The Impact of Social Media Marketing on McDonald's: Research Proposal

This research proposal examines the impact of social media marketing on the fast-food industry, specifically focusing on McDonald's. The study investigates the background of social media's role in professional relationship development and the increasing need for social media presence in the competitive fast-food market. The problem statement highlights McDonald's need to enhance its digital presence to maintain its market position. The research aims to analyze social media's effect on market growth, identify marketing challenges faced by McDonald's, and suggest solutions to increase media presence and gain a competitive edge. The literature review explores the impact of social media marketing on brand equity, competitive advantage, and theoretical aspects of social media marketing. The methodology section outlines the research philosophy (positivism), approach (deductive), design (descriptive), data sources (primary and secondary), and data analysis techniques (quantitative). A time frame for the research activities is also included, from topic selection to the submission of the final work. The proposal concludes with a list of references and bibliography.

RESEARCH PROPOSAL
Name of the student
Name of the university
Author note

Table of contents
Topic:...............................................................................................................................................3
Chapter 1: Introduction....................................................................................................................3
Background of the research..........................................................................................................3
Problem statement........................................................................................................................3
Aim and objectives.......................................................................................................................3
Chapter 2: Literature review............................................................................................................4
Impact of social media marketing in emerging fast food industry..............................................4
Significance of social media marketing in gaining competitive advantage.................................4
Theoretical aspects of social media marketing............................................................................5
Chapter 3: Methodology..................................................................................................................5
Research philosophy....................................................................................................................5
Research approach.......................................................................................................................6
Research design............................................................................................................................6
Data sources and analysis............................................................................................................6
Time frame...................................................................................................................................6
References and bibliography:..........................................................................................................8

Topic:
The impact of social media marketing on fast food sectors: a case study on McDonald’s
Chapter 1: Introduction
Background of the research
Social media can be considered as the important element that can engage the professionals in
community relationship development process (Ahmad, Musa and Harun 2016). Especially in the
professional field, the social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook and others can promote
the service in cost effective manner. Analyzing the emerging competitiveness in the global fast
food sector, it has been identified that generating the better growth in the market, social media
presence has become necessary for the companies.
Problem statement
McDonald’s Germany has recently decided to bring digital development as well as maintaining
the individualism, in order to sustain in the competitive business environment. Being a modern
progressive company, maintaining the high popularity in the market, high influences of social
media, it is important for the company to promote its services through social media platforms
(Bhardwaj and Bharadwaj 2017). In the 21st century, influence of social media has become
essential for the marketing context. Especially the fast food companies like McDonald’s, which
has developed its strong popularity in the market, needs to enhance its existence in the social
media platforms for getting connected with the customers directly.
Aim and objectives
The aim of this research paper is to analyze the social media on generating the high market
growth. By continuing this, the research paper will focus on identifying the marketing challenges

faced by McDonald’s and provide some solutions so that the company can increase its media
presence for gaining competitive advantage.
 To identify the impact of social media in generating the high market growth in the
business operations.
 To analyze the marketing challenges faced by McDonald’s in the competitive business
environment
 To provide better solutions for increasing the social media presence of McDonalds to
ensure its sustainable position in the market.
Chapter 2: Literature review
Impact of social media marketing in emerging fast food industry
Social media advertising has become quite popular in the fast food industry for developing the
brand equity (Fernando and Fernando 2019). It cannot be denied that social media advertising
can contribute in bringing the positive impact on brand preference, brand loyalty and brand
image. Analyzing the emerging trends in the fast food sector, it has been identified that due to
changing consumption trends among the customers, developing the strong relationship with them
has become necessary. Increasing presence of people in the social media platforms can help the
companies to reach the customers in better manner.
Significance of social media marketing in gaining competitive advantage
Due to increasing opportunities in the market, high competitiveness in all over the fast food
industry, ensuring sustainable position in the market has become quite challenging for the
companies. In this situation, social media advertising practices can contribute in enhancing the
brand awareness by improving the search engine ranking (Alalwan 2018). It can promote the

better customer satisfaction that can help to maintain the uniqueness in the market. Social media
marketing can help to ignore the direct competitors in the market and it can clearly highlight the
unique benefits of the company. Through the social media marketing, company does not get
concerned due to the power of competitors but also the company show its concern towards the
audience.
Theoretical aspects of social media marketing
Analyzing the theoretical aspects of social media marketing it can be said that it has become the
unique marketing channel that can help to maintain the two way potential interaction process for
broadcasting the corporate messages (Chatzigeorgiou 2017). As per the interaction theory, it can
be said that by engaging the customers, it can promote the better satisfaction. The social media
marketing theory also gets influenced by the mass communication process that is connected with
the social behavior. The theoretical concept of social media can promote the better
communication with the customers and integrate the marketing ideas.
Chapter 3: Methodology
Research philosophy
The research philosophy helps to understand the research assumptions as well as beliefs that
generates the better ideas of the topic to the researcher (Kumar 2019). By continuing thus, it can
be said that through the research philosophy systematic thoughts of the researcher can be
represented. In this particular research paper, the positivism research philosophy will be selected
that can help the researcher to identify the research issue in scientific manner.

Research approach
In the research approach adding the data analysis and collection procedure, the framework is
being developed (Bresler and Stake 2017). In the research approach, the using the research
variables proper interpretation is being given adding the theories and models. The particular
research paper will be developed using the deductive research approach as the researcher will use
the existing models.
Research design
The descriptive research design will be used in the paper as the relationship between the topic
variable will be explained in descriptive manner in the paper.
Data sources and analysis
Both the primary and secondary research sources will be used by the researcher. The primary
data will be collected by conducting the survey on 20 customers through questionnaire. The
quantitative data analysis technique will help the researcher to convert the information into
numerical from. The secondary sources such as journals and articles will be used for the detailed
analysis.
Time frame
Activities 1st to
3rd
Week
4th to
10th
week
11th to
13th
Week
14th to
17th
Week
18th to
21st
Week
22nd
to 23rd
Week
24th
Week
Topic selection 
Collecting the data from
secondary sources
 

Creating layout for the
paper

Literature review   
Analysis and
interpretation of
collected primary data
  
Findings of the data  
Conclusion of the study 
Formation of draft  
Submission of final work 

References and bibliography:
Ahmad, N.S., Musa, R. and Harun, M.H.M., 2016. The impact of social media content marketing
(SMCM) towards brand health. Procedia Economics and Finance, 37(16), pp.331-336.
Fernando, R.D. and Fernando, P.I.N., 2019. Impact of Social Media Marketing Activities on
Consumer Buying Behavior for Casual Dining Restaurants in Sri Lanka.
Alalwan, A.A., 2018. Investigating the impact of social media advertising features on customer
purchase intention. International Journal of Information Management, 42, pp.65-77.
Chatzigeorgiou, C., 2017. Modelling the impact of social media influencers on behavioural
intentions of millennials: The case of tourism in rural areas in Greece.
Kumar, R., 2019. Research methodology: A step-by-step guide for beginners. Sage Publications
Limited.
Bresler, L. and Stake, R.E., 2017. Qualitative research methodology in music education.
In Critical Essays in Music Education (pp. 113-128). Routledge.
Fletcher, A.J., 2017. Applying critical realism in qualitative research: methodology meets
method. International journal of social research methodology, 20(2), pp.181-194.
Bhardwaj, D. and Bharadwaj, S.S., 2017, June. Understanding the Impact of Social Media on
Marketing Strategies of Organizations in India. In Proceedings of the 2017 ACM SIGMIS
Conference on Computers and People Research (pp. 105-108).