Influence of social media based factors on Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) group limited’s strategic direct marketing among social media users in Nairobi, Kenya.

Abstract

The population of internet users in Kenya has risen over the recent years. This has been occasioned by marginal reduction of associated costs by telecom companies and advancements in internet technologies. The project is a descriptive survey of the influence of social media based factors on direct marketing by KCB Bank Group Limited in Nairobi Kenya among Facebook and Twitter platform users. It intended to explore the relationship between elements of social media (viz: social media site interactivity, discounts and social site frequency of updates), on KCB Bank Group’s direct marketing strategy. The study draws heavily from the marketing and consumer behaviour theories that explain consumer behaviour to purchase as being influenced by external and internal factors. It seeks to fill gaps noted from previous studies to build a conceptual framework in which social media based factors as the independent variables, influence direct marketing of KCB Bank Group Limited as a dependent variable. Previous studies have proven that social media can indeed influence buying behaviour resulting into sales. The population under study was KCB Bank Group Limited’s social media platform users numbering 82,100 from which a sample of 384 respondents was drawn through convenience sampling technique. Questionnaires containing closed ended questions were used to collect data digitally. Nairobi County was chosen as the scope of study due to the homogenous nature of population. The quantitative data collected was eventually analysed using descriptive and inferential statistical techniques. The study established that regular updates, interactivity of the social media platform and freebie offers were significant in a social media based direct marketing strategy by KCB Bank Group among the targeted social media users. Of the three, offering freebies was found to be the most impactful in driving the direct marketing agenda of the firm among social media users in Nairobi. It also found out that social influences and the need for information were two significant factors that influenced users to access social media users. It recommended on the utility of freebies, social influences and updating of the social media platforms towards enhancing the effectiveness of KCB Bank Group Limited’s use of social media platforms in undertaking its direct marketing strategies among social media users in Nairobi Kenya.