Assignment Time
DECONSTRUCTION OF LITERATURE 11
Deconstruction of Literature
Essay: Source One
Research was conducted by the editorial manager of MarketSherpa, known as Dr. Liva LaMontagne. The title of the research was “MarketSherpa consumer purchase preferences survey: Demographics of customers’ reasons to follow brand’s social accounts.” The purpose of the research focused into matters related to consumers following brands on the social media (LaMontagne, 2015). The research sought to fundamentally understand reasons why consumers preferred following brands on social media, the age group who is more likely to do so, and the type of products people mostly look for on social media. The research question is, “Why do people follow brands on the social media? The statement of the problem was to know why people are shifting to social media to follow up brands (LaMontagne, 2015).
Methodology
The author comprised the information from an online survey. Consumer study individuals were United States citizens. In an effort to provide credible results, and represent people from all age groups, researchers used individuals, ages eighteen to sixty-five years of age. Customers selected for this specific research study were male and female participants. Consumers were chosen from different parts of the country, and in the findings; the results were filed according to where the subjects came from. The researcher applied other strategic methods to understand the reason why consumers follow products on social media.
The authored examined motivating factors based on the paradox of human instinct. The practice shapes information of inquiry to consumer’s reference source of social media websites, and distinct motivating reasons. Data collection occurred systematically to ensure the best possible results. Study participants were provided the same questions, which eliminated biases, and provided a premise of research data concerning exact products individuals seek on social media. Participants were provided freedom to verbalize their views on any subject matter directly related to the research question, and the opportunity to choose other alternative means used to research product brands.
Results
The results of the findings examined how individuals who follow brands and products on social media are young consumers compared to mature consumers. However, there were individuals from different genders, and geographical regions. The research stated seventy-four percent of consumers in the age bracket of fifty-five to sixty-four use social media. Seventy-one percent of participants sixty-five years and older indicated their use social media. An overwhelming ninety-five percent of individuals ages eighteen to forty-four use social media, and eighty-five percent of participants forty-five to fifty-four explained their access of social media. However, when it comes to individuals who follow brands on social media, the numbers were intrinsic, and fundamentally different, because according to LaMontagne (2015), only thirty-five of people aged from 54 years and above followed brands on social media.
The essence and evaluation of gender results were quite different. Eighty-seven percent of women used social media, but only sixty-one percent followed product brands on social media. Whereas, eighty-two percent of male participants accessed social media, and only fifty-five percent followed product brands on social media.
Looking at the results, one realizes there are distinctive differences between access to social media, and following product brands on social media. At the same time, ages, and genders matter when it comes to following product brands on social media outlets.
Conclusion
Social media is a platform used by consumers as a socialization mechanism, and business forum. The research provided an indicative balance of the effects of social media on different users. Researchers provided credible details that answer research questions, and assist with understanding why, and who uses social media to follow product brands. The findings project factual evidence related to knowledge that mature age groups in society may not use social media outlets as routine as younger consumers, and women are better suited as leading users of social media.
Essay- Source Two
Research was conducted by Michel Laroche, Mohammad Reza Habibi, and Marie-Odile Richard. The title of the research is “To be or not to be in social media: How Brand loyalty is affected by social media?”, and the purpose of the research evaluated how social media has an effect on brand loyalty. The research has focused on the availability of individuals on social media platforms (Laroche et al, 2013). Researchers elicited different social media platforms. The key concepts discussed in the research were if social media has the capability of influencing brand trust, if social media is a suitable platform for brand promotion, and the effects social media has on relationships of customers, brands, and organizations.
Methodology
The research did not provide specifics on the demographics of the participants. However, the number of individuals questioned was four hundred and forty-one. Participants were located using social media, and researchers used different ways to solicit potential subjects. Social media provides numerous platforms users utilize to communicate, and inform one another, and the researchers used those platforms to ideally provide answers to research problems. Researchers concluded Facebook, Wikipedia, YouTube, Twitter, and Second Life are widely used platforms, which provided a large number of potential subjects.
Marketing of goods on social media is exercised by many organizations in the modern day. Researchers took advantage of such strategies, and asked about their performance (Laroche et al, 2013). This lesson taught researchers the psychological effects social media has in society. Research identified that social media is used by many who seek a sense of belonging. Therefore, realization demonstrated infectiously by organizations that use social media are more likely to have consumers who feel connected to the organization or brand, which establishes a sense of belonging. By learning, and understanding social media trends, researchers succinctly established how the relationship between the users, the brand, and organizational marketing is affected.
Results
The researchers evaluated how the availability of a brand on social media has an effect on the relations of the brand, the users, and the organization. Research discovered that most of the modern generation is salient to social media based on socialization purposes. With this in mind, an organization that uses the same platform attracts a large number of users. According to the study, the interactions that take place on social media have an effect on the users. There are cases of individuals who met on social media, and ended up being long time close friends, and even soul mates. Offering insight if an organization would use this opportunity, they gain the capability of attracting users to their product brands.
Social media is not only a place where people meet, and socialize, but also an informative platform. A good example is Wikipedia, where users search for information needed. If an organization posts information on social media, they can attract a large number of users (Laroche et al, 2013). When users are attracted to a brand, it is the responsibility of the organization to provide consumers with information about the product brand, and provide a continuous chain of communication. This is a tactful organization approach to attract social media users, influence brand trust, which leads to brand loyalty.
Conclusion
The researchers provided exemplary and credible results based on factual evidence of study. Realization of results announced the effect social media has on modern society. Modern day organizations solicit products on social media, and to some effect have over-populated the platform.
Social media platform has an effect on brand loyalty, leading one to inquire, “If social media did not have an influence on brand loyalty, then why are more organizations marketing their products on social media? Well, if social media was not bearing any fruit, it is more likely no organization would be interested in marketing goods on the social media platform.
Essay- Source Three
Research was conducted by M. Onur Gulbahar, and Yildirim Fazli. The topic of the research was “Marketing Efforts Related to Social Media Channels and Mobile Application Usage in Tourism: Case Study in Istanbul." Research looked into way social media has affected the tourism sector. Organizations use social media to market goods and services, the study expounded on the most used social media platforms, and the research concentrated on hotels in Istanbul, and Turkey (Gulgahar & Fazli, 2015). The research question was “Which social media channel is preferred for marketing efforts in Turkey or which channels are used by companies for CRM based efforts?”, and the research problem identified the most used social media platforms, and understanding how organizations use such platforms.
Methodology
The research focused on the tourism sector, and briefly touched on the hotel situation in those locations. To obtain credible information, researchers used nineteen different hotels. There were questions which developed, primarily the same, which ensured the gathered results would properly assist researchers. Researchers made sure each hotel questioned identified social media platforms used to market services. Social media platforms included in the research were Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Foursquare, Google+, Pinterest, and websites. The researchers looked at the effectiveness of using different platforms in the hotel, and looked at the challenges faced by the hotels using the platforms.
To avoid biases, researchers not evaluated hotels that use social media platforms; they also included hotels that do not use social media platforms. The selection model used was random sampling. This method ensured researchers did not have information about the subjects, made certain the process remained ethical, and met research requirements, and standards. The research focused on social media platforms accessed on a computer system, and mobile applications. This assisted with understanding if the availability of technology devices can hinder the entire process.
Results
Research results suggests out of the nineteen hotels evaluated, only one hotel did not have a social media marketing mechanism in place. However, though they did not have a social media marketing arrangement, they did have three social media platforms in place; Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Information revealed there are different factors that affect social media marketing strategy, and customer age is one of them (Raji, 2014). Some hotels receive clients from specific age groups who do not access social media regularly. The group preference angled towards watching news coverage or reading newspapers. Therefore, attempting to attract this age group through social media outlets would not provide a fruitful financial bottom line.
Hotel location played a important role in the study. Locations near airports are in advantageous position, and benefit from social media marketing. They are easier to locate through social media, and easy to access the hotels once consumers land in specific destinations.
Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are social media platforms used in the study by the hotels. In most cases, the hotels posted promotions, and advertisements for clients. Some hotels consulted with visitors to obtain feedback, and provide information concerning advertisements or services provided. Some limitations were realized in using social media to advertise hotel products, and many did not have a department that dealt with social media marketing.
Conclusion
The authors provided an exorable research related to the subject matter. The research did not concentrate on one aspect, but sought a deeper research approach to social media and marketing (Gulbahar & Fazli, 2015). In the modern day, locating information on social media about hotels is a signature process, and depicted in the research. Researchers provided information on issues concerning challenges faced by the hotels that use social media as a marketing platform. The methodology and findings note many hotels benefit from social media platforms.
References
LaMontagne, L. (2015). MarketingSherpa consumer purchase preference survey: Demographics of customer reasons to follow brands’ social accounts. Retrieved from https://www.marketingsherpa.com/article/chart/demographics-why-customer-follow brands-social-media
Laroche, M., Habibi, M. R., & Richard, M. O. (2013). To be or not to be in social media: How brand loyalty is affected by social media? International Journal of Information Management, 33(1). 76–82. doi:10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2012.07.003
Gulbahar, M. O. &. Fazli, Y. (2015). Marketing efforts related to Social Media channels and mobile application usage in tourism: Case study in Istanbul. Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences, 195(3). 453-462. doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.06.489
Raji, S. (2014). Online Social Media and Networks: Impact on Marketing Practice. Retrieved from https://www.ama.org/publications/e-publications/pages/ama-journal-reader-july-14 social-media.aspx
