THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING ACTIVITIES OF BRANDS ACROSS DIFFERENT SECTORS ON CONSUMER PERCEPTION

Abstract

Brands have become a part of social media through the followers, likes and comments they receive through their social media accounts. In addition to being a medium used for different purposes such as entertainment, communication and information, social media has also become a powerful marketing channel for brands that offers the opportunity to interact one-to-one with the consumer audience. This research investigates the influence of social media marketing activities (SMPA) in various sectors on consumer perception. A face-to-face survey was conducted with social media users in Eskişehir, and the collected data were analyzed using nonparametric tests due to the non-normal distribution. The findings highlight that SMPA dimensions—such as interactivity, informativeness, personalization, trending content, and word-of-mouth—affect consumers differently based on factors like gender, age, income, education, and the sectors they follow. Notably, women showed greater interest in social media interactions, while younger consumers were more drawn to trending content and personalized recommendations. As a result of the research, it is recommended that brands should design social media marketing strategies by taking into account the sector they are in and the personal characteristics of consumers. This study contributes to the existing literature by offering valuable insights into the impact of social media marketing on consumer perception.