Week 1 Week
2
Week
3
Week
4
Week
5
Week
6
Week 7 Week
8
Week
9
Week
10
Week
11
Defining
research
proposal
Defining
background
or rationale
for study
Literature
review
Deciding
aims and
objectives
Finalizing
aims and
objectives
Devising
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the
questionnai
re
Gathering
data
Examining
the data
Finding
Recommen
dation and
further
areas to be
consider
Final
Submission
5

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Alsubagh. (2015). The Impact of Social Networks on Consumer's Behaviours. International
Journal of Business and Social Science, 6(1), 210.
Brandtzaeg. (2009, July). Why people use social networking sites. Researchgate.
Daniel, B., Kumar, V. & Omar, N., (2018). Postgraduate conception of research methodology:
implications for learning and teaching. International Journal of Research & Method in
Education. 41(2). pp.220-236.
Distacco. (2014, September 22). Socialisation and Entertainment Habits of the Human Peoples.
Retrieved June 04, 2018, from Mad Scientist Journal:
http://madscientistjournal.org/2014/09/socialization-and-entertainment-habits-of-the-
human-peoples/
Fuller and et.al., (2009). Consumer Empowerment through internet-based co-creation. Journal of
information management systems, 26, 71-102.
Lee, C.I. & Jarvik, J.G., (2014). Patient-centered outcomes research in radiology: trends in
funding and methodology. Academic radiology. 21(9). pp.1156-1161.
Pearson, M.L., Albon, S.P. & Hubball, H., (2015). Case study methodology: Flexibility, rigour,
and ethical considerations for the scholarship of teaching and learning. Canadian
Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. 6(3). p.12.
Smith, & Anderson. (2018, March 1). Social Media use in 2018. Retrieved June 04, 2018, from
Pew Research Center: http://www.pewinternet.org/2018/03/01/social-media-use-in-2018/
Vasilevsky, N., Schafer, M. & Zwickey, H., (2015). Curriculum development of a research
laboratory methodology course for complementary and integrative medicine students.
Medical science educator. 25(2). pp.171-175.
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