Alghamdi, E. A., & Bogari, N. (2020). The impact of social media platforms “Instagram” and “Snapchat” on the purchasing decision – Structural equation modeling approach. International Journal of Online Marketing, 10(1), 72-94. Web.
According to this article, social media tools have great potential in online shopping and e-marketing. Alghamdi and Bogari (2020) investigate how two major social media platforms, Instagram and Snapchat, have revolutionized customers’ purchasing decisions through blogger recommendations and advertisements. The researchers have used confirmatory factor analysis to discuss the structural utilization of social media marketing and how it attracts customers. The results indicated the impact of these two major SM platforms in creating an eWOM – electronic word of mouth – among the consumers. Digital marketing, through social media platforms, have greatly increased among users due to the consumer’s passion and extensive smartphone usage. For this reason, companies now utilize these two platforms to attract customers and generate higher revenues.
The latest boom in social media has made organizations recognize the effectiveness of applying such platforms for advertising and marketing. This article is relevant and accurate since it highlights social media’s revolution in influencing consumers’ purchasing. The authors have rich experience in online marketing and have sufficient knowledge in the subject matter as they are actively involved in teaching business and marketing at the university level. Both Alghamdi and Bogari are professors in the School of Business at King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The publication of their research in an international journal combined with their educational affiliation to marketing make this source credible. The article accurately answers the research question as they have used the leading social media platforms as case studies.
Artanti, Y., Hari Prasetyo, F., & Sulistyowati, R. (2019). How social media marketing influences online purchasing decision: Study of the viral marketing and perceived ease of use. KnE Social Sciences, 3(11), 988-1004. Web.
This article elaborates on how social media marketing has greatly influenced online purchasing decisions. Artanti et al. (2019) highlight how social media brings excellent opportunities for new commerce and communication methods between consumers and markets. As social media now moves from a powerhouse of communication and photo sharing to an online array of items, a massive collection of marketing opportunities is now in place. Social media permeance has tremendously shifted and improved how consumers buy products.
Artanti et al. (2019) assert that when social media is utilized correctly and strategically, marketers can place themselves into a customer’s conversation by creating a purchasing moment, which appeals to emotion, fixes a problem, or offer entertainment. A great benefit of using social media for consumer purchases is an opportunity to increase sales traffic by efficiently interacting with users and creating rich and engaging encounters for both new and existing buyers. The article is relevant as it proves that social media is very influential in purchase decisions compared to a retail website.
The authors of this source are professors in business and marketing in the University of Negeri Surabaya and they have written many similar works in other business fields. KnE Social Sciences is a series covering trending issues in many disciplines, including law, business, economics, and accounting. These two reasons make this source credible and reliable for studying this topic. The article provides a comprehensive answer to the research question by using the concept of viral marketing and how businesses use it to attract customers.
Kadry, S., & Khaled, F. (2019). Using social media to attract customers in Lebanon. The Journal of Social Sciences Research, 5(8), 1217-1229. Web.
Most people nowadays spend much of their time on the Internet and particularly on social media, including Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and many more. Many businesses have identified this trend and are using this opportunity to attract as many customers as possible. Kadry and Khaled (2019) conducted research to ascertain how Lebanon businesses use social media to attract customers. According to the findings, consumers get instant information regarding a particular product, making advertising easier. The authors have broad knowledge and experience in business administration and marketing. Seifedine Kadry is a professor at Beirut Arab University in Lebanon, while Fatima Khaled is from the Faculty of Business Administration in the same institution. According to these authors, social media marketing influences a customer’s purchase decision, making most companies prefer advertising online. This source is credible because the writers have relevant academic knowledge and experience in the field of business. The article answers the research question very well as the study was done with customers at the pre-purchase stage and compared with their actual purchases, which confirmed that many businesses use social media marketing to attract customers.
Müller A. (2018) Referral marketing on social media platforms—guidelines on how businesses can identify and successfully integrate opinion leaders in their online marketing strategy. In: V. von Gizycki. & C.A. Elias. (Eds.), Omnichannel Branding (pp. 131-171). Springer. Web.
When making decisions about buying, customers consider several factors, and one of them is the company image. For this reason, some businesses use opinion leaders to boost the reputation of their corporations. Examples of this approach include utilizing such celebrities as comedians, TV hosts, and music artists. When these individuals endorse a product or service, their audience, which is the target market, can find out about the product and be motivated to opt to buy it instead of similar alternatives in the market. According to Müller (2018), social media marketing helps businesses to attract more clients and improve their loyalty. The author is an experienced market researcher with over five years’ experience in market analysis. The article comprehensively covers the concept of digital networking and the significant role that social media play in modern marketing. This source is on influencer marketing, and it answers the research question extensively since most businesses today are adopting this strategy to attract more customers to increase their sales and profit margin.
Omoyza, I., & M. Edwin, A. (2016). Effectiveness of social media networks as a strategic tool for organizational marketing management. The Journal of Internet Banking and Commerce, 01(s2). Web.
Marketing management is not a new terminology in the business field, but it has taken a new turn in the wake of the social media era. Oyza and Edwin (2016) argue that social media has become a useful strategic marketing tool that most companies have turned to. By integrating various elements of the market, strategic managers utilize such social media platforms as Facebook and Twitter to run viral ads with clickable links redirecting potential customers to their websites. This lead enables them to view the range of products they sell. Through this approach, more clients are attracted to the business since most people use social media for various reasons.
The two authors have a wealthy knowledge of business and marketing. Omoyza holds a BSc in Marketing from Covenant University, while Edwin is an associate professor of marketing and strategic management in the School of Business in the same institution. The Journal of International Banking and Commerce produces high-quality articles in business, marketing, and management. The source answers the research question accurately by illustrating how most social media users get attracted to companies that advertise their products through the platforms. Therefore, this strategy increases the product’s visibility on the Internet, thereby attracting more clients.
Riorini, S., V. (2018). Social media marketing toward perceptual consciousness and its impact on online purchasing intention. European Research Studies Journal, 0(1), 402-416. Web.
Nowadays, with the rapid growth of internet users, social media advertising has become very popular. Most companies have recruited digital marketers aiming at reaping the benefits of online promotion by attracting more customers in such platforms as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. According to Riorini (2018), many businesses connect their corporate marketing programs with consumers through social media. Therefore, approaching the specific target for certain products increases their intention to buy the merchandise.
An online shopper is likely to refer friends and family to a particular business through social media, thereby attracting more customers. Riorini, a business lecturer at Trisakti University, is an experienced researcher who has written many publications, including brand evangelism, strategic marketing, and business dynamics; thus, the source is credible. The researcher has also used an appropriate conceptual framework of perceptual consciousness regarding how the intention of an Internet user increases when they come across an ad. Therefore, this source answers the research question precisely, with an extended illustration of the way the number of sales and social media marketing are related.