Philippine E-Journals

Effectiveness of Social Media Marketing: Perspectives from Selected Consumers in Pasay City

Ivy Jean G. Calleja | Redentor S. Baluyan | Ma. Hazel B. Babon

 

Abstract:

In today's technology-driven world, social networking sites have become an avenue where business owners can extend their marketing campaigns to a wider range of consumers. This is especially true for companies striving to gain a competitive advantage. Because of this trend, businesses must learn how to use social media in a way that is consistent with their business plan. With this background, the study endeavoured to determine whether social media is an effective tool in the marketing activities of selected businesses. Specifically, the study sought to answer the profile of the respondents in terms of age, gender, extent of social media use, and the frequently exposed company ad utilizing social media; the effectiveness of social media marketing in terms of attention, interest, desire and action; the significant difference on the effectiveness of social media marketing when respondents are group according to their gender and age; and, the significant relationship between time spent, frequency of use, frequently exposed company ad utilizing social media, and effectiveness of social media marketing. The study utilized the descriptive-correlation design of which certain variables were related to determine if significant relationship occurs. Respondents of the study are 100 conveniently selected social media consumers in Pasay City who were 15 years old and above. To determine the effectiveness of social media, the A-I-D-A theory of Elias St. Elmo Lewis in the late 1800s was borrowed to identify levels of attention, interest, desire, and action of the consumers towards the ad they have seen in social media. A researcher-made questionnaire based on the above theory was used. An almost equal mix of male and female with a majority of 15 to 24 years of age were the respondents of the study. They usually spend 1 to 3 hours two times a day socializing mostly with Facebook, Twitter and Instagram of which Lazada is the brand where they are commonly exposed to as ads in the social media. It was revealed that social media marketing is effective in terms of getting the attention (M=3.90), interest (M=4.06), and desire (M=3.92) of the respondents towards the ads seen in the social media. However, they are not sure to take an outright action towards the ads as reflected by its mean of 3.44 (neutral). Significant differences in the effectiveness of social media marketing only occurred between interest and gender where the p-value=0.000 (T-value=3.667, d.f.=98) is less than É‘=0.05, and between action and gender where the p-value=0.000 (T-value =3.673, d.f.=98) is less than É‘=0.05. Attention and time spent in the use of social media is X2 = 28.983, d.f.=16 and p=0.024 which is less than É‘=0.05 showing a significant relationship between the two variables. In addition, action and time spent in the use of social media is X2 = 39.676, d.f.=16 and p=0.001 which is less than É‘=0.05 showing also a significant relationship between the two variables. Companies should adapt social media as part of their marketing tool due to its effectiveness. However, a more explored study focusing on the factors attributed on consumers to act and buy products as advertised in social media is recommended.