The influence of social media on consumer behavior

This blog aims to conduct scientific research on the role of social media in consumer decision-making. A quantitative study investigates how social media use affects experiences and how social media affects consumer behavior.

What exactly is consumer purchasing behavior?

Consumer purchasing behavior refers to the decisions and actions that users take when purchasing and using a product. Consumer purchasing habits are determined by the final consumer. Businesses must evaluate their projected future purchase trends and make the necessary changes.

This marketing concept emphasizes the importance of businesses developing a marketing mix (MM) that will appeal to (use) their customers and facilitate consumer purchases of what, where, when, and how. Customers’ reactions to a company’s marketing strategy have a significant impact on its product and success.

Marketers can more accurately predict how consumers will react to marketing campaigns, so you must evaluate what you’re doing.

Consumer Buying Process Stages

The 6 stages are as follows:

1. Problem Recognition/Need Awareness — During this first stage of the process, consumers sincerely attempt to distinguish between the desired and actual state. They consider whether the products are truly needed.

2. Informational Research — After identifying a problem, the consumer search process begins. They are aware of the problem, which is why they are looking for a solution.

• Internal reflection — They reflect on previous interactions.

• External search — If more information is required, they consult with friends and family. Internet-based sources, public forums, comparison shopping, and other heavily promoted services.
• A buyer is shown potential alternatives, or the evoked set, after a successful information search.
• 3. Looking for Alternatives — Customers want to compare products, so they look for alternatives. This allows children to learn what they want and don’t want, as well as what to expect. Price and rank/weight alternatives are used as search stimuli. Businesses can influence this through commercial promotion of alternatives and consumer research.
• 4. Making a purchase decision after carefully considering all relevant factors such as quality, price, packing, service,etc.
• 5. Purchase — Although this appears to be the final stage, a sudden change in circumstances, such as the availability of a better alternative or external pressure, may cause the decision to be changed at that very moment.
• 6. Post-Purchase Evaluation/Cognitive Dissonance — As a result of the poor service, customers may become depressed and begin to regret their purchase. This is a bad situation for businesses, but it can be mitigated by offering assistance through warranties, programs, and excellent customer service.
• Social media:
• Websites and programs that prioritize collaboration, content sharing, engagement, and community-based feedback are referred to as social media.
• Social Media Types
• Social networking sites. Think about Facebook and LinkedIn.
  Bookmarking a website.
  The exchange of media.
  Microblogging.
  Blog forums and comments
  Social review websites.
  Blog in the open.
  The Sharing Economy Network.
• The Influence of Social Media on Consumer Behavior:
• 1.Increasingly, customers make direct purchases through social media platforms.
• Social media is almost as popular as TV or radio advertisements and word-of-mouth marketing for learning about brands. Three out of every ten consumers said they would prefer to learn about brands in this way in the future. However, consumers are increasingly turning to social media to find brands and make purchases from them.
• 2.Consumer behavior is significantly influenced by social media reviews.
• Social media is a constantly changing source of social proof, which is an important factor to consider when making a purchase. More than half (51%) of consumers read reviews on forums or social media before purchasing a product or service. With just one or two negative reviews, a potential customer can be turned off.
• 3.Customers expect brands to communicate with them in both directions.
• Because of social media, the relationship between a company and its customers has taken on a new dimension. A brand is no longer a distant, nameless entity that we only learn about in books or through Google searches. You can evaluate a brand’s principles, current news and products, and relationship with its target market by analyzing its network.
• 4.Consumers use social media for customer service.
• Before social media, how would you expect to communicate with a brand’s customer service division? You can contact them by calling, writing, visiting, waiting in line to see them in person, and so on. When they have a complaint or a concern about a brand’s service, consumers now prefer to communicate with them via social media.