Social media campaigns influence smartphone purchasing decisions

A new study by the Research and Intelligence Unit of the Omni-media group, RED | For Africa, indicates that about 43 percent of Nigerians with active social media accounts have been influenced to buy smartphones based on brand-focused online marketing campaigns.

The research was undertaken by RED | For Africa to analyze and give insight into the impact and effectiveness of social media marketing campaigns in influencing consumer choices and driving sales of phone devices in Nigeria.

Speaking on the study, Isime Esene, Head of Research and Intelligence said, “People do not buy things by chance, and even for technology brands that provide both functional and social value, consumers need products that will not disappoint, fail, or crash when they are needed.

“As a rapidly growing sector in Nigeria, marketing technology devices and properties on social media is an important business activity for all major brands in the industry. But if it is to be done effectively, it is important to understand what exactly drives the choices and decisions for targeted consumers,” he added.

Mr. Esene explained that the research data is designed to help smartphone brands position themselves to understand their customers better, and also improve their bottom-line. More research reports are expected to be released, covering contemporary issues and topics in media and communication, church culture, politics, and governance.

The research report is built on an extensive survey conducted with 1,007 respondents between ages 18 – 60 years across Nigeria, and further supported by three focus group discussions to assess buying decisions and major interests of smartphone product consumers.

A sizeable number of the participants (83 percent) are resident in Lagos, with others covering Oyo, Kano, FCT Abuja, Enugu, and Osun state. Also, the age division between participants is 18-25 years (61.07 percent); 26-35 years (26.42 percent); 36–40 years (8.15 percent); 41-50 years (2.78 percent) and 51-60 years (2.68 percent).

Results from the research study indicate that:

1.While 78.57 percent of respondents between ages 26–35 years have been exposed to communication materials from social media mobile phone campaigns, more than half (60.38 percent) of respondents, say they have never been influenced to buy a phone by a social media campaign.

2.Likewise, only 42.3 percent of those aged 18–25 years have previously bought a mobile because they were convinced of its value by a social media campaign.

3.The top 3 priorities for those looking to buy a smartphone are Features & Specifications, Price, and Brand Reputation. Although the price consideration is high among those who earn less than N100,000 monthly.

4.About 52 percent of the respondents say they “probably would” be influenced to buy a phone due to a social media campaign, 13.7 percent say they “definitely would not”.

5.Social media campaigns appear to be effective for increasing awareness, but cannot be fully dependable in driving action for those who want to buy phones. This assertion was further supported by brand managers in surveyed phone wholesale stores.

6.To drive action, messaging for phone campaigns on social media should focus more on the phone features and price indication, depending on the target customers and selected platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and others).