Authors: Shruti Gupta, Dr. Prince Kumar
Abstract: Social media marketing (SMM) has emerged as a transformative force reshaping consumer decision-making across global markets. This study investigates the impact of social media marketing on consumer buying behaviour with particular focus on the Indian B2C context, encompassing the fashion, technology, and beauty sectors. Adopting a descriptive and causal research design with a mixed-methods approach, primary data were gathered through a structured Likert-scale questionnaire administered to 420 valid respondents using stratified random sampling across major Indian urban centres. Secondary data were sourced from academic journals, industry whitepapers (McKinsey, Gartner, Statista), and recent empirical studies (2021–2026). Statistical analyses included Pearson's correlation, multiple regression, and chi-square testing. Findings reveal that social media marketing exerts a significant positive influence on consumer purchase intention, with influencer marketing—particularly micro-influencers—and user-generated content (UGC) identified as the most persuasive drivers. The study confirms that engagement metrics (likes, shares, comments) positively correlate with brand loyalty (r = 0.65, p < 0.01), and that targeted algorithmic advertising significantly predicts impulse purchase behaviour. Trust in SMM content remains a moderating factor, particularly among older demographic segments. The study contributes an updated Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) framework integrating AI-driven personalisation and social commerce dynamics, offering actionable insights for digital marketers navigating the post-algorithmic consumer landscape.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19730556
