SOCIAL MEDIA AS A MARKETING TOOL FOR CUSTOMERS’ PATRONAGE: A STUDY OF SELECTED SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES IN LAGOS METROPOLIS.

Abstract

The focus of this research was on the impact of social media on customers’ patronage of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Lagos Metropolis. The study aimed to determine the impact of Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, YouTube and Instagram on customers’ patronage of selected SMEs in Lagos Metropolis. Four null hypotheses were developed for the study. Structured questionnaire was designed and administered to collect primary data from a sample of 200 respondents in Lagos Metropolis. Multiple regression in the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to test the null hypotheses developed for the study. The findings of the study revealed that all social media tools tested (Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube) had significant positive impacts on customers’ patronage of SMEs in Lagos Metropolis. Hence, the study concluded that social media had a significant positive impact on customers’ patronage of SMEs in Lagos Metropolis. It was therefore recommended that SMEs in Lagos Metropolis should integrate new marketing tools like social media into their marketing plans so as to enhance customers’ patronage and overall marketing performance in the long run.