IMPLICATIONS, LIMITATIONS AND DIRECTION FOR FUTURE
RESEARCH
As mentioned earlier in the study, sensing the importance and benefits, many marketers are ventured into the world of social media to use them for marketing, customer service and promotional purposes (Kwon & Sung, 2011). The current study offers practical implications to the retailers.
While corporate sites can be used for marketing and sales activities, social media sites are a platform purely for marketing, brand awareness and relationship building tool. Retailers can reach out to their target markets using a mix of social media sites and also a number of features available on social media. For example, companies like Ikea uses an assortment of social media sites i.e. uses Facebook and Twitter to upload pictures and interact with their customers while massively relying on YouTube for its Do-It-Yourself segment.
By being present on social media they can have a dedicated staff to interact and assist the customers, provide latest news or updates, advertise their products and services at a very low cost. Additionally, the marketers can launch their products on social media and can ask for consumer comments and feedback on their products and services. This would make the customer feel important and would deepen their loyalty towards the brand. Moreover, by doing so the company can retain their existing customers at the same
time attract new or potential customers. As the current study supports, users may feel pressure from their peers or might want to enjoy the same benefits as their peers and this may motivate them to follow a particular brand or retailer.
Lastly, social media is a low cost mass-marketing tool. The marketers needs to ensure that they a) have a presence and social media, b) devise effective online marketing strategies and c) employ dedicated social media staff to continually interact, entertain and engage the users.
However, there are a few limitations to the current study. Although college students are the prime users of social media, the subject for this study is limited to the college students in the south-eastern region. This may affect the generalizability of the findings. Future research can be conducted to study the effect of social media marketing for various product categories. Incorporating different brands targeting different age groups into the study subjects may enrich the findings. Social media sites offer various marketing tools and avenues which imply that a study can be conducted to examine the benefits of different tools. A comparison study showing the benefits of using different social media as marketing platforms would be interesting and may provide retailers with more detailed implications than the current findings.
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APPENDIX A
QUESTIONNAIRE
Information Sharing
1. I can get the latest news and events about a brand from social media.
Strongly Disagree DisagreeNeither Agree nor Disagree Agree Strongly Agree
2. I tend share news stories on social media.
Strongly Disagree DisagreeNeither Agree nor Disagree Agree Strongly Agree
3. I tend to share news stories contributed by other users on social media.
Strongly Disagree DisagreeNeither Agree nor Disagree Agree Strongly Agree
4. I use social media to provide others with brand information.
Strongly Disagree DisagreeNeither Agree nor Disagree Agree Strongly Agree
5. I get useful information from social media
Strongly Disagree DisagreeNeither Agree nor Disagree Agree Strongly Agree
6. I use social media to share information that may be of use or interest to
Strongly Disagree DisagreeNeither Agree nor Disagree Agree Strongly Agree
Peer Pressure
7. I discuss brands on social media because everybody else is doing it.
Strongly Disagree DisagreeNeither Agree nor Disagree Agree Strongly Agree
8. I tend to go with opinions of my friends.
Strongly Disagree DisagreeNeither Agree nor Disagree Agree Strongly Agree
9. If my friend follows a brand on social media, I would do the same.
Strongly Disagree DisagreeNeither Agree nor Disagree Agree Strongly Agree
10. If my friend asks me to follow a brand on social media, I would more likely
to do it.
Strongly Disagree DisagreeNeither Agree nor Disagree Agree Strongly Agree
11. When it comes to social media, I tend to follow a brand recommended by
others (or friends?)
Strongly Disagree DisagreeNeither Agree nor Disagree Agree Strongly Agree
Strongly Disagree DisagreeNeither Agree nor Disagree Agree Strongly Agree
13. I am likely to discuss and recommend brands on social media if people
important to me, think I should do so.
Strongly Disagree DisagreeNeither Agree nor Disagree Agree Strongly Agree
14. People who I listen to could influence me to try a brand recommended on
social media.
Strongly Disagree DisagreeNeither Agree nor Disagree Agree Strongly Agree
15. It is important to me what my family and friends would approve/disapprove
of my doing on social media.
Strongly Disagree DisagreeNeither Agree nor Disagree Agree Strongly Agree
Entertainment
16. Brand presence on social media is entertaining.
Strongly Disagree DisagreeNeither Agree nor Disagree Agree Strongly Agree
17. Interacting on social media is fun.
Strongly Disagree DisagreeNeither Agree nor Disagree Agree Strongly Agree
Strongly Disagree DisagreeNeither Agree nor Disagree Agree Strongly Agree
19. Participating in activities conducted on social media allows me to unwind.
Strongly Disagree DisagreeNeither Agree nor Disagree Agree Strongly Agree
20. Using social media for brand-related activities is enjoyable.
Strongly Disagree DisagreeNeither Agree nor Disagree Agree Strongly Agree
21. I like to play around on social media.
Strongly Disagree DisagreeNeither Agree nor Disagree Agree Strongly Agree
Emotional Connection
22. I feel connected to a brand on social media when it helps portray what I am
like as a person.
Strongly Disagree DisagreeNeither Agree nor Disagree Agree Strongly Agree
23. I feel emotionally bonded to a brand on social media.
Strongly Disagree DisagreeNeither Agree nor Disagree Agree Strongly Agree
24. A brand I follow on social media say something to other people about who I
Strongly Disagree DisagreeNeither Agree nor Disagree Agree Strongly Agree
25. My thoughts and feelings toward brands on social media come to my mind
naturally and instantly.
Strongly Disagree DisagreeNeither Agree nor Disagree Agree Strongly Agree
Attitude towards brands
26. Please indicate the degree to which the brand in social media affected your
feelings toward the brand:
Dislike more–like more
Strongly Dislike Somewhat Dislike Neutral Somewhat Like Strongly Like
27. Please indicate the degree to which the brand in social media affected your
feelings toward the brand:
More negative–more positive
Strongly Dislike Somewhat Dislike Neutral Somewhat Like Strongly Like
28. Please indicate the degree to which the brand in social media affected your
feelings toward the brand:
More bad–more good
Strongly Dislike Somewhat Dislike Neutral Somewhat Like Strongly Like
29. Please indicate the degree to which the brand in social media affected your
feelings toward the brand:
Strongly Dislike Somewhat Dislike Neutral Somewhat Like Strongly Like
Purchase Intention
30. I would buy a brand recommended or discussed on social media.
Strongly Disagree DisagreeNeither Agree nor Disagree Agree Strongly Agree
31. I would consider buying products from brands recommended or discussed
on social media.
Strongly Disagree DisagreeNeither Agree nor Disagree Agree Strongly Agree
32. I would expect to buy products from brands on social media.
Strongly Disagree DisagreeNeither Agree nor Disagree Agree Strongly Agree
33. I would plan to buy a product from brands on social media.
Strongly Disagree DisagreeNeither Agree nor Disagree Agree Strongly Agree
Demographic Questions
34. Please Specify the Gender
Male Female
35. Please Specify your age
36. Which of the following social media do you use daily? Facebook Twitter YouTube LinkedIn Blogs
37.On an average how many times in a day do use social media?
1-2 times 3-4 times 5-6 times 7-8 times 9-10 times
More than 10 times a day
38.On an average how many hours in a day do you spend on social media?
1 hour or less 2-3 hours 4-5 hours 6-7 hours 8-9 hours 10 or more hours
39. Which of the following product categories would you like to discuss on
Phones Computers Apparels Shoes Sports equipment Cars
40. Which of the following categories of products recommended or discussed
on social media are you likely to purchase?
Phones Computers Apparels Shoes Sports equipment Cars
41. Have you purchased any of the following product(s) recommended or
discussed on social media?
Phones Computers Apparels Shoes Sports equipment Cars
42. I enjoy the following marketing tactics used by brands present on social