ABSTRACT Purpose - The study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of social media in increasing customer awareness and preference for Biti‘s Hunter, an outstanding product line of Biti
INTRODUCTION
RESEARCH BACKGROUND
In today's globalized world, changes in the external environment have prompted marketers to adopt social media as a new and effective communication tool (Toros and Kalpaklioglu, 2011) The phrase ―social media‖ refers to new types of media that allow for interaction The way people interact has entirely changed; it has become simpler for customers to share their opinions about goods, services, and businesses online (Gashi and Ahmeti, 2021) In reality, during the past few decades, the growth of mobile technologies has driven the use of social media In January 2023, there were 5.16 billion internet users worldwide, of which 4.76 billion were active on social media (We Are Social and Melwater, 2023) Today, Facebook and Instagram are the two most famous social media platforms for marketing products, maintaining customers relationship, informing news and expanding audiences
Vietnam has also witnessed a significant development of social media, with diverse businesses embracing this trend Social media have become a huge opportunity for companies being closer to their customers to serve them more efficiently(Fischer et al., 2010) In Vietnam, Biti's, a pioneer brand in the footwear industry, has positioned itself as a top player by updating its designs to keep up with global fashion trends in sport's shoes Along with that, Biti's marketing strategies focus on social media, one of the most effective marketing tools nowadays
In this study, the role of social media as a new trend in marketing will be explored more deeply to raise customer awareness and preference in a company‘s brand Therefore, the topic ―A STUDY OF THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN GROWING CUSTOMERS AWARENESS AND PREFERENCE FOR BITI‘S HUNTER PRODUCTS‖ has been selected.
ABOUT BITI‘S
Binh Tien Consumer Goods Manufacturing Limited Company is known by the abbreviation Biti's Biti's is a Vietnam-based company that produces shoes and sandals Biti's began as a modest production plant in 1982 and has expanded with the nation to become a trusted and well-known brand among consumers Biti's is regarded as the national pride of Vietnam and is known as a "National Brand" for quality and prestigious footwear The business was a pioneer in exporting to international markets Biti's has marked its trademark in 40 countries worldwide, such as Japan, Russia, Italy, France, Mexico, the UK, the USA, and South America….In addition, Biti's is also trusted by international customers with famous brands such as Clarks, Decathlon, Speedo, Skechers, and Lotto to become a processing partner with many large value orders (Biti‘s, 2022) Since 2017, Biti's has established itself as a prominent national brand in the minds of consumers Over the years, the company has earned the recognition for its excellence in media and advertising The brand achieved over 20 awards throughout the Asia-Pacific region and beyond, such as Google and MMA (Biti‘s, 2022).
ABOUT BITI‘S HUNTER
With their traditional shoes and sandal versions, Biti's dominated the domestic market in the 1980s However, Biti's faced the risk of losing market share as the Vietnamese economy gradually became more open to the entry of foreign companies Generation Z (born between 1995 and 2012) has now turned to favor sneakers from international brands Today's shoes facilitate mobility and represent youth culture's sense of style and ego If it keeps concentrating on traditional shoes and sandals, Biti's will eventually lose its connection to them and the following generations In addition, customers in this segment also do not want to use counterfeit goods, but at the same time are not willing to spend a large investment on footwear
Drawing from the above factors, Biti‘s realizes that the Vietnamese market is still scarce for locally produced sneakers with reasonable prices, high quality, and trendy designs That's why Biti's Hunter was born with a message Products for brave ―hunters‖ who constantly go to experience and expand the world The Biti's Hunter sneaker line launched in the second half of 2016 In 2017, Biti‘s Hunter had been on the market for about nine months, but the level of consumer awareness was really low Thanks to an innovative promotional campaign featuring KOLs, and influencers, for example, Son Tung MTP music video ―Lac Troi,‖ and Soobin Hoang Son and Tien Cookie for their ―Di
De Tro Ve‖ music video, Biti‘s Hunter hit the target customers and the message spread These campaigns have created a great craze in the youth community and continuously sold out as soon as it is on the market
In short, by introducing new product lines like the Hunter and launching innovative marketing campaigns featuring popular celebrities such as Son Tung MTP and Soobin Hoang Son, Biti's has established itself as a source of pride among Vietnamese footwear brands For Biti's to continuously make breakthroughs in the footwear industry both domestically and internationally, it is crucial for the company to have a superior marketing strategy that effectively targets social media users, especially young people, starting with building awareness of its products to impact customer preferences.
RESEARCH OBJECTIVE
To conduct a critical literature review of Social Media
To determine the current level of customer awareness of Biti‘s Hunter products
To investigate the influence of social media on customers‘ awareness of Biti‘s Hunter products
To assess the impact of social media on customers‘ preference towards Biti‘s Hunter products
To measure the effectiveness of social media platforms in promoting Biti‘s Hunter products
To recommend marketing strategy directions and best practices that can be used to increase customers' awareness and preference for Biti‘s Hunter products.
RESEARCH METHOD
The research method employed in this study involved quantitative data collection An online questionnaire survey was sent to a randomly selected sample of 200 individuals who may or may not be familiar with Biti's Hunter brands and its social media activities The use of randomization in selecting the sample helps to ensure that the results are representative of the broader population of interest.
THESIS STRUCTURE
LITERATURE REVIEW
SOCIAL MEDIA
Communication between organizations, communities, and individuals has undeniably undergone significant and pervasive alterations due to social media (Kaplan and
Haenlein, 2010) Because it allows businesses and customers to interact in ways that traditional media cannot Social media has become an integral aspect of daily life
Interaction via different platforms, such as social networking sites (e.g., Facebook), microblogging sites (e.g., Twitter), and content communities (e.g., YouTube), enable such connection by allowing social networks to be built around common interests and beliefs (Larimo and Leonidou, 2021) However, social media is not only a fun way to communicate but also a vital aspect of corporate marketing tactics (Rugova and Prenaj, 2016) Social media is a tool used by large and small organizations and commercial and non-profit organizations to generate awareness about goods and services (Umair
Social media consists of two terms: social and media According to Kietzmann et al (2011), social refers to friendly companionship or relationship also define media as a communication forum, which includes newspapers, television, magazines, and so forth, which aims to reach a wider audience Therefore, the communication channel can be a social instrument for improving communication (Correa et al., 2010) Furthermore, it can be a forum for distributing and discussing information among people (Kaplan and information sources that consumers have developed, formulated, and used to educate one another about goods, services, brands, and issues (Blackshaw and Nazzaro,
Figure 1 The Zones of Social Media
According to Tuten and Solomon (2021), social media bridges the gap between mass and personal media, enabling individuals to communicate with an endless number of people at any time Their research shows similar channels are categorized into four within a narrow area due to the rise of various social channels and vehicles Figure 1 indicates four social media zones: social community, social publishing, social
Zone 1: Social communities refer to social media platforms striving to improve relationships and interaction between people with common interests or backgrounds Users of the internet primarily engage in conversing, sharing, and socializing Some of the most well-known social networks include Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and
Zone 2: Social publishing is the production and dissemination of material on social media platforms such as blogs (Tumblr, Blogger), media-sharing platforms (Instagram, Flickr), music and audio-sharing platforms (Soundcloud), and presentation platforms (SlideShare, Scribd) Commercial and editorial content creation are the main activities and user-generated
Zone 3: Social entertainment encompasses channels and vehicles that offer customers the opportunities to play and entertain themselves Social media platforms like Spotify and Tiktok, as well as multi-zone online networks like Instagram and
YouTube, are integrated to support this zone (Tuten and Solomon, 2021)
Zone 4: Social commerce allows the adoption of social media to assist customers‘ online activities of shopping, selling, and buying products and services (Tuten &
Solomon, 2021) Marketing activities of this zone include CRM/service, retailing/sales, and human resources The primary vehicles include Facebook, LivingSocial, Groupon, and TripAdvisor As a result, businesses might make use of social shopping, which has a direct impact on a customer‘s decision-making process (Tuten and Solomon, 2021)
2.1.1 THE ROLE OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN MODERN MARKETING
Within the recent 20 years, social networks are the services mainly used on the Internet The advantages of social media include enabling connections with people from different cultures, obtaining the latest updates on trending topics, communicating your creativity, and interacting with the community with similar interests, allowing the presence of everyone, regardless of age, income, language, geographical position, access terminal, and operating system
Social media has been applied across various social, commercial, business, educational, and political sectors Numerous global enterprises have successfully harnessed the power of social media For example, Coca-Cola is one of the most recognizable brands worldwide, translating to almost 107 million Facebook followers in
2020 Similarly, Red Bull dominates the same segment but on Youtube and Instagram Another example is the MAC cosmetics brand, which has reached customers on multi- social networks, like Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and YouTube
From a business perspective, social media is the most appropriate medium for gathering customer knowledge, building, sustaining successful relationships, and responding to service failures as it becomes more prevalent in consumers' information
Herlina, et al., 2022, there are several advantages to employing social media marketing
A company will cross demographic borders to promote items widely, digital marketing will enable low-cost communication methods, and product brand awareness will be immediately recognized
With the rise of the 4th Industrial Revolution, governments and businesses have accelerated the digital transformation process, leading to the growing popularity of digital marketing (Godey et al., 2016) This shift has dramatically changed the role of traditional marketing, forcing businesses to think outside the box as they manage brand reputation, brand management, and consumer decision-making According to McCarthy (1975), marketing involves achieving organizational goals by anticipating customer needs and directing the flow of goods and services from producers to customers Social media plays a significant role in marketing due to its accessibility and functionality
(Tuten, 2021), with diverse and constantly updated concepts Social media marketing uses social network platforms to promote a product or service (Barefoot & Szabo, 2010) and adopt various technologies, methods, and software to provide value and benefits to stakeholders (Tuten & Solomon, 2018) In the digital age, social media marketing is a prevalent technique for companies to connect with their customers (Kotler & Armstrong, 2018) This approach highlights the value of utilizing social media platforms to accomplish company goals such as boosting customer purchase intention, engagement, and loyalty By sharing videos, images, and content through networks like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter, social media marketing makes it easier for consumers to access information about a company's products (Syaifullah et al., 2021)
According to statistics, in 1917, the number of Internet users in Vietnam was just over 200,000 By 2002, the number of Internet users in Vietnam had increased to 3 million, accounting for about 4% of the country's population In 2007, the number had risen to
20 million, accounting for 24% of the country's population
Statistics from the Ministry of Information and Communications show that as of
September 2022, the number of Internet users in Vietnam is about 70 million, accounting for about 70% of the country's population With this number, Vietnam has the 12th highest number of Internet users worldwide and 6th out of 35 countries and territories in Asia
Vietnamese users spend an average of 7 hours daily participating in Internet-related activities The percentage of daily Internet users in Vietnam is up to 94%
CUSTOMER AWARENESS
Customer awareness refers to how conscious customers are of their needs or wants concerning the company‘s offerings This term also refers to consumers‘ knowledge about a brand, service, or product The concept of ―customer awareness‖ is easily confused with the phrase ―brand awareness.‖ The definition of brand awareness is limited to the customer‘s ability to remember the brand (Aaker, 1991) Meanwhile, customer awareness is a broader concept than that Once customers have experienced the service of the business, they no longer stop remembering the brand but also commenting and evaluate the products the company provides Customers‘ psychology gradually formed certain perceptions about the brand and services at that time By improving brand awareness, businesses easily maintain relationships with old customers and attract more potential users In addition, tracking customer feedback also helps companies to detect service gaps and fix them to provide a better customer experience
Furthermore, awareness plays a significant role as a vital aspect of consumer purchasing intention Davis et al found customers‘ awareness will influence purchasing decisions through brand connection When services possess a sympathetic reflection, this will support marketing behavior (Keller, 1993) Consumer impressions of the brand can be positive or negative But the important thing that leaders need to understand is this: Consumer perception will be extremely detailed and diverse Therefore, the more clearly and thoroughly the understanding of customer awareness, the easier it is for businesses to improve services and communication to develop better businesses
2.2.2 THE ROLE OF CUSTOMER AWARENESS IN MARKETING
Customer awareness is part of a company‘s marketing and communications plan It is a process that helps an entrepreneur educate customers about their company, its performance, and the products or services their company delivers A well-designed awareness program ensures better customer engagement and protects consumer welfare Marketers need to understand the customer journey to create targeted marketing materials that address their specific stage questions The customer journey typically has four stages: awareness, consideration, decision, and loyalty Each stage has its own set of challenges and opportunities for marketers
The first stage in the buyer‘s journey is awareness, making a potential customer aware of the business, brand, and product or service If customers are unaware that these products exist, they cannot buy services or products from your company In this situation, it is pretty helpful to grasp the components of the buyer‘s journey So this study will discuss the awareness stage, strategies, and content types
Customers' levels of awareness are typically ranked from the least aware to the most aware by sales and marketing professionals The most frequent kind of consumer firms deal with is an unaware consumer Customers who aren't conscious of their needs don't know they have them and aren't aware of how your company's goods can meet those demands In this stage of awareness, it is common knowledge that a customer's need could be an issue that has to be solved or a motivating factor for them to improve a certain element of their lives By eradicating the insect from a customer's building, a pest control business, for instance, can primarily assist a customer with an existing ant, cockroach, or rat problem However, an interior design business can focus on appealing to customers who enjoy home décor when selling their products In short, this is where business comes in to save their customers time by informing potential customers about the brand and the products and services offered during this awareness stage
Companies might allocate most of their marketing budgets toward unaware customers to help raise their awareness of both the consumer‘s needs and the company itself
In contrast, most aware customers know their needs and have decided that the company can provide the best solution or improvement to that need Consumers in the most aware stage typically want further details on pricing levels, product editions, or service bundles before purchasing Most aware consumers generally are the easiest and least expensive group to market or sell to, as they need minimal persuasion to convert to customers and make a purchase
According to Osman and Subhani (2010), a competitive advantage for a brand is maintaining a top position in the market through continuous advertisements and promotions to create customer awareness about the brand Moreover, awareness can bring fast communication and consumer engagement (Weinberg and Pehlivan, 2011) There are many ways to help build your customer awareness Still, according to Aaker (1991), an essential factor in achieving better customer awareness is having different and unique slogans representing the brand and its image to the customers (Till et al., 2011) According to Aaker, customers in the solutions or problem stage often receive marketing campaigns from multiple companies It is vital to highlight the unique aspects of product and service differentiation from the brand class as there can be the risk of similarity in communication and product features In addition, the most convenient and effective way of enhancing and creating better customer awareness in marketing is through promotions and social media (Jalleh et al., 2002) Promotional tools that organizations use to spread awareness about their brand can gain better publicity among consumers because advertising can influence brand equity value in a positive way (Osman and Subhani, 2010).
CUSTOMER PREFERENCE
In today‘s rapidly changing market, customer preferences often influence demand for a product that determines an enterprise strategy Manufacturers must utilize customer preferences to continually innovate products instead of pure price competition (Zhou et al., 2015) With the development of social media, online reviews provide many customer sentiments toward product features
Customer preferences refer to expectations, motivations, and inclinations that drive a customer to purchase specific products This is a handy tool for measuring the satisfaction levels of consumers for products available in the market, and the success of a product also depends on meeting customer preferences Customer preferences always have interested researchers aiming to support business managers‘ strategic planning and decision-making Customers often present preferences relative to the same product, such as function, shape, color, and cost Understanding customer preferences is very important whether a company sells a product or offers a service This is because it helps guarantee customer satisfaction, and the best possible customer experience guarantees you more repeat customers In addition, understanding customer expectations provides helpful information for crafting and executing effective marketing strategies to attract more consumers by modifying your brand‘s look and operation to match the desires of your customers ( Decker and Trusov, 2010) Customer preferences also indicate the importance of product features to customer satisfaction, which is critical to the market success of product design and development (Xiao et al., 2016) The value of the items consumers buy can be compared by measuring the utility of the items
2.3.2 THE ROLE OF CUSTOMER PREFERENCE IN MARKETING
Customer preferences are an important topic in marketing This is a tool that allows businesses to research customer needs For example, marketing departments keep an eye on consumer preference to check which product has higher demand in the market They can also use it to check the trends in the markets and design a product according to consumer preferences in the market This allows economists to have ideas to predict the conditions of the economy Understanding the needs of potential customers is the key to getting a guaranteed profit
Today, consumer tastes and preferences are increasingly fragmented and very distinct This difference comes from the cultural life of each country It is the result of the historical development of each nation, the expression of nationalism, patriotism, and the economic prosperity economy of each country or to put it simply, every consumer prefers products that respond well and fit their lifestyle To meet this demand, international businesses must change the design and manufacture of products to suit consumers' tastes, such as producing large-sized cars in Australia and small-sized cars in Europe In addition, in the digital age, the focus of marketing has been moved from the company to the customer (Singh et al., 2008) Customers nowadays represent a proactive audience, they are more in control of their exposition to marketing efforts (Singh et al., 2008) Therefore, marketers must study the preferences of target customers Such research will provide suggestions for developing new products, product features, pricing, channels, informational content, and marketing strategies to determine whether customers get the message (Safitri et al., 2017).
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
The five hypotheses of the proposed model
H1 Customer experience: Customer awareness and preferences have a positive relationship with customer experience
Social media has developed into a vital part of peoples' lives in the present Businesses spend more money enhancing the online consumer experience due to its major impact on retail The ability to convert website visitors into customers is the core idea here Some design elements contribute to this process, like visual stimuli (Bleier et al., 2018)
According to Watkinson (2013), customer experience is the qualitative aspect of an individual‘s interaction with a business, its products or services at any time Companies that successfully integrate social media and customer experience can deliver awareness and motivating preferences for their customers that outperform their competitors (Nagy and Hajdu, 2021)
H2 Social media influencers: Customer awareness and preferences have a positive relationship with social media influencers
A social media influencer is a regular Internet user with a sizable number of followers on social media (De Veirman et al., 2017), whose opinions, knowledge, and reputation are respected by their audiences and who has the ability, above the average individuals, to inform, entertain and, influence attitudes and behaviors (Maden, 2018) Influencers post content on social media sites like Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and Instagram in a particular area, such as food, travel, fitness, or fashion
Social media influencers have drawn a lot of interest from academics and business professionals because of their potential as an instrument to impact customer awareness Social media influencers have significantly changed the face of social media marketing (Cheung et al., 2022) Brands are increasingly working with social media influencers as they become aware of this new chance to connect and increase preferences with their target audiences (Qalati et al., 2021) Due to how social media influencers connect and communicate with their audience, frequently sharing personal information and having reciprocal interactions, Djafarova and Rushworth discovered that these individuals might do better in endorsement than traditional celebrities
Furthermore, social media influencers regularly mix sponsored posts into their daily stories, producing content clients enjoy
H3: Format of content: Customer awareness and preferences have a positive relationship with the format of content
The ultimate goal of the awareness stage is to develop content that attracts leads and encourages these leads to become loyal customers Content creation is intended to expose a business and its products or services to people who want or need what the company offers but don‘t yet know about it
Many marketing and sales teams offer personalized content based on customer perception Customizing customer messages based on their awareness can help increase engagement with your advertising campaigns and customer preference for products/services Some of the most typical forms of content that can be used to increase awareness and customer preferences include images, videos, or infographics
H4: Content pillars: Customer awareness and preferences have a positive relationship with content pillars
Themes or subjects a brand might use to make posts are known as content pillars in social media marketing The brand-specific themes, also known as "buckets," should mirror the most well-liked material among online audiences Your brand's mission, values, tone of voice, positioning, and overall aesthetic look and feel on social media should all be included in and consistent with the brand's content pillars Different types of content pillars will work for some brands and won‘t work for others The followers will quickly learn what to expect from browsing the brand‘s themed, serialized content
Content pillars also help bring a sense of organization to the brand‘s social media content approach In addition, content pillars can help brands achieve that all-important tone of consistency on different social media platforms This helps to give the brand a strong identity on social media and impacts customer awareness and preferences
H5: Social media platforms: Customer awareness and preferences have a positive relationship with social media platforms
Palmer and Lewis (2009) contended that there is a conspicuous link between using social media platforms and forming customer awareness and preferences Hensel and Deis (2010) asserted that different social media platforms had been invented through investigation, and they consider the diverse areas of simplifying business operations To begin with, businesses benefit from social media platforms since the cost impacts are complimentary The economic setbacks linked with the online promotion are lower than other marketing forms Accessing most social media platforms is free; therefore, businesses can post relevant information to their clients and proliferate traffic for their businesses (Erstad, 2018) This is done through various social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube The interaction between brands and customers on social media plays a crucial role in shaping the awareness and preferences of the customer of the brand Therefore, marketers always pay close attention to how their message is designed and would come across to an online audience as well as how it is most likely going to be interpreted because it can turn out to be a ―massive success‖ or a ―total disaster‖ (Erstad, 2018).
METHODOLOGY
RESEARCH ETHICS
Ethics are a personal code of conduct based on respect for oneself, others, and surroundings (Stallworth, 2004) It is governed by the principles or assumptions underpinning how individuals or organizations conduct themselves Research ethics involves the application of fundamental ethical principles to research activities, including the design and implementation of research It is essential to adhere to ethical principles to protect research participants' dignity, rights, and welfare (Ferreira and van
Antwerpen, 2012) As such, all research involving humans is reviewed by a research ethics committee/Institutional Review Board to determine whether the research is ethical enough There are several reasons why it is essential to adhere to ethical norms in research, such as norms that promote study aims, such as knowledge, truth, and error avoidance In addition, since research often involves a great deal of cooperation and coordination among different people in different disciplines and institutions, ethical standards promote the values essential to collaborative work, such as trust, accountability, mutual respect, and fairness People are more likely to fund a research project if they can trust the quality and integrity of the research.
RESEARCH PHILOSOPHY
Research philosophy is a person‘s research style of looking at a problem and researcher (Bajpai, 2011) The overarching term calls it ―a framework of knowledge creation beliefs and assumptions‖ (Saunders and al, 2015, p.124) The assumption is perceived as a preliminary statement of reasoning but is based on the philosophizing person‘s knowledge and insights born as a product of intellectual activity Hitchcock and Hughes also claim that research stems from assumptions Researchers‘ beliefs and hypotheses directly influence the methodological choice, research strategy, data collection techniques, and analysis procedures A well-thought-out and consistent set of assumptions will constitute a credible research philosophy and a coherent research project in which all elements of research fit together Saunders and his team stated five common philosophies that are distinguished and discussed in the works by many authors: Positivism, Critical Realism, Interpretivism, Postmodernism, and Pragmatism (Saunders et al., 2016)
The term Positivism was coined by Auguste Comte in the early nineteenth century It has involved a commitment to a unified view of science and the adoption of methodologies of the natural sciences to explain the social world (Steve Smith et al., 1996) The researcher‘s role is limited to data collection and interpretation following objective methods That is why the research results are observable and quantifiable Comte aimed to reveal the ―evolutionary causal laws‖ that explained observable phenomena, and only phenomena that you can observe and measure would produce credible and meaningful data (Crotty, 1998)
Positivism, however, has constantly been challenged, particularly in sociology and anthropology; consequently, it has been subject to intense epistemological debate The debate was, for much of the first half of the twentieth century, framed by the Vienna Circle, a group of intellectuals in Vienna who debated the nature of thought and logic on the one side and their relations to empirical data on the other (Gill and Johnson, 2010) This debate continues in many guises at the beginning of the twenty-first century While we shall not elaborate on this debate further, it is germane to our study
Interpretivism emerged in early- and mid-twentieth-century Europe in the work of
German, French, and occasionally English thinkers and is formed of several strands, most notably hermeneutics, phenomenology, and symbolic interactionism (Crotty 1998) Interpretivism research aims to create new, richer understandings and interpretations of social worlds and contexts Interpretivism points to explaining the differences between human interactions from many social realities, such as situations, cultural backgrounds, timing, and interpretations, to establish the universal applicability of rules using qualitative research (Saunders et al., 2015) The interpretive perspective is highly appropriate in the case of business and management research Not only are business situations complex, but they are also often unique, at least in terms of context They reflect a particular set of circumstances and interactions involving individuals coming together at a specific time
Contrary to positivism, the interpretive researcher highlights subjectivity in conclusions, therefore, offers no claims for generalization (Malhorta, 2003) Conversely, the interpretive researcher quests for thick descriptions during the research process, attempting to establish a state of representation in the sense of faithful instead of general (Ron, 2004) Crucial to the interpretivism philosophy is that the researcher has to adopt an empathetic stance The challenge for interpretivism is to enter the social world of the research participants and understand that world from their point of view (Goldkuh, 2012)
In this study, positivism was applied.
RESEARCH APPROACH
A research approach is a procedure a researcher selects to collect, analyze, and interpret data Based on the methods of data collection and data analysis, research approach methods are of three types: quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods However, considering the general plan and procedure for conducting a study, the research approach is divided into two main categories often used in the study: deductive approach and inductive approach
The deductive approach always starts with a theory, such as one or more general statements or premises, and reaches a logical conclusion The conclusion is proper when all the premises are true (Ketokivi and Mantere, 2010) Scientists use this type of reasoning approach to proving their research hypothesis
In the inductive approach, the researcher collects data relevant to the research study Post-data collection, the researcher will analyze this data broadly, looking for patterns to develop a theory that could explain the patterns There is a gap in the logical argument between the conclusion and the premises observed, the conclusion being ‗judged‘ to be supported by the observations made (Ketokivi and Mantere 2010) Therefore, an inductive approach starts with a set of observations and then moves toward developing a theory
The author decided to use the deductive method to build a theory and accredit it according to the study goals.
RESEARCH STRATEGY
Research strategy sets the general direction of research It describes the methodological link between theory and data collection options and analyzes methods on research objectives and questions, the number of resources are available and time, the philosophical foundations of the researcher, and the scope of existing knowledge about the studied area (Wedawatta, 2011) Part of the research strategies used in management and business are: Qualitative and quantitative research strategies are two different approaches to conducting research (Wedawatta, 2011) Both qualitative and quantitative research strategies have their advantages and disadvantages In some cases, a mixed method approach, combining qualitative and quantitative methods, is applied to complement each other
Qualitative research collects information and data in the non-numerical form to get detailed information about the research object (Blackstone, 2012) The study aims to gather an in-depth understanding of human behavior and the reasons that influence it The information is usually collected through interviews, direct observations, or focus group discussions using open-ended questions The researcher and their views can be known to the research participants in qualitative research At the same time, the researcher can understand the participants' characteristics
The quantitative method is collecting and analyzing information based on the data collected from the market (Hoy, 2015) Quantitative research is often associated with testing theories based on deductive methods In other words, the purpose of study in this way is to quantify, measure, reflect, and interpret the relationships between factors (variables) with each other through conventional statistical methods, simulation, or running data processing software (Allen et al., 2008) Surveys, experiments, and observational studies are examples of quantitative research methods (Wedawatta, 2011) In quantitative research, the researcher and their views are unknown to the study participants Participant characteristics were intentionally hidden from the researcher
Quantitative research is often considered more objective and reliable than qualitative research because it relies on numerical data and statistical analysis (Allen et al., 2008) However, quantitative research can be limited by the specific research question and the methods used, and the results may not fully capture the complexity of social phenomena (Creswell, 2012) On the other hand, qualitative research can provide rich, in-depth data that can give a detailed understanding of a particular phenomenon
However, qualitative research can be more subjective and may be influenced by the researcher's own biases A mixed-methods approach can overcome some of the limitations of both qualitative and quantitative research by combining the strengths of both methods (Creswell, 2012) However, it also requires more resources and can be more complex
This research will use the quantitative method to evaluate the effectiveness of building customer awareness and preference for Biti's Hunter products through social media Firstly, Biti's Hunter has been active on two of the most popular platforms, Facebook and Instagram, for many years This is an advantage to investigating its social media with a broad potential audience reach y, compared with qualitative data, reporting quantitative research using fixed structures and evaluation standards ensures an objective and unbiased approach These are the two critical reasons for the method's selection Due to time, expense, and significant limitations, this study's qualitative methodology is not used.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGIES
The primary data source is the original and has not undergone any processing This is a source of data collected directly from a consumer or client for a specific research project or purpose (Igwenagu, 2016) Therefore, its reliability is very high and suitable for marketers and market researchers in solving particular problems and adapting to their research objectives Market researchers can customize the questions and methods of data collection to ensure that the primary data collected is appropriate for their research purposes
Primary data can be collected from various sources such as surveys, interviews, observations, and experiments With primary data, we can gather detailed information about real-world objects, events, and processes, such as customer characteristics, consumption markets, consumption trends, and other information related to the real world, regarding products and services This is an essential and necessary source of information to conduct marketing research and analysis, thereby making the right perform In addition, primary data may not be representative of the entire population or market studied (Goddard and Melville, 2007) Therefore, research results may not be accurate or applicable to the whole population or market
Secondary data is aggregated from different data sources, usually data collections or online sources such as books, newspapers, e-journals, and general websites Thus, it allows researchers to gather information about many aspects of markets and customers (Igwenagu, 2016) There are two common types of secondary data: Internal data and External data Internal data is the information stored or organized by the organization itself External data is the data organized or collected by someone else Some secondary data sources are updated regularly, allowing researchers to track and analyze market and customer trends Secondary data can save research time and costs compared to collecting new data Secondary data is often used to analyze and make business decisions and formulate marketing and advertising strategies The disadvantage of secondary data is that it is not flexible and cannot be tailored to meet specific research needs Without enough information, decisions based on this data can be influenced and inaccurate (Goddard and Melville, 2007) Therefore, researchers can draw erroneous conclusions and make incorrect decisions if secondary data is not used carefully.
DATA COLLECTION TECHNIQUE
One of the main stages in a research study is data collection which enables the collection is the process of gathering, measuring, and analyzing accurate data from various relevant sources to gain insights regarding the research topic (O‘Leary, 2004) Data collection could be derived from several tools, including questionnaires and interviews (Heaton, 2004) Researchers can use these tools in most fields In business, they aid marketers in market research and customer behavior study
The interview is defined as collecting data and gaining knowledge from individuals (Kvale, 1996) It is a two-way method that permits an exchange of ideas and information (Prabnat and Meenu, 2015) Interviewing is expected to broaden the scope of understanding investigated phenomena, as it is a more naturalistic and less structured data collection tool (Hamza, 2014) Interviews are particularly useful for getting the story behind a participant‘s experiences In addition, the interviewees (respondents) can discuss their perception and interpretation regarding a given situation
The researcher or the interviewer often uses open questions, and the interviewer‘s view about the topic is unimportant The interviewee or respondent is the primary data for the study Hoyle et al (2002) argued that questions have dual goals of motivating the respondents (interviewees) to give full and precise replies while avoiding biases stemming from social desirability, conformity, or other constructs of disinterest Survey research often is based on questionnaires as the survey instrument The questionnaire is a self-report data-collection instrument that each research participant completes as part of a research study (Kabir, 2016) Researchers use questionnaires to obtain information about research participants‘ thoughts, feelings, attitudes, beliefs, values, perceptions, personality, and behavioral intentions (Pandey & Pandey, 2015) In other words, researchers attempt to measure many different kinds of characteristics using questionnaires
Questionnaire surveys tend to be self-administered mail surveys However, response rates from mail surveys are quite low since most people ignore survey requests
(Igwenagu, 2016) A second type of survey is a group-administered questionnaire This format is convenient for the researcher, and a high response rate is assured (Igwenagu, 2016)
Most of the questionnaires were recently administered online because of the many advantages of online survey research These surveys are administered over the Internet using interactive forms (Igwenagu, 2016) Respondents may receive an electronic mail request for participation in the survey with a link to an online website where the survey may be completed Alternatively, the survey may be embedded into an e-mail and can be completed and returned via e-mail These surveys are inexpensive to administer, results are instantly recorded in an online database, and the survey can be easily modified This is also the form that this study applies
In this study, the questionnaire will focus on customers‘ awareness and preference for Biti‘s Hunter products The questionnaire comprises a set of questions related to different aspects of social media specifically designed to measure customer attitudes Through these questions, customers can express their expectations, opinions, consent, or disagreement concerning the presence and social media activities at Biti‘s Hunter The questionnaire is designed in English and Vietnamese with similar content to facilitate data collection
The survey was conducted from March 6, 2023, to April 16, 2023 Research subjects include Ho Chi Minh City customers who have known or used Biti‘s Hunter products To get objective answers from customers, 200 questionnaires were compared and sent directly to customers of diverse ages in Ho Chi Minh City Then, the responses are retrieved, and statistics and data analysis are analyzed However, some people could not take the survey because they did not know about Biti‘s Hunter products, or some others did not complete all the questions in the questionnaire, so the number of completed questionnaires was only 117 The number of people who bought Biti‘s Hunter products accounted for 70.7% of the expected votes.
FINDINGS AND ANALYSIS
Deviation How likely will you try a new product or service from Biti‘s Hunter based on their social media presence?
How important is responding to customer questions or complaints on social media for Biti‘s
Please indicate how well you rate the following factors: [Does the brand‘s use of celebrities influence your interest?]
Please indicate how well you rate the following factors: [In your opinion, how does Son Tung or
Soobin appear in the clips to the clip‘s popularity?]
Please indicate how well you rate the following factors: [In your opinion, replacing Son Tung and
Soobin with other stars, will the popularity of the clip decrease or not?]
How satisfied are you with the content from Biti‘s
Hunter Products on social media?
What is important to you 205 1 5 4.53 866 social media content?
(Rating on a scale of 1 to
5 , 5= the hightest/ the best) [Accuracy]
What is important to you when viewing or reading social media content?
(Rating on a scale of 1 to
5 , 5= the hightest/ the best) [Aesthetics (images, graphics)]
What is important to you when viewing or reading social media content?
(Rating on a scale of 1 to
5 , 5= the hightest/ the best) [Entertaining]
203 1 5 4.45 1.015 when viewing or reading social media content?
(Rating on a scale of 1 to
5 , 5= the hightest/ the best) [Updating]
How important is providing timely and accurate social media information to Biti‘s Hunter
The above data shows user ratings of Biti‘s Hunter products and several factors related to customer experience:
Ability to try new products or services from Biti‘s Hunter based on their social media presence:
Most survey respondents (Mean = 4.27, Std Deviation = 1.016) highly recommend trying a new product or service from Biti‘s Hunter based on their social media presence Responding to customer questions or complaints on social media for Biti‘s Hunter products: Users appreciate Biti‘s Hunter responding to customers‘ questions or complaints on social media (Mean = 4.25, Std Deviation = 1,049), indicating that they are satisfied with the brand‘s level of support on social networks
Influence of brands using celebrities on customer perception and preferences: Survey participants highly appreciate using celebrities in Biti‘s Hunter advertising (Mean = 4.48, Std Deviation = 838) This shows that the inclusion of celebrities in Biti‘s Hunter‘s media strategy positively affects customer awareness and preferences
Effect of Son Tung and Soobin appearing in clips on clip popularity: Users think that Son Tung and Soobin appearing in clips positively influences clip popularity (Mean 4.48, Std Deviation = 789) This shows that the cooperation with these stars has helped increase the appeal of Biti‘s Hunter products
Effect of replacing Son Tung and Soobin with other stars on the clip‘s popularity: Survey participants said that replacing Son Tung and Soobin with other stars could reduce the clip‘s popularity (Mean = 4.45, Std Deviation = 843) This indicates that Son Tung and Soobin have significant influence and that changing these stars may not bring the expected results for the Biti‘s Hunter franchise
Users rate the content from Biti‘s Hunter products on social media (Mean = 4.24, Std Deviation = 982), indicating that they are satisfied with the provided content
The accuracy of the content on social media is highly appreciated (Mean = 4.53, Std Deviation = 866), showing that Biti‘s Hunter is providing reliable and accurate information to users
The aesthetics (images, graphics) of content on social media are also appreciated (Mean = 4.53, Std Deviation = 849), showing that Biti‘s Hunter has succeeded in attracting users through various channels of visual and graphic elements
The entertainment of content on social media is highly appreciated (Mean = 4.45, Std Deviation = 1.015), proving that Biti‘s Hunter provides exciting and engaging content for users
Updating content on social media is rated well (Mean = 4.36, Std Deviation = 1.015), indicating that Biti‘s Hunter is updating timely and relevant information to users
Providing timely and accurate information on social networks for Biti‘s Hunter products is highly appreciated (Mean = 4.25, Std Deviation = 984), showing that the brand has met the demand for user information
The above data shows the distribution of the percentage of users using different social networking platforms:
Facebook: 30.8% (181 people) - This is the most used social networking platform among the listed platforms
Instagram: 26.9% (158 people) - The platform is also widely used and comes second on the list
Other: 1.4% (8 people) - A few users use other social networking platforms not listed
LinkedIn: 3.2% (19 people) - This platform is mainly used for business and professional purposes
Snapchat: 6.0% (35 people) - Some users use the platform for short-term photo and video sharing
TikTok: 22.0% (129 people) - The platform is popular with young audiences and used to share short videos
Twitter: 9.7% (57 people) - Some users use this platform for quick tracking and information sharing
Overall, the data shows that Facebook and Instagram are the two most popular social networking platforms among users, while TikTok is also becoming increasingly popular, especially among young people Biti‘s Hunter should optimize content and marketing strategies on these platforms to attract and maintain user awareness and preference
Advertisements in newspapers and magazines
The above data shows the percentage distribution of the sources of information that users approach to know about Biti‘s Hunter products:
Social media: 38.8% (170 people) - This is the most common source of information, showing the critical role of social networks in product marketing
Advertisements in newspapers and magazines: 7.5% (33 people) - Some users find out about products through print ads
Television advisement: 21.0% (92 people) - Many users access product information through television advertisements
Word of mouth: 32.6% (143 people) - This is the second most important source of information, indicating that sharing data between users also plays an essential role in promoting products
Based on this data, Biti‘s Hunter should focus on optimizing the social media marketing strategy, as this is the most used source of information However, the role of word of mouth should not be overlooked, as it is also an essential source of information Biti‘s Hunter may encourage users to share information about their products through referral programs or user feedback Finally, maintaining advertising on traditional channels such as television, newspapers, and magazines also increases customer awareness and user preference
The above data shows the percentage distribution of content types that users like when accessing information about Biti‘s Hunter products:
Audio: 27.2% (145 people) - Some users prefer to access information in the form of audio, be it podcasts or radio ads
Image: 30.7% (164 people) - This is the second most popular type of content, showing the role of attractive, beautiful images in attracting users
Mixed content like Infographics and Slides: 2.8% (15 people) - A few users prefer mixed content types, providing information diversely and richly
Document: 7.7% (41 people) - Some users prefer to access information in the form of text, be it blogs or newspaper articles
Video: 31.6% (169 people) - This is the most popular type of content, showing the critical role of video in conveying information and attracting users
Based on this data, Biti‘s Hunter should focus on producing and developing video and image content, as these are the two most popular types of content by users However, other types of content, such as audio, text, and mixed content, should not be overlooked to meet the diverse needs of users and attract more potential customers.
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
INTRODUCTION
Based on the research objective, the research focuses on the influence of social media on customers‘ awareness and preference to recommend marketing strategy directions and best practices that can be used to increase customers‘ awareness and preference for Biti‘s Hunter products
From the previous references, the author proposes a theoretical research model of the
5 (five) factors, which include: Customer experience, social media influencers, the format of content, content pillars, and social media platforms Data used in the quantitative study were collected from an online questionnaire After being processed by SPSS software, the findings were presented in Chapter 4
The previous four chapters have demonstrated the findings of this relationship
Therefore, this chapter will state the conclusion of the research results
Creating a positive online customer experience is crucial in today‘s digital age, where photos, videos, and comparisons of products and services are easily accessible on social media platforms The success of a company‘s relationship with its customers depends on the quality of the experience provided According to the findings, Biti‘s Hunter is currently successfully providing customers with a positive experience across their social media channels Satisfied customers are more likely to recommend the company to others, making it essential for Biti‘s Hunter to manage interactions on social media quickly and creatively Below are some recommendations that the brand can enhance more in this area:
- The company must monitor customer interactions regularly and promptly address concerns or problems Implementing tools and strategies like soliciting feedback, offering proactive customer support, providing exclusive deals to loyal customers, and staying competitive and interactive are effective ways to enhance customer experience
- To go beyond simply reacting to customer reviews and feedback, Biti‘s Hunter can proactively anticipate customer needs and solve problems before they arise or escalate For instance, providing self-help services in the form of an easily accessible FAQ page can help customers quickly resolve common issues independently
In summary, by prioritizing customer experience, Biti‘s Hunter can build a loyal customer base and improve its brand reputation Keeping customers happy and engaged through regular interaction and proactive problem-solving is crucial to success in the online marketplace
Following the survey, it was found that social media influencers significantly impact Biti‘s Hunter‘s target consumers, specifically Generation Z in Vietnam In light of these findings, to optimize their marketing strategies, Biti‘s Hunter may want to consider the following suggestions to create a smooth and effective marketing campaign, particularly those that rely on celebrity-based marketing:
- Select celebrities with high popularity and positive personal traits which can influence the target audience This includes well-known personalities in the field of art, as well as influencers such as YouTubers, Vloggers, Bloggers, and others who have a considerable following on social media
- Establish credibility with customers by partnering with celebrities who have a good reputation, minimal negative publicity, and are suitable for the products or services offered
- Using tools like social listening and social media metrics (like, comment shares) to regularly monitor, keep track of the audience sentiment, and compare and evaluate the effectiveness of each influencer Therefore, Biti‘s Hunter can take action should the brand continue to work with these influencers or KOLs
- Develop compelling and relevant content that aligns with the products and services of the business The content should be creative, engaging, and aligned with the characteristics of the influencers Also, the content should not be heavily branded The company should trust the artists to do their job when working with influencers
- Prepare a risk management plan when using influencers There are certain risks when collaborating with a celebrity, such as the celebrity‘s image or reputation becoming tarnished, over-reliance on the celebrity, or audiences lacking focus on other aspects of the marketing campaign To avoid conflicts between the brand and the influencer, the company should partner with an agency to manage talents and get more expert advice
According to survey results, social media users prefer sharing visual and audio content, with video being the dominant force on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube
- To engage with customers effectively on social media, Biti‘s Hunter must create entertaining, fun, and unique content with aesthetic value and regularly update it to avoid negative experiences It needs to blend well between choosing the right content formats and engaging content pillars The company can also utilize creative materials to curate different content formats For example, curating a short-form video using flat-lay product photo collection images
- To succeed on social media, Biti‘s Hunter should regularly assess what content formats are performing well and what needs improvement The team can do A/B testing to determine which format delivers the better result Also, building a daily, weekly, and monthly social media report dashboard can help the brand monitor the performance of these social content formats
- Staying informed about industry trends and staying attuned to dominant social media trends can impact Biti‘s Hunter‘s content formats Interactive features such as quizzes, polls, digital flipbooks, augmented reality, and live streaming are rising in popularity and can provide a fun, engaging user experience
By incorporating these trends into social media content formats, Biti‘s Hunter can create a current and impactful strategy, increasing engagement and growth for their client‘s social media channels Staying on top of dominant social media trends is crucial for building an impactful social media strategy that connects with the target audience