Use of Social Media to Improve Marketing Performance of Selected Manufacturing Firms in Tanzania: Evidence from Coastal Region

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of social media marketing on marketing performance of the  manufacturing companies in Tanzania. Specifically, the study aimed to examine the effect of social media strategy,  active presence and customer engagement initiatives on the marketing performance of selected  manufacturing companies in Coastal Region. The study used social penetration theory. Quantitative research  approach and cross sectional research design was used. A sample of 138 respondents was selected from 29  manufacturing companies in Coastal Region using simple random sampling technique. A structured questionnaire  was used for collecting primary data. Data were analysed by using the Statistical Package for Social  Science (SPSS) to compute descriptive statistics and undertake multiple linear regression. The results show that  social media strategy had positive and significant relationship with marketing performance (B = 0.539, p = 0.000).  Moreover, the results show that there was positive and significant relationship between active presence in social  media and the marketing performance of the manufacturing companies (B = 0.620, p=0.001). Furthermore, the  findings show that there was positive and significant relationship between customer engagement initiatives in  social media and marketing performance of the manufacturing companies (B = 0.919, p = 0.000). The study  concludes that social media strategy, active presence and customer engagement initiatives in social media have  positive effect on the marketing performance of the manufacturing companies. The study recommends that  manufacturing companies should make sure social media strategy, active presence and customer engagement  initiatives become part of the marketing strategies in order to increase marketing performance.