Influence of Social Media Marketing on Consumer Purchase Decisions in the Digital Age

Abstract

The rapid growth of digital technologies and social networking platforms has transformed the way businesses communicate with consumers and influence their purchasing behavior. This study examines the influence of Social Media Marketing (SMM) on Consumer Buying Decision Making (CBDM) in the digital age. The primary objective of the study is to investigate the extent to which social media marketing activities affect consumer purchase decisions. The study adopts a quantitative research approach and utilizes primary data collected through a structured questionnaire distributed among social media users. A total of 220 valid responses were obtained using a convenience sampling technique. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS Version 29 with the application of descriptive statistics, reliability analysis, Pearson correlation, and other statistical tools. The findings reveal that Social Media Marketing has a high level of influence on consumers, with electronic word-of-mouth, social communities, and social media advertising significantly contributing to purchasing behavior. Among these dimensions, electronic word-of-mouth was found to be the most influential factor. The results also indicate that consumers primarily use social media for information search before making purchase decisions. Furthermore, the correlation analysis shows a significant positive relationship between Social Media Marketing and Consumer Buying Decision Making (r = 0.556, p < 0.01). The study confirms that social media marketing significantly impacts consumer purchase decisions and plays a crucial role throughout the buying decision-making process. The findings provide valuable insights for marketers and businesses seeking to enhance customer engagement and improve marketing effectiveness through social media platforms.