Influence of Social Media Marketing on Sales Performance of Mobile Network Operators in Kenya

Abstract

The general objective of this study was to examine the influence of social media marketing on sales performance of the mobile network operators in Kenya. A descriptive research approach was employed for the analysis. The focus of the study was on the marketing departments of three selected telecom companies in Kenya: Safaricom Plc, Telkom Kenya, and Bharti Airtel Kenya. A total of 2223 sales representatives from the marketing sector were part of the research. To achieve a representative sample, respondents were divided into two groups using a stratified sampling technique. The selection of participants was conducted through a simple random sampling method. Data was gathered through a structured questionnaire. An initial test was done with 22 participants from Safaricom, who were excluded from the main research. This study incorporated content validity, which evaluates how well the test items reflect the subject matter it aims to assess. The questionnaires' reliability was measured using the Cronbach alpha method. The analysis of quantitative data collected was subjected to mean and standard deviation-based descriptive statistical analysis. To understand the relationships between variables, the research utilized inferential statistics, including techniques such as multiple regression and correlation analyses. The findings indicated that social media marketing positively and significantly impacted the sales outcomes of mobile network providers in Kenya. The study concluded that social media marketing greatly benefits mobile network operators in Kenya by boosting sales because it allows direct customer engagement, helping operators understand preferences and tailor offerings, which builds brand loyalty and encourages repeat purchases. The study recommended that the companies should develop targeted advertising campaigns that focus on specific demographics and regions within Kenya, utilizing data analytics to identify potential customer segments.