SOCIAL MEDIA ADVERTISING AND ITS INFLUENCE ON AUDIENCE PREFERENCE OF SIMILAR PRODUCT

SOCIAL MEDIA ADVERTISING AND ITS INFLUENCE ON AUDIENCE PREFERENCE OF SIMILAR PRODUCT

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1     BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

Recent statistics indicate that the number of people accessing the Internet exceeds two billion four hundred thousand, i.e. 34% the world’s population (Internet World Stats 2013). Moreover, one out of every seven people in the world has a Facebook profile and nearly four in five Internet users visit social media sites (Nielsen 2012). With the number of Internet and social media users growing worldwide, it is essential for communication managers to understand online consumer behavior.

Consumers are increasingly using social media sites to search for information and turning away from traditional media, such as television, radio, and magazines (Mangold and Faulds 2009). The advent of social media has transformed traditional one-way communication into multi-dimensional, two-way, peer-to-peer communication (Berthon, Pitt, and Campbell 2008). Social media platforms offer an opportunity for customers to interact with other consumers; thus, companies are no longer the sole source of brand communication (Li and Bernoff 2011). The social Web is changing traditional marketing communications. Traditional brand communications that were previously controlled and administered by brand and marketing managers are gradually being shaped by consumers.

Social media is most suitable in definition as a group of new kinds of online media, which enable users to share their individual experience from distance location. Anthony (2015) sees social media as participation which encourages contributions and feedback from everyone who is interested. It blurs the line between media and audience.

The social media services are open to feedback and participation. They encourage vital media activities like voting, commenting and most importantly sharing of information. The social media is better seen as two-way communication or conversation within the communities. Social media strive on their connectedness feature making use of