In digital word-of-mouth we trust? : consumer attitudes towards sales and marketing content posted in community-level Facebook groups
Prendergast, Christina (2022)
2022
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2022053013243
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2022053013243
Tiivistelmä
This thesis sets out to investigate consumer attitudes towards community-level Facebook noticeboard groups and subsequently, determine the value of these groups to tech-averse micro- enterprises who rely heavily on offline word-of-mouth within their locality to generate sales. It also aims to establish if utilising these groups in a digital word-of-mouth strategy requires a complex social media strategy to support it or, if the businesses in question can largely retain their current core values and sales processes.
Reference to pre-existing theoretical rationale serves to define both traditional and digital word- of-mouth in the context of the network society and provide a basis from which to explore consumer attitudes at both an organic and inorganic level. For the empirical research section of this study, a community-level Facebook ‘noticeboard’ group (of relevance to the clients of the commissioning company) was selected. ‘The Ashbourne Noticeboard’ serves the area of Ashbourne, Co.Meath, Ireland with a population of approximately 12,600 and is considered a well-established Facebook group with 11.4K members.
Content analysis was firstly deployed as a method for understanding how Facebook users interact with the noticeboard group and to monitor the level of activity on business-related posts within the ‘discussion’ section of the group. Data was also collected in the form of a survey that was carried out amongst group members to help gain a deeper understanding of the motivating factors behind consumer buying decisions by group users. If participants were willing to engage further, additional space within the survey was provided to expand on their responses and provide qualitative data.
Similar to offline word-of-mouth, it was determined that online familiarity with the business itself (e.g. through endorsement posts or regular postings from the company itself) or, a sense of familiarity with an advocate for the business were the most likely factors required to trigger a sale. Additionally, it was noted that while a complex social media strategy was not required to support digital word-of-mouth within the group, Facebook users are more likely to endorse a local business in community groups if the company’s own Facebook page is kept up-to-date and its digital presence appears legitimate.
Reference to pre-existing theoretical rationale serves to define both traditional and digital word- of-mouth in the context of the network society and provide a basis from which to explore consumer attitudes at both an organic and inorganic level. For the empirical research section of this study, a community-level Facebook ‘noticeboard’ group (of relevance to the clients of the commissioning company) was selected. ‘The Ashbourne Noticeboard’ serves the area of Ashbourne, Co.Meath, Ireland with a population of approximately 12,600 and is considered a well-established Facebook group with 11.4K members.
Content analysis was firstly deployed as a method for understanding how Facebook users interact with the noticeboard group and to monitor the level of activity on business-related posts within the ‘discussion’ section of the group. Data was also collected in the form of a survey that was carried out amongst group members to help gain a deeper understanding of the motivating factors behind consumer buying decisions by group users. If participants were willing to engage further, additional space within the survey was provided to expand on their responses and provide qualitative data.
Similar to offline word-of-mouth, it was determined that online familiarity with the business itself (e.g. through endorsement posts or regular postings from the company itself) or, a sense of familiarity with an advocate for the business were the most likely factors required to trigger a sale. Additionally, it was noted that while a complex social media strategy was not required to support digital word-of-mouth within the group, Facebook users are more likely to endorse a local business in community groups if the company’s own Facebook page is kept up-to-date and its digital presence appears legitimate.