Social Media Marketing on Brand Awareness and Customer Loyalty:

A Qualitative Study of Online Retail Business

A Research Proposal Presented to the Faculty Administrations of the

Top Achievers Private School, Inc. (TAPS), Alicia, Isabela

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements in the Strand of Accountancy, Business, and

Management (ABM) During the Academic Year 2022-2023

Agcaoili, Althea

Alog, Christine Joy

Fernandez, Antoniette

Gabriel, John Delf

Guillermo, Ara

Jandoc, Carl Ivan

Valdez, Gabriel Dan

Ventura, Jenifer

Rolando A. Vino
Research Adviser

May 17, 2023

 TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title Page -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Acknowledgment --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dedication ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Abstract--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
The Problem and its Background ------------------------------------------------------
Statement of the Problem ---------------------------------------------------------------
Objectives of the Study -----------------------------------------------------------------
Significance of the Study ---------------------------------------------------------------
Scope and Delimitation -----------------------------------------------------------------
Definition of Terms ---------------------------------------------------------------------
CHAPTER 2: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
Related Literature -----------------------------------------------------------------------
Synthesis ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Theoretical Framework -----------------------------------------------------------------
Paradigm of the study-------------------------------------------------------------------
CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY
Research Design -------------------------------------------------------------------------
Research Instruments--------------------------------------------------------------------
Respondents of the Study --------------------------------------------------------------
Data Gathering Procedure -------------------------------------------------------------
Data Analysis -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHAPTER 4: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION -----------------------------------------------
CHAPTER 5: SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Summary ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Conclusions -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Recommendations -----------------------------------------------------------------------
REFERENCES -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
APPENDICES --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 ACKNOWLEDGMENT
First, we would like to express our deepest gratitude to our research adviser, Sir Rolando

A. Vino, who guided us throughout the writing of this research paper and was also patient and

understanding with us researchers.

Second, we would like to extend our thanks to the participants who generously gave their

time and shared their insights and perspectives for this study. Without their willingness to

participate, this study would not have been possible.

Lastly, to our Almighty God, who gave us the strength, wisdom, and guidance that brought

us to accomplishing this research.

 DEDICATION

All of our educational efforts and struggles, the researcher wholeheartedly dedicated this

study to all the people behind this and especially to the following:

To our subject teacher, Sir Roland Acoba Vino, who constantly guides and teaches us to

improve this study.

To all those who have been impacted by the subject of our research, with the hope that our

findings will contribute to a better understanding and a brighter future.

Moreover, this study is dedicated to our school, which provides opportunities for us

researchers to nurture and test our skills, as well as foster cooperation in building this study.

Lastly, we dedicate this research paper to the Almighty God, who grants us strength,

wisdom, guidance, the power of thinking, security, competence, understanding, and good health

while pursuing these endeavors. We offer all of these to You.

 ABSTRACT

This research investigates the strategies and impact of social media marketing on brand

awareness and customer loyalty within the online retail industry. Through qualitative methods

and a descriptive research design, the study examines how online retailers effectively use social

media platforms to promote their brands and engage with customers. The findings demonstrate

that employing tactics such as quality content, sponsored advertisements, and proactive live chat

allows online retailers to enhance brand visibility, recognition, and loyalty. Moreover, social

media marketing facilitates customer reach, engagement, communication, repeat purchases,

reputation enhancement, and competitive advantage. The study reveals a positive relationship

between social media marketing and customer loyalty. Ultimately, this research highlights the

significance of social media marketing as a powerful tool for online retail businesses to promote

their brands, engage customers, and cultivate lasting loyalty.

 CHAPTER I

THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

INTRODUCTION

Millions of individuals throughout the world now use the internet, social media, and other digital

communications tools on a daily basis. According to recent statistics for January 2023, 5.16 billion

people are active internet users, which is 64.4 % of the global population (Ani Petrosyan, February

24, 2023). Social media has completely altered the marketing landscape, forcing business owners

to reconsider their awareness-raising tactics. If a company doesn't have a social media presence in

the modern era, it’s doing itself a huge disservice (Victoria Csiga, 2021). Social media marketing

boosts customer engagement and raises brand awareness, per a study. There is, however, little

research on its efficiency in boosting brand recognition and client loyalty for online retail

businesses.

Online retail businesses have significantly benefited from social media marketing, using social

networking sites to increase brand recognition, reach a wider audience, and foster customer loyalty

(Langer, A., et al., 2021). Businesses can use platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to

engage with customers, share product information and promotions, and receive valuable feedback.

Despite ongoing debates among researchers and practitioners about the effectiveness of social

media marketing, it remains an essential tool for businesses looking to thrive in the digital age.

Digital and social media marketing enables businesses to accomplish their marketing goals at a

remarkably low cost. (Ajina, 2019). Facebook pages have more than 50 million registered

businesses and 20 million of them use this for advertising. (Lister, 2022). People spending more

time online to search for the information about goods, and services, as well as communicating with
other consumers about their experiences and engaging with companies. Marketers have responded

to this by increasing their use of digital marketing channels.

The status of social media marketing in the Philippines is very strong and rapidly growing. The

Philippines has one of the highest rates of social media usage in the world, with over 76 million

active social media users as of 2021, according to a report by Hootsuite and We Are Social. This

means that there are a lot of opportunities for business owners to promote their own brand in

different platforms. Most successful brands use social media marketing to further increase brand

awareness and stay in touch with the community. With the reach that social media has in this day

and age, and the significance it has in the country, any sort of enterprise that is looking to build a

strong online presence has much to gain from adding social media marketing to their digital

marketing strategy.

Despite the potential benefits of social media marketing for online retail businesses, there is

limited research on the effectiveness of these strategies in the Philippines. The researchers decided

to conduct this study to address this gap by investigating the different strategies and impact of

social media marketing on brand awareness and customer loyalty for online retail businesses in

the Philippines. This study is important because it seeks to contribute to the understanding of the

role of social media marketing in the context of online retail in the Philippines. The findings of

this study can help businesses enhance their social media marketing strategies, as well as provide

useful insights for researchers and academics interested in the relationship of social media and

online retail.
Statement of the Problem

Due to pandemic social media has become an essential marketing tool for businesses,

especially for online retailers to increase brand awareness and customer loyalty. This aims to

identify the most effective social media marketing strategies for building brand awareness and

customer loyalty. This study aims to provide insights that can help online retail businesses improve

their marketing strategies and enhance their competitiveness in the online marketplace.

Specifically, the study aims to explore the following research questions:

a) How do online retail businesses use social media platforms to promote their brands and

engage with customers?

b) In what effective ways does social media marketing help online retailers improve their

brands?

c) How does social media marketing impact customer loyalty for online retail businesses?

Significance of the Study

This study was carried out to assist online shops in strengthening their social media marketing

abilities. This research explores a range of innovative approaches and concepts for using social

media to advertise or promote a brand or product. This study aims to demonstrate the value of

social media for the commercial sector. In addition to instructing new business owners how to

swiftly publicize the items they are pushing via social media; the study's findings are highly

relevant and helpful for the following:

The students. They benefited from learning how to launch a business quickly and how to

successfully use social media to advertise a business.

The Business owner. This serves as a manual for people who want to properly market their

products online.

Future researchers. This study contributes to the corpus of information that other researchers

may use as a guide to determine where there are gaps in the literature for future research on

pertinent themes.

Scope and Delimitations

The general focus of this study is to help businesses to develop more effective strategies

for building brand awareness and customer loyalty through the use of social media platforms. This

study will only cover topics which are related to the impact of social media marketing on brand

awareness and customer loyalty. Considering the viewpoints of business owners about the

effectiveness of using social media platforms for their business.

The primary subjects of this research study will consist of business owners around Alicia,

Isabela as of May 2023. The respondents are limited to 10 business owners which has active social

media accounts.

Definition of Terms

The following terms used in this study are operationally defined for further understanding

and clarification:
Brand awareness- a marketing term for the degree to which consumers recognize a product by its

name. Ideally, consumers' awareness of the brand may include positive perceptions of the qualities

that distinguish the product from its competition. (CAROL M. KOPP, 2022)

Customer engagement- the way a company creates a relationship with its customer base to foster

brand loyalty and awareness. This can be accomplished via marketing campaigns and web content

as well as outreach using social media, mobile devices and wearable devices. (Nick Barney)

Disservice-an unhelpful, unkind, or harmful act. The Forest Service has argued that a prohibition

on discharges of retardant into water would impair its firefighting capabilities and jeopardize

safety, doing a disservice to the public interest. (Alex Wigglesworth, 2023)

Efficiency-the quality or degree of being efficient. Per Bart Torvik, the Bluejays are 10th

nationally in adjusted efficiency since mid-January. (Tanner McGrath, 2023)

Insights-the act or result of apprehending the inner nature of things or of seeing intuitively. I had

a big insight and a little insight about the book. (Rust Hills, 1973)

Publicize-to bring to the attention of the public. But the lawmakers did not publicize their judicial

plans before the vote. (Miriam Berger, 2003)

Viewpoints-a position or perspective from which something is considered or evaluated.

Semiconductor plants propel Sherman into a high-tech future Applicants will face additional

requirements regarding their dealings with other countries of particular concern from a national

security viewpoint. (Joseph Morton, 2023)

 CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

This chapter highlights some review of literature related with the influence of social media

marketing on business owners, brand awareness, and customer loyalty. It contains different sources

that the researchers gain from journals, blogs, articles, websites, and other electronic sources.

Social Media Marketing

Social media marketing (SMM) is the use of social media—the platforms on which users

build social networks and share information—to build a company's brand, increase sales, and drive

website traffic. (Adam Hayes,2022). In other words, social media marketing refers to the act of

marketing a company's products and services through social networks, websites and social media

platforms. All forms of advertising done on the internet using social techniques and applications

to attract clients is SMM. Social media marketing is also called digital marketing or e-marketing.

It entails the use of social networks to increase the exposure of a brand and attract new customers.

Nowadays, companies leverage social media marketing to drive business growth and profit. They

promote their business, engage existing customers and widen their customer reach using social

networks and applications. (Jason Gordon, 2022)

In the manner of Pentina and Koh (2012), SMM triggers viral communications amongst

consumers across online communities, brand and fan pages, and promotion-related content

generated by the companies/organizations on popular networking sites such as Twitter, Facebook,

and many others.

Social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter are platforms that we use every day and

spend much of our time on them. Therefore, it is necessary to know the basic information about
the advantages and disadvantages of using social media. Our everyday lives now include social

media, a distinct and dynamic medium. As of 2022, Internet users worldwide spent an average of

147 minutes a day on social media, and the country with the most time spent on social media per

day is the Philippines (Dixon, 2022). According to 90% of marketers, their SSM efforts have

increased the exposure of their business (Boshnjakoska, 2023). According to Muhammad Adil

(2022), social media helps a lot in promotion and advertisements. Due to global connectivity and

the use of social media, people can connect with the right audience to share their goods and services

with the entire world. It can be relied upon for fast action and results that once an owner published

on social media platform, it is immediately visible to the audience all across the world (Oza, 2018).

However, SMM also have disadvantages. According to social media marketing data, 5.8% of

advertisers stated that social media stories were "somewhat ineffective, while 1.9% found them to

be" very ineffective" (Dimitrievski, 2023). According to (Owen, 2023), many businesses,

especially the new ones, do not have enough awareness about this type of marketing. When using

social media platforms for advertising, all of the information, both public and personal are needed

to get the most out of marketing effort. Your information and data will never be secure given that

social media platforms are a frequent target for hackers or unethical people. Jonas (2023), stated

that the process of social media advertising requires a lot of consistency for the company to be

known, and it is a financial risk that must be willingly to accept if the owner wants to increase their

social media ads. Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter allow

people to post their views, which can lead to both positive and negative comments. Negative

comments can damage a business's reputation, allowing competitors to gain an advantage

(Curvearro, 2020). As a result, social media marketing is essential and useful in many businesses.

However, business owners should consider the consequences of marketing through social media.
 Now, you may have started to wonder which of the various social media channels is the

best for marketing your company. Here is the list of social media marketing platforms that you can

consider marketing your brand on: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest,

Reddit, Snapchat, Tumblr, TikTok. You may want to use all of them, but the fact is that some

social media platforms are more suitable for marketing than others. It means that you need to

ensure that you’re using the right social media platform depending on the target audience for your

business. This way, your marketing campaigns will be more effective in terms of reach,

conversions, and the amount of revenue that your business will generate (Nicholas Samuel, 2020).

Facebook continues to be the reigning champ of social media sites, as the #1 spot where

friends connect and share online (Megan Marrs, 2022). More than just a meeting place for friends,

Facebook has grown into a venue for businesses to market themselves through interaction with

customers and self-promotion. Facebook offers a variety of advertising options, including

sponsored posts, display ads, and video ads.

YouTube: You may not think of YouTube as a social media marketing channel, but it fits

the bill: you can post videos to your channel; share, comment on, and like other videos, and follow

other accounts you like. YouTube has always been a source of entertaining content, but it’s also

staking its claim as an essential tool for marketers. In fact, more than half of all marketers

(55%) use YouTube as part of their marketing strategy (Basha Coleman, 2023). YouTube offers a

variety of advertising options, including video ads, display ads, and overlay ads.

With over 2 billion monthly active users as of Q4 2021 (up 200% from 2018) Instagram is

both the O.G. and trendsetter of social media marketing. Instagram has shaped the landscape of

social commerce, the creator economy, and how brands use social media for over a decade
(Michelle Martin, 2022). Instagram offers various advertising options, including photo and video

ads, carousel ads, and sponsored posts.

Twitter boasts more than 217 million active daily users making the social media platform

an important piece of your marketing strategy (Claire Beveridge, 2022). Brands leverage the power

of Twitter marketing to grow their business, engage their audience, build community, and deliver

spectacular customer service. Twitter offers a range of advertising options, including promoted

tweets, promoted accounts, and promoted trends.

Brand Awareness

Brand awareness is a term that indicates how popular your brand is amongst your target

audience and how well they remember your brand. And awareness is not just about people being

able to recognize your branding. People should also be able to remember what the brand does, its

values, its reputation, and how they feel about the brand. (Jyothiikaa Moorthy, 2023)

Brand awareness among your audience and the general public doesn’t happen overnight. It

also doesn’t happen from a simple advertisement or marketing campaign. Strong brand awareness

is a result of multiple simultaneous efforts that extend beyond trying to get paying customers. If

you expect to raise awareness of your brand by running a few product advertisements on Facebook,

you won’t get very far. Not only will the consumer be focused on the product (not the brand), but

the ad will also lack impact beyond a simple sale. (Allie Decker, 2022)

The importance of brand awareness extends beyond getting a new customer to buy your

product or service. Awareness of your brand is also an important component for developing brand

equity, which is the perceived value of a product, service, or company. Brand equity hinges not so

much on the actual specifications of a product, but rather on the perceived quality of that product.
Many consumers may choose a known brand over one they do not recognize. Better brand

awareness efforts can lead to increased sales and higher profits, due to increased customer loyalty.

(MasterClass, 2021)

Brand awareness is important because it is the very first step in the marketing funnel, and

a crucial foundation to eventually acquire customers. Brand awareness refers to people’s ability to

recall and recognize your business. There are several reasons why it is important to build and

increase brand awareness. To start, brand awareness helps keep your brand top-of-mind with your

audience. If people know your brand, they can become familiar and comfortable with it. Then,

when faced with a decision to buy from you or your competitor, they are more likely to buy from

you. Brand awareness also helps you to achieve a range of business objectives and goals. It can

expand your audience, increase website traffic, build brand affinity, and cultivate leads. It will be

no surprise to learn that brand awareness lies at the top of the marketing funnel. Brand-awareness

campaigns cast a wide net. They let many people know about what you have to offer, and nurture

those who are most interested in it. (Amanda Walgrove,2020).

Brand awareness is critical to the success of your business. When people are aware of your

brand and its logo and other marketing, you will sell more. People are more likely to buy from a

brand they know or click a website from a brand they are aware of. In fact, brand awareness and

brand affinity increase click-through and conversion rates in online advertising by as much as three

times. It takes time to build brand awareness, but once you reach the point where people know

your brand well, you will have their trust, and that will lead to increased sales and loyalty from

your customers. (Mark Zimmer,2019).

Brand awareness is important when launching new products and services, and it drives

consumers’ decisions when differentiating between competing companies. It encourages repeat

purchases and leads to an increase in market share and incremental sales. Brand awareness is also

very important to businesses that are marketing proactively through social media sites. (Drew

Rhodes,2017)

Customer Loyalty

Customer loyalty refers to the degree of a customer's commitment to repurchasing or

recommending a company's products or services (Oliver, 2017). It is an essential aspect of a

successful business as it reduces customer churn, improves customer lifetime value, and generates

positive word-of-mouth. In today's highly competitive market, customer loyalty is increasingly

important as it can significantly impact a company's revenue and growth.

Various factors contribute to customer loyalty, including product quality, customer service,

brand reputation, and emotional connections. A study by Deloitte found that companies that

prioritize emotional connections with their customers have a 32% higher revenue growth rate than

those that do not (Deloitte, 2021). This highlights the importance of building trust, empathy, and

personalized experiences with customers to increase loyalty.

Businesses can implement various strategies to build customer loyalty, such as loyalty

programs, exclusive discounts, personalized marketing, and exceptional customer service.

According to a study by Salesforce, 76% of customers say that a company's customer service is a

reflection of how much they value them as a customer (Salesforce, 2020). Therefore, investing in

customer service training and technologies that improve customer experiences can positively

impact customer loyalty.

In summary, customer loyalty is critical to a company's success in today's competitive

market. By prioritizing emotional connections, delivering quality products and services, and
providing excellent customer service, businesses can increase customer retention and lifetime

value, generate positive word-of-mouth, and improve revenue growth.

While new customers will always be important, the immense value of loyal customers must not be

forgotten (Jane Garfinkel, 2019). Customer loyalty not only generates revenue but also helps build

a strong brand reputation, reduces marketing costs, gains valuable customer feedback, and

provides a competitive advantage. We will discuss in detail some of the importance of customer

loyalty for businesses and how it can contribute to success and growth.

First and foremost, loyal customers are in a business relationship with your company. The

most important feature of a loyal customer is that they continue to spend money with you

(Catherine Heath, 2022). Loyal customers are more likely to make repeat purchases, resulting in a

stable revenue stream for the business. They also tend to spend more on each purchase, leading to

increased profitability for the business.

Secondly, customer loyalty helps companies grow. Loyal customers also make

recommendations to family and friends. Word-of-mouth marketing creates highly persuasive

brand advocacy (Max Freedman, 2023). People trust their families and friends and because of this,

it will attract more customers outside of your typical marketing reach.

Thirdly, customer loyalty leads to valuable customer feedback. A business can only

improve its offerings if they collect valuable feedback from customers to find out what they’re

doing well, and uncover the things that are not so good (Catherine H., 2022). Loyal customers are

also more forgiving of mistakes, allowing businesses to learn from their mistakes and improve

their offerings over time.

 Fourthly, customer loyalty leads to reduced marketing costs. Customer acquisition costs

are among the highest expenses for eCommerce businesses, and it’s even higher for retailers with

physical locations (Matt Kenyon, 2022). Loyal customers are more likely to purchase from the

business without needing significant marketing efforts or discounts.

Since it has so many benefits for businesses, customer loyalty is the primary goal of strategic

marketing strategy. As a result, it is crucial to understand what impacts consumer loyalty. The

business owner will benefit from knowing these aspects. Customer satisfaction and loyalty to the

items we offer are two extremely important characteristics that might assist the success of business

organizations. The firm will make more money the more satisfied its customers are and the more

valuable its customers are to it. However, consumer attitudes and behavior also have a significant

impact on customer satisfaction. According to the findings of studies by Fullerton & Taylor,

Caruana,According to Jahanshahi et al., Dimyati, and Bei & Chiao, customer loyalty can result

from a variety of variables, including satisfying product quality, competitive pricing, and high

service quality.

To conclude, social media marketing is the act of marketing a company's products and services

through social networks, websites and social media platforms. Brand awareness indicates how

popular your brand is amongst your target audience and how well they remember your brand. In

agreement with (Oliver, 2017), customer loyalty refers to the degree of a customer's commitment

to repurchasing or recommending a company's products or services. The contributions of these

studies will help with the investigation on the effectiveness of social media marketing on brand

awareness and customer loyalty.

 CHAPTER III

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This chapter describes the method of research design, the respondents of the study, the

instruments used, data gathering procedures, and data analysis.

Research Design

The study focused on identifying the most effective social media marketing strategies for

building brand awareness and customer loyalty. Thus, the researchers used the qualitative method

and descriptive research design. The qualitative research method and descriptive research design

were chosen for this study to gain a deeper understanding of how online retail businesses used

social media platforms for brand promotion and customer engagement. Qualitative research

allowed for an in-depth exploration of the experiences, perspectives, and behaviors of online retail

businesses in their use of social media marketing. A descriptive research design was used as it

focused on describing and analyzing the current state of social media marketing practices in online

retail businesses. Additionally, this approach was appropriate for gaining an understanding of the

social media marketing practices in the local context and generating insights that were relevant to

online retail businesses operating in the Philippines.

Conceptual Framework

Brand
Awareness

Social Media
Marketing

Customer
Loyalty

Figure 1. Conceptual Framework

Figure 1 presents the conceptual framework of the study. It consists of three variables, social

media marketing as an independent variable while brand awareness and customer loyalty are the

dependent variables.

In Figure 1, social media marketing as independent variable is defined by Adam Hayes (2023)

as the use of social media, the platforms on which users build social networks and share

information, to build a company’s brand, increase sales, and drive website traffic. In connection

with that, brand awareness is the second variable defined as a marketing term for the degree to

which consumers recognize a product by its name.

Moreover, customer loyalty as the third variable describes an ongoing emotional relationship

between you and your customer, manifesting itself by how willing a customer is to engage with

and repeatedly purchase from you versus your competitors (Oracle, n.d.). It’s a measure of a

customer’s likeliness to do repeat business with a company or brand.

Respondents of the Study

This study is conducted through the use of quota sampling. We selected ten (10) business

owners as our respondents from Alicia, Isabela who takes advantage of social media platforms for

marketing as of May 2023.

Instruments

For this research, data was collected using questionnaires that were open-ended. Open-

ended questionnaires allowed respondents to freely express their thoughts and opinions on the

given subject. These physical questionnaires were distributed to participants in person, ensuring

that participants had ample time to complete the questionnaires. The questionnaires were created

in a clear and straightforward format, ensuring that the questions were easy to understand. The

questionnaire was composed of 7 open-ended questions. The data collected from these physical

questionnaires was used for analysis and to draw conclusions.

Procedure

A letter was provided to the business owners as a formal consent utilized to obtain

permission from the chosen participants of the study. Business owners who agreed to participate

in the study, was asked to answer the questionnaire provided by the researchers. The researchers

then took all the information with highest confidentiality. After gathering data from the

participants, the researchers collated and compared the responses for data analysis. The researchers

used thematic analysis approach for data analysis to identify, analyze and report patterns within

the data.
Data Analysis

Qualitative data analysis was the most suitable approach for this research because it

enabled a thorough exploration of the research questions, providing a comprehensive

understanding of the experiences, perspectives, and behaviors of online retail businesses in relation

to social media marketing. It allowed researchers to examine the specific ways businesses used

social media platforms, understood contextual influences, and adapted data collection techniques

to delve deeper into areas of interest. The collected data was analyzed using a thematic analysis

approach. Thematic analysis is a method for identifying, analyzing, and reporting patterns (themes)

within data (Braun & Clarke, 2021). The researchers reviewed the survey responses to become

familiar with the data, and then they assigned codes to the data by highlighting words, phrases, or

sections that related to the research questions. The researchers then looked for patterns or themes

within the codes by grouping related codes together. The researchers examined the themes to

ensure they accurately reflected the data and were distinct from one another, and they presented

the themes in a coherent and meaningful way by weaving the findings into a narrative that

answered the research questions.

 CHAPTER IV

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

This section presents the analysis and interpretation of the study on the effectiveness of

social media marketing on brand awareness and customer loyalty. Following a qualitative

methodology, this chapter presents the data gathered from questionnaires distributed to ten

business owners who use social media for promoting their brand or products. Through open-ended

questions, respondents were able to freely express their thoughts and experiences related to social

media marketing practices. The content of this chapter focuses on the themes that emerged from

the analysis of the responses, providing insights into the social media marketing practices of online

retail businesses and contributing to the literature on effective social media marketing strategies.

QUESTION 1: Social media platforms used to promote brand

With regards to the responses of the business owners in using social media platforms,

almost all of them mentioned that they were using Facebook as a social media platform to promote

their brands. However, P10 stated that: “Reels on facebook, messenger, Instagram & email” is

their tool to promote their brands. With the extraordinary number of users on the platform, a

business would be remiss to forsake digital marketing. Small businesses comprise the vast majority

of Facebook’s eight million advertisers. Facebook pulled in $28 billion in advertising revenue for

the first quarter of 2023. Facebook holds an inordinate amount of user data and is efficient at target

marketing. Broad-based ads aimed at men, women, or baby boomers have given way to a

customized approach. Facebook’s ubiquitous single sign-on boxes thread through third-party

websites, allowing marketers to track purchases and other meaningful interactions. (Thom Tracy,

2023).
QUESTION 2: Experience and results of social media advertising

Advertising through social media is a digital marketing strategy that can help businesses

promote their brands and can build relationships and establish trust with their audience. The results

shows that advertising through social media helped them gained more customers including outside

their area and it makes easy for them to promote their products or services. Social media

advertising is a fundamental part of every business marketing strategy. It helps in reaching the

right audience with relevant content at the right time. Social media platforms can be used as tools

for spreading the word about your product or service, building relationships with potential

customers, and generating leads you can convert into sales. Social media ads provide an

opportunity to reach the right audience for a specific business. (SociallyBuzz, 2023)

QUESTION 3: Strategies to increase customer engagement

Social media engagement has become a vital part of any marketing strategy. Participants

shared their strategies on how they increase their engagement with their customers. The result

shows that they can engage with customers through offering promotions and more freebies, by

creating a quality content, and through regular posting and sharing of the fantastic outcome of the

product. Keeping people engaged throughout the customer journey allows companies to build

brand loyalty and improve critical sales metrics. Ultimately, an actively engaged customer will

buy a brand’s product more frequently and with greater longevity. Individual customers are just

the tip of the iceberg, however. Genuine customer engagement creates brand experts who can

attract new customers, rekindle lost relationships, and build upon existing ones. (Raven360, 2023)
Q4: Communication with customers through social media

Through the help of social media, businesses can easily reach out to their customers. The

result shows that social media makes it easier for businesses to connect with their audience. Social

media helped them address the customers problems quickly, and by using social media, businesses

can helped them create loyal customers. However, some participants noted that they were facing

a hard time to communicate with their customers who cannot come personally to the store. Posting

on social media is like shouting through a virtual megaphone to every one of your customers, or

potential customers. Social media offers businesses a unique way to connect with their customers.

Sure, you can use it to communicate with customers about issues and concerns, but you can also

use it to tell your company’s story. Through channels like Facebook or Messenger, your company

can increase its brand awareness, personalize conversations, and even give customers a sneak peek

to early product launches.

Q5: Incentivizing customers to continue purchasing

Incentivizing customers is a marketing strategy designed to motivate customers to engage

and purchase from one business. The result shows that participants use posting a quiz on Facebook

and the one who answered it correctly gets the price. Some participants also mentioned that they

are posting products on sale or discount. A customer incentive program will help your customers

to feel more appreciated, and connect emotionally with your brand. They will also help make your

brand more memorable, helping with brand recall. If a new customer is still on the fence about

whether to buy from you or a competitor, enticing customer incentives on your end often make all

the difference, because they add value to your own product. (Jessica Huhn, 2023)
Q6: Benefits of social media marketing for online retailers

There are many advantages of using social media platforms for a business. The participants

shared the benefits of using social media for their business. The result shows that with the use of

social media, the information about their products or services can easily spread. It is also

convenient for them to promote and gain more customers. However, one of the participants said

that it is not applicable. Using social media for marketing has a lot of benefits, including extending

your marketing to new channels, growing an engaged audience, distributing valuable content and

promotions to your target market, interacting with customers and prospects, and driving new sales.

(Brendan McConell, 2022).

Q7: Advice for online retailers who starting with social media marketing

Nowadays, many businesses invested in social media marketing because it is way more

easy. Participants suggested that in order for a business to be known, it is necessary to have a

confidence to post and share the products or services even if the sales is low. Some also said that

online retailers should use the right social media platform, create quality content, and be patient

and keep pushing. It doesn’t matter if you run a small local shop or a big national company. Social

media is more than just a trend. It is an essential piece of your business marketing strategy. (Giana

Reno, 2018). Even if the sales is low, it is not a reason to not post products on social media,

especially when there are more advantages and benefits. Content marketing is a gradual game that,

when done right, should build slowly and then start to take off quickly. You must be patient for

each action that you execute to take effect. Once you have committed to the long run, you will be

in the best position to eventually dominate in content marketing. (Neil Patel, n.d.)
 CHAPTER V

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSION, AND RECOMMENDATION

In this chapter, we will summarize the findings of our research on Social Media

Marketing on Brand Awareness and Customer Loyalty, draw conclusions based on those

findings, and provide recommendations for practical applications.

Summary of Findings:

This qualitative study aimed to explore the strategies and impact of social media marketing

for building brand awareness and customer loyalty among online retail businesses. Based on the

data analysis from the responses of online retail business owners’, social media marketing is an

effective tool for promoting brands, engaging with customers, and improving customer loyalty.

The use of quality content, sponsored advertisements, and proactive live chat are some of the

strategies that online retailers use to promote their brands and engage with customers. Brand

promotion is also an essential factor in social media marketing as it helps online retailers improve

their brand awareness, recognition, and loyalty. Social media marketing helps online retailers

improve their brands by increasing awareness, expanding customer reach, fostering engagement,

facilitating communication, incentivizing repeat purchases, enhancing reputation, and gaining a

competitive edge.

The findings also suggest that social media marketing positively impacts customer loyalty.

Through social media, online retailers can communicate with customers, answer their questions,

and receive feedback. This interaction builds trust and establishes a relationship with customers,

leading to increased customer loyalty and retention.

Conclusions:

In conclusion, social media marketing is an effective tool for online retail businesses to

promote their brands, engage with customers, and improve customer loyalty. By using quality

content, sponsored advertisements, and proactive live chat, online retailers can effectively connect

with their target audience and improve their brand recognition and loyalty.

The findings also suggest that social media marketing can help online retailers build a

strong online presence, particularly for small businesses with limited budgets for traditional

advertising methods. By leveraging social media platforms, online retailers can reach their target

audience effectively, showcase their products and brand values, leading to increased sales and

customer retention.

Recommendations:

Based on the findings and conclusions of the study, the following recommendations are

suggested:

1. Online retail businesses should focus on creating quality content that is relevant, useful,

and purposeful for their target audience.

2. Sponsored advertisements should be used strategically to promote products and engage

with customers effectively.

3. Proactive live chat should be implemented to provide quick and convenient customer

support.

4. Online retailers should consistently promote their brand through social media to build a

strong online presence and increase brand awareness and recognition.

5. Online retailers should regularly engage with customers through social media to establish

a relationship and build customer loyalty.

6. Online retail businesses should evaluate the effectiveness of their social media marketing

strategies regularly and make necessary adjustments to improve their competitiveness in

the online marketplace.

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