“A Study on Application of Digital Marketing Strategies in Career Counselling at

EDUWORLDGUIDE Career Consultants Pvt. Ltd.”

Project report submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of the Degree

of

MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

of
BENGALURU UNIVERSITY

By:
Ms. ……………...
(Reg. No. 19JQCMD029)

Under the guidance of

Dr. ……………………
HOD/Associate Professor

27/2, 33rd cross, 2nd Main, 7th Block

Jayanagar, Bengaluru – 560070
2019-2021
 CERTIFICATE OF ORIGINALITY

This is to certify that the project titled “A Study on Application of Digital Marketing
Strategies in Career Counselling at EDUWORLDGUIDE Career Consultants Pvt. Ltd.” an
original work of the student and is being submitted in partial fulfillment for the award of the
Master’s Degree in Business Administration of Bangalore University. This report has not been
submitted earlier either to this University or to any other University/Institution for the fulfillment
of the requirement of a course of study.

SIGNATURE OF GUIDE SIGNATURE OF STUDENT

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Date: Date:

i
 DECLARATION

I hereby declare, to the best of my knowledge and belief, that this project report titled, “A Study
on Application of Digital Marketing Strategies in Career Counselling at
EDUWORLDGUIDE Career Consultants Pvt. Ltd.” submitted by me to the department for
the award of the Master’s Degree in Business Administration of Bangalore University is a
bonafide work undertaken by me it is not submitted to any other University or Institution for the
award of any degree diploma / certificate or published any time before.

Signature

ii
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

There are a number of important people I want to thank, without whose support, guidance,
encouragement, and help this work would not have been possible. I would also like to give my
greatest thanks to God who deserves the ultimate praise and credit for all good things in my life.

First and foremost, I want to thank Dr. ………………., who has been my advisor and mentor
throughout my studies. Without sir’s patient criticism, continual support, effective teaching, and
constant challenge and encouragement to give my very best efforts to my undertakings, I would
not have learned what I needed to nor been prepared to complete this dissertation and future
work. Much of what I have learned about the craft of research has come from Sir, and I am
forever grateful for the opportunity to have studied under his guidance.

I would not have made it through this research without the support, encouragement, teaching,
and friendship of fellow students in the program

iii
 ABSTRACT

With today's technology, marketers have gained new powers and a new way to shift marketing to
a higher level, and these technologies have enabled people to easily spread their ideas and
opened up possibilities to turn these ideas into a business. Some argue that conventional
marketing methods have become outmoded and ineffective. There are times when it is more
convenient and cheaper to shop online, but there are also times when it is more expensive and
more difficult.

In digital marketing, marketing communications are delivered through electronic devices, such
as personal computers, tablets, mobile phones, game consoles and other equipment. Digital
marketing messages can be sent through non-Internet channels like SMS and notifications on
mobile apps, or through Internet channels like e-mail, display ads and social media posts.

There are many articles, books, and presentations on internet marketing, social media, and other
cutting-edge marketing techniques, but the sheer volume of information available is becoming
overwhelming.

This research aids businesses and entrepreneurs in better understanding the potential of social
media and content marketing, as well as how to put that potential to work for them. In order to
achieve this aim, consumer actions must be used to assist the examination of different strategies,
approaches, and tools. Online marketing is a convergence of the marketing and IT industries.

An online questionnaire was sent out to 150 employees of the firm, and 125 responses were
obtained. The purpose of the research was to understand how EDUWORLDGUIDE Career
Consultants Pvt. Ltd. have used Digital Marketing Methods, Strategies and Tools for their
promotion.

A total of 100 of these numbers were chosen at random for inclusion in the research. After the
data was collected, it was calculated and analysed.

The researcher used both primary and secondary sources in addition to primary sources of data.

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Keywords: Marketing strategy, Digital media, social media, EDUWORLDGUIDE Career
Consultants Pvt. Ltd.

TABLE OF CONTENT

Chapter TOPIC Pg.no

1. Introduction
 Industry Profile
 Theoretical background of the study
 Importance of the topic
 Need to study the topic
2 Research Methodology
 Review of Literature
 Objectives of the Study
 Scope of the Study
 Research Design
 Sources of Data Collection
 Limitations
3 Profile of the Selected Organisation and Respondents

4 Data analysis and Interpretation

5 Findings, Suggestion and conclusion

Bibliography

Questionnaire

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vi
 CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

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1.1 INDUSTRY PROFILE

Education & Training Industry in India

When it comes to educational institutions throughout the world, India is a major player. India is
home to one of the biggest systems of universities and colleges in the world. The education
market in India is ripe for expansion because to the country's large youth population (about 27%
of the total).

In FY20, there were 42,343 colleges and universities in India. In June of 2022, there were 1,047
educational institutions in India. In 2019-20, there were an estimated 38.4 million male and
female students enrolled in higher education in India. For the fiscal year 2020, the GER for
higher education in India was 27.1%.

In FY20, it was projected that India's education industry was valued US$ 117 billion; by FY25,
that number was raised to US$ 225 billion. From an estimated $700-$800 million in 2021, the
Indian edtech sector is projected to balloon to $ 30 billion by 2031.

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India's online education market is predicted to expand by US$2.28 billion, or about 20%
annually, between 2021 and 2025. The rising demand from students has prompted universities in
India to prioritise developing online courses.

Because of the country's sizable English-speaking population, distributing instructional materials

in India is a breeze. The English Proficiency Index 2021 placed India at #48 out of 112 nations.

In FY22, 155 transactions totaling $3.94 billion were invested in Indian edtech firms.

India is the first country where Amazon's worldwide programme to increase CS education
enrollment has been officially unveiled. It is hoped that one million kids would benefit from this
programme and decide to major in CS. The second edition of Amazon India's Machine Learning
(ML) Summer School has also been released, with the goal of giving students access to training
in crucial ML technologies from Amazon scientists and preparing them for employment in the
STEM fields.

Beginning in 2021–2022, the NEP will be completely implemented throughout the country, with
an emphasis on providing students with access to excellent vocational training.

For the purpose of educating K-12 kids in the fields of STEM, STEAM, AI, ML, and robotics,
many edtech businesses have joined forces with Niti Aayog and the government to create Atal
Tinkering Labs (ATL).

India's academic landscape will seem quite different in 2022 thanks to the widespread use of
cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), the internet of
things (IoT), and blockchain. In addition, it has fully embraced the Education 4.0 movement,
which emphasises student diversity and career readiness.

Recent years have witnessed a number of changes and increased financial outlays within the
education system, which has the potential to turn the nation into a knowledge haven. It is
anticipated that the improvement of the country's educational infrastructure would continue to be
the top priority over the next decade, as human resource becomes more important to the country's
overall growth. There would be a dramatic increase in spending on school buildings and
equipment if this happened.

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Market Size

In the age group of 5-24, India leads the globe with roughly 500 million people, creating a huge
market for educational services. In FY20, it was projected that India's education industry was
valued US$ 117 billion; by FY25, that number was raised to US$ 225 billion.

 India has the world's largest number of pupils enrolled in schools, with over 250 million.
 In FY20, there were a total of 42,343 colleges and universities in India. There are 1,047
schools of higher education in India as of the 24th of June, 2022.
 As of the academic year 2021-22, India was home to 8,997 institutions that have been
granted approval by the All-India Council for Technical Education. There were 3,627
undergraduate schools, 4,790 graduate schools, and 3,994 diploma schools out of a total
of 8,997.
 In 2019-20, there were an estimated 38.4 million male and female students enrolled in
higher education in India.
 For the fiscal year 2020, the GER for higher education in India was 27.1%.

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  From an estimated $700-$800 million in 2021, the Indian edtech sector is projected to
balloon to $ 30 billion by 2031.
 KPMG reports that India is now the second biggest market for e-learning, behind only the
United States.
 In the years between 2021 and 2025, India's online education industry is predicted to
expand by US$2.28 billion, or over 20% annually. There was a 19.02% increase in the
market in India that year.

Investments

Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade statistics shows that FDI equity inflows
totaled US$ 7.72 billion between April 2000 and March 2022. (DPIIT).

Recent years have seen substantial investment and progress in India's education and training
sector. Here are just a few examples:

 In FY22, 155 transactions totaling $3.94 billion were invested in Indian edtech firms.
 The OPEN AMR, an online platform for nurses to learn about anti-microbial resistance,
was established in June 2022 by Pfizer India and the Americares India Foundation.
 PhysicsWallah, an edtech platform, raised US$ 100 million in a Series-A fundraising
round led by WestBridge Capital and GSV Ventures in June 2022, making it India's 101st
unicorn at a valuation of US$ 1.1 billion.
 UpGrad, an edtech unicorn valued at $2.25 billion, secured US$ 225 million in June 2022
from investors including Lupa Systems LLC and Educational Testing Service.
 The second edition of Amazon India's Machine Learning (ML) Summer School was
established in June 2022 with the goal of giving students exposure to cutting-edge ML
technologies directly from Amazon scientists and preparing them for employment in the
field.
 As of February 2022, 5,000 students have access to a two-month long artificial
intelligence (AI) virtual internship programme made possible by the AICTE and
supported by AWS Academy and EduSkills. After two months of study, students will get
both a paper certificate and an online badge to show for their efforts.

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  To help people get ready for entry-level cloud jobs, Amazon Web Services (AWS) offers
a 12-week in-person training programme called AWS re/Start. This programme focuses
on teaching participants the fundamentals of the AWS Cloud, as well as providing them
with hands-on experience in areas such as job interviewing and resume writing.
 A US$ 78 million investment round was completed for Teachmint in October 2021, at
which point the company was valued at US$ 500 million.
 Byju's was able to enhance its value from USD 16.4 billion in 2020 to USD 18 billion in
2021 thanks to a $300 million (Rs. 2,200 crore) funding round in October 2021.

Government Initiatives

The Government has also taken many additional significant steps, including:

 The Indian government has approved a complete openness to foreign direct investment
(FDI) in the country's educational system via the automatic method.
 To further debate how the National Education Policy 2020 may be implemented across
the nation with diverse stakeholders, Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi opened a three-
day Akhil Bharatiya Shiksha Samagam in Varanasi in July 2022.
 During the 2009 COVID-19 epidemic, the Department of School Education and the
Ministry of Education used ICT as part of a larger programme known as PM eVIDYA,
which was recognised by UNESCO.
 The Ministry of Education's Division of School Enhancement and Literacy (DoSE&L)
intended to conduct an online public consultation poll to get feedback from interested
parties. For the purpose of developing the National Curriculum Framework, this will
serve as a valuable source of information.
 The government of India's Ministry of Education gave its stamp of approval to the
Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) in February 2022, allowing the
programme to run through the year 2026.
 The NEP 2020 places a premium on educating and caring for young children. The current
10+2 system of schooling will be replaced by a 5+3+3+4 system, with grades
corresponding to students' ages between 3 and 8, 8 and 11, and 11 and 14.

6
  Samagra Shiksha, a government-funded school education programme, will continue from
April 1, 2021, through March 31, 2026, as approved by the Cabinet.
 The National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) issued the biggest "Impact Bond"
in India in October 2021, allocating US$14.4 million to train 50,000 young people in
needy areas of the nation for jobs.

Road Ahead

Predictions for Indian universities in 2030 include:

 The market for blended learning solutions, which include both online and game-based
training, is predicted to expand by 38% over the next two to four years.
 Transform and pioneer higher education by embracing new methods.
 Increase the GER to 50% by adding more students.
 Bring the GER gap between sexes, across states, and between socioeconomic classes
down to 5%.
 With one in four college graduates across the globe having studied in India, the country is
well-positioned to take the lead as a major source of international talent.
 have more than 20 institutions ranked among the world's best 200.

In addition to a renewed emphasis on innovative pedagogical practises like e-learning and m-

learning, the government is implementing a number of programmes to expand the distant
education sector.

The government of India has taken a number of measures, including as establishing additional
campuses for the Indian Institutes of Technology and the Indian Institutes of Management and
providing funding for students to pursue research at public universities. The higher education
industry in India is poised for significant change and growth in the years to come, particularly as
a result of the growing usage of online form of instruction by a number of educational
organisations.

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1.2. Theoretical Background of the Study

Digital Marketing

Digital marketing, often known as online marketing, is the promotion of products or services
using the internet and other forms of digital communication. It is possible to contact consumers
via marketing using text and multimedia communications.

In its most basic form, digital marketing refers to any promotional endeavour that takes use of
electronic means of contact.

Digital marketing is worth exploring if you need a metric by which to judge the efficacy of your
advertising activities. In practise, the term "digital marketing" is often used to describe
advertising campaigns that are accessible through computer, smartphone, tablet, or another
electronic device. It has a wide range of potential applications, including but not limited to online
video, display ads, and search engine marketing. Examples of "traditional marketing" include
print, outdoor, and postal advertisements. Marketing campaigns that rely on more traditional
methods often involve airings on the television.

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Inbound marketing versus digital marketing

Inbound marketing and digital marketing seem to be used interchangeably these days. Digital
marketing and inbound marketing have many common strategies, such as the use of email and
online content. During the buyer's journey, both serve to stimulate the curiosity of prospects and
ultimately close a sale. These two approaches take different views on the relationship between
the tool and the goal.

The effectiveness of any digital marketing method is measured by the number of leads it
generates. A brand's digital marketing strategy might focus on one or many platforms.

Inbound marketing as a concept is all-encompassing. First, the objective is determined, and then
the various tools are analysed to see which ones will most effectively reach the intended
audience at the optimal time in the sales cycle.

With digital advertising, you can use both inward and outbound strategies simultaneously. There
is a lot of synergy between the two. With the help of inbound marketing, all of your digital
marketing efforts will be focused and directed in the direction you want to go.

B2B versus B2C digital marketing

B2B and B2C organisations may benefit from digital marketing, but the best practises vary
greatly.

 B2B customers' decision-making cycles are often lengthier, which translates into longer
sales cycles. In contrast, B2C consumers are more likely to react to short-term offers and
messaging.
 Professional B2B digital marketers know that the basis of B2B transactions is reasoning
and proof. When it comes to B2C content, it's more likely to be centred on the customer's
emotions, with the goal of making them happy with their purchase.
 B2B decisions sometimes need input from more than one individual. The most effective
marketing materials are those that can be easily shared and downloaded. Unlike B2B
consumers, B2C clients want one-on-one engagements with a brand.

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As with every norm, there are exceptions. A B2C firm that sells a high-ticket item, such a vehicle
or computer, may provide more in-depth and serious material to its customers. B2B or B2C, your
approach must always be focused on your own target audience.

Types of digital marketing

As many different ways as there are to use digital media for communication, so too are there
many different types of digital marketing. Here are a few examples.

Search engine optimization

Search engine optimization (SEO) is a technique used to raise a website's ranking in search
engine results pages rather than a distinct kind of marketing itself. What the Balance implies
when it refers to SEO as "the art and science of making internet sites attractive to search engines"
is exactly that. You can't expect to rank well in search engines unless you put in the time and
effort to learn about and consider all the factors that go into rating a website. The most important
considerations to bear in mind while optimising a website are:

 Engagement and interest from users in the material

 Mobile-friendliness
 Quantity and quality of connections leading in

While there are certain scientific aspects to SEO, the field also has a strong artistic element due
to its inherent uncertainty.

No clear criteria or set of standards exists for achieving high search engine rankings. Given how
often Google's algorithm evolves, it's difficult to make predictions about what search engine
results will look like in the future. It is possible to monitor the performance of your page and
make adjustments as required.

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Content marketing

This approach relies on the provision of quality and relevant material to the right people at the
right time. SEO is an important component.

Like any other marketing strategy, the ultimate goal of content marketing is to increase interest,
which in turn increases sales. Although it accomplishes the same goal as other advertising
mediums, it does it in a novel manner. Instead, then trying to sell anything, it provides free,
helpful advice in the form of text.

There are various data that support up the value of content marketing:

 Eighty-four percent of consumers say they expect companies to deliver material that is
both entertaining and informative.
 Sixty-two percent of organisations with at least 5,000 workers publish content every day
 Marketers are overwhelmingly positive about the importance they place on the quality of
their company's content.

Even while content marketing has a lot of upsides, it also has some drawbacks. The goal of any
SEO-savvy content writer should be to increase the site's visibility in search engine results while
also enticing visitors to share the material and get more invested in the brand. When your content
is current and relevant, it's much simpler to build relationships with stakeholders at every stage
of the pipeline.

Social media marketing

Social media marketing refers to the practise of leveraging online communities to raise
awareness about a company and its products. The most widely used social media marketing
channels are Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, with LinkedIn and YouTube following closely
behind.

The ability to engage with an audience via social media marketing has led to its meteoric rise in
popularity. It's the most popular content distribution method among B2C marketers at a

11
whopping 96%, and it's catching on in the B2B sector as well. The Content Marketing Institute
reports that 60% of B2B content marketers have increased their usage of social media this year.

In social media marketing, you can use a number of metrics to assess how well your content is
connecting with your audience. What counts as an engagement is up to you, whether it be the
amount of shares, comments, or website traffic.

It's possible that direct sales aren't even in the cards for your social media marketing strategy.
Many businesses would rather have a conversation with their clients on social media than try to
force them to make a purchase. This includes a large number of more established businesses as
well as providers of products and services that aren't ideal for on-the-spot purchases. What
matters most is the ultimate goal of your organisation.

Pay-per-click marketing

To put an ad on a platform and then pay for each click is known as pay-per-click, or PPC.

It's harder to pinpoint exactly who will see your ad and when. A form of instant auction takes
place whenever a search engine has an available spot on a SERP. An algorithm evaluates each
advertisement using a wide range of factors, such as:

 Ad quality
 Keyword relevance
 Landing page quality
 Bid amount

Any pay-per-click (PPC) campaign should aim to get users to take some kind of action after
seeing an ad. These are known as conversions and, depending on the circumstances, might be
either transactional or non-transactional. Any action that brings you closer to your goal, whether
it a newsletter signup or a call into the home office, counts as a conversion.

The success of your campaign may be measured in terms of the number of conversions you
expect to see.

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Affiliate marketing

One possible financial reward for advocating for a competitor's business is compensation.
Whether you're the promoter or a corporation working in conjunction with the promoter, the
process remains the same.

It functions on the basis of a split of the profits. You will earn a commission as an affiliate for
every sale of the product you have advertised. If you're the company owner, you're obligated to
pay the affiliate a commission on all sales made thanks to their efforts.

Some affiliate marketers choose to evaluate products from a single firm on a blog or on a
separate website. When doing business, it is typical for people to work with a variety of
suppliers.

Getting involved with, or discovering, an affiliate begins with initiating contact with the other
organisation. You may use an existing platform that links you with retailers for a single-retailer
programme, or you can create your own.

Retailers working directly with affiliates have numerous options for making their programme
more enticing to prospective promoters and affiliates. In order for these affiliates to be
successful, you must offer them all the resources they need to succeed. Incentives for exceptional
performance, marketing assistance, and pre-made materials all fall under this category.

Native advertising

Marketing disguised as native advertising is a kind of marketing. In order to be less noticeable as

advertising, it aims to blend in with its surroundings.

In response to today's customers' distrust of commercials, native advertising was developed.

Many customers will disregard an advertisement if they discover that it was paid for by the
company that created it.

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A native ad circumvents this tendency by providing value before promoting anything, making
the "commercial" seem less intrusive.

Your native adverts should always be properly marked. Mention "sponsored" or "promoted."
Readers may spend a large amount of time interacting with the material before they discover that
it's advertising if these signs are hidden.

Customers will have a higher opinion of your content and brand if they know precisely what
they're receiving. There's nothing wrong with native advertising, but it's not supposed to be
deceitful.

Marketing automation

Using software to run digital marketing initiatives, marketing automation improves advertising
efficiency and relevancy.

Statistically speaking:

 Customers in the United States are overwhelmingly in favour of personalised products

and services.
 More than 80% of customers would want companies they interact with to better
understand their preferences and needs.
 Many firms agree that real-time customisation is beneficial, but only 77 percent have the
ability to implement it.

Automated marketing systems help companies cater to customers' growing need for
individualised service. These are some of the things that it lets brands do:

 Gather and evaluate customer data

 Market your products and services in a certain way
 Market to the right people at the right time with the correct messaging

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Prospect engagement (or lack thereof) with a given message is often used by marketing
automation software to decide when and how to contact them next. Each customer's marketing
plan is tailored to their unique needs thanks to this degree of real-time personalization.

Email marketing

Sending a prospective consumer a promotional email and crossing one's fingers that they click
on the link is the bare minimum of an email marketing approach. However, putting that plan into
action is very challenging. Before sending out any emails, be sure they're really wanted. In order
to fulfil these functions, an opt-in list must have:

 the body and subject line of the article are customised

 Indicate to the subscriber in a specific way the kind of emails they may expect.
 Provides a simple means of unsubscribing
 allows the integration of promotional and business-related e-mails

You don't simply want your campaign to be seen as a promotional tool by your prospects; you
want them to regard it as a service.

The effectiveness of email marketing stands on its own: Eighty-nine percent of respondents
named it as their primary source of new business.

Your email campaign's success may be enhanced by using marketing automation features like
email scheduling and list segmentation to better meet the needs of your clientele.

Advantages of Digital Marketing

A significant part of digital marketing's popularity stems from the fact that it has such a vast
audience reach, but there are many additional benefits as well. The following are some of the
advantages.

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A wide geographic scope

People may view your ad no matter where they are if you haven't restricted your ad to a certain
location. With this, you may easily expand your company's market reach.

Cost efficiency

Marketing via digital channels not only has a wider audience, but it also costs less. Traditional
marketing methods like newspaper advertisements, television commercials, and other forms of
mass media may come with a hefty price tag. As a result, you have less control over whether or
not your intended audience sees your messaging.

As long as your blog is up and running, you may use only one piece of content to attract readers.
You may arrange the delivery of messages to certain client lists for an email marketing
campaign, and you can easily alter the timetable or the content of that campaign as needed.

In the end, digital marketing provides much more flexibility and client interaction for your ad
budget than traditional marketing.

Quantifiable results

Customers and revenue are the two metrics you must use to determine whether your marketing
approach is working. In the absence of a digital marketing plan, how can you do this?

Another alternative is to just ask every client, "How did you hear about us?"

There are certain industries where this isn't the case. One-on-one encounters with clients are rare
in many businesses, and surveys don't always provide comprehensive answers.

Monitoring outcomes is a snap when using digital marketing. It's easy to measure the number of
desired conversions you're getting from your digital marketing efforts because to the built-in
tracking capabilities of the tools and platforms you use.

Personalization is easier

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You can collect client data with digital marketing in a manner you can't through traditional
marketing. Digital data tends to be far more exact and particular than data obtained by hand.

Think of a financial service company that wants to send out unique offers for customers who
have previously looked at their offerings. With this in mind, you decide to create two campaigns,
one for general distribution and one for a more targeted audience. Millennial business owners
and their families who have looked into your life insurance options will get one, while those who
have looked into your retirement options, will receive the other.

Is it possible to collect all that information without the use of automated tracking? There are a lot
of phone records to look through. How many distinct client profiles are there? If you send out a
brochure, how can you tell who has or hasn't read it?

All of this information is now at your fingertips thanks to digital marketing.

More connection with customers

As a result of digital marketing, you may interact with your consumers in real time. It also gives
them a way to converse with you.

Consider your approach to social media. Even better is when your audience responds to your
recent content by commenting or retweeting it. It implies that your product or service will be
spoken about more often, and you'll get greater exposure every time someone enters the
discussion.

Your clients will also benefit from a more interactive experience. As people actively participate
in your brand's narrative, their degree of engagement rises. Brand loyalty may be bolstered by a
strong feeling of pride in one's product.

Easy and convenient conversions

With digital marketing, your clients may take action as soon as they see your ad or article. Your
best chance for quick results in conventional advertising is a phone call once someone sees your

17
advertisement. People are busy. How often do they have time to call a firm when they're cleaning
dishes or travelling down the highway?

They don't have to wait to begin the sales process when using digital marketing since they can
just click on a link or bookmark a blog article. It's possible that they won't make a purchase right
away, but they'll keep in touch and provide you the opportunity to communicate with them in the
future.

1.3 Importance of the Topic

Chi (2011) suggests that the motivations of users for engaging in online social networking might
play a key impact in shaping how customers respond to social media marketing campaigns.
Similar to what Pookulangara and Koesler (2011) had previously indicated, Harris and Dennis
used the technology acceptance model (TAM) (2011). Harris and Dennis's (2011) ad hoc
architecture for TAM included trust into the TAM-related aspects. Customers, especially
students, have varying degrees of trust in various people they interact with on social networking
sites like Facebook.

Students place the highest faith in "real" friends, then Facebook friends, then expert blogs, then
independent review sites, then celebrities, and lastly online retailers themselves (Harris and
Dennis 2011).

Following up on the TAM, Di Pietro and Pantano (2012) found that consumers are more inclined
to seek advice from their social networks when shopping for entertainment purposes. Users are
more inclined to pay attention to products offered on Facebook because of the site's fun and
straightforward recommendation system. In a business-to-consumer approach, management may
engage with consumers directly through Facebook, while customers can provide their own
experiences and knowledge about a company's products and services (Di Pietro and Pantano
2012, 20). To increase the number of people who like their Facebook pages, stores might employ
applications like games and contests (Di Pietro and Pantano 2012). Conversely, stores need to be
aware of how their consumers like to be marketed to on social media. Knowing how consumers
feel about social marketing might help improve campaign results.

18
Heinonen (2011) argues that consumers' consumption, involvement, and output are not tied to a
single motivator but rather to a combination of many. User-generated content is undermining the
effectiveness of traditional marketing methods, thus the assumption that consumers are only
passive receivers of products and services is outdated (Heinonen 2011). If customers are aware
of what drives them, brands and businesses may get insight into what compels consumers to
share their opinions and experiences.

1.4 Need to Study the Topic

This research is significant with respect to its focus on social media platform used by potential
customers. Since "new technologies allow for more personal, targeted interactions as well as
greater consumer participation in the development of marketing and brand-related information,"
social networking sites are being used to boost a company's brand appeal and reach a wider
audience. There must be a paradigm shift in the way integrated marketing communications are
designed and implemented that takes into account social media as well as the conventional
promotional mix. This, say Mangold & Fauld (2009), is a necessary step in the evolution of the
field. Businesses are paying attention to social media as a means of collecting input, which has
been a long-time challenge for them to do so. Since most studies have focused on how to
implement social media marketing into a company strategy and how to measure customer
reaction, it is critical that subsequent study explore which techniques are effective. Research has
begun to explore how and why customers react the way they do, but it is still unclear if social
media marketing is worthwhile for shops in terms of return on investment.

19
 CHAPTER 2

DESIGN OF PROJECT REPORT

20
3.1 Review of Literature

Defining social media

Every facet of social media must be understood by a store before they can use it as a marketing
strategy.

If you're not familiar with Web 2.0, you won't understand social media. This term denotes a shift
in how end users engage with the World Wide Web, an environment in which information is
rapidly generated and disseminated. What people do with technology is more essential than
technology itself, he says, since "users are increasingly doing more than simply accessing
information; they are also creating and consuming it, which increases the value of the websites
that enable them to do so" (Campbell et al. 2011, 87). Interactivity, interoperability, and
collaboration have become the hallmarks of Web 2.0, which has progressed from basic
information search to more complex forms of interaction.

Kaplan and Haenlein describe social media as "a collection of Internet-based applications built
on the conceptual and technological foundations of Web 2.0 that allow the creation and sharing
of user-generated content" (2010, 61). Social media is defined as "software tools that generate
user-created content that may be shared" by Sinclaire and Vogus (2011). User profiles, content,
and a connection mechanism that allows users to leave comments on each other's profiles and
form virtual groups based on shared interests, such as fashion or politics, are the fundamental
elements of social network websites. These characteristics are helpful, but they are not necessary
for a website to be classified as a social network.

21
The phrase "social networking sites" is often used synonymously with "social media" when
referring to online platforms for sharing information and connecting with others. People may get
to know each other better via social media by creating public profiles that include information
about themselves and their interests. Since social networking takes place in the realm of social
media, it has altered the ways in which consumers learn about products and make purchasing
decisions. The CSM is used by researchers as a barometer of consumer response to social media
advertising. Consumer marketing sentiment (CSM) describes how shoppers feel about
advertising and the economy as a whole. A person's outlook on the market as a whole is a major
factor in determining whether or not they will be persuaded to participate in consumer activities
(Mady 2011). The key to a successful social media marketing campaign is a receptive target
audience. Consumer technology readiness is "people's willingness to embrace and utilise new
technologies for fulfilling goals at home and at work," as defined by the Oxford dictionary. If a
retailer's target demographic does not use social media, is unfamiliar with it, or has a negative
opinion of it, then the retailer's social media marketing efforts will be fruitless. By conducting a
technology readiness study, stores may determine whether their target demographic is receptive
to and interested in receiving interactive marketing campaigns.

The Innovation Adoption Process may also be used as a barometer of consumers' openness to
new technology (IAP). Individual Approach to Innovation (IAP) is the steps one takes while
making a choice on an innovative new idea (Rogers as cited in Mady 2011). There are five
stages: being made aware of the innovation, forming an opinion about it, deciding whether or not
to accept it, and finally putting it into practise (Mady 2011). Understanding of IAP may help you
develop a winning social media marketing plan.

Once upon a time, social media served primarily as a medium for maintaining personal
relationships. It's become a hub where fans of a certain brand can find out additional information
about that company's wares. Marketers and retailers alike are capitalising on these sites to reach a
wider audience and provide consumers a unique shopping experience. Strong search engines,
sophisticated mobile devices, peer-to-peer communication, and online social networks have
allowed marketers to reach clients via new contact points " (Shankar et al. 2011, 30).

Customer marketing is "the planning and implementation of all marketing efforts that affect a
consumer along and beyond the full path of purchase, from the moment the impulse to buy first

22
originates through purchase, consumption, repurchase, and referral" (Shankar et al. 2011, 29).
Shopper marketing is a relatively new concept that offers a new contact point for interactions
between companies and customers "Shankar and his team say that this is the best marketing
strategy (2011). Consumer communities, made possible by the rise of social media, are paving
the way for novel channels of communication between brands and their target markets in regards
to the dissemination of information and feedback on specific products. Consumers and retailers
may now engage in more meaningful conversations thanks to marketing technology like online
brand communities.

E-commerce

As Kurth (2011) points out, the jewellery sector retains many of its more traditional features,
such as a concentration on long-term relationships with customers and a generally narrow pool of
possible customers. In addition, the retail jewellery business is built on a large number of
relatively modest jewellery stores. Emotions play a huge role at the point of sale, when the
consumer is able to view and touch the jewellery. Ecommerce is on the minds of many
conventional jewellers, but many have little understanding what it entails, much alone what is
necessary to make the investment profitable (Kurth, 2011).

As a result of the fact that customers may purchase at any time of the day or night, E-commerce
is a fantastic potential for jewellers to expand their client base and hence grow market share
(Martinez 2006, Kurth 2011). E-commerce has the potential to be a fantastic opportunity for
jewellery shops in the future, despite the fact that there are many other options.

For enterprises, the World Wide Web (WWW) allows them to enter new markets that would
otherwise be unreachable (Limayem et al., 2000). As a result, for the foreseeable future, e-
commerce will be the dominant method of doing business. To begin with, Kalakota and
Whinston (1996) distinguished between two types of e-commerce: B2B and B2C. (B2C).
Business-to-consumer is increasingly prevalent in the jewellery sector. Basically, the sector has
been prepared to join the internet trade market as many other industries have done, much like
many others. Due to the jewellery industry's unique character, there are several hurdles and
barriers to overcome.

23
Virtual Brand Community

The promise of social media as a marketing tool has prompted extensive study of virtual brand
communities (VBC). This is what Muniz and O'Guinn, as cited in Georgi and Mink (2012, 3),
say "VBCs may be thought of as communities of buyers who get together online to discuss a
certain product or service. According to the research of Casaló, Favián, and Guinalu (2008), a
brand community consists of a group of people who share an affinity for a certain brand or
product. VBCs are "the site[s] of intricate brand meaning development and consumption
campaigns" Trust in the VBC increases membership participation, as shown by Casaló, Favián,
and Guinalu (2008). If a customer participates in a project and has a positive experience, they are
more likely to continue using that company's services. The VBC's longevity is contingent on its
members' faith in it. The level of confidence a user has in a social networking site is directly
related to how safe they feel using that site, as stated by Cha (2009). User satisfaction with a
specific VBC may grow if users feel more connected to the community and have a better grasp
on the value that VBCs provide. Evidence from the studies of Casaló, Favián, and Guinalu
(2008) shows that online marketing may have a significant impact on consumers' final purchases.

Exchanges between users of electronic services, known as Electronic Consumer to Consumer

Interaction (eCCI), are another kind of social interaction taking place in these VBCs (Georgi and
Mink 2012). The ability of customers to interact with one another and with companies through
social networking sites is a crucial part of the customer experience (Georgi and Mink 2012).
Customers are now better able to sway one another when it comes to making purchases thanks to
ECCI. In Georgi and Mink we conceptualised the notion of high-quality electronic consumer-to-
consumer communication (2012). (eCCIq). The researchers identified seven factors that helped
make eCCIq a success. The term "hedonic" describes the effect a product has on the users'
feelings and emotions. It's a kind of electronic customer-to-customer interaction (eCCI) in which
one online shopper contacts another to inquire about a product's size or shade. In the case that the
question is answered quickly, accurately, and politely by another customer, this eCCI event has a
strong chance of being of high quality. This interaction with a consumer has features suggestive
of eCCIq (emotional, cognitive, and conative equivalence) because of the social and convenient
elements at play. People have a stronger emotional investment in brands and products when they

24
are given a forum for criticism (Mangold and Faulds 2009). Social media is fast having an effect
on consumers' buying patterns, therefore businesses should monitor their presence there
regardless of whether or not customers are the ones producing it. For instance, a consumer's
online social identities may have a major effect on a business's social media presence.

Certain VBC research have revealed that group norms and social identity play a substantial effect
in the buying choices of online groups. The personality and culture of a person's social media
network affects how that person perceives and feels about businesses and products (Muiz and
Jensen Schau, 2007). Members of a group act in accordance with established customs that reflect
the group's shared goals, beliefs, and values. The term "social identity" is used to describe a
group's commitment to a common set of beliefs and ideals (Zeng, Huang, and Dou 2009).
Members of online communities who were part of a tight-knit social group were more receptive
to seeing adverts (Zeng, Huang, and Dou 2009). Advertising high-end items to members of a
Facebook group dedicated to luxury brands is more likely to be successful if the group has a
focus on luxury companies. Some viewers may take the messages in advertisements at face
value, while others may need to make inferences about the company being promoted based on
their own experiences (Muiz and O'Guinn, as cited in Muiz and Jensen Schau, 2007).

Commercials that are relevant to the VBC and its members are well received. According to Muiz
and Schau, advertisements and brands are found to subvert the original meaning of the ad in
order to serve the meaning of a certain group, in this instance, the brand community (2007).
When a VBC displays or employs an advertising for branding purposes, it may alter or affect the
original intent of the advertisement. VBCs' presentation of advertisements in online communities
might change the intended intent. As a result of a VBC altering an advertising to suit the interests
of its community, the original intent of the ad is obscured. A person's social media identity and
the social norms of the group to which they belong influence how they interpret advertisements
on social media. According to research by Pookulangara and Koesler (2011) utilising the
Technology Acceptance Model3, users' cultural backgrounds may also impact community
customs (TAM3). The third generation of TAM analyses how technology is used and how
people interact with it based on its perceived usefulness and ease of use. According to TAM3,
perceived usability does not affect perceived value (Pookulangara and Koesler 2011). TAM3
was shown to have potential for examining whether or not one's cultural background affects their

25
estimation of the usefulness and the convenience of using social media. The TAM3 was used to
examine whether or not one's cultural background influences one's interpretation of a social
networking message, event, or idea. The researchers constructed their study model using TAM3
as their conceptual framework.

Cultural variations may influence how individuals use technology-based applications, such as
social media, according to the research model proposed by Pookulangara and Koesler (2011).
Put another way, a person's cultural or ethnic background will shape how they interact with the
content seen on social media platforms. New rituals and communication technologies in the Web
2.0 social sphere have contributed to the development of a new culture alongside people's beliefs
and views." According to (Pookulangara & Koesler, 2011), page 352. The use of social
media requires merchants to be sensitive to cultural factors, since these platforms represent the
meeting of different worldviews and the birth of whole new forms of expression (Pookulangara
and Koesler 2011). One's upbringing and cultural background might shape one's perspective and
feelings about a product or brand.

Consumer Attitudes/Motives

Since individuals are increasingly contributing material about companies, merchants and
marketers must be aware of the factors that impact client attitudes and motives, which have
previously been totally controlled by businesses (Heinonen 2011). So, studies have looked at the
ways in which social media sites affect customers' attitudes and decisions.

Chu (2011) conducted a research to examine the correlation between Facebook group members'
and non-members' personal disclosure and their perceptions of various companies on Facebook.
Data suggests that sharing personal information is more common among Facebook group
members than it is among non-members. Members of Facebook groups who share
advertisements for companies or products with their friends do so in a way that broadcasts both
their membership in the group and their endorsement of the advertised products or services.
Customers looking to elevate their social standing in a certain category may do it with the help of
Facebook groups and viral content by spreading the word about a particular business (Chu 2011,
40).

26
According to Chu (2011), Facebook group members have a more favourable attitude toward
social media and advertising, and therefore are more likely to join a brand or retailer's Facebook
group. He concludes that this correlation between social media users' usage of group apps and
their participation in such applications supports the speed and effectiveness of social media
advertising, particularly on Facebook.

Cox (2010) found that social network users had different opinions on online advertising formats
(like blogs, videos, and brand channels or pages) depending on their age. Users between the ages
of 18 and 28 showed a strong preference for blogs, videos, and brand channel ad formats because
they were engaging, informative, and entertaining (Cox 2010).

According to Chi (2011), consumers' reactions to social media marketing may be influenced by
their reasons for using a particular social network, which raises the possibility that user motives
for online social networking play a significant role. Harris and Dennis also employed the
technology acceptance model (TAM) as Pookulangara and Koesler (2011) explained before
(2011). The elements linked with TAM (i.e., perceived pleasure, ease of use, and usefulness)
were integrated with trust in Harris and Dennis's (2011) informal framework for TAM. Using
social media, such as Facebook, customers, particularly students, have a trust hierarchy.

Students place the highest faith in "real" friends, then Facebook friends, then expert blogs, then
independent review sites, then celebrities, and lastly online retailers themselves (Harris and
Dennis 2011).

According to a TAM-based follow-up study by Di Pietro and Pantano (2012), customers are
more likely to use social networks to help them make purchasing decisions when they are having
fun. This is because Facebook's recommendation system is fun and simple to use, drawing more
attention to the products that are advertised on the site.

Heinonen (2011) suggests that the idea that customers are only passive recipients of goods and
services is outdated in light of the fact that user-generated content is eroding the efficacy of
traditional marketing strategies.

User Generated Content

27
Though social media expands our reach, it is still individuals, not platforms, that may sway
public opinion (Gonzalez 2010, 23). User-generated content is useful for marketers since it
promotes brand awareness. User generated content refers to "the sum of all the ways in which
people utilise social media, usually used to characterise the numerous sorts of publicly available
and created media material by end users" (Kaplan and Haenlein 2010, 61). So, when individuals
talk positively about a company or its offerings, the company or its offerings gain social value
(Zinnbauer and Honer 2011). Social currency may be seen as related to the concepts of social
capital introduced by Bourdieu (1977) and Coleman (1988). An individual's social capital
develops via casual, everyday contacts with others (Zinnbauer and Honer 2011).

The size of a user's network of connections is another factor in calculating their social capital
(Bourdieu, as referenced in Zinnbauer and Honer 2011). A person's network has the potential to
aid businesses in becoming embedded in their clients' social lives via the use of social
networking sites. Applying Bourdieu's theory to the ever-expanding social interactions online,
we might think of "social currency" as "all the resources a brand has access to because of its
presence in social networks and communities, both now and in the future" (Zinnbauer and Honer
2011, 51).

There are six elements that make up social currency: belonging, communication, benefit,
advocacy, knowledge, and protection. Each of these six parts is necessary for the whole to
function properly (Zinnbauer and Honer 2011). The social currencies created when customers
engage in conversation with one another are difficult, if not impossible, for a business to
influence (Zinnbauer and Honer 2011). Empirical study conducted by Zinnbauer and Honer
(2011) indicates that businesses need not rely on all six components of social currency to win
back loyal customers. It was found that a brand's performance was directly correlated with how
well it became embedded in consumers' daily lives. Users are more likely to form relationships
with, learn from, and benefit from other users of a brand if that brand is integrated into their daily
lives (Zinnbauer and Honer 2011).

Consumer Generated Advertising (CGA) is a kind of user-generated content in which individuals

create brand-specific advertising with the purpose of informing, persuading, or reminding others
about the brand (Campbell et al. 2011). In describing CGA, the term "vigilante marketing" is
used by both Muiz and Jensen Schau (2007) and Pehlivan, Sarican, and Berthon (2011). "One to

28
one, one to many, and many to many commercially oriented communications" are all part of the
"unpaid advertising and marketing activities done by brand loyalists on behalf of the brand"
(Muiz and Jensen Schau, 2007, 35). Campbell et al. (2011) claim that CGA and traditional
marketing strategies may coexist in the modern business world. Because CGA may help or hurt
traditional marketing strategies, it's crucial that stores be aware of this. Cheong and Morrison
(2010) found that because of the lack of research on both positive and negative UGC, businesses
need to be aware of and study UGC in order to properly understand its impact. People are doing
anything from passively consuming content to actively participating in the creation of others via
discussion and the dissemination of new information (Heinonen 2011).

Using a grounded theory approach, Pehlivan, Sarican, and Berthon conducted an empirical
comparison of CGA and Firm Generated Advertising (FGA) (2011). It was found that CGA is
different from FGA in that it generates a unique variety of conversational content in relation to
the advertising. FGA is well-liked by consumers, whereas CGA is more humorous, resulting in
more people talking about it (Pehlivan, Sarican, and Berthon 2011). They conducted in-depth
interviews with university students to investigate the gap between UGC and PGC, much as
Cheong and Morrison's 2008 study (PGC). Researchers found that consumers relied more on
reviews written by other customers than on those written by the product's producer. Since the
opinions of other consumers are more important than advertising (Cheong and Morrison 2008),
those that produce user-generated content (UGC) are elevated to the status of opinion leaders. It
has been demonstrated through earlier research that consumers are more likely to see CGA
advertisements than those produced by businesses themselves, and that the more engaging an
advertisement is, the more likely it is to be sent to friends and family.

Taylor, Strutton, and Thompson (2012) argue, however, that the desire for self-improvement is
also a component in the message-sharing behaviours of social media users. When customers feel
that an internet ad is tailored to them, they are more likely to share it with others. Therefore,
"advertisers should take into mind the symbolic and self-expression parts of their online ads and
connect them to targeted clients' self-concepts" (Taylor, Strutton, and Thompson 2012, 13). In
other words, the interests of the company's target market should be reflected in the company's
marketing approach. Findings from these studies show that CGA has a major impact on online
marketing.

29
Muiz and Jensen Schau (2007) highlight the fact that a lot of CGA is created rapidly and sent
over email without attribution or verification of its authenticity. Brand managers must now
consider what to do in response to consumer talk about their product (Campbell et al. 2011).
Some argue that businesses should prioritise CGA since it reveals customers' opinions and
attitudes around brands. They also praise CGA as an outstanding illustration of brand loyalists'
ability to craft compelling marketing messages. In addition, CGA occurrences will continue to
increase in frequency.

Pehlivan, Sarican, and Berthon (2011) note that CGA (Deighton and Kornfeld) has had a
considerable influence on marketers' understanding of the possible consequences of interactive
marketing on the internet.

Zhang, Jansen, and Chowdhury (2011) argue that in order for businesses to expand their
customer base, they need to have a robust presence across many social media websites.
Electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) communications may drive higher interest in a product
category than can exposure to information given by marketers, according to research cited in
Zhang, Jansen, and Chowdhury (2011). The internet has given consumers the power to become
co-creators of value by giving them access to information about the products they purchase
(Zhang, Jansen, and Chowdhury, 2011). Since eWOM raises brand awareness by turning
customers into value co-creators, it is gaining traction in the modern marketing landscape. By
connecting to advertisers, commenting on advertisements, or sharing them with friends, potential
buyers may effectively become messengers themselves via social media (Interactive Advertising
Bureau 2009 as cited in Chu 2011, 32).

Thus, businesses are realising they need to create their own social media profiles to handle some
of the advertising of their brands, as well as to learn from and react to the content that consumers
create about them online. While companies can't control what their customers say about them in
private messages, they can influence how their brand is spoken about in public, as Mangold and
Faulds (2009) point out.

According to Mangold and Faulds, the ability of consumers to communicate with one another
limits companies' control over the content and distribution of data (2009) The social capital
created by user-generated content should be owned by the companies that produce it. Because
their products are increasingly embedded in the larger communities that social networks serve,

30
companies need to take measures to protect their brands (Jones et al. as cited in Zinnbauer and
Honer 2011).

Companies' presence in social media has grown in significance as a direct outcome of viral
marketing campaigns. Facebook groups are increasingly being seen as a credible source of
information and opinions, which is changing the dynamics of consumer-brand interactions and
viral advertising platforms (Chu 2011).

Viral Advertising

Marketers are increasingly using viral advertising to spread the word about their products.
Internet advertising that employs a viral method has a huge advantage since it is more specific to
the intended demographic. Since viral communication is more personal and hence more likely to
be viewed by hard-to-reach audiences, it may provide marketers greater leeway to experiment
with different approaches (Bampo et al. 2008, 274). "Viral advertising" refers to the unpaid peer-
to-peer dissemination of controversial material from a known sponsor through the Internet in an
effort to encourage or influence an audience to share the content to others (Porter and Golan as
referenced by Chu 2011:31). It's vital to distinguish viral advertising from UGC in that the
former always includes a recognisable brand name in its title or description. Studies on the
efficacy of viral advertising have consistently pointed to the importance of humour, sexuality,
stealth, and positive experiences.

Famous company advertisements that went viral were studied by Golan and Zaidner in 2008.
Using Taylor's six-part strategy wheel as a framework, they analysed the content of 360 viral
advertisements. The research found that humour and sexuality are two of the most crucial parts
of advertising, with consumers being more likely to share viral advertisements if they think them
humorous. According to Golan and Zaidner (2008), well-placed ads may inspire word-of-mouth
that spreads for months or even years. Ferguson (2008) looked at the ROI of viral marketing
efforts run by well-known companies to get his conclusions. Since many group members are
unwilling to share viral advertising with their Facebook connections, it was decided that viral
marketing endeavours aren't always beneficial or wanted by organisations. It was also discovered
that many consumers just ignore viral marketing on the internet.

31
Kelly et al. (2010) found that people's resistance to online advertising is influenced by three
factors: interruption of work, a feeling of site clutter, and negative past experiences with online
advertising. "Research implies that the plausibility and trustworthiness of the media influences
how the consumer perceives the reliability of the information presented," write Moore and
Rodgers (as cited in Kelly et al., 2010, 17). According to one study, buyers don't pay attention to
advertisements on social media unless they're either annoying or funny. Consistent with previous
studies, it has become clear that humorous advertisements are generally well-received and
accepted by their target audiences.

Thanks to the new platform afforded by social media and the active engagement of consumers in
brand communication, businesses have had to become creative in order to recover control of
their marketing (Chi 2011). Viral stealth marketing, which may be characterised as "a marketer's
attempt to fly below consumer radar by recruiting brand pushers to pose as consumers," is one
example of the new social currency management strategies that have arisen in recent years
(Kaitkati and Kaikati as cited in Golan and Zaidner 2008, 961). Customer referrals are the most
effective kind of consumer action (Kaitkati and Kaikati, cited in Golan and Zaidner, 2008),
hence companies often use viral stealth marketing strategies. Viral covert marketing strategies
seek to facilitate consumer-to-consumer dialogue. Since consumer-to-consumer contact is the
driving force in spreading advertising messages, stores need to reevaluate marketing and include
social media marketing into their business strategy (Golan and Zaidner 2008).

The level of an organization's commitment to interactive marketing may be quantified using the
method developed by Pavlou and Stewart (2000). One set of measures focuses on media
consumption habits, information seeking strategies, and cognition during the information
processing stage. The second group of metrics include indicators of consumers' engagement with
interactive media (Pavlou and Stewart, 2000). Consumers' usage of interactive media might be
monitored by stores in an effort to ascertain what kind of data is most helpful to potential buyers
(Pavlou and Stewart 2000). Think about this to gauge the success of your social media marketing
and advertising campaigns. Due to the two-way communication between the marketer and the
customer, it will be hard to separate the impact of individual advertising exposures. This means
that the emphasis of advertising evaluation will need to shift from outcomes to processes (Pavlou

32
and Stewart 2000,74). Therefore, it is important to monitor customer reactions to online ads in
order to develop efficient social media marketing tactics.

Conceptual Framework

Hult's (2011) marketing organisation theory framework is utilised as a basis for this discussion.
Hult (2011) suggests that marketers see their operations as a series of interrelated tasks rather
than as discrete departments.

The N-REL framework suggests that SMM activities are connected to several departments of a
marketing firm (Fig. 3). SMM encompasses all of a company's internal and external business
actions that provide value to its customers. Networks that aim to accommodate the needs and
priorities of several parties are developed as a byproduct of SMM activities. To varying degrees,
SMM activities change the structure and dimension (i.e., configuration) of a system's (social)
networks and the obligations of its stakeholders.

There is a significant effect from incorporating social media into the marketing organisation,
since it facilitates and reinforces connections between different functions within the marketing
department. Prior to developing SMM strategies, strategic decision-makers need to establish a
connection between SMM and the company's target market and marketing mix. These
alternatives have implications for the structure of networks, the status of consumers as
stakeholders, and the development of procedures for creating value for customers.

It is not enough for a business to just decide to engage in SMM; rather, strategic decisions must
be made on the social media mix aspects, such as which social media sites to use. Last but not
least, businesses need to think about whether or not a certain medium or social media channel
provides the tools they want, such as video, music, or commercial apps.

The company plans on using these strategic social media choices to determine who the key
influencers are within its various online groups.

The communication patterns of members in a network are profoundly influenced by the structure
of those networks.

33
Unlike traditional news outlets and other online resources, social media is a level playing field
for all users. Accordingly, a brand is a network node similar to any other actor. No longer can a
single brand authority in a hierarchical organisation impose a one-way exposure to commercial
communications or message. Brown, Broderick, and Lee claim that individuals share information
through online social networks (2007). The social network topology and configuration determine
the roles and effects of all involved parties.

If no marketing is done, there will be no marketing department. Therefore, the N-REL

framework include representational efforts (such as public relations and sales promotion) that are
similar to inside-out marketing in that they strive to express the organization's inner qualities to
the target audience.

The majority of representation deals are done via transactional marketing. Representational
activities include sharing one's achievements, showing thanks for one's customers, and
advertising one's business on social media (Andzulis et al., 2012).

Conversely, SMM initiatives with an emphasis on engagement work to bridge the gap between
an organization's internal processes and its external surroundings. Therefore, they reverse-
engineer the capacities of corporations. By doing things like communicating, collaborating, and
sharing best practises with business partners, they want to build long-term connections with
customers, end-consumers, channel members, and the full value chain. (Saravanakumar &
SuganthaLakshmi, 2012) (Jussila et al., 2014).

Sensing the market and keeping an ear to the ground both work. If this is the case, then being
"market oriented" highlights a crucial trait of market participants: the ability to anticipate and
seize opportunities before they become widely known. Using market sensing, the organisation
gathers information about customers, competitors, and distribution partners so that it may better
anticipate and react to market developments in the here and now as well as in the future (Day,
1994). A business may get an edge over the competition by gathering, analysing, and acting on
market knowledge gleaned through social media interactions. Engagement and listening-in are
important to relationship marketing strategies.

The special qualities of SMM may be useful in both relationship and transactional marketing.
Obviously, the same holds true for marketing agencies interested in implementing hybrid

34
strategies. The emphasis of transactional marketing is most often on representation actions. In
contrast, a business with a stronger emphasis on relationship marketing, market focus, or
customer care should prioritise engagement SMM activities in order to fully realise the
interactive marketing potential presented by social media.

Impact of social media in the marketing organization.

35
As can be seen in the figure above, the N-REL design does not include any operations that span
departments. In line with Day's (1994) vision of the organization's scanning skills, scalable
processes must meet the anticipated wants of consumers (as identified by the organization's
outside-in capabilities) and deliver on promises to enhance relationships.

It is the SMM activities (representation, engagement, and listening-in activities) developed or

inspired by brands or organisations that allow social media activities to transcend geographic
borders.

Brand-driven SMM actions and the social effect created by SMM lead to "social activities."
Because of the nature of the underlying technology, social media makes it possible to build
social networks, which may then take on a wide range of shapes and forms as a consequence of
user interaction. Connected individuals are better able to communicate with one another thanks
to the prevalence of social networks, which in turn promotes the spread of eWoM. (Brown et al.,
2007; Chu and Kim, 2011). One further positive effect of eWoM communication is that it

36
heightens influence within the same social networks. When it comes to social media, "social
shopping," also known as "social commerce," is an obvious example of a practise that crosses
traditional boundaries (e.g., Cha, 2009; Stephen & Toubia, 2010). Online consumer participation
in markets and communities may take many forms, including "social shopping," "social
commerce," "curation," "comparative shopping," "buying," and "sharing" (Zhou, Zhang, &
Zimmermann, 2013). Social shopping encompasses both the company's purchasing process and
its social media marketing efforts.

Discussion

In order to define how businesses plan and execute their social media marketing strategies,
researchers have suggested the N-REL framework. This framework supplements the existing
body of literature on SMM strategy by offering a more holistic perspective that is not limited to a
single sector or set of circumstances; it also covers business-to-business as well as business-to-
consumer approaches to marketing.

Marketers are realising the value of cultivating meaningful relationships with their target
demographic, and as a result, they are increasingly looking to social media to expand the reach of
their campaigns. However, within the context of the new relationship marketing paradigm, social
media marketing may prove to be an invaluable asset.

The tenets of marketing agencies are likewise consistent with the principles of frameworks.
However, it does show that the components of a marketing organisation and their dependent
connections may change after including social media: the components interact and overlap one
another, leading to connected dimensions.

This means the marketing organisation will have less rigid structure and greater fluidity and
changeability.

The N-REL model has a number of flaws.

Activities beyond the confines of a social network, such as those initiated by the company, are
not included in the SMM category. Thus, it is important to include such boundary-pushing
activities into marketing strategies.

37
Using the techniques provided in the paper, businesses may make the most of social media's
distinctive features to forge stronger bonds with customers, vendors, and other business partners.
There is always the risk of not reacting adequately to customer or user comments in social media
marketing because of this kind of contact with social network actors or users. Think about how
Nestlé responded to a negative social media campaign about their product (Berthon, Pitt,
Plangger, & Shapiro, 2012). Businesses may benefit from social media activities that cross
organisational boundaries if they are well-planned, such as those that aid in the sales or
purchasing processes.

It is possible that businesses may improve customer value processes including customer
relationship management (CRM), supply chain management (SCM), and product innovation via
collaboration with the online brand community.

The value of a company's strategic marketing resources is only prospective until it is actualized
via the activities and behaviours of the company's employees (Hult, 2011). The growing
importance of social media as a marketing tool, as well as the N-REL framework, might aid
businesses in selecting effective social media marketing strategies to get an advantage in the
market.

It's clear that N-REL is a significant development in the realm of social media marketing,
especially with regards to the strategic business decisions that may be influenced by such
platforms. N-REL may also be used by businesses to assess the efficacy of their marketing
strategies by identifying and capitalising on their distinctive advantages. Both researchers and
professionals have a strong interest in understanding what factors must be in place for a social
media marketing strategy to be implemented smoothly. The use of social media for promotional
purposes has not yet been given sufficient strategic consideration. The N-REL framework may
help businesses learn more about the practical use of SMMS.

Several avenues for further research emerge from this work. To begin, we need to validate these
theories with more study. Future research should prioritise validating this paradigm, especially in
light of industry-specific aspects, since varied market orientations may result in unique SMM
activities. We also suggest further study into how social media marketing activities fit into the
bigger picture of a business's marketing strategy. Experts are also studying ways to use the

38
benefits of social media to improve marketing and business results via transactional or
relationship marketing.

In conclusion, the scope of this framework is too narrow to include every facet of a marketing
firm. Research on the effects of SMM on marketing and overall business performance should
focus on how SMM activities affect the processes and activities of the different marketing
organisational components.

It's possible that the term "Social Media" may be useful in further discussions. It's common
knowledge that social networking sites are those that facilitate user-generated content and file
sharing. Based on the feedback of their peers, users may contribute to the pooled resources.
Materials that may be exchanged include textual content, images, audio recordings, and video
recordings. In addition to encouraging business activity, this platform is used for recruitment,
CRM (customer relationship management), meeting social needs, and humanitarian reasons.
Social networking sites consist of websites like Facebook (Facebook) and Twitter (Twitter)

In 2011, Amatulli and Guido looked into the hidden factors that influence consumers' decisions
to spend money on high-end fashion items. Forty Italian consumers of a high-end clothing shop
in Italy were interviewed in-depth. The qualitative research methods of the laddering approach
and the means-end chain (MEC) analysis were used for data collecting. According to the
findings, people mostly purchase high-end clothing and accessories so they may better reflect
their own style and gratify their own personal desires. The data collecting and elaboration
process yielded a hierarchical value map, which revealed that the primary hidden ultimate values
associated with the purchase and consumption of luxury items were increased self-confidence
and a sense of personal satisfaction. Implications for marketing include adapting goods, brand
values, and communication messages to customers' desires for "internalised" consumption, in
which the benefits to the consumer are purely subjective. The study's originality stemmed from
its application of the laddering method and the means-end chain (MEC) analysis to the study of
the hidden factors that influence consumers' decisions to buy high-end fashion items. In addition,
the study looked at this issue in the Italian market, which is an excellent illustration of a
developed market for high-end fashion products.

It was found by Mooij and Hofstede (2011) that customer behaviour was strongly influenced by
cultural norms. Models of consumer behaviour and branding and advertising tactics were

39
studied, along with their foundational cultural ties with the self, personality, and attitude.
Differences were accounted for with the use of the Hofstede model. Consumer behaviour
domains like product ownership, decision making, and innovation adoption and diffusion were
also discussed, along with consumer motivation and emotions, cognitive processes like abstract
versus concrete thinking, categorization, and information processing, and technological change
and its impact on consumer behaviour. Branding and advertising on a worldwide scale were
discussed.

According to Hisathian and Walsh (2011), the gem and jewellery business is Thailand's third
most significant export category and the leading sector of the creative industry. The Thai fine
gold jewellery export industry is a subsector of this industry. There was little pollution from this
sector. It fit well with the character of Thai people. It resulted in a monetary windfall for
Thailand. It was very valuable, and it generated a lot of jobs. Export growth has slowed as a
result of the global economic slump, rising and falling raw material prices, an unpredictable
political climate in Thailand, a lack of technological investment on the part of Thai
manufacturers, and the emergence of new competitors from China and India. Thai exporters
needed to know what was going on so they could keep up in a competitive market. This study
discussed findings from in-depth interviews done to determine the commonalities and
differences between the Thai, Hong Kong, and Fine Gold Jewellery Exporting industries. It was
shown that when it comes to creating new products, Thai factories should prioritise a market-
driven approach over relying on in-house expertise. Value added works only for items that
already have the appropriate idea behind them. Thai exporters should concentrate on developing
new products, expanding their networks, taking calculated risks, and encouraging collaboration
amongst Thai organisers of international gems and jewellery shows in order to successfully fight
for a sustainable government assistance plan.

Gold has been highly sought for because of its beauty, rarity, malleability, and unusual resistance
to rust and corrosion, as highlighted by Raghavan and Ahmed (2011). The wearing of gold in
India has several meanings and uses. As its most surface level meaning suggests, it served as
both an ornament and a mark of social standing. Gold is a great investment since its worth isn't
affected by the political or cultural climate in which its holders live. More than any other nation,

40
Indian families were investing in gold out of a need to put money away for the future. Gold is a
popular choice among Indian households as a means of saving, which is a topic that will be
explored in the proposed research. In addition, the research shows how the price of gold affects
the desire for gold jewellery among Indian consumers. A number of programmes have been
launched by the Government of India (Gol) to foster the growth of India's gems and jewellery
sector. Gold's investment appeal is bolstered by the region's liberalised gold market. The physical
gold market still pivots on India.

A key point made by Yadav (2017) is that technology should be seen as a way of connecting
people rather than a means of serving consumers. The benefits of social media marketing were
examined, and it was discovered that, regardless of the size of the target audience, it is now easy
for businesses to engage with them through social media. As a result of the widespread adoption
of social media, about 70% of businesses across the globe have a presence on at least one major
platform.

According to Ahuja and Bharadwaj (2016), young Indians place a greater value on social media
every day. The research highlights both the positives—such as access to information about career
prospects and educational resources—and the negatives—such as distraction, cyberbullying,
poor self-esteem, and so on—associated with heavy usage of social media networks by young
people. They claim that Facebook has become the third most popular website among Indian
teenagers. While the United States is Facebook's largest market, India is the social network's
second largest market.

According to Sajid (2016), "community internet marketing" is the new rallying cry for modern
corporations. It's hard for a business to avoid having a web presence in the modern day,
particularly if it has a lot of rivals in the same industry. While social media marketing may seem
like a good idea, before making any significant expenditures, a company should determine
whether these tactics are appropriate for their particular offerings. The report also suggests
waiting at least three weeks after implementing a technique before evaluating its efficacy. Social
media marketing is only one component of a broader promotional strategy that the report
suggests business owners incorporate.

Jussila, Kärkkäinen, and Aramo-Immonen (2014) surveyed professionals from a wide range of
fields to learn more about the ways in which social media might help professionals network with

41
one another. Several disconnects between social media's potential and how it's really being used
by B2B marketers were uncovered, and efficient strategies for making the most of social media's
benefits were proposed. One other intriguing conclusion from the research was that the use of
social media by businesses remained consistent regardless of their size or revenue.

Phan (2011) investigated how social media affected customers' opinions and behaviour towards
making purchases. The author argues that the widespread adoption of social media may be
attributed in part to the savvy users who are already familiar with the platform. However, the
author maintains that expenditures in social media cannot boost customers' purchase intentions
and impressions since the medium is still developing and has a long way to go.

Todorova (2015) defined the different types of marketing communications tools and described
their nature, relevance, and effectiveness. The study article also provides evidence for the
advances and theoretical frameworks. The author argues that the construction of the correct
marketing mix is comprised of the product, price, location, and promotion, with a focus on
promotion since it aids in the rapid and successful connection with prospective customers. Public
relations, sales promotion, advertising, personal selling, and direct marketing are just a few of the
marketing communications strategies used to make goods and services easier to grasp for
potential customers.

In order to assist businesses in gauging the relative performance of various advertising mediums,
Danaher and Dagger (2013) developed a low-cost methodology. By conducting an online poll
via the organization's loyalty programme, the researchers may measure the extent to which their
subjects have been exposed to the program's advertising and then compare this data to the
respondents' past buying habits. The study's authors used their methodology in a retail setting
and discovered that seven of the retailer's 10 channels had a significant effect on consumers'
propensity to make a purchase.

In four trials, Varan et al. (2013) examined the impact of several media forms, including radio,
television, and personal computers, with those of various device types. Three trials with
consistent formats across devices found no difference in ad efficacy, whereas the fourth
experiment with varying devices and formats revealed synergistic benefits. A lack of synergy
may either damage or enhance advertising efforts that use many communication mediums. The

42
authors conclude that cross-device synergies are very unlikely and instead point to latent cross-
format synergies as the explanation.

According to Pendleton, Lundstrom, and Dixit (2012), businesses may better serve their
customers if they provide them access to many social media outlets where they can share their
thoughts and experiences. People had to suffer through reading and viewing all those ads in
newspapers and on television before the internet came around. In contrast, thanks to Web 2.0,
customers may now choose the necessary goods and services without having to sit through any
commercials. The researchers insist that this idea be taken into account by the marketing team,
and that appropriate measures be put in place.

Organizational performance and the efficacy of marketing communications were examined via a
model established by Jerman and Zavrnik (2012). Using a sample of 210 people, the researchers
showed that marketing communications had a favourable effect on organisational performance in
Slovenian businesses, which was in turn impacted by a variety of factors. Markets for business-
to-business transactions are mainly influenced by the degree to which organisations meet their
goals. The significance of two-way dialogue in boosting corporate productivity was highlighted
when it was named the second most crucial element.

In order to facilitate fruitful communication between brand ambassadors and young fashion
consumers, Biinaite and Bakanauskas (2011) wrote a study piece. Two models, the Better model
and the Five Element model, were constructed using data gathered from research into the Adidas
brand, market research, an online poll, and a review of scientific theoretical literature. It was
discovered that brand ambassadors play a pivotal role in bridging the gap between the businesses
and their intended customers, and that they must be able to adapt their personalities to meet the
needs of the brands while also striking an emotional chord with their target audience. It was
discovered that the marketing communications have evolved from more conventional to more
modern modes throughout time.

In their study on the impact of social media on business performance, Charoensukmongkol and
Sasatanun (2017) discovered that companies which used social media strategies for customer
relationship management (CRM) were more satisfied with their company's overall performance.
Authors also found a correlation between enhanced CRM and corporate sales. According to the

43
findings, business owners that lack the interpersonal skills necessary to communicate with clients
face-to-face should make use of social media marketing.

Company organisations, according to Wang and Kim's (2017) research, may boost consumer
involvement and, in turn, business success by incorporating social media marketing into their
existing promotional efforts. Companies that want to improve their firm's performance and their
customers' involvement should prioritise social CRM capacity as they employ social media
marketing methods.

Customer impression of brands was analysed by Schivinski and Dabrowski (2016), who
compared the impacts of user-generated content with firm-generated material provided via
Facebook's brand communities. The research concluded that compared to firm-generated
material, user-generated content had a more favourable impact on both brand attitude and brand
equity among consumers. Additionally, both positive brand attitude and high brand equity were
linked to increased consumer spending.

Researchers Ab Hamid, Akhir, and Cheng (2013) polled 134 hotel guests to learn more about the
connection between social media, consumer loyalty, and faith in the hospitality sector. In their
study, the researchers discovered a favourable relationship between the aforementioned three
factors. The potential for viral marketing via social media also assisted businesses in finding and
contacting new prospective consumers at a low cost. The research also suggests that social media
is an effective marketing tool among tech-savvy young people.

In order to learn how well multimedia components work, Romaniuk, Beal, and Uncles (2013)
analysed 16 touchpoints in 23 datasets. Displays in stores, on television, in stores, and on
billboards all targeted customers whose interests and habits were similar to those in the
categories they represented. Heavy brand users were found to make use of social media and
favourable word of mouth. Heavy category users dominated the rest of the media. Advertisers
may better tailor their messages to their target audience by taking into account their demographic
characteristics if they have this information. It was discovered that the capacity of the first media
must be depleted before the introduction of the second media in order to achieve cost efficiency
in reaching the target audience. This deduction was made because repeat customers were more
likely to be added via secondary channels of contact.

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According to Narayanan et al. (2012), individuals from all walks of life may freely share
information and ideas with one another because to the open nature of social media. They go on to
assert that the use of social media for things like communication, marketing, showcasing
business-related material, and conducting relevant research has a constant and cohesive
development potential.

Asur (2012) stresses the value of two-way communication, noting that consumers may actively
involve companies, themselves, and other customers in a conversation using social media
platforms. The brand's social media presence has helped it connect with its current and
prospective consumer bases. However, businesses must be careful in their communication, since
a misunderstanding might spark a backlash.

On the basis of the existing research, Amen (2011) established factors to examine the influence
of media on marketing communications. These variables include the usage of mass media,
selective exposure, customer attitude, participation, and mood. In a poll of 120 persons,
participation was shown to have a poor opinion, whereas selective exposure had a high one.
When compared to other characteristics, the standard deviation of respondents' ideas regarding
consumers' disposition and selective exposure was lowest, suggesting less disagreement over the
latter's judgments. Furthermore, it was discovered that the standard deviation of respondents'
ideas on engagement was the largest, suggesting a strong contradiction of the respondents'
thoughts on customer attitude. The media's effect on marketing communications was shown to
have a negative skewness, suggesting that respondents' views on these elements are less positive
than average. When compared to other causative variables, the correlations of attitude showed
that a stronger link was discovered between attitude and selective exposure. Thus, it was shown
that media consumption, selective exposure, participation, and emotional state all had substantial
effects on consumer attitude due to the strong correlations between these factors.

According to Chi (2011), "social media marketing" facilitates social networking and online
engagement between companies and customers. This research examines how customers' usage of
social networking sites and interactions with such online media affects the success of businesses,
and concludes that social media marketing material must be tailored to the long-term
requirements of those who utilise such platforms. Two aspects of user motivation—their mental

45
health and the value of their online social networks—are examined, along with two forms of
social media marketing—virtual brand communities and interactive digital advertising.

Dasgupta, and Ghatge (2015) state that the Internet remains at the core of digital marketing due
to its adaptability and ease of integration with a wide variety of digital devices. The Internet has
broadened the scope of marketing, making it one of the most important innovations of the 20th
century. In addition, the Internet has emerged as a resource for promoting and distributing and
connecting and selling products, services, and ideas. In today's day, the internet plays a crucial
role in the placement, promotion, distribution, and ultimately the purchase of goods. The Internet
changes the conventional marketing mix approach. This opens up opportunities for the salesman
to promote a wider variety of mass-modified products. The Internet's price comparison tools are
especially useful when shopping for an item already on the market. In addition, the Internet has
introduced a new method of dissemination that is quick, simple, and efficient. The advertising
industry has undergone a paradigm shift, with narrative conversations replacing monetary
messages, and customers assuming the role of storytellers. Salespeople and marketers nowadays
use a wide variety of marketing techniques, such as SEO (Search Engine Optimization), SEM
(Search Engine Marketing), PPC (Pay-per-click), and others, to carry out the strategy of digital
marketing.

The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that are linked together by
way of special routers and servers. Files stored on computers, in the form of pages accessible
through the World Wide Web, are accessible to other computers via the network as a whole. The
internet is made up of three different kinds of networks: intranets, extranets, and the World Wide
Web. Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) is used for Intranet procedures inside of a company.
Extranet, on the other hand, comprises many custodial networks that are interconnected for the
express purpose of sharing data. The World Wide Web allows users to navigate hypertext using a
graphical user interface provided by a web browser. The "Advanced Research Project Agency
Network" (ARPANET), the ancestor of today's electronic mail and internet, was first publicly
demonstrated in 1972. The Internet had matured enough as a technology by 1985 to sustain a
sizable community of researchers and inventors. The internet revolution was stoked by Tim
Berners-creation Lee's of the "World Wide Web" in 1991. In addition, the economic potential of
the internet was fully unlocked in 1993.

46
According to Nair (2015), the rapid development of the Internet led to the birth of web 2.0 tools
that enabled users to create and share content with one another. Consumers' habits changed
because of the internet's ability to cater to their individual preferences via features like
customisation, interaction, personalisation, and connectedness. With the advent of a plethora of
media outlets and the proliferation of cutting-edge services, gadgets, and networks that enabled
them to apply strategic influences on clients in tandem with a salesperson, digital channels
emerged as the dominant mode of advertising. Currently, customers use the internet for a wide
variety of reasons, including but not limited to the following: research, communication,
commerce (including online auctions), information gathering (including research on
competitors), comparison (including price shopping), and feedback (including marketing). The
Internet is rapidly becoming the primary starting point for research of all kinds. The internet is
the beginning point for the majority of consumers when they are making a purchase.

Consistent with what Prabhu and Satpathy have said (2015), When digital channels first debuted
in the early 1990s, they were promoted with digital marketing in India. This was because of the
promise that digital channels would be able to target the appropriate audience with the right
message at the right time. People are led to believe that using digital media would result in the
most efficient and cutting-edge initiatives possible. After 15 years, we learn that the fact that it's
impossible to fathom is often more unsettling than it appears at first. The current state of digital
media is more intricate than at any time in recent history. Advertisers' heads might be turned by
the constant and rapid introduction of new procedures, equipment, data sources, and media use
gadgets (such tablets and mobile phones). A choice was made earlier this year that is a replica of
this present experience because of the importance placed on getting the right numbers.
Amazingly, digital media may reveal a person's identity, preferences, and online activity in great
detail. They will be inspired to improve their efficiency by the book's presentation of the tools,
resources, and knowledge base necessary to make sense of and use data from many digital
sources. This first digital guarantee, if it comes to fruition, will let fans of all disciplines
appreciate the excitement and cost-effectiveness of investing in digital channels.

From the mid-1990s to now, the digital media landscape has seen tremendous shifts. Ten years
ago, we informed them of two media works that would come to be despised. One is sponsored

47
content, such as a paid search (like Google AdWords) or a commercial on television. Simply put,
paid media is any kind of digital media in which the user must pay to interact with a company.

The second kind of media is the difficult one. This is an umbrella phrase for any kind of media
that an organisation publicly acknowledges, maintains control over, and employs to reach out to
its target demographic. Bookmarked sites, email marketing sites, and friend sites are the most
often claimed categories of media websites. For both sponsored and claimed media, clicks are
always critical pieces of data to acquire and evaluate. Anyhow, it may be useful to monitor what
occurs after a client has tapped a connection, but it might not always reply to probes.

The third kind of media, known as acquired media, was recently developed. Some people claim
it's brand new, while others think that it's just another moniker that advertising pros came up with
in the course of "getting famous online" talks, rumours, or a newspaper article.

Precise zeroing in on Traditional approaches to digital marketing use the "shower and beg"
tactic, where an ad runs indefinitely on a platform with massive reach in the hope that a small
percentage of viewers would respond positively. In contrast, "digital marketing," which occurs
only on digital platforms, is centred on competition in which ads are shown to customers based
on their preferences or initial behaviour. Take, for instance, value-based communications, which
may be given to customers after their behaviour towards the company (arrange affirmation
messages, receipt, secret key reset). This means that patrons always get their preferred service.
When it comes to analysing and categorising user preferences, online networking platforms often
use a sophisticated algorithm. To the point where certain marketing campaigns are shown to
consumers only if they share a certain point of view (Karjaluoto, et al.,2015). The cost of Digital
Marketing is reduced and the likelihood of making a sale is increased.

Digital may be described as a technique for conveying data that is either finite or non-variable, as
stated by Deichmann et al. (2016). By contrast with "analogue," "digital" refers to a method of
data transmission that operates continuously. When a marketing action is dependent on various
forms of the digital platform to carry out the market's function, such action is transformed into a
digital one. Moreover, digital marketing is understood to be a strategy for promoting products or
services using one or more electronic media channels. It's also the place where countless
commercial enterprises may reach their target audience by using various forms of electronic
communication. Because of this, digital marketing in India may help businesses connect with

48
their target audience on a more personal level. In addition to content-based platforms like
"websites," "social networking sites," "online communities," "search engines," etc. that rely
primarily on internet technology, digital media also encompasses devices like "mobile phones,"
"digital TV," and "digital outdoors" that rely on both internet and mobile technology.

Aithal, and Varambally, (2015) state that in India, "digital marketing" is distinguished from
"internet marketing" by the fact that it encompasses networks that require real-time internet
connection, such as digital TVs, digital outdoors, billboards, SMS (Short Message Service), call-
back and on-hold mobile ring tones, mobile apps, MMS (Multimedia Message Service), e-books,
and games through a digital stage that can run offline as well. It makes use of online and offline
digital tools, infrastructure, and infrastructure. And when cutting-edge ideas like augmented
reality and wearable tech develop, digital marketing is expanding outside the realm of the web.
Consequently, it's fair to classify internet marketing as a subset of digital marketing.

HARIKA (2018) backed the unique physiognomy of the internet's cutting-edge approaches to
streamlining productive and thought-provoking interactions between customers, businesses, and
India's massive online market. Consumers that rely heavily on the internet tend to choose digital
over traditional forms of advertising. It is also shown that the average Indian adult spends five
hours a day interacting with digital media. Indians continue to choose online social networking
and online shopping as their primary online activities. Most social media users spend far less
time viewing television than viewers of traditional media. Indian social media users are far
younger than their global counterparts, with a median age of only 23. People do extensive
research on a product and the reviews of others who have purchased the product online before
making a final decision to make a purchase.

Completing the service for Todor (2016), "Achieving marketing goals via employing digital
technology" is a simple definition of digital marketing, often known as Internet marketing.
Digital marketing, on the other hand, is the use of such technology and methodologies to support
marketing efforts in an effort to learn more about consumers by tailoring offerings to meet their
needs. Several companies in India have come to recognise the value of digital advertising and its
impact on consumers. Due to the difficulty of satisfying customers only via online means, many
businesses find success by combining online and offline methods. In order for a salesman to
successfully complete their job and meet the organization's goals, the adoption of innovative

49
methods necessitates the creation of novel chances. Successful businesses understand that
promoting their wares online is a powerful advertising engine for creating items and expanding
their customer base. Digital advertising saves money in the long run since it is easier to track the
return on investment (ROI) for promoting products and services.

According to research by Kaushik (2016), traditional forms of advertising and marketing have
given place to the more convenient and dynamic channels made available by the internet.
Furthermore, digital marketing is so powerful that it may resuscitate the economy and also be
able to generate enormous opportunities for governments to function in a more effective method.
Many Indian businesses have come to acknowledge that digital marketing techniques are
effective in helping them reach their long-term objectives. Also, the rapid technological
advancements and shifting market dynamics have contributed significantly to the expansion of
digital marketing in India.

Digital content such as user-friendliness, triangulation, and speed are well-defined as the main
physiognomies for promoting products and services online, and so contribute to the results
desired by enterprises. Word-of-mouth (or "WOM") on social media and generally making the
site popular is another tried-and-true method for achieving success with digital marketing.
Adding to that, word-of-mouth (WOM) is linked to attracting new members and expanding the
site's circulation, both of which boost India's marketing profile.

Increasing a company's foot traffic with digital marketing is the most effective strategy, as stated
by Alavi (2016). However, in the business sector, Digital Marketing is seen as the most widely
utilised marketing and advertising tool, and traditional forms of advertising are gradually being
phased out. When compared to digital marketing, traditional forms of advertising have a
restricted audience at best; nonetheless, there are many cities where residents do not have access
to modern amenities but everybody has their own smartphone. That's why a growing number of
businesses are realising the importance of going digital in their brand expansion efforts.

 There is a strong correlation between the pace at which people go online to research and
purchase the price and feature sets of the product or service they want. When it comes to
this commodity, the Digital market pretty well covers all of the bases.
 In today's highly technological society, individuals are more likely to believe and use data
that is made accessible digitally rather than in hard copy.
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  Since the Internet is now a standard tool for every form of interaction, digital marketing
has emerged as the most comprehensive channel for reaching consumers and growing
businesses.
 Traditional methods of advertising need a substantial financial outlay to promote
products and services, but the cost of advertising is much lower and more secure in the
case of digital marketing.

3.2 Statement of The Problem

When it comes to digital, online, and internet marketing, there is a lot of muddled language.
Marketing methods that leverage all available digital channels to promote a product or service or
to establish a digital brand are known as digital marketing.

Internet, television, radio, and mobile devices are among the most popular digital distribution
methods. As a result, digital marketing might be considered a subcategory of internet marketing.
The only real difference between Internet and Online marketing is the word. It's all about the
current search engine trend and which term is most popular. The Google AdWords Keyword
Generator from April 2013 shows that in the US, 'Internet Marketing' has a two-to-one ratio to
'Online Marketing' in monthly search queries. It's not only in the United States where Online
Marketing' is more popular than Internet Marketing. Note that there is a distinction between
marketing and advertising as well. Viral video or pay per click ad businesses may be seen to be
performing advertising rather than marketing. All of these online advertising tools and
approaches are believed to be synonymous with online marketing from an 'online' perspective.
Online marketing is the art and science of using the Internet to get your message out there so that
you can encourage people to take action on your behalf. To better understand how online
advertising and social media are helping EDUWORLDGUIDE Career Consultants Pvt. Ltd. to
improve their business, research was done.

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3.3 Objectives of The Study

This study's goal was to investigate the following topics:

 To study the aspects of online marketing activities.

 To study the marketing strategies of the EDUWORLDGUIDE Career Consultants Pvt.
Ltd.
 To understand whether promotional activities are necessary or not.
 To evaluate the company data to analyze whether their online advertisement helps the
company to reach their goal or not.
 To offer suggestions if necessary.

3.4 Scope of The Study

A corporation may use social networks to anticipate the probability of a customer's purchase
intention, according to study by Hill, Provost, and Volinsky (2006). This may be done by
evaluating the data from the network chosen by the company (e.g., Facebook, Instagram,
Pinterest, etc.). A company's marketing efforts benefit greatly from analysing a network's data
since it gives crucial information about the network's users, which aids in determining the best
social media methods for that specific site (Hill, Provost, and Volinsky's 2006). According to the
findings of this research, another critical component in ensuring the effectiveness of online
marketing is understanding which social media sites a company's target market consumes.

Rather to just using social networking sites as a tool for advertising, retailers should discover
innovative methods to utilise them to engage with customers on a more personal level. Big firms
use social media as a tool for strategy, according to Sinclair and Vogus (2011). Some companies
have even hired staff to manage their social media websites. As Sinclair and Vogus (2011) put it,
"Consumers are no longer passive consumers of marketing messages; they are utilising social

52
media to express their opinions-both favourable and negative." Retailers must actively
participate in social networking sites and the virtual brand communities they establish if
customers are going to engage with a brand on social media.

Therefore, the scope of the study is limited to how EDUWORLDGUIDE Career Consultants Pvt.
Ltd. is using social networking sites as a tool for advertising.

3.5 Research Design

Study Conducted

The primary data was gathered through personal interaction. The information was gathered from
the structured questionnaire.

Statistical Tools:

The data are analyzed through statistical methods. Simplex percentage analysis is used for
analyzing are used for analyzing the data collected.

Sampling Techniques:

The simple random sampling technique was employed in the selection of the sample.

Sample Size:

100 Employees

53
2.6 Sources of Data Collection

Sources of Data

 Primary data
 Secondary information

Primary Data

The information gathered out of the blue through perception and meeting strategy. The data is
gathered by watching the working of different divisions and furthermore by interviewing the
directors of the considerable number of offices. It is additionally gotten by the assistance of staff
individuals.

Secondary Data:

Secondary data has been collected from the Company Website, Internet etc.

Simplex percentage analysis:

For easier comprehension, raw data streams may be represented as percentages (a fraction of
100%) by a technique called percentage analysis.

Graphs:

The findings are presented in a straightforward manner via the use of visual representations.
Statistics are compiled from a percentage breakdown, and then graphs are made from the results.

2.7 Limitations

1. Individuals were hesitant to provide honest accounts of their experiences.

2. Respected individuals' reluctance to participate in my research by providing necessary
data.

54
3. Not enough time was allowed for the project to conduct a thorough examination of the
research issue.

CHAPTER 3

PROFILE OF THE SELECTED ORGANISATION AND

RESPONDENTS

55
 PROFILE OF THE ORGANISATION

EDUWORLDGUIDE Career Consultants Pvt. Ltd.

56
Established on the 16th of August 2019, EDUWORLDGUIDE CAREER CONSULTANTS
PRIVATE LIMITED is a private company in existence for 3 years, 0 months, and 12 days. The
Registrar of Companies (ROC) in Bangalore, India lists EDUWORLDGUIDE CAREER
CONSULTANTS PRIVATE LIMITED as a non-government organisation. At the time of its
formation, the EDUWORLDGUIDE CAREER CONSULTANTS PRIVATE LIMITED
Company had both Rs. 1,000,000 in authorised share capital and Rs. 100,000 in paid-in capital.

According to their official registration documents, "the principal business of

EDUWORLDGUIDE CAREER CONSULTANTS PRIVATE LIMITED is: " It falls within the
purview of the Department of Education, as does the following, which is also related to
education.

The CIN and registration number for EDUWORLDGUIDE CAREER CONSULTANTS

PRIVATE LIMITED are U80900KA2019PTC127096.

Company's physical address is as follows: No. 6, CN PALYA, NAGASANDRA POST,

TUMKUR ROAD, BANGALORE Bangalore-560073 Karnataka; email is
guriakumarijha@gmail.com. Email or snail letter will get you a response from this firm.

57
The most recent Annual General Meeting (AGM) for EDUWORLDGUIDE CAREER
CONSULTANTS PRIVATE LIMITED was conducted on, and the company's most recent
financial statement was submitted with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) on.

GURIA KUMARI, PRAJESH KUMAR JHA, SHANKARANAND MISHRA, are the directors
of EDUWORLDGUIDE CAREER CONSULTANTS PRIVATE LIMITED.

We focus on giving each student the attention they need to succeed in school and in their chosen
field of work. We can help you choose a school that's a good fit for you academically, as well as
with admissions and career guidance. If you have any questions or concerns about your
education or professional development, we have answers designed just for you. All of our
advisors are highly trained professionals with credentials like the Green Belt Certification in
Global Career Counseling from Univariety and a Master's Degree in Counseling from the
University of California, Los Angeles (Singapore).

Vision

Our mission is to provide students with reliable and objective career advice, making us the most
trusted and regarded education consulting in India. Our goal is to lower the barrier to entry for
those who would benefit the most from studying abroad. Our long-term goal is to serve as a
single-source provider for all of your study-abroad requirements. Our goal is for everyone of our
students to get admission to top universities and go on to accomplish their goals. Through the use
of AI, we want to guide our students toward the most suitable career path. Our goal is to help
students choose a field of study that makes the most of their individual skills and interests. It is
our ambition to be an industry leader in integrating career guidance with technological
advancements.

Mission

We put in many hours of effort with our students to guarantee they get into the college of their
choice. We achieve this by learning about each student's immediate and far-off academic and

58
professional objectives. This allows us to create a unique educational plan for each of our
students, increasing their chances of being accepted to the school of their choice internationally.
Our career guidance is honest and unbiased since we do not use the commission structure often
used by agencies. We treat every student's application with the highest seriousness and
dedication because we care deeply about the success of their future. Our goal is to ensure that
every step of the student's study abroad experience, from application to departure, is simple and
stress-free.

Board of Directors

 GURIA KUMARI
 PRAJESH KUMAR JHA
 SHANKARANAND MISHRA

Services

 Personalised and dedicated education and career solutions

 Educational services, admission and career counselling services

Competitors

 iSchoolConnect
 Edwise International
 IDP Consultancy
 KC Overseas Education
 Y-Axis
 Karan Gupta

59
 SIEC Education

PROFILE OF THE RESPONDENTS

1. Gender
Table no. 1

Chart no. 1

60
Interpretation:

Table 1 shows that 68 percent of the respondents are male, and 32 percent are female. –

2. Age Group
Table no. 2

Chart no. 2

61
Interpretation:

On average, respondents were in the 18–25-year age range (28%), the 26–35-year age range
(32%), the 36–45-year age range (18% of respondents), and the 46+ year age range (22% of
respondents), as shown in Table 2.

3. Educational qualification
Table no. 3

Chart no. 3

62
Interpretation:

30% of respondents have an education level of SSC or lower, 20% of respondents have a high
school diploma (HSC), 38% of respondents graduated, and 13% graduated with a master's degree
or higher, according to Table 3.

4. Since how long have you been working in EDUWORLDGUIDE Career Consultants
Pvt. Ltd.
Table no. 4

63
 Chart no. 4

Interpretation:

According to the data in the table above, 40 percent of workers have worked at the present
organisation for 1-3 years, 22 percent have worked there for 3-5 years, 20 percent have worked
there for less than a year, and 18 percent have worked there for more than 5 years.

5. Which is your management level in the company.

Table no. 5

Chart no. 5

64
Interpretation:

According to the data in the table above, 50% of respondents are in middle management, 26%
are in lower management, and 24% are at the top management of the Company.

6. Work experience of the Respondents.

Table no. 6

Chart no. 6

65
 Work Experience

8%
21%
13% 1-2 years
2-5 years
5-10 years
10-25 years
More than 25 years

24%

34%

Interpretation:

The above table reveals that 92% of the respondents agree that the company has job enrichment
process in the company and only 8% of the respondents disagree.

66
 CHAPTER 4

DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

1. We are more successful since we have started using digital marketing for
promotion.

Table no. 4.1

Opinion No. of Respondents Percentage

Strongly disagree 8 8%

67
 Disagree 13 13%

Neither agree nor disagree 12 12%

Agree 45 45%

Strongly agree 22 22%

Analysis:

From the above table it is clear that 45% of the respondents agree and 22% strongly agree with
the statement: “We are more successful since we have started using digital marketing for
promotion.”, 12% of the respondents are neutral whereas 13% of the respondents disagree and
8% strongly disagree.

Chart no. 4.1

68
 Opinion

45

22

13
12

Strongly disagree Disagree Neither agree nor Agree Strongly agree

disagree

Opinion

Interpretation:

45% of the respondents agree and 22% strongly agree with the statement: “We are more
successful since we have started using digital marketing for promotion.”.

2. Do you use Inbound marketing strategies for your company.

69
 Table no. 4.2

Opinion No. of Respondents Percentage

Strongly disagree 1 1%

Disagree 2 2%

Neither agree nor disagree 15 15%

Agree 47 47%

Strongly agree 35 35%

Analysis:

From the above table it is clear that 47% of the respondents agree and 35% strongly agree that
they use Inbound marketing strategies for their company, 15% of the respondents were neutral
whereas 2% of the respondents disagree and 1% strongly disagree.

Chart no. 4.2

70
 Opinion

47

35

15

2
1
Strongly disagree Disagree Neither agree nor Agree Strongly agree
disagree

Opinion

Interpretation:

47% of the respondents agree and 35% strongly agree that they use Inbound marketing strategies
for their company.

3. Do you use social media marketing strategies for your company.

71
 Table no. 4.3

Opinion No. of Respondents Percentage

Strongly disagree 19 19%

Disagree 33 33%

Neither agree nor disagree 18 18%

Agree 19 19%

Strongly agree 11 11%

Analysis:

The data in the table above shows that although 19% of respondents agree and 11% strongly
agree that they use social media marketing methods for their business, 33% of respondents
disagree and 19% strongly disagree.

Chart no. 4.3

72
 Opinion

33

19 19
18

11

Strongly disagree Disagree Neither agree nor Agree Strongly agree

disagree

Opinion

Interpretation:

19% of the respondents agree and 11% strongly agree that they use social media marketing
strategies for their company.

4. Do you use content marketing strategies for your company.

73
 Table no. 4.4

Opinion No. of Respondents Percentage

Strongly disagree 7 7%

Disagree 13 13%

Neither agree nor disagree 19 19%

Agree 50 50%

Strongly agree 11 11%

Analysis:

From the data in the table above, we can conclude that 50% of respondents agree, with 11%
strongly agreeing, that they use content marketing tactics for their business, 19% are unsure, and
13% disagree, with 7% strongly disagreeing.

Chart no. 4.4

74
 Opinion

50

19

13
11
7

Strongly disagree Disagree Neither agree nor Agree Strongly agree

disagree

Opinion

Interpretation:

50% of the respondents agree and 11% strongly agree that they use content marketing strategies
for their company.

5. Content marketing influence your sales most.

75
 Table no. 4.5

Opinion No. of Respondents Percentage

Strongly disagree 5 5%

Disagree 10 10%

Neither agree nor disagree 17 17%

Agree 44 44%

Strongly agree 22 24%

Analysis:

From the data in the table above, we can conclude that 44% of respondents agree and 24%
strongly agree that content marketing has the greatest impact on their sales, whereas 17% of
respondents are ambivalent and 10% of respondents are strongly disagree.

Chart no. 4.5

76
 Opinion

44

24

17

10

Strongly disagree Disagree Neither agree nor Agree Strongly agree

disagree

Opinion

Interpretation:

44% of the respondents agree and 24% strongly agree that Content marketing influence their
sales most.

6. Good corporate website influences your sales most.

77
 Table no. 4.6

Opinion No. of Respondents Percentage

Strongly disagree 4 4%

Disagree 7 7%

Neither agree nor disagree 18 18%

Agree 51 51%

Strongly agree 20 20%

Analysis:

Based on the data shown above, 51% of consumers think that a good business website has a
significant impact on their sales, while 20% strongly agree. Meanwhile, 18% of consumers are
ambivalent and 7% disagree, with 4% strongly disagreeing.

Chart no. 4.6

78
 Opinion

51

20
18

7
4
Strongly disagree Disagree Neither agree nor Agree Strongly agree
disagree

Opinion

Interpretation:

51% of the respondents agree and 20% strongly agree that Good corporate website influences
their sales most.

7. Email marketing influence your sales most.

79
 Table no. 4.7

Opinion No. of Respondents Percentage

Strongly disagree 8 8%

Disagree 17 17%

Neither agree nor disagree 30 30%

Agree 32 32%

Strongly agree 13 13%

Analysis:

The data in the table above shows that just 32% of respondents agree, and only 13% strongly
agree, that email marketing has the greatest impact on their sales. Thirty percent of respondents
are unsure, while 17% disagree and 8% strongly disagree.

Chart no. 4.7

80
 Opinion

32
30

17

13

Strongly disagree Disagree Neither agree nor Agree Strongly agree

disagree

Opinion

Interpretation:

32% of the respondents agree and 13% strongly agree that Email marketing influence their sales
most.

8. Social media (e.g., LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter) influence your sales most.

81
 Table no. 4.8

Opinion No. of Respondents Percentage

Strongly disagree 15 15%

Disagree 28 28%

Neither agree nor disagree 22 22%

Agree 27 27%

Strongly agree 8 8%

Analysis:

According to the results shown in the table above, 27% of respondents agree and 8% strongly
agree that social media (e.g., LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter) has the greatest impact on their sales;
22% of respondents are indifferent; 28% disagree and 15% strongly disagree.

Chart no. 4.8

82
 Progress

28
27

22

15

Strongly disagree Disagree Neither agree nor Agree Strongly agree

disagree

Progress

Interpretation:

27% of the respondents agree and 8% strongly agree that social media (e.g., LinkedIn, Facebook,
Twitter) influence their sales most.

9. PPC (pay per click) search marketing influence your sales most.

83
 Table no. 4.9

Opinion No. of Respondents Percentage

Strongly disagree 26 26%

Disagree 43 43%

Neither agree nor disagree 11 11%

Agree 19 19%

Strongly agree 1 1%

Analysis:

You can see from the table that 19% of respondents believe that PPC (pay per click) search
marketing has the greatest impact on their sales, 1% strongly agree, 11% are unsure, and 43%
and 26% respectively disagree.

Chart no. 4.9

84
 Opinion

43

26

19

11

1
Strongly disagree Disagree Neither agree nor Agree Strongly agree
disagree

Opinion

Interpretation:

19% of the respondents agree and 1% strongly agree that PPC (pay per click) search marketing
influence their sales most.

10. Online video (e.g., webinars, video explainers) influence your sales most.

85
 Table no. 4.10

Opinion No. of Respondents Percentage

Strongly disagree 8 8%

Disagree 27 27%

Neither agree nor disagree 25 25%

Agree 35 35%

Strongly agree 5 5%

Analysis:

We can see from the table that 35% of respondents agree and 5% strongly agree that online
videos (webinars, video explainers, etc.) have the greatest impact on sales, while 25% are unsure
and 27% disagree (with 8% strongly disagreeing).

Chart no. 4.10

86
 Opinion

35

27
25

Strongly disagree Disagree Neither agree nor Agree Strongly agree

disagree

Opinion

Interpretation:

35% of the respondents agree and 5% strongly agree that Online video (e.g., webinars, video
explainers) influence their sales most.

11. Organic search marketing (SEO) influences your sales most.

87
 Table no. 4.11

Opinion No. of Respondents Percentage

Strongly disagree 29 29%

Disagree 40 40%

Neither agree nor disagree 5 5%

Agree 23 23%

Strongly agree 3 3%

Analysis:

From the data in the table above, we can conclude that 23% of respondents agree and 3%
strongly agree that Organic search marketing (SEO) has the greatest impact on their sales, 5% of
respondents are unsure, while 40% and 29% respectively disagree.

Chart no. 4.11

88
 Opinion

40

29

23

5
3

Strongly disagree Disagree Neither agree nor Agree Strongly agree

disagree

Opinion

Interpretation:

23% of the respondents agree and 3% strongly agree that Organic search marketing (SEO)
influence their sales most.

89
 CHAPTER 5

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTIONS

FINDINGS

90
 About half (45%) of respondents agree, with another 22% giving a strong agreement, that
"We are more effective since we have begun utilising digital marketing for promotion."
Another 12% provide a negative or neutral response, and 8% give a strong negative
response.
 For their business, 47% of respondents agree and 35% are "very" or "somewhat" agree
that they utilise Inbound marketing methods; 15% are unsure; and 2% disagree and 1%
are "very" or "very" disagree.
 Only 19% of respondents are in favour of using social media marketing methods for their
business, with an additional 11% giving a strong endorsement of this practise; 18% are
ambivalent; 33% are against; and 19% are very opposed.
 Fifty percent of respondents agree, with eleven percent strongly agreeing; nineteen
percent were unsure; thirteen percent disagreed, with seven percent strongly disagreeing;
and zero percent were highly displeased.
 Forty-four percent of respondents agree, with 24 percent giving a strong agreement, and
17 percent giving a moderate response. Ten percent of respondents disagree, with 5
percent giving a strong disagreement.
 Half of those polled (51%) agree, with 20% even more so expressing strong agreement;
18% are unsure; 7% disagree; and 4% are strongly disagree.
 Thirty-two percent and thirteen percent, respectively, of respondents believe that email
marketing has the greatest impact on their business's bottom line, while thirty percent are
unsure and eight percent are firmly opposed.
 About a third of respondents (27%) and a sizable minority (8%) believe that social media
(e.g., LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter) has a significant impact on their business's sales,
while another third (22%) are unsure and another third (15%) strongly disagree.
 Only 19% and 1% of respondents respectively think that PPC (pay per click) search
marketing has the greatest impact on their business's bottom line, whereas 26% and 43%
of respondents, respectively, disagree.

91
 When asked if online videos (webinars, video explainers, etc.) had an effect on sales,
35% of respondents agreed and 5% strongly agreed; 25% were ambivalent; 27%
disagreed and 8% strongly disagreed.
 Only 23% of respondents feel that organic search marketing (SEO) has a significant
impact on their business, whereas 3% are very confident in this statement.

92
SUGGESTIONS:

The suggestions have been discussed as follows:

 Pay attention to how frequently and at what times your consumers interact with you and
your messaging, and build a plan around those data points.

 Create a logical plan for your data: Think about the customer contact data you now have
and will collect in the future, and come up with a way to compile and store that data over
the long term so that you can assess consumer involvement over time. Find out which
social media platforms work best for your company and which content gets the most
engagement.

 Think about the lifespan of your campaigns. You should take stock of the big picture
results of your initiatives in terms of the four lifecycle phases (acquire, onboard, engage,
and retain), and then rethink and rework the ways in which you communicate with your
target audience.

 Incorporate responsive layouts: You may calculate whether a responsive design strategy
will provide a return on investment by tracking how many of your consumers open your
emails on a mobile device.

 Fine-tune your focus on certain goals: If you have predetermined, measurable objectives
for tracking the success of your social media marketing strategies, you'll have a far better
idea of what needs fixing or expanding in your content and customer service efforts.

 Don't overlook mobile's significance. Align your mobile strategy with your overarching
marketing plan so you can determine the best ways to utilise the two together to boost
engagement and revenue, such as by include clickable links in emails that direct readers
to a landing page on your website.

 Evaluate carefully the present brand impressions clients have: Get a feel for how people
are responding to your brand in both digital and analogue settings, and then tweak your
strategy accordingly.

93
 Get in touch with your clients on a personal level: Although we now live in a digitally
predominate world, this does not give us licence to act like automatons when
communicating online. It's crucial to analyse consumer behaviour data in relation to your
brand and then create better tailored communications to deliver to your customers.

 Don't limit yourself to only email when thinking about personalisation; nowadays,
companies are also developing fully individualised online experiences. If your email
marketing is successful, you should apply the same attention to detail to your social
media, mobile, and online properties.

 A successful marketing campaign is one that generates a high level of engagement and
return on investment by appealing to both the brand and the target audience.

 Clearly stated, individual messages are always the most effective. If you want to succeed
in digital marketing, you need to embrace one technique above all others: the ability to
readily adapt to new circumstances.

94
CONCLUSION

Organizations are increasingly focusing on providing constant customer engagement with

promotional offers, mobile updates, events and content tailored to the customer's behaviour and
interests as smartphones and the internet grow in popularity. Furthermore, as WhatsApp and
Facebook grow in popularity among businesses, firms will put more emphasis on their
advertising efforts that target customers where they are most likely to be found: on their
cellphones.

When it comes to access to information and media, the average Indian spends more than 28
hours a week online. For a variety of daily functions, Indians will continue to depend
increasingly on digital media to look for products and connect with companies online. Brands
will continue to depend on recordings and images that appeal to the public as the need for visual
information grows.

Apps, Smartphones, Email, Computers, and Social Networks are all used in Social Media
Marketing to connect with and advertise to current and future customers. As more Indians
interact with each other on social media platforms, marketers will utilise these platforms to tell
tales, elicit interest, and finally, promote their goods or services to consumers. To stay up with
the current and future situations and trends in the industry, the essential elements of marketing a
brand or company will continue to evolve digitally.

TV, Radio, Outdoor, and Print Marketing and Advertising are not going anywhere in the near
future in India, and it is unlikely that these traditional channels would disappear. India's
innovative, financial, and social advancements will continue to favour social media marketing in
the country, and Indian firms should have a good marketing strategy in place to reap the most
advantages.

Digital / Social Media Marketing has helped EDUWORLDGUIDE Career Consultants Pvt. Ltd.
to reach more potential customers and expand their business.

95
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 QUESTIONNAIRE

1. Gender
a) Male
b) Female

2. Age group
a) 18-25 years
b) 26-35 years
c) 36-45 years
d) 45 years and above

3. Educational qualification
a) Up to SSC
b) HSC
c) Graduate
d) Post-graduate

4. Since how long have you been working in current Organisation.

a) Less than 1 year
b) 1-3 years
c) 3-5 years
d) More than 5 years

5. Which is your management level in the company.

a) Top
b) Middle

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 c) Lower

6. Work experience of the Respondents

a) 1-2 years
b) 2-5 years
c) 5-10 years
d) 10-25 years
e) More than 25 years

6. To what extent do you agree with the following statement: “We are more successful since
we have started using digital marketing for promotion.”.
a) Strongly Disagree
b) Disagree
c) Neutral
d) Agree
e) Strongly Agree

7. Do you use Inbound marketing strategies for your company.

a) Strongly Disagree
b) Disagree
c) Neutral
d) Agree
e) Strongly Agree

8. Do you use social media marketing strategies for your company.

a) Strongly Disagree
b) Disagree
c) Neutral
d) Agree
e) Strongly Agree

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9. Do you use content marketing strategies for your company.
a) Strongly Disagree
b) Disagree
c) Neutral
d) Agree
e) Strongly Agree

10. Content marketing influence your sales most.

a) Strongly Disagree
b) Disagree
c) Neutral
d) Agree
e) Strongly Agree

11. Good corporate website influences your sales most.

a) Strongly Disagree
b) Disagree
c) Neutral
d) Agree
e) Strongly Agree

12. Email marketing influence your sales most.

a) Strongly Disagree
b) Disagree
c) Neutral
d) Agree
e) Strongly Agree

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13. Social media (e.g., LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter) influence your sales most.
a) Strongly Disagree
b) Disagree
c) Neutral
d) Agree
e) Strongly Agree

14. PPC (pay per click) search marketing influence your sales most.
a) Strongly Disagree
b) Disagree
c) Neutral
d) Agree
e) Strongly Agree

15. Online video (e.g., webinars, video explainers) influence your sales most.
a) Strongly Disagree
b) Disagree
c) Neutral
d) Agree
e) Strongly Agree

16. Organic search marketing (SEO) influences your sales most.

a) Strongly Disagree
b) Disagree
c) Neutral
d) Agree
e) Strongly Agree

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