The Role of Social Media Marketing in Building Brand Loyalty for Small Restaurants: A Case Study of Taverna Zorbas
Thapa, Sachin (2026)
2026
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-202602052293
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-202602052293
Tiivistelmä
The thesis investigated the role of social media marketing in brand loyalty for a small restaurant, Taverna Zorbas in Helsinki. This thesis has tried to explain how the content of social media is consumed by users and what leads to satisfaction, which in the end triggers consistency in engaging with the brand.
The study was conducted through mixed methods. In October 2025, an online survey was posted to the social media accounts of the restaurant, and 56 valid responses were collected using purposive and convenience sampling. Qualitative data was gathered from a structured email interview with the restaurant owner, providing a managerial perspective. Survey data were then analysed through descriptive statistics; interview was analysed through thematic analysis to provide interpretation and triangulation of the findings.
The results showed that customer engagement was mostly on Instagram, with visually tempting food-related posts receiving the maximum number of interactions. On the other hand, the satisfaction with the content on different social media is generally quite neutral; very few people participate in interactive features. Although moderate in customer willingness to recommend the restaurant, this engagement had not yet generated very strong brand loyalty. The findings of the interview indicated, quite importantly, that resources were time-constrained and structured content planning was lacking.
The study concluded that social media marketing had a positive impact on brand loyalty, though moderately. Major opportunities identified in strategic content variety, interaction frequency, and planning were improvements in customer engagement to win loyalty for small restaurant businesses.
The study was conducted through mixed methods. In October 2025, an online survey was posted to the social media accounts of the restaurant, and 56 valid responses were collected using purposive and convenience sampling. Qualitative data was gathered from a structured email interview with the restaurant owner, providing a managerial perspective. Survey data were then analysed through descriptive statistics; interview was analysed through thematic analysis to provide interpretation and triangulation of the findings.
The results showed that customer engagement was mostly on Instagram, with visually tempting food-related posts receiving the maximum number of interactions. On the other hand, the satisfaction with the content on different social media is generally quite neutral; very few people participate in interactive features. Although moderate in customer willingness to recommend the restaurant, this engagement had not yet generated very strong brand loyalty. The findings of the interview indicated, quite importantly, that resources were time-constrained and structured content planning was lacking.
The study concluded that social media marketing had a positive impact on brand loyalty, though moderately. Major opportunities identified in strategic content variety, interaction frequency, and planning were improvements in customer engagement to win loyalty for small restaurant businesses.