Influence of Viral Contents on the Rapid Spread of Information on the Social Media Platforms in Nigeria (Published)
This paper highlighted the influence of viral content on the rapid spread of information on the social media platforms. This paper raised four (4) research questions as guide. The descriptive survey design was used in this investigation. The study population was three hundred and fifty (350) social media users. The sample size of one hundred and thirty (130) social media content creator and users was adopted relying on the simple random sampling technique. The questionnaire was used as the instrument for collecting data. Descriptive statistics specifically tables and mean were used for the analysis of data collected. Findings shows that emotional connection, visual appeal, relevance, social proof, convenience, controversy, novelty, humour, timeliness and interactive elements are the factors that contribute to the rapid spread of viral content on social media platforms. The paper concluded that the potential consequences of the rapid spread of viral content to individuals and society include dissemination of false information which causes harm to individuals and society, feelings of anxiety and stress, increased social media addiction, negative impact on mental health for some individuals, anxious feelings, and stress due to the constant stream of alarming information. This paper recommended that platforms should establish, enforce clear, stringent content moderation policies that address the unique challenges posed by viral content and development of advanced algorithms that should be regularly updated to adapt to evolving tactics used by those spreading false information, which should work in tandem with human review processes to ensure a balanced approach.
Keywords: Algorithms, False news, Social media, misinformation, viral content
Corporate Reputatıon and Crısıs Management in Socıal Medıa: The Patıswıss Case Study (Published)
The present study has taken the case analysis of Patiswiss, a leading brand that was faced a major crisis, to understand the influence of social media on corporate reputation and crisis management. More precisely, this research work is going to delve into how public perception and the overall reputation were affected during the crisis concerning social media platforms. The study adopts a qualitative approach, analyzing social media reactions, media coverage, and the company’s crisis response strategies. Key findings reveal that Patiswiss’s initial response was inadequate, leading to a rapid spread of negative sentiment across social media, which further exacerbated the crisis. This analysis brings out the critical aspects of timely and transparent communication in crises management and brand reputation retention within a digital world. Comparisons to similar cases within other companies provide additional insights into effective crisis management strategies. The research deepens the knowledge of the dynamic interplay among social media and corporate crisis management, providing valuable lessons on how businesses should maintain reputation in light of the challenges brought to them by the digital environment.
Keywords: Corporate Reputation, Crisis Management, Social media, brand perception, digital communication
Influence of Social Media Complaints on Customer Service Quality Amongst Selected Banks in Lagos state, Nigeria (Published)
Financial institutions are increasingly leveraging social media not only for customer interaction but also for managing their daily operations. In the banking sector, the utilization of social media for addressing customer complaints is rapidly gaining traction. Consequently, customers are increasingly embracing social media platforms due to their ability to provide prompt responses to their inquiries and complaints. This study seeks to examine the influence of social media complaints on customer service quality among selected banks in Lagos state, Nigeria. The study was anchored on the Service Recovery Paradox, while the descriptive survey research design was adopted in this study. The Topman’s formula for unknown population was used to calculate a sample size of 250 respondents and the available sampling technique was used to select respondents sampled for this study. Findings revealed that majority of the respondents sampled for this study utilize social media extensively to voice their concerns or complaints about banking services. Findings further revealed that a substantial proportion of respondents sampled for this study believes that banks effectively respond to customer complaints raised via social media platforms. The study recommends that banks should provide comprehensive training to customer service representatives to equip them with the skills and knowledge necessary to effectively handle complaints and resolve issues raised on social media platforms.
Keywords: Banks’, Customer Complaints, Social media, service recovery paradox
Digital Marketing and Consumer Buying Behaviour in Nile University of Nigeria, Abuja (Published)
This research examines the impact of digital marketing on consumer buying behavior in Nile University. A survey design was adopted. Population of this study comprise of students and staff of Nile University. This study used online instrument for collecting data so as to achieve the intended goals. Questionnaires were sent out using Convenience sampling Technique via Online Google form through e-mails, WhatsApp and Facebook. A total of 120 responses were collected. The Data collected for this study was analyzed quantitatively using descriptive statistical (SPSS Version 23). The findings show that students and staff in Nile University are in the know of digital marketing and have bought products through various digital channels. The overall results indicate that social media has a more significant impact on consumer buying behavior than other digital channels in Nile University of Nigeria. It is recommended that businesses in Abuja should enhance their social media, websites and e-mail marketing strategies, as it will help expand their customer base and increase the patronage of their products and services, customer relationship management, and profitability.
Keywords: Digital Marketing, Social media, email marketing and consumer buying behavior., websites
Measuring Social Media Functionality on the Formation of Tourist Value Creation (Published)
This study seeks to measure the factors related to social media functionality in the tourism industry promotion and its impact on the formation of Tourist Value Creation. This study hypothesized that media presence, information sharing, relational bonds, conversation, and reputation impact in tourist value creation (influence tourist planning/ taking trips). This study uses a quantitative research approach, with a cross-sectional design and a descriptive purpose. Each of the variables is measured using a 5-point Likert scale (the number of the items varied in each scale). This study distributed questionnaires online, using non-probability sample. The SPSS program is used to analyze the collected data. Based on this study’s outcome, all the hypotheses were supported except for one hypothesis. Social media functionality related to conversation development, information sharing, online presence, and reputation impact tourist value creation. Relationship building through social media was deemed insignificant. This study seeks to provide noncommercial accumulated and up-to-date knowledge in the discipline. Industry practitioners can apply the empirical findings from this academic research to their businesses in order to remain competitive.
Keywords: Reputation, Social media, functionality, information sharing., online conversations, online presence, touristic value creation
Influence social media on the implementation of public relations in selected higher learning institutions in northern Tanzania (Published)
The paper assessed the influence of social media on the implementation of public relations. Research approaches were quantitative and qualitative research (explanatory correlation and case study designs). Simple random sampling, purposive and stratified sampling procedures were used to select University staff and students The target population was higher learning institutions in Northern Tanzania. Quantitative data was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Data was anlaysed through frequencies, percentages, means and narratives. The study had two hypotheses which were tested using independent t-test analysis. Both null hypotheses were rejected and alternative hypotheses were stated. The findings showed that majority of respondents agreed that social media is a significant tool in influencing public relations programmes towards improving stakeholders relations in higher learning institutions. The study recommended that public relations managers and communication officers in the organization should increase and improve utilization of social media for the success of their communication strategies in the institution.
Keywords: Facebook, Google+, Public Relations, Social media, Software, Twitter, higher learning institutions, platform
Effects of the Social Media in the Marketing of Political Candidates in Nigeria (Published)
Social media are new information network and information technology using a form of communication utilizing interactive and user-produced content, and interpersonal relationships are created and maintained. More recently, the prominence of social media has been particularly highlighted in politics, given the fact that the use of social networking sites (Facebook) and micro blogging services (Twitter) are believed to have the potential of positively influencing political participation. The use of social media platforms are important tools within political communication campaigns to secure victory and encourage interaction between political parties/candidates and voters, and most times to portray positive image of the political candidates. Incidentally, in Nigeria, the everyday use of social media by politicians, and the manner in which the user-citizen interacts with the social network sites/pages of politicians has received rather less attention. Essentially, politicians expect the communication relationship to be positive and of benefit to them, thus, political gladiators of all shades of opinions, ideologies, intents and goals use the media with the belief that political communication through them might exert pressure or influence on people’s perception and behaviours and this has given rise to both ethical and unethical political communication and desperate political contenders manifesting bad governance, thereby, leading to social and economic infrastructural neglect and security of lives and property. The main objective of the study is to determine the effect of social media in projecting the image of political candidate in Nigeria. The research adopted the descriptive survey design. The population of the study comprises of the masses [i.e. the electorate] and the members of political parties (political candidates) in Nigeria who uses social media. Primary data and secondary sources of information were employed. Data were tested using simple percentages, Pearson Moment Correlation Coefficient and Regression analyses at 0.05 level of significance. Findings from the study showed that: There is a significant positive relationship between usage of Facebook as an awareness social media tool and projection of a political candidates’ image in Nigeria(r = 0.764; F = 418.677; p < 0.05). Blogging as a credible social media tool to a large extent influences image of a political candidate in Nigeria (r = 0.728; p<0.05). It was concluded that social media serve as credible tools and are capable of influencing the image of political candidates in Nigeria. The study therefore recommended that political candidates should carefully plan and execute communication strategies using various social media tools, so as to fully enjoy the inherent benefits of the social media tools (i.e credibility and awareness).
Keywords: Cognitive Response Theory, Expectancy Violation Theory and Source Credibility Theory, Social media
How Wechat Has Changed the Face of Marketing in China (Published)
This paper discusses WeChat and considers how and why it has totally changed the way that marketing is done in China. WeChat is able to seamlessly join together a plethora of activities that combine several different platforms that are separate entities (e.g., Facebook, LinkedIn, PayPal, etc.) in the United States and the rest of the world. We first examine the censorship in China in the past and present, provide a short history of WeChat, and present the current status of WeChat with respect to several measures. We then delineate how WeChat is different from any other social-medial platform, and how it is able to positively infiltrate virtually all aspects of Chinese consumers’ lives. Lastly, we discuss how WeChat has already been emulated by other social-media platforms, and what to expect from WeChat in the future.
Keywords: Marketing in China, Mobil technology, Social media, WeChat
IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON THE BEHAVIOR OF TUNISIAN VOTERS: 2014 ELECTIONS (Published)
In the era of Web 2.0, social media are becoming more and more popular among politicians as well as their institutions as an indispensable tool for political messages broadcast, federation and mobilization of voters. Considered as means of communication, these social networking sites offer now real opportunities for innovative interaction (Dewing, 2010) . The use of these forms of social web quickly invaded the political arena, and drastically altered the political scenery.Thus, the main objective of this paper is to study the impact of online social media on voting behavior of the Tunisian voters in the 2014 elections. Through the data from a survey of a sample of 564 Tunisian voters, it was possible to unveil the debate about the political uses of social networks and identify their effect on the voting behavior of the Tunisian voters.
Keywords: Politics, Social media, Voting Behavior, social web
SOCIAL NETWORKS AS MARKETING TOOLS (Published)
The aims of this paper is to reinforce the literature on the digital social networks and their influences on the marketing Having presented and categorized the digital social, networks, we highlighted , the opportunities which brings Web2.0 to the marketing. The advent of Web2.0 imposed fundamental changes which required the revalorization of the role of the consumer in the marketing approach. Indeed, this one is not passive any more, but it becomes a co-value-creating for the company.
Keywords: Coproduction, Digital native, Marketing 2.0, Social media, Web2.0