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ABSTRACT
The objective of this research is to investigate the potential of social networking sites (SNSs) to be utilised as an effective marketing tool in engaging consumers to participate in marketing on SNSs. Qualitative research in the form of focus groups highlights that the main barrier to the effective use of these sites as a marketing tool pertains to how they are used by companies. A different approach is required by companies that 'pull' consumers in rather than 'push' marketing messages onto them. If the latter approach is adopted, consumers will have an adverse reaction to the marketing message and will express their dissatisfaction to others in their SNS. This can have a negative impact on a company and diminish the potential of SNSs as a marketing tool. As a result, developing the correct approach in using SNSs as a marketing tool is essential.
Key Words: consumer attitudes; consumer behaviour; social media; social media marketing; social networking sites
INTRODUCTION
Social media are tools that provide people with the ability to collaborate and communicate with one another online. Social media tools facilitate the creation and sharing of knowledge, information, media, ideas, opinions and insights, and allow people to actively participate in the media itself. This signals the move from passive consumption of marketing messages to facilitating interaction with messages. Online tools include social networking sites, blogs, wikis, podcasts, content aggregators and content communities. Of these social media tools, social networking sites (SNSs) and blogs have experienced the most prolific growth. SNSs account for nearly 17 per cent of total internet time. People are spending more time on SNSs and do so at the expense of traditional media (McGiboney, 2009) . Hailed as a prospective new means of reaching and engaging consumers, Nielsen (2009: 1) highlights that 'the social networks and advertising industry haven't yet found that magic formula to make this happen'. Despite the increasing amount of time people are spending on SNSs (McGiboney, 2009), these sites have yet to be harnessed as a successful marketing tool for reaching and engaging consumers (Nielsen, 2009). SNSs enable their users to create, build and maintain relationships that were not previously possible with a large and extended network of contacts. They can also provide a company with...