"Exploring Customer Views on Instagram Marketing" : A case study of Everest Himal Oy

Abstract

This thesis examines how Instagram marketing influences the customers' perception and visit intention of a restaurant, Everest Himal Oy. The study aims at understanding how customers perceive restaurant-related Instagram content, the type of content they are willing to engage with, and how Instagram marketing can support the company's customer engagement and visibility.

The mixed-methods approach was used to acquire both numerical and contextual insights. Quantitative data was collected by conducting a customer survey with 57 respondents. The survey examined the usage of Instagram, awareness about the Instagram account of the company, the type of content they liked, and how it affected the choice of a restaurant. Besides that, the qualitative information was obtained by a semi-structured interview with the restaurant owner to get actual inside information on the existing practices on Instagram and challenges in handling the platform.

The findings indicate that Instagram plays a significant role in the customer impression and interest in restaurants. The respondents were more attracted to creative and experience-related content, which included food pictures, brief videos, and posts of customers. However, the Instagram presence of Everest Himal Oy is relatively limited, which demonstrates that it is not used to its full capacity. Interview results also show the issues faced by small businesses, such as time issues, lack of resources, and insufficient digital marketing skills.

This research suggests that well-planned and regular Instagram posts would make the company more visible and potentially more interacting with customers. Some of the practical suggestions made are a continuous posting, focusing on the quality of visual content, user-generated content, emphasizing cultural identity, and interaction with followers.