A phenomenological study: Exploring the Role of Social Media Marketing in Generating Value for Organizations: A Study of Spanish Companies

Abstract

With the rise of technology, the modernisation of companies, and the possibility of communicating immediately and globally, social networks have become a fundamental part of our lives. Companies are evolving with technology and social networks are a very important factor in the image we perceive of them, since through them we can obtain information about their values, products, promotions, campaigns... This study aims to find out how companies use social networks as a tool to generate a strong brand image, as well as trying to understand which are most effective, and the challenges companies face when using them both to keep up with the most modern strategies and to innovate and gain ground on other companies. Specifically, this study will focus on companies operating in the Spanish market, as the rate of social media usage in the Spanish market is over 80% of the population, so consumer exposure to company campaigns is high. In order to investigate this in the most effective way possible, a qualitative study was carried out with a thematic analysis to analyse the data collected from phenomenological semi-structured interviews of 5 participants. In this study, the literature reviewed was compared with the empirical evidence gathered from the participants. The results of the study have indicated that social networks are a very useful tool to reinforce the brand image of companies, achieving a positive response from those companies that know how to understand the consumer. The study found that consumers react particularly well to campaigns carried out with influencers or celebrities and that this is the most effective way for companies to use social networks. Finally, it was found that the use of social media varies depending on the industry, but all agree on the importance of maintaining consistency in their marketing campaigns, to show a faithful, close, and true image to the consumer.