Acceptance and impact of social networks marketing using extended technology acceptance model

Abstract

In rapid advances in marketing strategies, Social Networks Marketing (SNM) is dramatically becoming an important aspect in promoting businesses. Social networks marketing has been found as one of the most effective tool used in businesses today, by most business owners in South Africa, to expand, and flourish their businesses. The explosion of Internet usage has drawn the attention of researchers towards social networks marketing. Research has shown that potential Internet users are doubtful, and indecisive to use, and accept SNM system in spite of their availability. Therefore, there is a need for researchers to identify some of the factors that determine user’s unwillingness to accept and use the system. According to the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), Perceived Ease of Use (PEOU), and Perceived Usefulness (PU) are the two major constructs in determining the use and acceptance of various information systems. These beliefs may not fully explain the user’s behaviour towards newly introduced system, such as social networks marketing. Hence, this study had successfully implemented TAM to the newly proposed information system (social networks marketing system). Using TAM as a theoretical framework, the study added two new constructs “perceived credibility” and “awareness” as part of the factors influencing user’s acceptance of social networks marketing.

The purpose of the study was to explore the impact of social networks marketing system by SMEs in South Africa, and perception of consumers. In addition, this research investigated factors that influence users’ acceptance of social networks marketing using TAM as the basis for the theoretical framework. Questionnaire-based study done in 2 groups; consumers and small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs), in this work, represent the major users of social networks marketing in South Africa. The research model was tested using data collected from 143 questionnaires and analysed using linear regression. The results show that user’s intentions to use SNM are strongly and positively correlated with user acceptance. The empirical results confirmed that perceived credibility and perceived usefulness are the strongest determinant in predicting user’s intention to use SNM. In addition, many of the South African SMEs using SNM, have presumed that SNM has positively and negatively impacted their businesses.