dc.description.abstract | Technology is continually revolutionizing how we communicate and go about our daily
lives. Social media in particular has changed the way we communicate and interact with
each other. Social media has created an audience in itself. The title of this study is Social
Media Advertising in the Telecommunication Sector in Kenya: Exploring the Adoption,
Value and Influence of Twitter use by Safaricom Limited. Current business world,
marketers and businesses are rushing to social media sites because that is where customers,
suppliers, prospective employees and other stakeholders are found. This study is exploring
Twitter as one such social media site that provides users with only 140 characters per
message and allows one to attach links, images and videos. The main objective of this study
was to investigate the adoption, value and influence of advertising on Twitter by Safaricom
limited as a leader in the Telecommunication Sector in Kenya, and as a representation of the
sector. With specific objectives being; to find out the adoption of advertising on Twitter by
Safaricom and its audience, to establish the value that Advertising on Twitter has for
Safaricom and its customers and to establish the influence that Safaricom Adverts on Twitter
have on their customers. This study used a mixed method of both qualitative and
quantitative methods to come up with findings that indicated that Safaricom has a substantial
following on Twitter majority of which are the youth and young professionals. Safaricom
uses its account @SafaricomLimited to post an average of four (4) adverts per day about
different products and services, sponsored events and open days. Twitter is valuable to
Safaricom as it allows for direct feedback and interaction with their customers. To
customers, they get to know about new services and products while getting more
information about existing ones. It also introduces them to new offers and bargains. This
study concluded that Safaricom has adopted well in advertising on Twitter, and takes great
value from its interactions and influence on the platform, building brand equity and pushing
sales while using influencers to push their message. Although advertising in social media
has been well adopted and has great value and influence to businesses and customers alike,
this study recommends the creation of clear guidelines and regulations to social media
advertising as exists in traditional media use to streamline it while guarding against negative
publicity and unsolicited defaming of organizations. | en_US |