The main purpose of this study was to develop an understanding of the General Customer Perspective on Social Media Marketing with Reference to Advertising Penetration and Consumer Purchasing Patterns in Singapore by exploring the effects of social media features and demographic factors or users on intent and purchasing behavior. The Aim of the study is to provide insights to Singapore Enterprises on the importance of SMM in the competitive modern business environment in Singapore based on General Customer’s Perspective. In a relative view, the study was also conveyed whether SMM is linked to an optimistic view of customers online as well as the rapid development of social media platforms in the direction of signaling inordinate benefits in collaborating with traditional marketing methods.
The methods and research approach used in the research study is quantitative in nature. The quantitative method used was derived from natural sciences with focus on objectivity, reliability, measurement and validity that relied heavily on data, figures and statistics (Lee, 1992). The chosen method gained quantitative data that enabled rational decisions and analytical judgment-based formulations (Popovic et al, 2012). Primary data was collected from a group of respondents, which represents the target population of generation Z, and Y with the use of survey questionnaire through the online platform of SurveyMonkey. The number of participants involved in the study were projected at 300, where the characteristics of the demography are described as ages between 21 to 40, both male and female genders, located in Singapore and, with an eligibility inclusion criterion of either within the working class, studying or both. Quantitative data gathered was analyzed using regression analysis in Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) as it examined the causality in the effects of social media marketing and advertising penetration.
The main findings after analysis from the data gathered implies that most participants agree that sharing personal opinions and information online through their social media platforms are indication that they have confidence on the brands which they have used or experienced. Findings according to data gathered shows that most participants will still support companies even during the COVID-19 pandemic period but will require customized approach on presented advertainments based on explicit user social media behaviors which in turn will influence their purchasing pattern beyond the need for product information such as promotion, specification and availability. The data in the correlation section indicates that there is a high degree of correlation between Internet Usage Per Week (hours) and household income (0.592) as well as high degree of inverse correlation between Internet Usage Per Week (hours) in relation to age (-0.683) which signifies that the higher the internet usage of the participant, the higher the household income as well as indicates a relatively lower age group.
The implications of the study are directed to the findings which will be progressively relevant as purchasing patterns are framed by consumers who are accustomed to applying research, information sharing and purchasing decisions made online. Furthermore, the results of the research study can also provide motivation for companies to reconsider and reexamine their marketing strategies both online as well as in the traditional marketing settings.