Factors Influencing the adopting social media marketing by Small and Medium Sized EnterprisesDuring Covid 19

Abstract

This study investigates the adoption of social media advertising among Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Sri Lanka, emphasizing its significance over general digital marketing strategies. Despite high engagement with social media platforms, SMEs demonstrate low utilization of social media advertising, indicating a notable research gap. The study revealed that SMEs extensively use social media platforms but their adoption of social media advertising remains limited. This highlights the importance of exploring factors influencing social media ad adoption to bridge this gap effectively. Employing a survey methodology, data was collected from SMEs in Sri Lanka during the Covid-19 pandemic from 100 SME sectors. The collected data were analyzed using the SPSS Version 25.0. Key findings representing that there is an influence of factors such as perceived relative advantage, complexity, costs, top management support, and employee capability on social media marketing adoption among SMEs. Based on the findings the study recommends tailored digital literacy programs for SMEs to enhance their social media marketing skills and advocate for government incentives to encourage adoption. Collaborations with educational institutions can facilitate knowledge exchange and skills development, while community engagement initiatives can foster peer learning and support among SMEs. By focusing on social media advertising adoption specific to Sri Lankan SMEs, this study aims to address the research gap and provide actionable insights for practitioners, policymakers, and researchers. Understanding social media ad adoption is crucial for SMEs to leverage digital marketing effectively and thrive in the digital era.