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COMPREHENSIVE PROJECT REPORT

On

‘TO STUDY THE ROLE OF SOCIAL MEDIA REVIEW ON BRAND

REPUTATION WITH REFERENCE TO GUJARAT STATE’

Submitted to:

Institute Code: 734

Institute Name: Marwadi Education Foundation Group of

Institutions

Under the Guidance of:

Dr. Niharika Bajeja( Assistant Professor)

In partial fulfillment of the requirement of the award of the degree of

Master of Business Administration (MBA)

Offered by:

Gujarat Technological University (Ahmedabad)

Prepared by:

Krupali Adesara : 207340592194

Manohar Patadiya : 207340592117

MBA (Semester - IV)

Month & Year: April 2022

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STUDENT’S DECLARATION

I hereby declare that the COMPREHENSIVE Project Report titled “To Study the Role
of Social Media Review on Brand Reputation with Reference to Gujarat State”.
is a result of our own work and our indebtedness to other work publications, references,
if any, has/have been duly acknowledged. If I/we am/are found guilty of copying from
any other report or published information and showing as my/our original work, or
extending plagiarism limit, we understand that I/we shall be liable and punishable by
the university, which may include ‘Fail’ in examination or any other punishment that
university may decide.

Enrollment no. Name Signature

207340592194 Krupali Adesara
207340592117 Manohar Patadiya

Date: Place:

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PLAGIARISM REPORT

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INSTITUTE CERTIFICATE

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EXTERNAL EXAMINER REPORT

This is to certify that project work embodied in this report entitled “TO STUDY THE
ROLE OF SOCIAL MEDIA REVIEW ON BRAND REPUTATION WITH
REFERENCE TO GUJARAT STATE” was carried out by Krupali Adesara.
Enrollment no. 207340592194 and Manohar Patadiya. Enrollment no.
207340592117 of Marwadi University , Code no. : 734

The report is approved/ not approved

Comments of External Examiner.

This report is for the partial fulfilment of the requirement of the award of the degree of
Master of Business Administration offered by Gujarat Technological University.

------------------------

(Examiner’s sign)
Name of Examiner:
Institute Name:

Institute Code:

Date:

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Place:

PREFACE

Experience is the best teacher as a solution of any problem is concern. Preparation of

Project report is of a greater importance and while the matter comes of a Student of
M.B.A. field, it becomes very essential.

As we know, today the era has totally changed. Practical Knowledge is given more
importance rather than that of theoretical concept. As a student of Business
Management, we must have enough practical knowledge. So that field work is essential
for achieving such practical knowledge or experience. The main object behind the
making of such project report is to create and develop the skill of students for research
analysis.

Our basic aim behind this training is to evaluate applicability of different managements
in practice. This report reflects the image that we observed and come to know during
preparation of report. We hope this project will also receive its generous support and
kind encouragement.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The success behind the completion of any good job is the support and the joint team
effort of a number of people. We have taken efforts in this project. We would like to
extend my sincere thanks to many people, whose help and cooperation made this project
successful.

We express deepest sense of gratitude, profound respect and sincere thanks to Dr. Sunil
Kumar Jakhoria (Dean, Faculty of Management), for his valuable assistance, keen
interest and constant motivation and encouragement at each step of the project. It would
not have been possible for us to reach this stage without his support and guidance.

We express my sincere thanks to Dr.Ruturaj Doshi (HOD, MBA Department); for all
his help and support to all the endeavors’ and experiments at the time of the study. We
would also like to thank, Dr.Mahipal Gadhvi (CP Head and Assistant Professor) for
their support and continuous motivation and deepest thanks to Dr.Niharika Bajeja
(Project Guide and Assistant Professor) for her constant support and guidance. The
administration staff, the librarian and the computer lab instructor for their untiring
support, as without their support the project would not have been materialized.

Last but not the least we would also like to thank our parents and our friends for all
their unconditional support and contribution.

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The aim of the study is to figure out the role of social media reviews on brand
reputation. The factors such as user interaction, brand image and brands innovation on
social media's in developing a brand's reputation.

The data was collected from 747 online consumers from Gujarat State by using
convenient sampling method. The study measures how the role of social media reviews
on brands reputation with reference to Gujarat State.

The research outcome revealed that online user interaction and brand innovation
influence the brand reputation.

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INDEX
Sr. No Particular Pg. No

1 Introduction 10

2 Literature Review 20

3 Research Methodology 25

3.1 Statement of problem 26

3.2 Objective of study 27

3.3 Research design 28

4 Sources of data collection 29

4.1 Data collection instrument 30

4.2 Sampling design 31

4.3 Data analysis design 32

5 Limitations of the project 33

6 Data analysis and interpretation 34

7 Findings and conclusions 35

8 Suggestions 49

9 Bibliography 50

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INTRODUCTION

Social media has grown beyond its original purpose of connecting people around the
world. Today, the ease of interacting with millions of social media users cost-
effectively and in real time has resulted in the creation of highly engaging online
content by users of diverse professional and personal backgrounds. An all-
encompassing definition of social media is "Social media is a group of Internet-based
applications that build on the ideological and technological foundations of Web 2.0 and
enable the creation and exchange of user-generated content". Successful social media
platforms today are structured to incorporate a fast and affordable message delivery
system that is globally accessible. Popular social media websites can be characterized
by an ever-growing network of participants interacting through highly engaging
content. Thanks to this ability to host persuasive content, social media platforms have
become a powerful tool for brand managers to reach their target audience.

Recent advancements in technology, art and economics have greatly improved the
usability and reach of social media platforms. For example, a 2015 Pew research report
states that there was a 7% increase in social media use from 2005 to 2015. The report
states that 65% of adults use social media. As social media evolves into a more
sophisticated tool for interaction and global reach, many individuals and companies are
harnessing their influence and using it to their advantage. As a result, the social media
field offers a viable career option for content creators who speak, sell, promote and
respond effectively to audiences.

The means of social networking have made a qualitative leap; While it once meant
attending a social function such as a business conference, corporate lunch or office-
sponsored cocktail event, today it also means socializing via electronic and online
intermediaries, e.g. LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat etc.
These technological marvels not only allow people to make friends and make new
connections, but also to take a look at their personal lives via pictures, videos and
personal information. Social media facilitates the creation of affordable content,

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communications and associations, and interoperability between online users. Social

media can be differentiated from computer-mediated interactions in three main ways:
increased accessibility caused by the transfer of activities from the desktop to the web;
greater interaction by creating a transfer of value production from the organization to
the consumer; and the transfer of power from the organization to consumers.

The social media platform has transformed the way organizations conduct their
business over the past decade, so social media marketing has developed its identity in
the corporate world. The exposure and adoption of social media as an important element
in the daily life of the global population has immensely influenced consumer
purchasing patterns. Due to the change in buyer seller dynamics, companies are forming
a new department separate from traditional advertising and marketing departments,
hiring social media analysts and brand community managers.

Another person suggested, "just like me," has become one of the most trusted forms of
advertising. A business can understand the topics of interest of its potential buyers by
tapping into these conversations. Companies must focus on today's dynamic market and
can no longer depend on traditional methods of advertising, such as television,
newspapers, magazines, radio, billboards, etc., which were disengaging from public
reactions. In this era of digitization, customers use the internet by reviewing retailers
and trust other people's opinions and experiences with the product or service mentioned
in the reviews section. These social media reviews guide shoppers through emotional
experiences. Any negative reviews left by a customer can discourage potential future
buyers. Before the Internet age, customers could only get information about a product
by physically visiting the outlet or store. Therefore, companies need to explore more
through social media marketing to ensure consumer satisfaction and profitability.

According to a survey, 85% of consumers expect companies to use social media as a

means of interacting with consumers the importance of social media as a
communication channel is growing rapidly. Time magazine also recognized consumer
participation, aka us, as 2006's "Person of the Year: You". This has been recognized as

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a "tool" that recognizes all the small contributions of people and makes them important.
It also helps people from all corners of the world come together virtually and form a
community that allows them to quickly share ideas, cooperate and integrate easily like
never before.

In the social platform, the feelings of users reach millions of people, and these
observations take a permanent place on the Internet. This phenomenon can be reflected
in the popular social saying: "What happens in Vegas stays on the Internet".
Consequently, this can be perceived as both an opportunity and a challenge for
companies to engage and provide phenomenal experiences for its stakeholders in the
cyber space.

The main reason for this paper is to address the social media platform as a significant
tool of the marketing mix for organizations and how it intertwines traditional marketing
tools with the current digital paradigm. It suggests a framework that can be used for
social media marketing via various social applications. It demonstrates how social
media is now playing a crucial role in every aspect of branding, establishing a
connection between consumers and the brand that causes brand improvement. The
paper further discusses how brand stories have become a new form of marketing where
consumers are treated as the main authors of the brand and share their personal
experiences with others on social media. Brands need to understand how the wave of
social media has changed the game of marketing in international aspects by being able
to spread a local message to the global audience in a very short span of time, which was
not possible during the era of "pre-social media". '. The rationale is that social media is
a revolutionary tool in the world of advertising and if the eight-step social media
marketing strategy is undertaken (as discussed later in the document), it will prove to
be very effective for the brand and the organization.

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❖ Social Media – The New Element of Promotional Mix

Organizations follow the guiding principles of Integrated Marketing Communication

(IMC) to interact with their target customers. IMC helps connect and collaborate the
various types of promotional elements - advertising, direct marketing, personal selling,
advertising, sales promotion, and public relations - which amalgamates with the various
objectives of the organization to create a unified customer-centric message. However,
in recent years, the social media phenomenon has changed the rules of the game in how
companies communicate with their customers. Customers now have easy access to
information on products, services, brands, issues and personalities.

The 21st century was a pivotal period of explosion for internet-based messages being
conveyed across various social media platforms. As previously mentioned, these
messages have the power to influence consumer purchasing behavior: awareness,
information, evaluation, purchase and post-purchase behavior. IMC strategies are
designed as a reflection on an organization's mission goals, to achieve long-term
performance goals. Today. Every other company designs their own promotional
channels by incorporating social media as a significant part of the marketing mix. Social
media not only allows a business to have two-way communication with their customers,
but also allows customers to interact with each other. Organizations are now using
Facebook pages and groups, Instagram accounts, Snapchat accounts, YouTube vlogs
etc., to have better communication with their customers. Gillin( 2019) pointed out in
her book that conventional marketing methods have long believed that one dissatisfied
customer would tell ten people; but that belief is now invalid. In this new era of social
media, one dissatisfied customer has the power to impact millions of people. In a sense,
this ability for customers to reach other customers can be recognized as a digital version
of the traditional word of mouth method. Instead of informing a few people, customers
now have the power to convey their stories to thousands and millions of people with
the help of a few keystrokes. Conversations between customers are outside the direct
control of an organization, but they must still exploit it to their advantage by attempting
to influence the conversations.

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Social media amalgamate the traditional features of IMC strategies with the updated
digital version of word of mouth; it also combines media and mixed technology using
audio and visual presentations and various social media distribution platforms to
millions of people around the world. The shift of control from the company to
consumers has drastically influenced the reception and reaction of consumers to market
information. Companies are now always devising different ways to incorporate social
media as a significant part of their IMC strategies. The paradigm of traditional
marketing methods should be taken up in the new paradigm which encompasses all the
important potential tools of the booming social media phenomenon in the elaboration
of IMC strategies by contemporary marketers.

❖ Social Media and Brand Enhancement

Organizations are investing in social media to improve customer relationships and

interactions. This can be done by creating brand communities via branded pages in the
social media platform where customers can communicate directly with the company
and other customers via posts or comments. Consumers who are fans of these pages are
generally committed and loyal to the organization and open to receiving new brand
updates. These fans are emotionally attached to the brand, visit stores more and tend to
induce positive word of mouth. All of this brand liking, brand association, brand
decision and brand loyalty are all connected to the concept of brand love. In this era,
likes on Facebook pages and followers on Twitter and Instagram pages can be
considered an expression of love for the brand. Researchers have previously sought to
link social media marketing and brand love to measure customer engagement by linking
it to an organization's like and follower-based self-expressive brands.

The term "brand love" can be described as the "degree of emotional attachment a
satisfied customer has towards a specific trade name". The dimension of love for the
brand is delimited by emotions, passion, attachment, positive word of mouth and
evaluation and declaration which is reflected in a greater attachment to the brand-
consumer. In the context of online marketing, a strong customer-brand relationship can

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be understood, for example, in the form of the heart icon on Instagram, the like button
on Facebook, and the retweet or heart button on Twitter. Businesses use social media
marketing to associate their brand in the minds of customers through long-term
relationships, positive emotional connections, and brand integration.

The degree of self-connection depends on the delivery of significant identity concerns,

themes or tasks, provided by a particular brand; such experiences are correlated with
arousal and emotional attachments. Therefore, consumers always communicate with
brands through different forms of social media to share their personal experiences.
Following a brand on social media can also be due to various reasons, for example the
expression of value, i.e. the pleasure of a specific brand could lead to the construction
of identity among the members of the community. Consumers tend to browse more if
the level of entertainment is high in social media, which leads to the generation of
positive word of mouth among family, friends and the community. When customers
express their interest in a brand by liking or publicly commenting on a post on the brand
pages, it also affects their self-consistency.

It is very important for companies to build customer-brand relationships via social

media to survive in the current marketing race. Customers will generate positive word
of mouth only if the company is active in interacting and providing adequate
information that will help strengthen brand loyalty within the online community.
According to De Vries, Gensler and Leeflang (2012), the number of likes or followers
on a specific brand page depends not only on its popularity, but also on its level of
liveliness and communication with its customers.

Brands are considered self-expressive when they reflect the consumer's inner self.
Consumers can see the brand as an extended form of themselves and use the brand
image to build their identity. There is a positive correlation between desired and actual
identity that can be achieved by using a particular brand that is stimulated by love for
the brand. These brands not only express consumers' ideal self, but also their social self
through the endorsement of public groups in social media. Therefore, consumers seek

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to create a distinctive identity for themselves by supporting or using particular brands

that reflect their self-images or would-be self-images. According to Huber, Mayar and
Schmid (2015), consumers are encouraged to communicate their perception of
themselves to others due to the emotional connection strengthened by the brand.

❖ Social Media and Brand Stories

Consumers have become key authors in sharing their brand stories on social media.
People usually share their experiences whether they are highly positive or highly
negative. Therefore, organizations need to be confident in their branding principles
when delivering their brand promises to consumers through various touchpoints.
Positive consumer stories generate positive word of mouth and brand popularity. In this
digital age, local stories are no longer local and, therefore, have the power to reach
millions of people in a short amount of time. One of the recent popular examples would
be the story of Carter Wilkerson becoming the author of the tweet with the most
retweets in Twitter history - over 3.6 million. On April 5, 2017, Carter tweeted popular
fast food chain Wendy's how many retweets they would need to qualify for free chicken
nuggets for the year, and Wendy's replied 18 million. The teen's tweet went viral very
quickly in an attempt to help the teen achieve her impossible goal. Though the teen
didn't come close to 18 million, but it was good enough for Wendy's to provide him
with free nuggets for a year. This tweet from a consumer not only brought together
people from different corners of the world who were cheering him on via social media,
but it was also a huge PR boon for the Wendy's brand as well. Wendy's handled the
request for "The Nugget Boy" brilliantly and in return, the retweets created an edge for
its.

The social media platform has helped to blur the lines between the brand and the
consumer network. Brands use consumer brand stories to build relationships with their
customers on a personal level, just like another individual in the social network.
Consumer brand stories have the ability to influence the company's brand performance.
Businesses can stimulate positive consumer stories to improve their brand reputation.

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For example, Dove has embraced the art of storytelling to get the best out of social
media. He focused on the personal stories and experiences of real women, instead of
actors or supermodels, to connect with people in general. Women from all corners of
the world have identified with the brand and have appreciated and followed the
company across all social media platforms. A few years ago, Dove also started engaging
men in telling their stories to people with the "Care" mission via the "DoveMenCareUs"
YouTube account. During 2015, Dove released a minute Father's Day video of several
men discovering the first time they will become a father; this video celebrating men's
sensitivity as their strength has garnered 17 million views on YouTube. Another video,
showing real dad moments with their children during different aspects of life, also
generated 13 million views. Dove's successful campaign to give an ode to fathers and
celebrate their caring side as their strength stirred emotions among people and helped
them connect with the brand. This example shows the coexistence and integration of
the consumer social network and the brand-centric network. Dove Brand Stories via
YouTube create an instant, simultaneous connection between content and users.

The social media platform helps make associations of the known concept more incisive
and vivid - "the brand identity is a reflection of the lifestyle and image of its
consumers". Therefore, participants who tell their brand stories are absorbed in the
brand identity knowingly or unknowingly and extend its social identity. In addition to
increasing consumer engagement in social networks, brands are also forming their own
social networks. A recent example could be the viral friendly exchange between Burger
King and Wendy's on Twitter: a Burger King outlet in Bostin posted a photo on Twitter
asking "girl next door" Wendy's at the prom. Wendy's responded by accepting the
"proposal" with a witty response. The conversation ended with Burger King publishing
"Let's aim for the prom king and queen" with the image of a bodice. Consumers
considered this conversation exchange to be iconic and it received thousands of
retweets creating a "buzz" in social media. Brands have not only developed visible
connections with consumers via social media, but have also established connections of
their own with other brands.

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❖ Social Media and International Impacts

Before the introduction of social media, any negative event for a multinational in a
country would not have affected its image globally. For example, in 1984, a terrible
methyl isocyanate gas leak tragedy at a Union Carbide India Ltd pesticide plant (which
is also the manufacturer of Eveready batteries) killing thousands of people did not affect
the international brand image. . Much of what had happened was addressed by the
company's PR department and the media. Therefore, there were far fewer opportunities
for people in general to get involved in the matter or express their opinions. However,
things have changed dramatically in this age of social media; any local event today
hardly stays local and reaches the global audience. For example, Nestlé has invested
thirty years in making the "Maggi noodles" brand a beloved and familiar name in India.
In 2014, Maggie not only accounted for a quarter of Nestlé's $ 1.6 billion turnover in
India, but was also named as one of the most trusted brands in the country . However,
a Uttar Pradesh food safety commissioner said a package of Maggi noodles contained
seven times the permitted level of lead. Although Nestlé immediately conducted tests
and proved the safety of the noodles, things ultimately got worse in a short amount of
time. The news appeared in the "Times of India" and soon the hashtag "#Maggiban"
started trending on Twitter. Enraged customers vented their anger and disappointment
across multiple social media platforms, and soon the news spread like wildfire globally.
Reporters even claimed that this incident is one of the worst workplace accidents in
India. This debacle cost Nestlé nearly half a billion dollars: $ 277 million in lost sales,
$ 70 million in product recalls, and an additional $ 200 million in damage to its
international brand value.

In the age of social media, organizations need to monitor local news related to the
brand and product offering and measure the possible impacts of the news on the
international brand image. A small flaw in the local market could cause a global
reputation crisis for the company. Likewise, a successful local campaign can open up
important opportunities for the company in international horizons. Social media helps
local events go global and global phenomena can be reinterpreted locally.

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The topic of the thesis is branding in social media and the impact of social media on
the brand image. In the context of this thesis, branding is defined as activities that aim
to strengthen brand equity. Brand image refers to consumers' perception of a brand. The
aim of the thesis is to examine how social media can be used for branding purposes and
to research the impact of social media on the brand image. The thesis examines what
aspects should be taken into consideration when using social media for branding
purposes and also compares the use of social media with the use of traditional media
and the significance of social media with the significance of traditional media as an
influencer on the brand image.

Therefore the research questions consist of the following: how social media can be used
for branding purposes, what should be considered when using social media for branding
purposes and what is the impact of social media on the image of the brand compared to
traditional media.

The topic is current and important for companies operating in consumer markets and,
to some extent, for those operating in business-to-business markets, based on the idea
that social media has become an important marketing channel. for brands, its impact on
brand equity and brand image is significant, and by its nature requires a different
approach than traditional media communication. It is important to know to what extent
social media activities can significantly affect brand equity and brand image, so that
companies can allocate resources to it accordingly.

Branding and marketing are constantly changing due to new media channels: the
internet and social media. Marketing and branding strategies are changing when
communication is becoming multi-directional and more consumer-oriented. This thesis
examines the opportunities offered by social media in branding. One of its goals is to
answer the question, how companies can benefit from social media when building a
brand and what aspects to consider when building a brand on social media.

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LITERATURE REVIEW

The Role of Social Media Marketing on Brand Equity: A Literature Review; Nisha
Jayasuriya, SM Azam, Ali Khatibi, Halinah Atan, Isuri Roche Dharmaratne;
Global Journal of Management and Business Research 18 (5), 31-39, 2018. The
purpose of this study is to summarize past researchers on the impact of social media
marketing on consumer-based brand equity and uncover gaps in knowledge. Although
there is a large body of research in social media marketing, little research has been done
on this topic. The lack of awareness of the use of social media as a strategic tool has
limited companies to use them appropriately. Addressing this gap, this review paper
summarizes the scholar's scattered writings and empirical findings on social media
marketing (SMM) and consumer-based brand equity (CBBE). This research contributes
to academia and industry by identifying some research gaps in the existing study and
providing guidance for future research. The Role of Social Media Marketing on Brand
Equity: A Literature Review; Nisha Jayasuriya, SM Azam, Ali Khatibi, Halinah Atan,
Isuri Roche Dharmaratne; Global Journal of Management and Business Research 18
(5), 31-39, 2018. The purpose of this study is to summarize past researchers on the
impact of social media marketing on consumer-based brand equity and uncover gaps in
knowledge . Although there is a large body of research in social media marketing, little
research has been done on this topic. The lack of awareness of the use of social media
as a strategic tool has limited companies to use them appropriately. Addressing this
gap, this review paper summarizes the scholar's scattered writings and empirical
findings on social media marketing (SMM) and consumer-based brand equity (CBBE).
This research contributes to academia and industry by identifying some research gaps
in existing studies and providing guidance for future research.

Consumer Engagement in Social Media Brand Communities: A Literature

Review; Zélia Raposo Santos, Christy MK Cheung, Pedro Simões Coelho, Paulo
Rita; International Journal of Information Management 63, 102457, 2022. With
the prevalence of social media, a large amount of research has examined consumer
engagement in social media brand communities. However, we lack a holistic

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understanding of the phenomena. Given the importance and relevance of this topic to
Information Systems researchers, this study aims to summarize the current state of
research on the topic and identify research gaps. Following the descriptive research
approach, this study identifies and analyzes 134 articles. Our analysis shows that
previous studies have adopted various research approaches and methods to study
consumer engagement in social media brand communities. Furthermore, the
researchers adopted different definitions and studied consumer engagement using the
attitudinal, behavioral and motivational dimensions. Our analysis also shows that the
theory of uses and gratifications and the theory of social identification were the most
cited theories in previous studies. Finally, we conclude our study by proposing an
integrative framework and suggesting research opportunities and future research
directions.

The effect of social media marketing activities on brand awareness, brand image
and brand loyalty; Yusuf Bilgin, Business & Management Studies: An
International Journal 6 (1), 128-148, 2018. The purpose of this research is to examine
the effect of social media marketing activities on brand awareness, brand image and
loyalty to the brand. Furthermore, this research aimed to analyze the effect of brand
awareness and brand image on brand loyalty. The search population is made up of
consumers who actively follow five top social scoring brands according to the
Marketing Turkey social media brand performance data on social media
communication channels such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. In this research, the
quantitative method was used and the research data was obtained through online
questionnaires shared on social media by 547 followers of the brand with the
application of the sampling method of convenience. The data obtained were analyzed
by structural equation modeling (SEM). As a result of the analysis, social media
marketing activities were found to be effective factors on brand image and brand
loyalty, and it was determined that the most noticeable effect was seen on brand
awareness. Additionally, brand awareness and brand image was found to have a
significant effect on brand loyalty. Furthermore, in the research, it was found that brand
awareness has a limited effect on the brand image.

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Social Media as a Bridge for E-Commerce Adoption in SMEs: A Systematic

Literature Review, Salma S Abed, Yogesh K Dwivedi, Michael D Williams; the
Marketing Review 15 (1), 39-57, 2015. Through the analysis of a series of previous
studies, this article aims to present an overview of the existing literature on the adoption
of e-commerce by small and medium-sized enterprises ( PMI) Using social media. First,
to offer some background information, the study provides an overview of the definitions
and benefits of e-commerce, the characteristics of SMEs, the opportunities and
challenges of e-commerce adoption by SMEs, social media and e-commerce adoption.
Second, studies are highlighted that identify the factors influencing SMEs to use social
media to adopt e-commerce. Finally, current knowledge gaps are identified and
recommendations are made for future research.

Social Media in Tourism and Hospitality: A Literature Review, Daniel Leung, Rob
Law, Hubert Van Hoof, Dimitrios Buhalis, Journal of travel & tourism marketing
30 (1-2), 3-22, 2013. Being one of the "mega trends" that have had a significant impact
on the tourism system, the role and use of social media in traveler decision making and
in tourism operations and management have been extensively discussed in tourism and
hospitality research. This study examines and analyzes all existing research articles
related to social media published in academic journals from 2007 to 2011, mainly in
the tourism and hospitality sectors. Based on an analysis of the content of the articles
analyzed from both consumers 'and suppliers' perspectives, this article found that
consumer-centric studies generally focused on the use and impact of social media in
the research phase of travelers' travel planning process. Supplier studies have focused
strictly on the promotion, management and research functions, but few have discussed
product distribution. The research results fully demonstrate the strategic importance of
social media for the competitiveness of tourism. This study also contributes to academia
and industry by identifying some research gaps in existing research and providing an
agenda for future research.

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Social media marketing in luxury brands: a systematic review of the literature and
implications for managerial research, Elisa Arrigo, Management Research
Review, 2018; Digital technologies and social media have improved connectivity and
collaboration between businesses and customers across all industries. However, in the
luxury sector, the approach to social media and digital technologies has been slower
than in other sectors. The purpose of this article is to review the academic literature on
social media marketing in luxury brands to highlight the current state of the art, the key
research topics addressed, and the implications for management research and practice.

The Role of Social Media Communication in Creating Brand Equity: An

Empirical Study. Mohd Alam, Bilal Mustafa Khan, IUP Journal of Brand
Management 16 (1), 2019. Social media interactions among consumers have changed
the marketing landscape. Businesses are actively present on social media platforms so
they can understand how consumers are responding to everything related to their
brands. This is critical as online consumer interactions and discussions are shaping
brand image and purchase intentions. In light of this environment, this study aims to
uncover the influence of social media communications on brand equity, with a
particular focus on how the two dimensions of social media communication, i.e. content
related to the brand or company and user-generated content, brand equity and purchase
intentions affect the brand. The study shows that company-created content on social
media significantly affects the functional brand image, while user-generated content
significantly affects brand awareness and hedonic brand image. Additionally, brand
awareness and hedonic brand image lead to brand attitude, which ultimately affects
purchase intent.

Social Media Marketing and Brand Equity: A Literature Review. Syed Zeeshan
Zahoor, Ishtiaq Hussain Qureshi, IUP Journal of Marketing Management 16 (1),
2017. While about a third of the world's population currently uses social media, it has
fundamentally changed the marketing landscape and the way product information and
on the company are exchanged between company and customers. It has provided
extensive channels and points of interaction between customers and between customers
and the company, which go beyond traditional marketing and business models. It is

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proving to be more powerful than traditional marketing tools and therefore requires
special attention from marketers to be competitive in the market. In particular, it has
affected how consumers are affected by external sources of information, other than the
companies that are designed, sponsored and controlled. It is greatly influencing how
consumers develop brand preferences and choices and thus brand loyalty and equity.
Therefore, there is a great need for marketers to study and establish the relationship
between these concepts in order to be competitive in the future. In this context, the
present work attempts to study the relationship between social media marketing and
brand equity and proposes a framework in which the relationships between the variables
underlying the two constructs are established in the light of the available literature.

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RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

It is the systematic style, collection, interpretation of knowledge news to help the

salesperson uncover specific promotion problems or make the most of sales
opportunities.

The research specifies the data needed to manage these problems, define the strategy
for information aggregation, manage and implement the information assortment
method, analyze the results, and communicate the results with their implications.

Research: -

"The method of determining, acquiring, analyzing, synthesizing and disseminating

knowledge and data that provides in-depth information to the company administrator
to increase the performance of the company"
- Donald R. Cooper

Research methodology: -

The research methodology has several dimensions. It includes not only the analytical
technique, but jointly contemplates the rationale behind the modes employed in the
context of the study and explains why exclusively an explicit technique or technique
was used. It also helps to grasp the belief that underlies various techniques and in doing
so they will decide that the techniques will be applicable to certain problems.

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Statement of Problem:

A research disadvantage refers to some problem that an investigator experiences in the

context of a theoretical or sensible state of affairs and needs to get an answer for
identical atmosphere, variety of courses of action, people not involved in a higher
process, etc. affects the inconvenience analysis.
The problem is any space obstacle or barrier that needs investigation. The disadvantage
of the analysis is a problem that the total procedure is performed.

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Objectives of Study:

1. To study about the role of social media review in brand reputation

2. To study what criteria’s an individual prefers while buying product online.

3. To study the demand of branded products in comparison to local products as per

customer's opinion

4. To study the credibility and trustworthiness of social media reviews

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Research Design:

Research design is the blueprint of the research to be conducted. It involves all the
information related to research that how, where, when, by whom research will be
conducted.

Research type:

There are mainly 3 types of research which are following:

1. Explorative research:

As the name explorative research is conducted to explore the problem further.

It means to gain more knowledge and find hidden facts about the problem
rather than finding the solution of it. It is undertaken to explore new areas that
haven't been undertaken before.

2. Descriptive Research:

Descriptive research is undertaken to expand knowledge about the current topic

or situation with the main objective to describe the situation and topic. The
primary purpose of the study is to describe explain and validate the study. It is
conducted to describe the behavior of population under study.

3. Explanatory Research:

Explanatory research allows researchers to find a phenomenon that was not

studied in depth. Although it does not give a conclusion of such a study, it helps
to efficiently understand the problem. People who conduct explanatory
research, do so with the objective of studying in detail the interaction of the
phenomenon.

In our study we have conducted descriptive study with the aim to expand the
knowledge about automobile sector and understand and describe the behavior
of the people about purchasing e vehicles.

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SOURCES OF DATA COLLECTION

There are mainly two types of data collection sources. Primary source and
secondary sources.

1. Primary sources:

These sources are actual source of data collection. Primary data are collected
directly from the respondent. Data are collected through surveys questionnaire,
observation, experimentation etc. Primary data are costlier as compared to
secondary data as it requires direct interaction with respondents or observation.
Primary data are more precise, relevant to problem and can be considered as
most important to the study.

2. Secondary data:

As it names suggests secondary data are collected from secondary sources

means it is not collected through direct respondents. Secondary data are already
published by other institutes or another research. Secondary data can also be
regarded as sales invoice, account information, company article, government
published, magazine etc.

In our study we collected primary data through questionnaire by Google form

survey to collect relevant and actual data. We also analyzed secondary data for
better understanding and accuracy.

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Data collection Instrument:

Data collection instruments is questionnaire through Google form. The

questionnaire is in structured manner with relevant questions in sequence. To avoid
any discrepancy and readability it is examined. Questionnaire consist of
demographic questions as well as satisfaction related questions to get accurate
findings.

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Sampling Design:

Population:

Population means entire group for which you want to study. It includes all the
items and things which is under study from which sample is drown. Population
is total of all the groups for which research is undertaken.

Sample:

Sample means small part of the population which represents the characteristics
of the population. Sample is the definite portion of the whole population which
includes and presents characteristics of the population.

In our research, we have taken sample size of 747 respondents. We have chosen
simple random sampling and convenient sampling method in this report.

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Data Analysis Design:

There are numbers of techniques and tools available for data analysis and
interpretation. Starting from basic visualization to highly advance artificial
intelligence tools available in today's world. MS access, MS Excel, power BI
etc. are the basic tools for data interpretation, visualization and analysis.

In our report, according to purpose of study we have gathered and used

following tools.

1. MS Word

2. MS Excel

3. Google form (summary and individual response)

4. Different types of charts and graphs

Type of research Descriptive

Research topic ‘TO STUDY THE ROLE OF SOCIAL MEDIA
REVIEW ON BRAND REPUTATION WITH
REFERENCE TO GUJARAT STATE’

Type of data Primary & Secondary

Data collection tool Structured questionnaire
Data collection method Convince Sampling
Sample size 747
Data analysis Graphical and chart analysis

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LIMITATIONS OF THE PROJECT

Any survey-based research using a questionnaire is subject to the basic limitation of the
distinction between what is recorded and what is true no matter how carefully the
questionnaire is conducted and field research. This is because respondents may not
intentionally disclose their true views and even if they want to do so, it will definitely
be different due to filtering problems in the communication process. Error tried to be
minimized by having personal conversations but there is no foolish way to hide the
possibility of an error.

In addition, there are limitations regarding scope of validity of conclusions:

1. Findings may not highlight the exact existing attitudes and preferences of
consumers.
2. The results are based on data collected from various cities only, thus, they might
not be true for other areas.
3. Being an opinion survey, the personal bias of respondents might have entered
into their responses.

4. Geographic barrier is also there as research was limited for the sample of
Gujarat State.
5. Research was totally based on personal opinions and was not backed up by
interpretation.

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DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

1. Gender

Gender No. of Percenta

Responde ges
nts
Male 385 51.6%

Female 362 48.4%

Total 747 100%

Interpretation:

In the above graph it shows that Male and female are equally contributing
towards online shopping. There are 48.4% of male and 51.6% of females
that shops online.

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2. Age

Age Group No. of Percentages

Respondents
Less than 20 84 11..3%

20-40 569 76.2%

40-60 69 9.3%

More than 60 25 3.2%

Total 747 100%

Interpretation:

In the above graph it shows that which age group people are more into this
online shopping that most of them are from 20 to 40 as this young people have
more attraction towards such new trends also they are enough knowledge about
it also with they have trust on all such which other age group people don’t have
actually. This is the reason that there are less ratings on other age groups.

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3. Occupation

Occupation No. of Percentages

Respondents
Salaried 87 11.7%
Professional 53 7.09%
Businessman 157 21%
Student 406 54.4
Retired 11 1.47%
Housewife 33 4.41%
Total 747 100%

Interpretation:

In the above given diagram all the occupation are mentioned that we observed
that which prefers the most in investing in online shopping, we can see that
students are mostly into this where all other occupations are not so much in it.

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4. What are the preference for purchasing

Reference No. of Percentages

Respondents
Local Items 78 10.5%

Branded Items 476 25.8%

Both 193 63.7%

Total 747 100%

Interpretation:

In this diagram there is observation about which items do people prefer while
buying and we saw that mostly people prefer having both the items which is
Local items and Branded items.

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5. Have you ever visited any social media platform for

considering review of the product?

Customer’s No. of Percentage

Review Respondents
Yes 621 83.1%

No 126 16.9%

Total 747 100%

Interpretation:

In the above graph it shows that have people preferred other online platforms
like Google to get the reviews of this online shopping portals, as there is a
different threat which fraud and all that makes people think twice also they don’t
feel like doing online shopping just because of that. So people go to get reviews
about the online shopping apps and that makes it easy for them to shop.

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This question was for those who said No to the previous question:

6. If no then what are reasons that you don't prefer social

media reviews while purchasing a product?

Reasons No. of Percentages

Respondents
Influence of Local 232 31%
Products
Fake Reviews 356 47.6%

Incomplete 142 19%

Information
Dif. Of Opinion in 267 35.7%
Review
Coz. Of Retirement 232 2.4%

Total 747 100%

Interpretation:
This is to know why people are not preferring this online reviewing so we
mentioned some common reasons that they might be into so they answered them
with the most weightage towards Chances of fake review that they are scared

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of. Weightage to that reason is almost half of all which is 356 respondents is
47.6%.

Upcoming questions are all for those who said YES to 5th question:

7. If yes then which Social Media platforms do you prefer for

reviewing a product?

Platforms for No. of Percentages

Reviewing Respondents
Twitter 185 24.8%
Instagram 667 89.3%
Snapchat 203 27.2%
YouTube 344 46.1%
Amazon/Flipkart 25 3.34%
Special Website 16 3.34%
Total 747 100%

Interpretation:

The above graph is for which Social media platform do they prefer for
reviewing products, and most preferred one is Instagram. As for this
generation Instagram is the best for them to get the information as its most fast
growing and has the influencers to answer their questions honestly. So, it has
667 respondents of all.

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8. Which factors do you consider while purchasing a product?

Factors No. of Percentages

Respondents
Expert Review 315 47.2%
Quality Of 638 85.4%
Product
Price Range 559 74.8%
Variety of 446 59.7%
Products
Customer Review 391 52.4%
Word of Mouth 15 2%

Total 747 100%

Interpretation:

Factors considered for purchasing product online are most important and we saw that
quality of product has the highest reviews which is 638(85.40%) respondents of all.

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9. Whose review affects you the most while purchasing a

product?

Reviews Affecting No. of Percentages

Respondents
Experts 18 22.3%

Social Media 486 65%

Customers 587 78.6%

Family & Friends 167 22.35%

Total 747 100

Interpretation:

Reviews that affects most while purchasing a product and customers who have
already purchased so that they get honest review and they can rely on, so it has
587 (78.60%) responses on it.

10. How many brands you have preferred after coming into
social media advertisements?

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Brand preferred No. of Percentages

By Social Media Respondents
1 to 5 461 61.7%
6 to 10 225 30.1%
11 to 15 23 3.08%
More than 15 38 5.08%

Total 747 100%

Interpretation:

Who are such people who prefer brands after starting online shopping so we saw that
people are still progressing and have started moving towards brands so they have
rated 1-5 brands the most.

11. How often you suggest the brand you are using?

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Suggestions No. of Percentages

Respondents
Regularly 330 44.2%

Often 232 31.1%

Sometimes 167 22.3%

Rarely 18 2.4%

Total 747 100%

Interpretation:

People suggests those brands to others which they are using .In the above
graph we saw that people prefer regular brand and they can suggest other
people to shop from the same, there are 55% of people who are regularly
preferring brands only.

12. Are reviews available on social media are trustworthy?

Trustworthiness No. of Percentages

Respondents
Yes 84 11.2%
No 26 3.4%
Sometimes 217 29.1%
Depends on Social 420 56.3%
Media
Total 747 100%

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Interpreation:

We also ask that the reviews we get to see in social media are really trust worthy or
not so people responded that it all depends on social media platform. They think that
all social media platform have different opinions and that is all about authorized
portals too. In the above graph it is clear that 56.3% of people has responded that it
depends on social media platform.

13. Are you satisfied with the review available online?

Customer’s No. of Percentages

Satisfaction Respondents
Yes 670 89.3%

No 77 10.2%

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Total 747 100%

Interpretation:

We also asked that, are people satisfied with the reviews they find online then 670
respondents said yes to that, which is positive towards growth in online purchasing
behavior of people.

FINDINGS & CONCLUSION

1. We were not able to take more respondents due to lack of time. The scope
of this research is limited because of indirect contact with the customers.
The scope and usage of the social media marketing may differs from one
profession to other. There may be chances that the information given by the
respondents is incorrect or not.

2. There were over all 747 responses amongst which 78 of the respondents
preferred to purchase local items while majority of them i.e. 476 preferred
branded items. Amongst the 747, 193 of them said that they preferred both
local and branded items.

3. The mostly preferred social media app for reviewing a product by the
respondents were Instagram and YouTube because they find it trustworthy.

4. The moderately preferred social media app for reviewing a product were
Twitter and Snapchat and the least preferred were Amazon/Flipkart and
Specific Website.

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5. According to 16.9% (126) of the 747 respondents have not considered social
media platforms for reviewing a product because they found it as fake
reviews and difference of opinion in review. And 31% of respondent’s i.e.
232 are influenced for local products.

6. 83.1% (621) of them have considered social media platforms for reviewing
a product because they can find a variety of products and can buy quality
products at different price range available on it. They also trust customer
review and experts.

7. According to the study, maximum respondents were affected by the

Customer's Review and Social Media while purchasing a product.

8. It was found that people who prefer brands after starting online shopping
are still progressing majority of the respondents i.e. 461 out of 747 prefer 1-
5 brands after coming into social media advertisement.

9. Majority of the respondents i.e. 330 (44.2%) are suggesting the brand they
are using and sharing their review and experience they feel after purchasing
product through social media.

10. According to the study, 420 i.e. (56.3%) of respondent’s trustworthiness of

social media reviews are depends on social media platforms they are using.

11. According to the study, it was also seen that, customers are satisfied with
online review. There are 670 customer who has positive response towards
online reviews.

12. So, there is positive growth towards online purchasing and most customer
find it trustworthy.

13. Social Media Reviews will surely help the other to buy branded products
online in near future.

14. By giving honest reviews, social media platforms helps other to buy
products online.

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SUGGESTIONS

Obstacles need to be identified and addressed. The information provided on social

media should be reliable and useful. Regular updates and various new features should
be posted on social media websites that will increase customer engagement online so
they know about the latest product developments. This will help them to know the
information and disseminate it orally to others. Immediate feedback from the product
to the customer will also enhance the reputation of the product.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/330934056_Effect_Of_Social_Media_And_
Factors_Influencing_A_Brand's_Reputation

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S026840122100150X

http://www.fastcompany.com/3030063/why-the-r-programming-

https://cran.r-project.org/doc/manuals/r-release/R-lang.html#Introduction

http://www.yourseoplan.com/counts-view-youtube/

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/320609373_A_Quantitative_Study_of_the_I
mpact_of_Social_Media_Reviews_on_Brand_Perception

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