AKSU Journal of Communication Research (AJCR)

SOCIAL MEDIA ADVERTISING AND CONSUMERS’ PATRONAGE OF SHOPPING PRODUCTS IN AKWA IBOM STATE, NIGERIA

Author:  BASSEY ESUK BASSEY, PhD & JOHN OBONG UFOT

Abstract
This study examined the correlation between social advertising and consumers‟ patronage of shopping products in Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria. The objectives of the study included finding out the level of awareness of advertisements of shopping products on social media among shoppers and business owners in Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria and whether the advertisements of shopping products on social media influence purchase decision of customers in Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria. The study adopted the survey research design where 400 respondents were drawn as sample size from the population of 6, 661, 972 being the 2022 projected population of Akwa Ibom State from the 2006 National Population Commission figure. Findings from the study revealed that the level of awareness of social media advertising of shopping products among shoppers in Akwa Ibom State is 94.2% high. Besides, social media advertising of shopping products in Akwa Ibom State has high influence on the purchase decisions of shoppers and as such the level of referrals attracted by social media advertising of shopping products is also high. The study concludes that there is a positive correlation between social media advertising of shopping products and consumers‟ patronage of the products in Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria. Based on these findings, the study recommended that promoters of goods and services should exploit the f-factor (friends, families, facebook fans and twitter followers) inherent in social media to reach inactive shoppers and others with the advertised goods and services.