i

SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING STRATEGIES

USED BY MERCHANTS IN POBLACION

NABUNTURAN, DAVAO DE ORO

A Research Presented to

The Faculty of Senior High School

Assumption College of Nabunturan

Nabunturan, Compostela Valley Province

In Partial Fulfillment

On the Requirement for PRACTICAL RESEARCH-1

EDBELYN A. ALBA

ARLYD JHON CONDISTABLE

IRIS EUNICE FUENTES

MADELEANE PALAPAR MADELO

BEA MARIE POTANE

MILES QUIAO

MARCH 2020
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Table of Contents

Chapter 1..........................................................................................................................1

INTRODUCTION...............................................................................................................1

The Problem and Its Background...................................................................................1

Purpose of the Study......................................................................................................3

Review of Related Literature..........................................................................................3

Theoretical Lens...........................................................................................................24

Scope and Delimitation of the study.............................................................................26

Significance of the Study..............................................................................................26

Definition of Terms.......................................................................................................28

Chapter II........................................................................................................................30

METHODOLOGY............................................................................................................30

Research Design..........................................................................................................30

Research locale............................................................................................................31

Role of the Researcher................................................................................................34

Research Participants..................................................................................................35

Data Collection Procedure...........................................................................................36

Data Analysis................................................................................................................37

Trustworthiness and Credibility....................................................................................39

Ethical Consideration...................................................................................................41

References..................................................................................................................46
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List of Figures

Schematic

Diagram………………………………………………………………………….23

Location map of Poblacion Nabunturan, Davao de

Oro………………………………….33
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Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION

The Problem and Its Background

Development of Technology and Internet have taken place worldwide. Internet

plays a vital role in our lives. Every activity we do nowadays can be done with the use of

Internet. In addition, Development of Technology and Internet have changed the way

business owners communicate with their customers [CITATION Mah17 \l 1033 ]. Some small

business owners use the social media as marketing strategy to enrich customers

attention, interest, desire and action [ CITATION Has16 \l 1033 ]. [ CITATION Has16 \l 1033 ]

posited that effectiveness of social media as tool in marketing became unclear which

means many business owners fail to use social media.

Many Organizations have coherent social media and social networking sites in

particulars, leading to the business leaders changed their way in communicating

customers. In enlisting the participation of consumers to increase brand awareness,

Marketers use social media platforms such as Facebook to comment and posts

[ CITATION Gal17 \l 1033 ]. To reach new customers, increase sales, and grow profitability,

Social Media Marketing Strategies is the valuable tool for the business owners but some

business owners lack at resources and expertise to implement effective strategies

[ CITATION Gal17 \l 1033 ].

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China remains the largest ecommerce market in terms of estimated revenue for

2015 (US$562.66 billion), followed by the United States of America (US$349.06 billion)

and the United Kingdom (US$93.89 billion). Both developed and developing countries

have seen rapid growth in e-commerce. As the internet and the use of personal

computers and mobile devices become more widespread, more customers will be able

to buy the products and services they want online (Keith, M. 2015).

Zoleta V, (2021) posited that Filipinos are the world’s most active social media

users. Surprisingly, out of a population of 108.8 million, the Philippines has 73 million

active social media users. And that number is set to rise, as Filipinos invest ever more

time online in the face of the current pandemic. As a result, local companies are

stepping up their digital marketing strategies and concentrating on social media in

particular. (Landicho, J., 2020)

A total of 248 micro-small businesses grew as a result of their link to social media

and the internet. Furthermore, the Davao City Agriculturist Office (DCAO) has tapped

Facebook as a means of negotiation that could be beneficial to those interested in

agriculture (Jara, 2018). Farmers and producers benefited from this trend of using social

media channels to promote and support their products and services. In terms of e-

commerce, it was reported that rivalry among online businesses was increasing in

Davao City (Bagaforo, 2017).

Furthermore, this study will provide relevant concepts that would possibly help

the online seller in Poblacion Nabunturan, Davao De Oro to have an effective marketing

strategy using social media.

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Purpose of the Study

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the perspective, experience

and strategies to some online sellers in Poblacion, Davao De Oro who use to implement

online selling to increase derivative sales. Through this qualitative study, Individuals

would be able to figure out some information that would help them to open up their

minds and would engage themselves in online selling. May this study provide

comprehensive suggestion to online sellers and aspiring online sellers to steer social

media promotions with effective strategies.

Review of Related Literature

This study presents a review and summary of literature and studies from other

researchers who have carried out their research in the same field of study.

Social Media Marketing. The word "social media" is thrown around a lot these days.

It's the latest craze, and one can assume that everybody is familiar with or understands

what social media is. It is an established fact that 90% of all internet users use social

media in some form or another. It's also a given that most of these people would be

unable to name more than a few social media sites in addition to the ones they use. It

may be due to the rapid speed of growth in the social media arena, or simply a lack of

interest in the technologies, but it appears that social media appeared out of nowhere
 4

and caught people off guard. According to a recent survey, the Philippines has the

highest internet use rate among other countries. Millions of Filipinos spend

approximately 10 hours online per day, with nearly four hours of that time dedicated to

social media sites (Landicho, J., 2020).

People began exchanging information and engaging with one another in the early

days of the Internet, which led to the birth of social media. The earlier platforms were

simply more "technology" intensive and needed some skills to use, so the number of

people who used them was restricted. As technology progressed, platforms were

created that allowed ordinary people with no technical experience to use the services.

This was a watershed moment in Internet history, bringing Internet technology to the

masses and allowing people to no longer be passive recipients of content. They could

now make their own material. They could now create their own material, share it with

others, interact with others, collaborate with them, and so much more. The emergence

of social media as we know it today was ignited by this user engagement. (Taprial, V., &

Kanwar, P. 2012)

People can openly communicate with others on social media, and advertisers

can reach and connect with customers in a variety of ways. Given the various ways in

which social media impacts individuals and companies alike, the writers of this article

concentrate on where they think social media will be in the future when it comes to

marketing-related topics and issues. The authors describe nine trends, grouped by

projected imminence (i.e., the immediate, close, and far futures), that they believe will

meaningfully shape the future of social media across three lenses: customer, business,

and public policy, based on empirical studies, conversations with industry leaders, and
 5

mainstream discourse (Appel, G., Grewal, L., Hadi, R., & Stephen, A. T. 2020). Social

media has become widespread and essential for social networking and content sharing

in recent years. Despite this, the content created by these websites is fairly unknown.

(Asur, S., & Huberman, B. A. 2010, August).

Business owners and marketers use the Internet to reach out to potential

consumers in a number of ways. The Internet revolutionized communication, culture,

and commerce by allowing users to communicate through instant messaging, email,

video chatting, and other Internet-based applications (Srivastava, Nakazawa, & Chen,

2016). Business leaders use the World Wide Web as a forum to sell their goods and

services in new ways, including hosting their companies in the virtual world (Xun, 2014).

The Internet is used by business leaders to send promotional marketing

messages to current and potential customers. Internet marketing started in 1993, when

the Internet was first made freely available, and its use inspired the automation and

convergence of marketing functions (Kucuk, 2016). Business leaders strongly supported

the Internet marketing trend by hosting a website to not only conduct business, but also

to provide information on their goods and services, and to digitally bring their print

advertisements to life (Atwong, 2015). Initially, Marketers started with e-mail marketing

and banner advertisements, then went on to search engine marketing sites like Google

and Bing, as well as social media marketing sites like Facebook and Twitter (Kurtin,

2016). Edmiston (2014) in agreement with Kucuk (2016), noted that a strong Internet

presence has become increasingly important for companies as a powerful tool for

raising market awareness, attracting potential customers, and facilitating contact among

a company's customer base, according to the report.

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Marketers and company owners who effectively use social media to expand their

scope beyond conventional advertising methods. Business leaders use social media in

their marketing campaigns to attract consumers who are unlikely to respond to

traditional print or radio advertising (Coleman, Chandler, & Gu, 2013). Because of the

increased level of usage by users and the continued usability of myriad ways beyond

the conventional website, such as blogs, social networking sites and apps, and media

images and video clips, social media stands out from traditional media (Edosomwan,

Prakasan, Kouame, Watson, & Seymour, 2011). Traditional methods of purchase, such

as going to department stores or conducting face-to-face transactions, were previously

used by consumers. Consumers, on the other hand, use social media networks such as

sharing pages, blogs, and social networking to post their content (Kietzmann,

Hermkens, McCarthy, & Silvestre, 2011). Business leaders may also use social media

to not only advertise their goods and services, but also to communicate directly with

consumers (Edosomwan et al., 2011). In concert with Kietzmann et al. (2011), Coleman

et al. (2013) commented that Smart business owners understand the potential benefit of

social media in terms of increasing revenue, improving their credibility, and extending

their ability to compete in a competitive market. Business owners may use social media

marketing to reach out to potential consumers and raise brand awareness in the

marketplace.

A new marketing challenge is combining a common brand-owned marketing

communication platform with consumer-initiated service requests via social media to

create a new challenge. Although marketing communication networks often send

positive signals to target audiences, service requests to address problems and specific
 7

complaints exchanged by unhappy consumers have the potential to send negative

signals. Service and marketing contact were previously two separate marketing terms

with no overlap. However, new social innovations are bringing these two fields closer

together. The current study employs a netnographic approach to demonstrate the

existence of social media service experiences in a company's integrated marketing

communication (IMC) channel. The findings indicate that managers and theorists should

broaden their definition of IMC to include service support. Furthermore, social media as

an IMC medium is not limited to solely brand-produced communication, but also

includes consumer-produced service-related communication, which can send positive or

negative signals to other customers. (Bacile, T., Hoffacker, C., & White, A. 2014).

Customers are gradually turning to social media for a number of consumer-

related activities, such as venting about a brand or sharing their shopping experiences.

The rise of social media provides a business opportunity focused on knowledge sharing,

but it also complicates the work of marketing managers who must be prepared to deal

with current issues in this area. (Hofacker, C. F., & Belanche, D. 2016).

Based on the study's results. Santos, K. E. S (2020) came to the conclusion that

online marketing has both advantages and disadvantages for online business owners.

Its advantages include the fact that they do not need to set up online stores because

social media can serve as their marketing channel, that they can easily reach

consumers via internet connectivity, and that they can have two-way conversations at

their leisure. However, some consumers also prefer to see and inspect goods or

services in person, and they are still reluctant to pay for transactions. Furthermore, the

advantages and difficulties experienced by online business sellers are unrelated to the
 8

business profile (years in business, monthly net profits, and online marketing training).

Similarly, online marketing preparation and the forms of online businesses (product-

based, service-based, and product-and-service-based) have little impact on the

advantages and challenges faced. As a result, it is recommended that someone who

wishes to start an online company and use online marketing have sound business

decision-making skills in order to be prepared for the advantages and disadvantages.

He or she must understand that depending on the owner's accessibility, transparency,

and customer relationship, consumers can prefer online or physical stores of products

and services. Furthermore, anyone who would start an online company and use online

marketing must be aware of customer behavior.

Role of Social Media Marketing. Marketers use social media to create collaborative

conversational networks that connect customers and businesses. Consumer-company

partnerships are a way for business owners to build relationships with their existing

customers while also attracting new ones (Schultz & Peltier, 2013). Social media

marketing is a way for marketers to boost customer loyalty and retention, which leads to

increased sales, in an environment where company owners design marketing

campaigns to maximize profits and market share (Ismail, 2016). Unlike conventional

marketing strategies, which focus on visibility and impressions, social media marketing

focuses on improving teamwork. As a result, company participation is vital to the

successful use of social media marketing to increase sales (Kurtin, 2016; Markova &

Petkovska-Mircevska, 2013). Rather than purchasing conventional advertising space to

view goods, social media advertisers aim to improve customer interaction.

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Marketing strategies for small businesses vary from marketing strategies for

large corporations. Large companies have invested considerable resources in customer

engagement campaigns, based on the theory that increasing customer engagement

contributes to large revenue increases (Milan, Eberle, & Bebber, 2015). Since larger

companies must pay for the financial overhead of IT, administrative, and social media

departments, small business owners who use social media customer engagement have

an advantage over larger corporations (Milan et al., 2015). On the other hand, Small

business owners are primarily responsible for delegating certain duties to one or less

employees (Hassan & Casaló Ario, 2016). However, Small business owners often

struggle with how to put a marketing plan into action; more specifically, small business

owners may lack marketing skills necessary to understand specific marketing issues

and increase sales (Bhatnagar & Papatla, 2016). Hassan and Casaló Ario (2016)

observed, in a mild rebuttal to Bhatnagar and Papatla (2016), that small business

owners have a range of inexpensive technical tools to participate in successful social

media marketing campaigns. Small business owners can make efficient use of social

media marketing by learning how to purchase and post social media ads using online

tools.

From sharing consumer enticements to seeking long-term customer loyalty,

social media marketing has advanced. The initial goal of an online marketing campaign

was to entice customers to visit a company's website; however, astute social media

marketers realized the importance of building long-term relationships with customers

(Fisher, 2015). Business leaders may use social media to broaden the reach of their

marketing strategies (Kim & Drumwright, 2016). In concert with Kim and Drumwright
 10

(2016), Colapinto and Benecchi (2014) commented that Social media marketing tools

influence business innovation by expanding a small business owner's consumer reach,

targeting demographic segments for increased customer engagement, streamlining ads,

and reducing customer service efforts. Conversely, Harmeling, Moffett, Arnold, and

Carlson (2017) suggested that Customer Engagement is no longer governed by word of

mouth, product or brand, or providing customer ratings, but rather by customer

behaviors, in which consumers go beyond basic purchases by making voluntary

contributions and remarks about a brand or business. Despite the fact that marketers

acknowledged that online shopping lacked human touch, the use of social media is a

way to increase the personalized contract with customers (Markova & Petkovska-

Mircevska, 2013). From the perspective of a small business owner, information posted

on relevant forums may provide valuable research data on topics such as product or

service efficiency, site usability and navigation, and consumer censors or suggestions

(Kim & Drumwright 2016). Instead of passively consuming conventional marketing ads,

social media marketers hope for online users to spread the company's message virally

(Lee, Wang, Trappey, & Yang, 2014). Instead of relying on a company's ads, virtual

word-of-mouth conversations about a product or service enable potential customers to

learn about a product or service from other consumers.

Business leaders and owners used social media to expand their networking by

fostering personal and professional relationships and allowing for information sharing.

User forums are created and monitored by social media marketers in order to facilitate

dialogue and information dissemination to large audiences (Suby, 2013). With a growing

number of companies incorporating social media into their marketing, the fear of being
 11

left behind in this cutting-edge marketing race has prompted most businesses to join the

social media world (Kim & Drumwright, 2016). Business leaders sought new marketing

mediums after conventional marketing efficacy declined, resulting in the rapid growth of

social media marketing. However, many small business owners lack the skills and

expertise to mount successful social media marketing campaigns (Naylor, Lamberton, &

West, 2012). Some small business owners lack the faith and technical know-how to

successfully execute a social media marketing campaign. In agreement with Naylor et

al. (2012), Rambe (2017) postulated that Small business owners must be able to

incorporate social media marketing campaigns in order to maximize the impact of

increasing consumer networking and enhancing customer experience.

Social networking is used by business executives to strengthen consumer

relationships. Customer relations are crucial to business success, and business owners

who use the most successful medium to market their company's goods and services are

the determinants of success (Sherbaniuk, 2014). Small business owners can use social

media to respond to customer feedback, demonstrate genuine interest in the customer,

increase the customer's view of the company, and establish long-term relationships (Liu

et al., 2015). Consumer loyalty, brand recognition, and establishing a long-term

relationship with the customer are all important factors in gaining repeat business for

successful social media marketers (Kasemsap, 2017).

Marketing Strategies in Social Media. Marketing Strategies is an overall game plan

of a business for achieving prospective consumers and turning them into costumers of

their product and services (James, M., 2021). To remain competitive in a larger

marketplace, the use of low-cost marketing tool has become essential to small
 12

businesses [ CITATION Per14 \l 1033 ]. One third of small business does not have social

media accounts while Sixty-three percent of small business invest in social media

accounts to enlarge their brands’ reach [ CITATION Car19 \l 1033 ]: yet, Ninety-five percent

of small business whether B2C (Business to Consumer) or B2B (Business to Business)

has failed on social media marketing [ CITATION Tan14 \l 1033 ]. However, some small

business owners use effective marketing strategies to ensure success within their

business [ CITATION Per14 \l 1033 ]. According to Sherman (2019) having a marketing

strategy in a business is important and useful. This will serve you as your guidance in

every business decision. Social media marketing is commercial promotion conducted

through social media websites. Companies, Organization and Individual promote their

products by posting frequent updates and providing special offers through their social

media profiles (Pawar, A.V., 2014). They used the function of sharing and posting

information in promoting their products with the use of social media platforms (Kuang,

K., Jiang, M., Cui, P., & Yang, S. 2016). According to Sajid, S.I.(2016) Companies,

Organization, and Individuals have established social media promotion as a possible

promotion system and used it in collaboration with other innovation to improve their

marketing efforts. Marketers use social media platforms, such as Facebook and

Instagram, to enlist the participation of consumers using online comments and posts to

increase brand awareness (Galati, Tinervia, Crescimanno, & Spezia, 2017) According

Soegoto, E.S., & Utumo, A.T. (2019) In the marketing strategy the thing they must do is

to sell their products and services with a view that can attract buyers using social media

platform such as facebook and Instagram. Soegoto, E.S., & Utumo, A.T. (2019) pointed

out 5 Marketing Strategy in social media. They are:

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Celebrity Endorsement. This marketing strategy is to use service also known as

endorsement by famous people or a celebrity. This method that is often used by

business owners to market their products with the services of artist or famous people.

According to Dom, S. M., et.al. (2016) The effectiveness of celebrity endorsement will

be measured according to five dimensions: (1) positive feelings toward the

advertisement, (2) attention grabbing, (3) purchase intention, (4) personality, and (5)

appealand high recall rates. Hence, The success of this is depend on the selection of

celebrity, how influential he is.

Attractive Display. Marketing Strategy with attractive product display. Posting

your product images or videos using social media platforms such as Facebook and

Instagram where people can be seen in this case an Attractive and unique appearance

influence sales. Unique appearance of the product attracts customers.

Promo and Discount. Developing promo and discount. Promo and discount most

loved and liked by everyone else. This is done to get more customers and permanent

customer loyal to the product offered. This promo can be done every month or every

important celebration.

Good service. This is crucial in social media marketing. The service must put

forward good, effective, and friendly communication through this it can make a good

impression. Example A buyer asking question, it must be answered and the response

must be fast and also other service that can satisfy customers. If the customers are

given a good service, the customer will be happy and will give good feedback.
 14

Monitoring Activities. Marketing Strategy with the use of Instagram stories. Insta

Stories is the latest featured lunch by Instagram. The function of it is also uploading

images or video but it only stored 24 hours unlike Instagram post that have long period

of time. This can be used a way to market products or monitor production activities such

as reports of availability of goods, product manufacturing processes and others. Based

on the studies of Soegoto, E.S., & Utumo, A.T. (2019) This expectedly can improve

product marketing, increase popularity and provide marketing targets offered.

Brand awareness is critical to success of a business. People are more likely to

buy a products or services if they know the brand or click website of a brand, they are

aware with (Zimmer, M. 2019). Estevez, E. (2021) defined brand awareness. It refers to

the familiarity of consumers with a particular product or service. He also added social

media has become an important new tool in brand awareness marketing. According to

Omoyza, E., & Agwu, E. (2016) Branding is a process that is used by the businesses to

utilize marketing strategies to enhance their product or service image so that it is more

readily recollected by the customer. Branding can act as a promotional strategy to

produce consumer patronage and loyalty and influencing their buying patterns. To

achieve the following, the elements will come into play, the brand elements include;

Brand name, Logo, URL, Character, Slogan, Jingle, Packaging and the criteria’s for

these elements to work are; Memorability, Meaning fullness, Likability, Transferability,

Adaptability and Protect ability. (1) A brand must be simple. (2) A brand must be

different and (3) A brand must be safe. 3 Constant of a brand in order to be established

in a long run.
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Social media marketing strategies are valuable tools for business owners to

reach new customers, increase sales, and grow profitability; yet, some owners lack the

resources and expertise to implement effective strategies (Galati et al., 2017). Social

Media has proven to be just as effective or even more effective than Traditional

Marketing. (Oyza, I., et al. 2015). Bacon J. (2011) pointed out the 4 basics to maintain a

successful online and social media presence. They are:

Contents: The backbone of social of Media. You must publish fresh, relevant

information on a regular basis for your customers to consume online and social media

platforms. Social Media accounts are considered dead if does not produce fresh

contents.

Engagement: To maintain successful online and social media presence audience

engagement is needed. Those organizations and individual who engage their online

customers are seen as friendly and responsive and many other positive perceptions.

Skills: To maintain successful online and social media presence skills is highly

needed. Skills is vital to drive vibrant in social media presence. Skills ranging from

graphics, research, designs, backend, management, analytics, optimization, monitoring,

and other more. Without a background knowledge how to use it or using them wrongly

will lead to disaster.

Consistency: To maintain successful online and social media presence, you must

be consistent. It does not guarantee success if you know how to do except if that

knowledge backed with great efforts and commitment doing it day in and day out. Lack

of consistence accounts mostly lead to failure.

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Charoensukmongkol and Sasatanun (2017) noted that Small business owners

should participate in a strategic and comprehensive process to make successful use of

social media. The strategic process to make effective use of social media marketing is

as follows: (a) gather customer data for identification, such as demographics, buying

background, and personal preferences; (b) categorize customers into groups based on

shared needs and values; (c) connect and communicate with customers to build long-

term relationships based on their expectations; and (d) tailoring and customizing

marketing packages in accordance with customer tastes and needs

(Charoensukmongkol & Sasatanun, 2017). Kasemsap (2017), in agreement with

Charoensukmongkol and Sasatanun, noted that Marketers use details such as

individual identities and association-based information to reach users of a company's

website. To make successful use of social media marketing, small business owners

must first consider their consumers' wishes and needs.

The business-to-consumer (B2C) category of small retail sales of goods and

services to private individuals via the Internet is a prominent area of e-commerce.

Business owners who use a B2C approach effectively target consumers to increase

traffic to their e-commerce pages (Keikha & Sargolzaei, 2017). In agreement with

Keikha and Sargolzaei (2017), Clark (2017) posited that Using targeted ads on social

media platforms, business leaders could increase ecommerce traffic. Another approach

used by business owners to boost their B2C effectiveness is to monitor social media

platforms for customer input. To increase brand recognition and sales, business owners

should pursue their targeted customer segments, regularly respond to consumer

feedback, and aim to engage the consumer in constructive dialog (Swani, Milne, Brown,
 17

Assaf, & Donthu, 2017). Customers who are dissatisfied with a product or service are

much more likely to write a negative review than customers who are happy are to write

a positive review (Sparks & Bradley, 2017).

A personalized business transaction with a customer is what B2C e-commerce is

all about. When it comes to B2C purchases, business owners must understand that a

consumer buying a product is making a personal decision (Swani et al., 2017). Business

owners can use social media to boost customer loyalty, influence consumer behavior,

and increase revenue by personalizing their marketing strategies (Tussyadiah, Kausar,

& Soesilo, 2018). In agreement with Tussyadiah et al. (2018), Swani et al. (2017)

commented that Consumer purchasing decisions could be influenced by business

leaders' use of social networking and marketing. Tussyadiah et. Al (2018) posited that

the Small business owners need and want referrals made possible by the Internet, such

as virtual word-of-mouth, viral marketing, and relationship marketing. This literature

indicates that business leaders can boost their B2C success by using social media to

personalize the transaction.

Business-to-business (B2B) refers to all levels of electronic contact between

businesses, including the use of specialized technology and electronic data

interchanges. Some business leaders employ social media marketing to expand and

boost their B2B e-commerce opportunities (Guillet, Kucukusta, & Liu, 2016; Kotler et al.,

2015).

The development of a business strategy is the first step toward the creation of a

B2B trading platform. According to Ahmed, Bwisa, Otieno, and Karanja (2014) Business

leaders must develop a specific strategy to build an efficient B2B platform, execute the
 18

plan, and integrate the B2B strategy into the company's overall strategy plan. Business

leaders who engage in B2B online commerce strive to integrate vendor and consumer

solutions into a single framework based on a central portal (Tuten, 2014). In concert

with Tuten (2014), Blackburn et al. (2013) commented to improve operational efficiency,

developers of a B2B platform should provide the features and components that buyers

and sellers need. Scalability is critical for B2B performance, as increased activity and

the number of participants are directly proportional to increased company earnings from

B2B e-commerce (Hatten, 2015). B2B performance is directly linked to the consistency

of directory management organization and the pace at which new and old information is

added and changed, all of which contribute to the directory's searchability (Rezaei et al.,

2018; Hatten, 2015). When leaders use social media marketing to boost B2B e-

commerce, it's critical to keep the details on the B2B site up to date.

To facilitate all forms of ecommerce transactions, automate business processes,

and promote cross-company collaboration, business leaders need a virtual trading

platform. Hatten, 2015; Kotler et al., 2015) describe business process integration as a

way to improve document and record management while also increasing benefit for

participating companies. Leaders use a technique called effective incorporation of

participating businesses' processes in B2B platforms to engage in several online trading

platforms (Hatten, 2015; Mills & McCarthy, 2014). Process integration is used by

effective business leaders in B2B ecommerce to boost results, but implementing a B2B

strategy is difficult.

The developers of B2B e-commerce platforms must ensure payment security

and the secure transmission of sensitive data. A company moving from conventional
 19

product sales to B2B e-commerce may have trouble maintaining profitable relationships

with intermediaries and distributors who are hesitant to do business via a B2B e-

commerce platform e (Hatten, 2015; Mills & McCarthy, 2014). Developing a plan to

move supply chain partners from tranditional commerce approaches to e-commerce is

an important part of running a profitable B2B operation (Hatten, 2015; Schaupp &

Bélanger, 2013). Using social media marketing to complement a B2B e-commerce

activity could help online sellers increase sales.

Small business owners can view items or an online catalog using low-cost Web-

Shop windows. A Web-Shop window (Kotler, Keller, Manceau, & Hémonnet-Goujot,

2015) is not an online store, but rather a sales manager tool for attracting customers to

an online retail website. Web-Shop windows can help business owners improve their

customers' shopping experiences (Fiore, Vrontis, Silvestri, & Cont, 2016). The Web-

Shop window is a user interface for cataloging data, exchanging pricing, recording

customer feedback, and assisting customers in moving from browsing to buying a

product or service (Kotler et al., 2015). Business owners who use Web-Shop windows

should provide prominent links to their online retail store and connect their social media

ads to the Web-Shop links (Blackburn, Hart, & Wainwright, 2013). Marketers and

company owners may use web-shop windows to supplement their social media

marketing strategy. Web-Shop windows provide a new way for business owners to

communicate with potential customers. To entice customers into the retail store, small

business owners sometimes use a Web-Shop window in place of a conventional store

banner or billboard (Rezaei, Chandran, & Oh, 2018). As noted by Siddiqui and

Fitzgerald, To build an efficient Web-Shop window, small business owners must have
 20

some technical experience or invest in a third-party vendor. Agnihotri, Itani and

Rodriguez (2017), in agreement with Siddiqui and Fitzgerald (2015) suggested that

business owners have access to technology expertise, resources, and consultants to

create appealing Web-Shop windows that support their social media marketing strategy.

Small business owners can make good use of their social media marketing tools by

setting up Web-Shop windows to draw customers into their shops.

Using a social media marketing campaign to engage consumers is an important

way for business owners to boost sales. According to Braojos, Benitez, and Llorens-

Montes (2017), a market owner requires a high degree of social media proficiency to

reach online customers. Customers must be trusted by business owners who participate

in online shopping, and they must understand the social, behavioral, and cognitive

principles that consumers use to make buying decisions (Harrigan, Evers, Miles, & Daly,

2017). In accord with Harrigan et al. (2017), Islam and Rahman (2016) commented that

Business owners may involve online consumers by increasing the degree of trust they

feel when making a purchase online. Harrigan et al. (2017) noted that in order to

increase customer loyalty across social media channels, marketers can work to

increase consumer trust in the brand as well as security features when making an

online purchase. Customer retention is an essential element of a marketing strategy.

Marketers must create a strategy that cultivates a consumer's emotional commitment to

a product or business in order to retain consumers (Venkatesan, 2017). Furthermore, if

a consumer likes the social media platform's atmosphere, he or she is more likely to

recommend it to others, increasing the likelihood of repeat business and new customers

(Braojos et al., 2017).

 21

Benefits of Social Media Marketing. Business owners use social media ads to

improve the visibility of their goods and services. Marketers may target their product

strategies through interactive dialog channels on social media, which offers a plethora

of marketing avenues and opportunities (Barrutia & Echebarria, 2013). Marketers

understand that, unlike conventional marketing mediums, social media marketing is a

way to cater to younger generations of customers. Consumers rarely communicate or

express their experiences in response to conventional newspaper or radio ads, but

social media advertisements are often interactive. (Markovska-Mircevska & Markova,

2013). In agreement with Markova and Petkovska-Mircevska (2013), Braojos et. Al

(2017) noted that Consumer who respond to social media ads offer real-time marketing

research data to business executives, allowing them to strategically place

advertisements or change content to increase sales. Smart marketers use social media

to monitor customer reactions, collect feedback, and change their marketing strategies

as required (Rolland & Parmentier, 2013).

To connect with customers, business leaders use a number of social media

channels. Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, and Twitter are some of the most popular

social networking sites (Surma, 2016). Marketers also use YouTube, Flickr, and

Pinterest to reach out to consumers (Surma, 2016). Marketers use Facebook to share

information about their business, share relevant photos and videos, and promote

events. YouTube allows business owners to post videos and connect ads to videos that

contain content relevant to their product or service. Marketers use Twitter as a fast

source of information and input from customers (Witkemper, Lim, & Waldburger, 2012).

The most popular forms of social media used by marketers to connect with customers
 22

and increase sales are Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter (Witkemper et al., 2012). Wang

and Kim (2017) agreed with Witkemper et. Al. (2012) in that Marketers use social media

to transform internet users from passive viewers of conventional ads into active

participants. Business leaders can improve the effectiveness of their marketing

resources by having customers communicate with one another and engage with the

company.

In a competitive world, the increased use of social media provides an opportunity

for business owners to capture more consumers, receive real-time feedback, and

enhance their marketing. Since 2008, consumers have used social media to make over

500 billion views and feedback about product offerings (Allan & Ali, 2017). Consumers

and business leaders use social media for its ease of use and to virtually post and

ingest information (Vinerean, Cetina, Dumitrescu, and Tichindelean, 2013). Astute

marketers see the rise of social media use as an opportunity to participate in low-cost

ads in order to attract millions of new consumers (Allan & Ali, 2017). The social media

phenomenon allows business owners to link marketing contact and branding with

customer relationship marketing (Witkemper et al., 2012). The positive impact of

consumer socialization on consumer buying decisions, as well as the idea of putting ads

in the most visible ways for the masses to see, are recognized by social media

marketing strategists.
 23

USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA AS MARKETING STRATEGY

COPING MECHANISM SUGGESTIONS

EXPERIENCES

Figure 1. Schematic Diagram

 24

Theoretical Lens

This study is anchored on the Social Media Marketing Strategy Theory, strongly

influenced by Richard, Choong, and Parker (2016).

This theory state that Social Media Marketing Strategies is a helpful tool for

online sellers in increasing sales. The use of online collaborative media to generate

viral marketing or word-of-mouth effects is referred to as social media marketing

(Richard, et.al., 2016). The use of social media has changed the industry, resulting in a

rise in consumer maturity (Constantinides, 2014). According to Lou and Koh (2017)

Customers are hard to persuade, influence, and keep. Consumers use social media in a

number of ways, including posting shopping experiences, making complaints about

brands, and making recommendations. The key propositions of the social media

marketing strategy theory are as follows: (a) Successful Marketing. Successful

Marketing is a factor in a company's overall success. The development of many-to-

many networks and integrated links between the social media site and the advertising

company are still needed to use social media. Lou and Koh (2017) suggested that

brands, relationships, and quality (BRQ) maintains the relationship between consumers

and brands. To meet the needs of customers, business leaders should create and

promote brands; relationship creation happens in a variety of ways through the principle

of relationship quality (Constantinides, 2014). (b) Sharing company media files. Sharing

of company media files occurs to improve marketing communications with prospective

buyers. (c) Using social media blogs and discussion boards. Marketers use blogs and

discussion boards to increase awareness of products and services as well as obtain

 25

feedback from prospective buyers. (d)Marketers and optimal social mix. To implement a

social media marketing strategy, marketers must determine the optimal mix of social

media platforms to maximize exposure of the company’s products and services. (e)

Marketers appeal to consumers. The customer appeal that advertisers generate through

social media ads is a key component of the social media marketing strategy theory.

Marketers should use prominent product and service displays to cater to customers'

usual purchasing motives and habits (Richardson et al., 2016). Successful social media

marketing campaigns result in numerous connecting one-to-one, one-to-many, many-to-

one, and many-to-many networks, resulting in increased sales (Richardson et al., 2016)

The purpose of this theory is to help online sellers in making an effective strategy

using social media in increasing sales. In our study we also focus on how effective

social media as marketing strategy. Social media marketing is an effective tool for

marketers to boost customer loyalty and retention, which leads to increased sales.

In conclusion, Social Media Marketing Theory supports our study since it talks

about the coping mechanism and experience of online sellers as well as suggestions of

what social media marketing strategies that will help small business owners in

increasing sales. [Figure 1] shows the flow of each element’s relationship and

connection to each other and unveils how effective social media as marketing tool in

increasing sales.
26
 27

Research Questions

This study focuses on the Social Media Marketing Strategy of the Merchants in

Nabunturan, Davao De Oro.

Furthermore, this study will seek to answer the following questions. The following

question are in the form of general question, it will serve as a guide of the researchers

in conducting their research.

1. What are the difficulties you have encountered while developing and

implementing online selling strategies?

2. How was your experience in using social media as your strategy?

3. As an online seller, what are your suggestions to make this strategy effective in

the market?

Scope and Delimitation of the study

The scope of this study was mainly in Poblacion, Nabunturan Davao De Oro.

This study focuses on the strategies of social media as marketing scheme. The

participants of our research are the residents of the Poblacion, Nabunturan Davao De

Oro whose seller main target is its residents. This study aimed to determine the

effectiveness of social media as one of the platforms in endorsing the product online.

Significance of the Study

This study may fill the gaps concerning how sellers in Poblacion, Nabunturan

Davao De Oro use Social Media as their Marketing tool in Increasing Derivative Sales.

The result of this is beneficial to the following:

 28

Online Seller. This study will provide helpful information about how social media is

essential as a marketing strategy that can increase awareness about their brand and

can help them boost their sales and revenue.

Customers. The result of this study may contribute to the customers as they are the

asset of the business. Without them, the business will be useless. This study helps

customers to be knowledgeable of what promotional strategy online sellers use.

DTI. The result of this study will provide DTI's customer support, help them reach

audiences anywhere on every platform, and turn customers into happy users.

Future Entrepreneurs. This study will help future entrepreneurs efficiently launch their

business on social media, attracting customers and making their products and services

well known.

Researchers. This study will allow future researchers to comprehend the social

marketplace, analyze successes and failures, and become proficient in various social

media platforms.

Future Researchers. This study will provide future researchers an insight into how

social media marketing can help a business grow and how it is a solution for lower

marketing costs.
 29

Definition of Terms

For better understanding of this study, the following terms are specifically

defined.

Business-to-Consumer (B2C) E-commerce. Business-to-consumer e-commerce, or

commerce between companies and consumers, involves customers gathering

information; purchasing physical goods (i.e., tangibles such as books or consumer

products) or information goods (or goods of electronic material or digitized content, such

as software, or e-books); and, for information goods, receiving products over an

electronic network (Gupta, A. 2014).

Business-to-Business (B2B) E-commerce. B2B e-commerce is simply defined as e-

commerce between companies. This is the type of e-commerce that deals with

relationships between and among businesses (Gupta, A. 2014).

Coping Mechanism. This refers to a method or process, and coping means “dealing

with problems or difficulties.” so a coping mechanism is a way to deal with the stress

caused by life.

Customer engagement. Customer engagement is the concept that consumers are not

passive but proactive contributors in cocreation through active and ongoing interactions

(Islam & Rahman, 2016).

Experience. This refers to the awareness or expertise of something or an event

acquired by participation in or exposure to that activity or event.

 30

Marketing Strategy. This refers to an overall game plan of a business for achieving

prospective consumers and turning them into costumers of their product and services

(James, M., 2021).

Social media. This refers to an Internet-based application built on ideological and

technological foundations of Web 2.0 that people use for the creation and exchange of

user-generated content (Malik, Asif, & Wali, 2016).

Social Media Marketing. This refers to the use of social media and social networks to

market a company’s products and services (Hayes, A., 2018)

Suggestion. This refers to a proposal, piece of advice, or idea for consideration.

 31

Chapter II
METHODOLOGY

This paper aimed to explore the effectiveness of Social Media as Marketing

Strategy in Poblacion Nabunturan, Davao De Oro. This study is qualitative in nature.

This Chapter presented the Research design, Research participants, Research locale,

Role of the Researchers, Data Collection Procedure, Data Analysis, Trustworthiness

and Credibility, and Ethical Consideration.

Research Design

This study applied qualitative study, specifically the phenomenological method

design, to collect data from Online Sellers with the use of an interview guide.

Phenomenology method is defined as a logical interpretation of phenomena

(Sokolowski, 2000). Phenomenology is a qualitative research method that focuses on

the shared characteristics of a group's lived experiences. The approach's main aim is to

arrive at a definition of the essence of the phenomenon in question (Creswell, 2013).

The phenomenological design is used by researchers to understand a phenomenon by

collecting data from people who have lived the experience (Moustakas, 1994).

Interviews are usually performed with a group of people who have firsthand

knowledge of a situation, case, or experience. (Moustakas, 1994) The interview(s) tries

to answer two general questions: What has been your experience with the

phenomenon? What circumstances or circumstances have affected your perceptions of

 32

the phenomenon (Creswell, 2013)? Member checking is used by researchers to allow

participants to validate an interpreted summary of their responses to interview questions

(Yin, 2018). This obtains the needed data and provides the necessary answers to the

aforementioned problems. Documents, findings, and art can also be used as data

sources. The data is then read and reread in search of similar phrases and themes,

which are then clustered to form sense clusters (Creswell, 2013). The researcher will

use this method to deduce the event's, situation's, or experiences' universal significance

and gain a deeper understanding of the phenomenon.

Phenomenology approaches are particularly successful at taking prior to an

individual's knowledge and experiences from their own viewpoint, and thus at gathering

information in this study through surveys, interviews, and observation. This research

examines the online sellers' social media marketing strategies.

Research locale

The study will be conducted at Poblacion, Nabunturan Davao De Oro. The

province of Davao De Oro was formerly known as Compostela Valley, consists of flat,

rolling, hilly, and mountainous portions wherein It is a good place for Agricultural

production which is the province major economic activity. Including mining and

quarrying; the substantial contribution to the economy of the province, next to

agriculture. Davao de Oro is endowed with various natural and physical attractions. Its

natural and man-made traveler sights consist of waterfalls, caves, lakes, rivers,

mountain ranges, rich mine fields, hot and cold springs and inland and beach resorts.

The province celebrates its founding anniversary by showcasing its rich cultural heritage
 33

and gold mineral resources during Bulawan Festival. The weeklong festival held from

March 3 to 8, featured a variety of sports, socio-civic, cultural, entertainment, business

and investment, sectoral, and tourism-oriented activities. The provincial government

moreover introduced the Bahay Katutubo, an exhibition hall displaying the assorted

ethnography of the different inborn people groups and ethnolinguistic bunches such as

the Mansaka, Mandaya, Manobo, Mangguangan, Dibabawon, Aeta, Kamayo, Kalagan,

and Davaweño. The Municipality of Nabunturan is the capital of the province of Davao

De Oro, containing 82,234 people and the home of the biggest gold ring in the

Philippines. Poblacion is a barangay located at the municipality of Nabunturan in the

province of Davao De Oro. Poblacion, Nabunturan Davao De Oro chosen to be the

focused locality of the study in order to have efficiency of producing the results and to

conduct the survey easily because it comprises of merchants particularly online sellers

who is struggling in making marketing strategies, due to the increased number of

competencies.
34
 35

Figure 2: Location Map of Poblacion, Nabunturan, Davao de Oro

 36

Role of the Researcher

In qualitative studies, the role of the researcher is quite different. The research is

considered an instrument of data collection (Denzin & Lincoln, 2003). Furthermore, in

order to achieve the best possible standard of interviews, I as a researcher tried to be

as knowledgeable, organized, straightforward, polite, responsive, accessible, directive,

critic, recalling, and interpretative as possible.

I performed several positions such as interviewer, transcriber, interpreter, and

encoder. To get to deeper levels of the conversation, I asked probing questions, listens,

considers, and then asks more probing questions. I take down notes during the

interviews in order to document them. However, I also used recording devices (audio),

used to assist my memory. As a transcriber, I was able to concentrate on the cognitive

substance of what was said (propositions made, explanations given, etc.) and also as

the encoder, I accurately translated and structured into standard English statements.

Various tests were carried out to ensure that the interviewing, transcription, and analysis

of the interviews were all reliable. To begin, I read, heard, and saw all interview notes

and recordings again, comparing them to the interview guide to ensure that all

questions were fully covered in similar ways. Finally, in order to avoid biased and

selective interpretations, we discussed the coding and interpretations with members of

my institution's research group as well as members of the target population. It's

important to avoid bias, because it could affect the study's conclusion, making it a

difficult balancing act to be objective and nonjudgmental in my thoughts, perceptions,

and actions. To assess his or her ability to perform the study, the qualitative researcher
 37

must explain relevant aspects of self, including any biases and assumptions,

aspirations, and experiences (Greenbank, 2003).

With my participant, I developed a friendship to make our communication easier.

I used personal empathy to encourage the participants to share their stories. As a

result, I played the position of observer-as-participant in this study. My job is to try to

understand the ideas and feelings of study participants. A primary responsibility of the

researcher is to protect participants and their data, regardless of how the data is

gathered.

Research Participants

Participants are selected through purposive sampling. We selected participants

who possessed the knowledge and understanding of the phenomenon under study to

answer the research question. The eligibility criteria for the targeted population for this

qualitative study consisted of Merchants in Poblacion, Nabunturan Davao De Oro who

use social media marketing strategies to increase sales. The sample for this study

consisted of ten online sellers who successfully used social media marketing to

increase business sales. The ten participants are truly important in this study because if

not for them, this study would not be successful. We emailed the chosen Online sellers

after finding potential participants to gauge their interest in participating in this study.

The objective of the analysis, the potential value of the research, the possible risks of

participation, and guarantees of confidentiality and ethical measures to the Online

sellers were all included in the e-mail. We emailed each owner an informed consent

form after receiving a positive response. According to Miller (2017), successful

 38

participant recruitment seldom occurs via a single interaction. We followed up with each

Online Seller through messenger to answer any questions, explain the research and

interview process in greater detail, and maintain a working relationship.

Data Collection Procedure

Researchers who perform their study using the qualitative approach are the main

data collectors (Cypress, 2017). The data was gathered using the following steps:

The participants were first identified using a purposive sampling technique. They

were asked to sign a consent form and agree to the terms of the study, which included

the requirement that their involvement be voluntary and that they be willing to share

their expertise as needed.

Second, the participants were given an overview of the study and requested to

participate in In-depth interview as a data gathering method. Before doing the In-Depth

interview via face to face, we observe basic health protocols for the safety of everyone.

An interview protocol is a tool that researchers use to ensure that their interview

process is accurate and reliable (Castillo Montoya, 2016; Yin, 2018). We used an

interview protocol to keep the interviews consistent and as a procedural guide before,

during, and after the interviews. The interview began with an introduction phase in

which the moderator welcomed the participants, explained the objective of the

conversation, and established the length and secrecy of the interview. During the

interviews, we kept a reflective journal in which we recorded notes and nonverbal

 39

messages from the participants. we audio recorded the In-Depth interviews with the

participants' permission for transcription purposes.

Finally, we transcribed the interviews' audio recordings, reviewed the transcripts,

wrote a page outline of our interpretation of the participants' interview answers. To

ensure that we correctly captured each participant's purpose and to enhance the

dependability of the interview results, we used member checking. It is critical to

emphasize that this discussion is about personal perspectives and experiences,

therefore there are no right or incorrect answers (Dornyei, 2007).

Data Analysis

In a qualitative study, data analysis refers to a collection of procedures used by

researchers to decipher the deeper significance of raw data (Flick, 2014; Yazan, 2015).

Researchers use methodological triangulation to allow one set of data to validate the

dependability and validity of another set of data (Fusch & Ness, 2015). During the data

analysis process, we used methodological triangulation to validate the dependability

and validity of the interview data by using documentation data.

Gathering and sorting data is the first step in the compilation process (Yin, 2018).

The researcher's goal during the compilation process is to organize the raw data into a

database (Rowlands et al., 2015). During the compilation process of data processing,

raw data must be transformed into written text (Zhang & Wildemuth, 2016). We started

the data collection process after transcribing the interviews, engaging the participants in

member checking, and reviewing organizational records. To continue with data analysis,
 40

qualitative researchers use an interpretive, content analysis method (Tuapawa, 2017).

The transcripts from the interviews were analyzed using qualitative content analysis to

expose the participants' details and thoughts. We looked at the outcomes of member

checking to make sure the compiled data matched the participants' intent rather than my

interpretation.

The process of thematically arranging, clustering, and categorizing data

fragments into logical categories, including the development of graphs, lists, and tables,

is known as reassembling (Kornbluh, 2015). To begin categorizing the emergent

themes and trends, we reassembled the data fragments into thematic clusters. To

maintain data order and avoid comingling themes and patterns during the reassemble

phase, researchers should use a logical and clear coding procedure (Zhang &

Wildemuth, 2016). To prepare for data interpretation, we used a standardized coding

procedure, double-checked the codes, and ensured proper grouping of themes and

patterns.

During the interpreting process of data analysis, the researcher starts to

construct a narrative from the reassembled data (McDermid et al., 2014). Researchers

must remain impartial throughout the interpreting process, avoid introducing personal

prejudices, and avoid the temptation to include preconceived ideas about the outcomes

(Tuapawa, 2017). In order to finalize the emergent themes and subthemes, I concluded

data analysis by drawing conclusions from the generated narratives. To ensure the

findings' dependability and credibility, we tracked and reported the processes and

procedures and arrived at reliable and truthful conclusions. Although Researchers use

qualitative data analysis to analyze data, and the findings must be based on the data
 41

rather than the researcher's subjective perspective (Zhang & Wildemuth, 2016). We

remained an impartial interpreter of the participants' interview responses and the data

gathered during documentation review as we finished data analysis.

To address the research question, we focused on the emerging key themes and

social media marketing strategies that some online sellers use to increase sales as we

finished data analysis. Using an interview protocol that included member checking and

methodological triangulation to ensure the main themes emerged from the results, we

were able to minimize our possible biases during the research process.

Trustworthiness and Credibility

In the sections below, we explained the procedures to ensure credibility,

transferability, dependability and conformability of the findings of this study.

Credibility. According to Baskarada (2014), research is reliable when rich in-

depth data is sought and obtained. To ensure the credibility of the results, researchers

should consult peers for feedback on the study. According to Anney (2014) Member

verification is useful in determining adequacy, such as interpreting documents used

during data collection before creating the final paper. She went on to say that member

checking is an important step for a qualitative researcher to take in order to increase the

data's credibility (Anney, 2014). To gather corroborating facts, we used methodological

triangulation to analyze sources and theories. Triangulation eliminates bias and double-

checks the consistency of the participants' responses. We compared data that we

eventually collected from participants through semi-structured questions, member

testing, and documents to ensure credibility in our research. We used an interview

procedure to record and step of the research process, remained impartial throughout
 42

data collection and analysis, and strived for dependability and credibility of the results to

increase the chances of potential researchers transferring the findings of this study.

Transferability. According to Anney (2014) The degree to which future

researchers confirm the findings of a previous study or the agreement of a study reader

is referred to as transferability. Marshall & Rossman. (2016) added that If the results

have implications for people in similar circumstances to the participants, it is said to be

transferable. Using an interview protocol, keeping an audit trail, eliminating personal

prejudices, and gathering dependable, reliable data all help researchers increase their

chances of transferability (Fusch & Ness, 2015).

Dependability. Hess, McNab, and Basoglu (2014) cited that consistency in

addition to dependability is critical in qualitative studies and readers need to be capable

to comply with the results. Researchers help guarantee dependability by alleviating their

prejudices, ultimate objectives, furthermore keeping away from the consideration of their

perspective during data collection and analysis (Birt et al., 2016). During data collection

and analysis, we maintained objectivity and avoided any prejudices. Member checking

is implies by researchers to reduce personal prejudices.give the participants the chance

to confirm an interpreted overview of their interview responses (Fusch & Ness, 2015).

We had the participants perform member checking to ensure that their interview

answers were correctly interpreted. To increase the data's dependability, researchers

use member testing and methodological triangulation (Hess et al., 2014). We utilized

methodological triangulation to increase dependability which included matching

interview data with information gathered from a study of relevant company records.
 43

Conformability. In a qualitative study, conformability refers to how objective the

study is, especially when collecting and analyzing data (Lichtman, 2014). There must be

agreement between two or more independent people about the data's quality, validity,

or significance (Polit and Beck, 2012). Conformability is the degree to which a study's

results are influenced by the respondents as well as the researcher's bias, motivation,

or interest. A transparent overview of the research steps taken from the start of a

research project to the production and reporting of the results is referred to as an audit

trail (Bowen,2009; Miles et al., 2013). Although each qualitative study is special, the

researcher may ensure conformability by recording procedures for rechecking results,

digging up negative instances that contradict previous findings, playing devil's advocate,

and other methods. It is recognized as the most crucial factor or criteria in determining

trustworthiness.

Ethical Consideration

Consider the ethical value of the participants as one of the most significant

aspects of developing qualitative research. The Online sellers from Poblacion,

Nabunturan Davao de Oro who passed the sampling, whether professional or not, were

the majority.

Gathering data through interviews, tests, or observation, ethical researchers seek

informed consent from participants (Eisnecker & Kroh, 2017). We received informed

consent from participants before conducting In-depth interviews. The informed consent

form included an overview of the study, as well as information about the risks and

benefits of participating in the study, as well as disclaimers that participation in the study
 44

is entirely voluntary and without remuneration. We emailed the informed consent form to

participants, who responded with I consent to the email in order to provide informed

consent via messenger.

Participation in this study was entirely voluntary, with no monetary or other

benefits offered. Participants could leave the study at any time by contacting us by e-

mail, phone, or in person. To protect participants' identities, researchers can use code

names for them within the reported study (Spillane, Larkin, Corcoran, Matvienko-Sikar,

and 2017). We used the codes P1, P2, P3, P4, P5…P10 for participants in this research

to ensure participant confidentiality.

 45

INTERVIEW GUIDE

Title: SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING STRATEGIES USED BY MERCHANTS IN

POBLACION NABUNTURAN, DAVAO DE ORO
Archival #:
Site: Poblacion Nabunturan, Davao de Oro
Respondents

Start of the interview: End of the interview: _

1. What are the difficulties you have encountered while developing and
implementing online selling strategies?

1.1 In dealing with those difficulties, how did you cope up with them?
Does it teach you a lesson? If yes, what are those lessons?
(Sa pag-atubang sa mga kalisdanan, giunsa nimo kini nakaya? Nagtudlo
ba kini kanimo og leksyon? Kung oo, unsa ang mga leksyon?)

1.2 As an online seller, how do business failure and setbacks affect your
business objective?
(Ingon usa ka nagbaligya online, unsa ang epekto sa pagkapakyas sa
negosyo ug mga kakulian sa imong katuyoan sa negosyo?)

1.3 When taking your business online, what do you think is the biggest
change that makes your business stronger than yesterday?
(Kung ikaw gagamit ug online aron madala imong negosyo, unsa ang
anaa sa imong hunahuna ang labing kadaghan nga pagbag-o nga
naghimo sa imong negosyo nga labi ka kusog kaysa kagahapon?)

2. How was your experience in using social media as your strategy?

 46

2.1 In your experience, is social media the right way of endorsing your
product? Does it give you an advantage? If yes, why can you say so?
(Sa imong nasinati, ang social media ba ang tama nga paagi sa pag-
endorso sa imong produkto? Naghatag ba kini kanimo ug kaayohan? Kung
oo, ngano masulti nimo kini?)

2.2 Using this platform, what do you think are the things you can gain in
making your product and services easily accessible online?
(Gamit ang kini nga plataporma, unsa sa imong hunahuna ang mga
butang nga mahimo nimo makuha sa paghimo sa imong produkto ug
serbisyo nga dali ma-access sa online?)

2.3 In the future, do you think social media marketing can pave the way
compare to the orthodox way of marketing? If yes, how can it
progress?
(Sa umaabot, sa imong hunahuna mahimo ba maghatag ug dalan ang
pagpamaligya sa social media kung itandi sa orthodox nga paagi sa
pagpamaligya? Kung oo, unsaon kini pag-uswag?)

3. As an online seller, what are your suggestions to make this strategy

effective in the market?

3.1  Does the strategy of using an online platform effective? If yes, what
are the things that make it effective?
(Epektibo ba ang estratehiya sa paggamit sa online platform? Kung oo,
unsa ang mga butang nga naghimo niini epektibo?)

3.2 How do these marketing suggestions benefit you and your co-sellers
in running your business?
 47

(Sa unsang paagiha kini makahatag ug kaayohan kanimo ug sa imong

mga kauban sa pamaligya sa kini nga negosyo?)

3.3 Do you think that giving suggestions makes a business better and
effective? If yes, why can you say so?
(Sa imong pag hunahuna ang paghatag ba ug mga sugyot naghimo sa
usa ka negosyo nga labi ka maayo ug epektibo? Kung oo, ngano masulti
nimo kini?)
 48

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