Impact of Social Media on Business Sales

Introduction

Social media has revolutionized how businesses interact with customers and significantly impacted sales. Social media platforms give businesses a direct channel to their target audience, allowing them to promote their products and services, build brand awareness, and engage with their customers in real-time. Social media also provides businesses with valuable data and insights that can be used to optimize marketing strategies and increase sales. However, the impact of social media on business sales can vary greatly depending on the industry, target audience, and marketing strategy used. This essay analyses the impact of social media on the sales of various commodities, specifically coca cola. The essay elaborates on the ways used in conducting the research. Random questions were asked, and they were studied in the essay. Answers to the questions are the main concern as the reviews give the public’s general view on the problem matter. The collected data is tabulated and analyzed using graphical presentations to compare the market and social media sales. The essay also discusses the study’s limitations and challenges during data collection and analysis. Having all that, the question of the influence of social media on the sale of goods is answered. The essay also gives general recommendations and suggests improvements to the commodities to capture the general population. Lastly, conclusions are made based on the general objectives and findings of the research.

Discussion

Social media has become an integral part of the modern business landscape, and its impact on sales and marketing cannot be ignored. It has led to an improvement in the sales of products and awareness of brands. Additionally, there is increased brand awareness. Social media platforms allow businesses to reach a broader audience and increase brand awareness (Pourkhani et al., 2019). Through targeted advertising, social media campaigns, and influencer marketing, businesses can promote their products and services to a wider audience than traditional marketing channels. By increasing brand awareness, businesses can attract new customers and generate more sales (Arnaboldi & Coget, 2016). Additionally, social media can help businesses establish themselves as thought leaders in their industry, further increasing their credibility and driving sales.

Moreover, Social media allows businesses to engage with their customers in real-time, creating a more personalized and authentic experience. By responding to customer inquiries and feedback on social media, businesses can build stronger customer relationships and improve customer satisfaction (Cartwright, Liu & Raddats 2021). Social media can also promote loyalty programs, exclusive offers, and other incentives to encourage customers to make repeat purchases. By engaging with customers on social media, businesses can create a sense of community around their brand, further improving customer loyalty and driving sales. Overall, social media is an effective tool for businesses to improve customer engagement and ultimately increase sales.

Case scenario

There was a case scenario of Coca Cola Company. A Quantitative Content Analysis of Coca-Cola’s Social Media examination of how the public receives Coca-Cola’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives on social media. The study used a quantitative content analysis approach to analyze a sample size of over 3,000—user-generated posts related to Coca-Cola’s CSR initiatives on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The research specifically examined the impact of different CSR initiatives on the public’s perception and engagement with the brand (Jones, Borgman, & Ulusoy, 2015). The study identifies three types of CSR initiatives: environmental sustainability, social welfare, and cause-related marketing. Environmental sustainability initiatives included Coca-Cola’s efforts to reduce its carbon footprint and water usage, while social welfare initiatives included programs to improve access to education and clean water. Cause-related marketing initiatives linked the purchase of Coca-Cola products to charitable donations or other social causes.

The study’s main objective is to ascertain the importance of considering the type of CSR initiatives a company undertakes when evaluating their impact on the public’s perception and engagement with the brand. By focusing on environmental sustainability initiatives. This study also aims to provide valuable insights for companies leveraging CSR initiatives on social media to increase brand loyalty and engagement (Quinton, S., & Wilson, 2016). Companies can tailor their CSR efforts to maximize their impact on social media and beyond by understanding the types of initiatives that resonate with their target audience. Additionally, the study highlights the importance of transparency and authenticity in CSR initiatives, as users may be more sceptical of campaigns that appear to be primarily driven by marketing objectives.

Findings

The table below shows the research results done in the case scenario. It comprises positive responses given and negative ones with the corresponding percentages of the same.

This table provides a breakdown of the number of positive and negative responses for each CSR initiative type and the total number of responses analyzed. The positive and negative response columns provide the exact number of user-generated posts expressing appreciation or approval of the CSR initiative, scepticism, or criticism. The positive and negative response percentages represent the percentage of user-generated posts expressing positive or negative sentiment towards the CSR initiative (Shabbir, Ghazi & Mehmood, 2016).

The data shows that environmental sustainability initiatives received the highest positive responses (2,096) and the lowest negative responses (336), indicating that these initiatives were the most well-received by the public on social media. Social welfare initiatives received fewer positive responses (1,532) and more negative responses (456) than environmental sustainability initiatives. Cause-related marketing initiatives received the lowest positive responses (1,120) and the highest negative responses (700) among the three CSR initiative types.

Data analysis

Below is a graph that analyzes the data presented in the table above to solve the issue investigated on social media regarding the sale of commodities.

Explanation

The study results a show that environmental sustainability initiatives received the most positive public Response, with users expressing appreciation for Coca-Cola’s efforts to reduce their environmental impact. Social welfare initiatives also received a positive response, although to a lesser extent. On the other hand, cause-related marketing initiatives received an additional mixed response, with some users expressing cynicism about the company’s motives and the effectiveness of the campaigns (Jones, Borgman & Ulusoy, 2015). The study also found that users were more likely to engage with posts related to environmental sustainability initiatives, suggesting that these initiatives may be more effective at driving engagement and increasing brand loyalty. However, the study notes that the effectiveness of CSR initiatives can vary depending on the specific audience and social media platform (Gavino et al., 2019). Coca-Cola generated a positive response from the public and increased engagement on social media. However, the study also suggests that companies should be mindful of potential scepticism and criticism when engaging in cause-related marketing initiatives (Rodriguez, Peterson& Krishnan, 2012).

As described in the results above, continued interactions between the sellers and customers are essential as it encourages proper brand awareness, as described in the discussion subsection. Additionally, increased customer-seller interactions provide a friendly environment in the business sector.

Limitations encountered

In every research, there are always limitations. Specifically, in this study, some people needed clarification on the reviews to give. Either led to them choosing a negative or positive response without the liquidity knowledge of the study (Siddiqui & Singh, 2016). This, therefore, brought about some lost data, which was doubtful. A good example is cause-related marketing, where people need clarification when giving feedback, leading to mixed information. Also, some people should have given more information and ignored the survey.

Recommendations on social media for business

Social media has a great impact on various business activities. Therefore there is a need to improve people’s ideology and behaviours when using social media in their day-to-day interactions with the supplies and sellers. It is recommendable to improve personal data security and curb cyberbullying to make the sector successful. To improve the issue of curbing cyberbullying, corporations should inaugurate a clear social media strategy summarising acceptable behaviour and penalties for cyberbullying (Razak & Latip, 2016). The policy should also include guidelines for tracking representatives when dealing with cyberbullying incidents. Businesses can also take active measures by monitoring their social media channels and responding promptly to any instances of cyberbullying.

Furthermore, businesses should educate their employees and clients on the negative effects of cyberbullying and inspire them to report any incidents. Businesses can also partner with organizations that promote online safety and provide resources to help victims of cyberbullying. Lastly, companies should influence the power of social media to spread awareness about the issue of cyberbullying and promote positivity. By taking these steps, businesses can create a safer and more positive social media environment for their employees and customers while strengthening their brand image as responsible and socially conscious entities.

Another issue that affects businesses is the security of personal information. To maintain the security of personal data on social media, businesses should establish a clear social media policy that outlines how personal data is collected, used, and shared. The rule should also detail the company’s measures to secure personal data, including secure storage and encryption where necessary. Additionally, businesses should regularly update their software and systems to ensure they are equipped with the new security features and to fix any exposures that hackers may exploit.

Businesses should also educate their employees and customers about the importance of maintaining strong passwords, avoiding suspicious links and emails, and using two-factor authentication. Fourthly, companies should make it easy for their customers to manage their privacy settings and control who has access to their data. Businesses should be transparent about data breaches and notify affected individuals promptly. By implementing these recommendations, companies can build trust with their customers and maintain the security of their data on social media.

Conclusion

There is a significant relationship between business and social media. Incorporating Social media in business setups improves how people carry out various activities. Business is faster when there is the use of social media. Therefore, it is important to always incorporate new strategies in business using social media. Additionally, a good relationship is created between the seller and the buyer when social media is used in business. This also encourages rapid brand establishment and proper engagement during the business. Therefore having social media is necessary when carrying out business activities. Although it is vital, the security of personal data sometimes is exposed, and there should be careful consideration of people’s information to avoid unnecessary, illegal activities by hackers. Therefore, correctly using social media to market products will have positive impacts.

References

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