Quest Journals

Journal of Research in Business and Management

Volume 11 ~ Issue 10 (2023) pp: 74-80
ISSN(Online):2347-3002
www.questjournals.org
Research Paper

The Influence of Social Media Marketing on Customer

Purchasing Behavior of Senior High School Students
John Harri Cabales1, Ninn Kenrich Carungay2, Kc Kyla Legaspi3, Rhea Jay
Bacatan4, Jovenil Bacatan5
1,2,3,4,5
UM Peñaplata College, Island Garden City of Samal, Philippines
Corresponding Author: Jovenil Bacatan

ABSTRACT: The primary goal of this research was to determine the influence of social media marketing
(SMM) on the customer purchasing behavior (CPB) of senior high school (SHS) students. Utilizing the non-
experimental quantitative method of research and validated questionnaires in data analysis with Mean, Person
Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient (Pearson-r) and Multiple Linear Regression Analysis as statistical
tools, the outcome displayed the levels of social media marketing and customer purchasing behavior through
the lens of SHS students are high, which means that these two variables are oftentimes manifested. There is a
positive strong relationship between social media marketing and customer purchasing behavior. It was also
found out that quality content as a domain of social media marketing best influences customer purchasing
behavior.
KEYWORDS: social media marketing, customer purchasing behavior, senior high school students

Received 15 Oct., 2023; Revised 29 Oct., 2023; Accepted 31 Oct., 2023 © The author(s) 2023.
Published with open access at www.questjournals.org

I. INTRODUCTION
Customers purchasing behavior is vital because it helps forecast how customers will behave and what
their inclinations, requirements, demands, wants, necessities, and lifestyles will be (Asma & Misbah, 2009).
Marketers need to comprehend customer preferences. Marketing professionals benefit from knowing what
drives customers' behavior since it enhances segmentation, targeting, and forecasting. Prior to putting a product
on the market, it is essential to determine what kind of products buyers want. Marketers today use social media
as a platform for advertising and even for selling their products and services, thanks to technological
advancements. Marketers take advantage of this in order to develop a strategy to help them attract more
customers. Today, social media is used by so many people for contact and communication that harnessing the
social media ecosystem and reaching customers is very straightforward. Thanks to social media marketing,
businesses now have a new channel to communicate and affect customer purchasing behaviors (Barhemmati &
Ahmad, 2015).
Customers purchasing behavior refers to the steps customers take before purchasing a good or service,
including the circumstances under when, why, and how they make or decline to make a purchase. In all business
and service industries, customer behavior has the highest concentration. The most crucial factor for every
company to consider understands how customer needs and preferences are changing in the modern world. Since
changes in culture, economy, and technology affect how customers behave. The studies' sites, procedures, and
goals on customer behavior are ultimately changed due to these alterations (Peighambari et al., 2016).
Furthermore, using social media allows a company to regulate its information broadcast, connect and
converse with its intended customers in a dialogue format, and improve customer engagement. It moves and
forms public discourse, and businesses operating within it are becoming more aware of its societal impact. A
company's social media presence may influence its customers' purchasing decisions. Increased customer
behavior allows a company to increase website traffic, revenue, client fulfillment, trust, and decision quality
(Buffer, 2019 in Nanda, 2022).
Based on the problems mentioned above, the researchers decided to conduct this study to assess and
further analyze the influence of social media marketing on customer purchasing behavior, particularly among
senior high school students.

*Corresponding Author: Jovenil Bacatan 74 | Page

 The Influence of Social Media Marketing on Customer Purchasing Behavior of Senior High ..

II. LITERATURE REVIEW

Social Media Marketing
Technologies and the internet enable people to share information and expertise in new ways (Evans,
2010). Social media is the most widely used form of communication (Stelzner, 2010). Social networking sites
are a new form of interpersonal interaction that is altering people's behavior and expectations, as well as the way
businesses operate (Wollan et al., 2011). Social media platforms offer a simple way for users to invite and
converse with others. This manner of communication has given millions of customers a voice, allowing them to
communicate with one another and share their thoughts and experiences with a global audience at minimal or no
expense (Trusov et al., 2009).
Thus, social media marketing provides possibilities for interaction while also necessitating innovative
and unconventional approaches (Kweskin, 2007) to guarantee customers experience brand and product
orientation (Xiaofen & Yiling, 2009). As a result, marketers should use social media to cultivate brands online
and activate buying intentions (Cuming, 2008 cited in Astoriano et al., 2022). Mayfield (2008) defines social
networking as "a forum for users to express themselves creatively that focuses on the human aspect." As a
result, social networks provide marketers with a way to understand how people connect and interact with one
another, as well as the importance of developing connections (The New Media Consortium, 2008).
As a result, social media has facilitated customer-to-customer interaction and enabled customers and
brands to interact (Mangold & Faulds, 2009). The importance of this rise in widespread interaction is that social
media has raised awareness of situations in an altering environment; as a result, marketing via social media is
playing an increasingly significant role in the marketing field (Mayfield, 2011).

Customer’s Purchasing Behavior

According to Kumar et al. (2020), the business models for numerous sectors and organizations have
evolved due to social media. Studying how social media affects customers' behavior is a relatively new field of
inquiry. To manage the fierce competition in the market today, organizations and businesses must have effective
communication. Online businesses have made the time-consuming procedure of product selection and purchase
a pleasant substitution for our young groups. Almost every young person on the internet uses social networking
sites.
Additionally, according to Faisal (2016), marketers have tried to expand by focusing on online-based
channels for their advertising to enhance their methods of connecting with customers. The internet plays a big
part in educating customers about the new product through direct mail and online marketing like pop-ups
(McNamara, 2008). In light of their client's tastes and inclinations, marketers encounter obstacles when
redeveloping their tactics (Ratcliffe, 2019; Ryan, 2013). To ensure that customers are happy with the company's
goods and services for a long time, these strategies must satisfy their target markets or customers’ needs (Gurau
& Ranchhod, 2002; Pamsari et al., 2013).

Theoretical Framework
This study is based on Media Theory developed by Marshall McLuhan (1995), which contends that the
media itself, rather than its actual content, will change individual behavior and the larger culture. According to
McLuhan, the actual messages that people exchange with one another through new media would not change.
New communication patterns' interactivity and regularity will forever change how we behave. As a result, the
media's impact on culture is often greater than its actual content. The way that businesses interact with their
customers has changed substantially as technology has become more commonplace. Businesses develop plans
after monitoring and determining the demands, preferences, buying patterns, and dislikes of the target market
using social media. This demonstrates how social media, particularly in the areas of communication, customer
relationship management, and customer interaction, has gained a lot of traction as a potent tool for promoting
businesses' marketing goals and plans. The media play a significant role in defining the cultural and human
experience.
In addition, the Engel Blackwell Kollat (EBK) Model developed by Engel et al. (1968) is a
comprehensively described theoretical framework for structural models of customer behavior reflecting the
customer behavior process when selecting a good or service of the purchasing decision process. Lastly, Kotler’s
Black Box Model (2004) provides a good representation as it stresses the process and the variables that affect
the customer’s decision-making process. This paradigm claims that by examining stimuli and responses, it is
possible to gain insight into the customer's "black box" of thought. It is used to investigate customers purchasing
behavior. If the customer collects the data, the customer will analyze the information and compare it to previous
experiences and perceptions. Customers consider for a while before making a decision stage, choosing to buy
anything based on reason. During the decision-making process, customers are impacted by internal and external
cues and how they perceive themselves after purchasing (Voramontri and Klieb, 2018).

*Corresponding Author: Jovenil Bacatan 75 | Page

 The Influence of Social Media Marketing on Customer Purchasing Behavior of Senior High ..

III. METHOD
Research Design
The study used a non-experimental quantitative research design to gather information concerning the
social media marketing and customer purchasing behavior of SHS students of UM Peñaplata College. Non-
experimental research is conducted when the independent variables cannot be accurately controlled because they
have already manifested. In other words, non-experimental research is employed when it is impossible to
manipulate, include, exclude, or allocate respondents to groups in order to control the variables of interest
(Dagohoy et al., 2021). Thus, the researchers utilized the non-experimental quantitative research design to
identify the relationship between social media marketing and customer purchasing behavior.

Research Respondents
The study's respondents are the senior high school students (SHS) of UM Peñaplata College. The
researchers surveyed 50 SHS students. As cited by VanVoorhis and Morgan (2007), the reasonable sample size
for correlation and regression is no less than 50 respondents. The respondent's response in the study is voluntary
without explanatory and penalty demands. It was also treated with utmost confidentiality.

Research Instrument
The researchers utilized a questionnaire based on The Effectiveness of Social Media by Shahid (2019)
to gather data for social media marketing. The questionnaire was composed of 19 questions with three (3)
indicators of social media marketing, namely customer’s experience, quality content, and regularity of visits,
and five (5) indicators of customers purchasing behavior, namely purchase decision, online purchasing
impression, customers attitude, shopping experience and costumer’s satisfaction. The online survey
questionnaire used in this study was to determine the extent of social media marketing and customer purchasing
behavior of SHS students leading to the determination if there is an association between the above-mentioned
variables. All instruments were validated by panel of experts.

Statistical Treatment
The gathered data was analyzed using the appropriate statistical treatment as follows. The statistical
tool used in this study was the following:
Mean – It was used in measuring the level of social media marketing and customer purchasing
behavior of senior high school students.
Pearson Product-Moment Correlation – It was used to determine the significant relationship between
social media marketing and customer purchasing behavior.
Multiple Regression Analysis – It was used to determine which domain of the social media marketing
best influences customer purchasing behavior.

IV. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Level of Social Media Marketing
Table 1 shows the collected results of the level of social media marketing in terms of customers’
experience, quality content, and regularity of visits. The mean of customers’ experience of the respondents is
3.77, with a standard deviation of 0.80. Meanwhile, the respondents' mean of quality content is 3.62, with a
standard deviation of 0.73.

*Corresponding Author: Jovenil Bacatan 76 | Page

 The Influence of Social Media Marketing on Customer Purchasing Behavior of Senior High ..

Table 1
Level of Social Media Marketing

Indicators SD M Descriptive Level

Customers’ Experience .80 3.77 High
Quality Content .73 3.62 High
Regularity of Visits .86 3.76 High
Overall Mean .73 3.72 High
Note: N = 50, M = Mean, SD = Standard Deviation

On the other hand, the regularity of visits as an indicator has a mean of 3.76 with a standard deviation
of 0.86. This indicates that the regularity of visits of the respondents is high. Additionally, the respondents'
mean level of social media marketing is 3.72, with a standard deviation of 0.73. All indicators were described as
high. This means that the social media marketing of the respondents are oftentimes manifested.
The result of this study was supported by the study of Perumal and Yoganathen (2018) who stated that
customers are deeply engaged in the advantages of social media marketing, which captures their interest and
motivates them to connect, share, and engage in order to fulfill their demands. Moreover, Shahid (2019)
professed that building trust, loyalty, and identifying customer behavioral trends are all facilitated by social
media marketing indicators of quality content and regularity of visits.

Level of Customers’ Purchasing Behavior

Shown in Table 2 are the collected results to what is the customers’ purchasing behavior in terms of
purchase decisions, online purchasing impressions, attitudes, shopping experience, and customer satisfaction.
The mean purchase decision level among respondents is 3.72, with a standard deviation of 0.89. This
demonstrates the respondents' high level of purchase decision.

Table 2
Level of Customers’ Purchasing Behavior

Indicators SD M Descriptive Level

Purchase Decision .89 3.72 High
Online Purchasing Impression .84 3.76 High
Customers' Attitude .83 3.70 High
Shopping Experience .81 3.69 High
Customers’ Satisfaction .76 3.45 High
Overall Mean .74 3.66 High
Note: N = 50, M = Mean, SD = Standard Deviation

The respondents' mean result of online purchasing impression is 3.76, with a standard deviation of 0.84. This
demonstrates that the respondents' level of online purchasing impression is high.
Additionally, the respondents' mean customer attitude level is 3.70, with a standard deviation of 0.83.
This demonstrates the respondents' high level of customer attitudes. The respondents' mean level of shopping
experience is 3.69, with a standard deviation of 0.81. This demonstrates that the respondents' level of shopping
experience is high. The respondents' mean value of customer satisfaction is 3.45, with a standard deviation of
0.76. This shows that the level of customer satisfaction of the respondents is high.
The respondents' overall mean level of customer purchasing behavior is 3.66, with a standard deviation
of 0.74. This demonstrates that the respondents' level of customer purchasing behavior is high, indicating that
the respondents' purchasing behavior as a customer is often observed. So, it means that there are various factors
that may be broken into to better evaluate and comprehend the nature of customers' purchasing behavior
(Shahid, 2019). The findings would also considerably assist marketers in determining the demands, preferences,
and likes of their target market as well as how competitive their industry might be (Perumal & Yoganathen,
2018). Additionally, the top-rated indicators of customers purchasing behavior are purchase decisions and online
purchase impressions, having a high descriptive level. This outcome indicates that customers believe their
purchasing behavior is tested in purchasing decisions and even online. As Sandhusen (2000) expressed, the
entire decision-making process is presented that showing how environmental factors and marketing stimuli have
an impact on how customers choose information and compare products

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 The Influence of Social Media Marketing on Customer Purchasing Behavior of Senior High ..

Significant Relationship between Social Media Marketing and Customers’ Purchasing Behavior
Presented in Table 3 is the significant relationship between social media marketing and customers'
purchasing behavior. It can be gleaned that the overall computed r-value is 0.883, indicating that there is a
MODERATELY positive correlation between social media marketing and the respondents' purchase behavior.
As a result, the null hypothesis was rejected since the p-value is less than the .05 significance level.
Furthermore, it is shown that the association between overall social media marketing has a high positive
correlation to the domain customers' purchasing behavior, as seen by its R-values of .776, .767, .798, .827, and
.782. All p-values were less than the .05 significance level; thus, the null hypothesis was rejected.

Table 3
Significant Relationship between Social Media Marketing and Customers’ Purchasing Behavior

Customers’ Purchasing Behavior

Social Media
Purchase Online Customers’ Shopping Customers’ Overall
Marketing
Decision Purchasing Attitude Experience Satisfaction
Impression
Customers’ .704* .734* .737* .746* .641* .795*
Experience (.000) (.550) (.000) (.000) (.000) (.000)

Quality .761* .695* .753* .781* .767* .840*

Content (.000) (.000) (.000) (.000) (.000) (.000)

Regularity of .679* .682 .711* .754* .748* .798*

Visits (.000) (.000) (.000) (.000) (.000) (.000)

Overall .776* .767* .798* .827* .782* .883*

(.000) (.000) (.000) (.000) (.000) (.000)
*p<.05 – Significant

This result confirms several studies (Buss & Begorgis, 2015; Sharma, 2020) that a positive relationship
exists between social media marketing and customer purchasing behavior.

Regression Analysis of the Influence of Social Media Marketing on Customers’ Purchasing Behavior

Presented in Table 4 is the regression analysis of the influence of social media marketing on customers’
purchasing behavior. The data shows that the multiple r-values are 0.887, which indicates a reasonably strong
relationship between social media marketing and customers' purchasing behavior with its indicators.

Table 4
Regression Analysis of the Influence of Social Media Marketing on Customers’ Purchasing Behavior

Customers’ Purchasing Behavior

Social Media Marketing Β t Sig.
Constant .299 1.133 .263
Customers’ Experience .156 1.313 .196
Quality Content .460 3.661 .001*
Regularity of Visits .295 3.164 .003*

R .887
R2 .788
F 58.863
p .000*
*p<.05 – Significant

*Corresponding Author: Jovenil Bacatan 78 | Page

 The Influence of Social Media Marketing on Customer Purchasing Behavior of Senior High ..

The obtained F-value of 58.863 is significant at p<0.05 which indicated a model fit. The r-squared
value is 0.788, which shows that 78.8% the variance in customer purchasing behavior was attributed to the
indicators of social media marketing specified in this study. This also means that .212 or 21.2% of the variance
could be credited to other things that are already beyond the concern of this study.
As a result, it is clear that there is a strong correlation between the two variables, and all social media
marketing indicators have an impact on Senior High School students' purchase decisions. Following McLuhan's
Media Theory (1995), customers' purchasing behavior have been significantly influenced by social media as an
effective marketing tool. It was also agreed by Contractor (2009) that with how social media marketing has
evolved, customers' purchasing behavior is being affected in terms of their attitudes and perceptions toward
purchasing goods and services. Customers engage in this activity because of the advantages they have
experienced using social media that influence their purchasing intention. Additionally, the EBK Model believed
that buyers are influenced by process elements including how social media affects their perceptions and outside
stimuli when making decisions, such as how they picture themselves after completing the purchase (Kotler et
al., 2004).

V. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Conclusions
The following are conclusions made considering the findings of the study results.

The level of social media marketing was described as high. Therefore, students who engage in online
purchasing often observe social media marketing indicators such as customers' experience, quality content, and
regularity of visits.
Based on the data, the customers' purchasing behavior is high, which means that their purchase
decisions, online purchasing impressions, customers attitudes, shopping experience, and customers' satisfaction
are often observed; they believed that this procedure would satisfy their irrational urges, demands, wants,
requirements, and way of life.
There is a significant relationship between social media marketing and the customer purchasing
behavior of senior high school students. This means that customers are influenced by internal and external
stimuli provided by social media marketing during the decision-making process, particularly how they picture
themselves after completing the purchase, as the EBK Model also emphasizes. In addition, quality of content
best influences customer’s purchasing behavior although regularity of visits also significantly influences the
CPB.

Recommendations
These recommendations were based on the previous results and conclusions.

It is recommended that customers may evaluate their interactions with social media marketing,
including the legitimacy and accuracy of the material on the platforms they are using.
To the business owners, particularly those who utilize social media as marketing channel, it is
recommended that they may enhance their marketing tactics in order to attract more clients and create a sense of
community, trust, or even comfort in the virtual world.
To future researchers, they are encouraged to conduct a study that would examine the efficiency of
social media marketing in this new normal while taking into account the other indicators of customers'
purchasing behavior, as it demonstrates a wide range of potential for understanding customer behavior.

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*Corresponding Author: Jovenil Bacatan 80 | Page