Social media effectiveness indicators of microenterprise strategic planning

Abstract

The use of social media in the support of marketing mix has been gaining prominence in contemporary strategic planning. The indicators on how microenterprises can effectively benchmark their social media usage is ambiguous. This paper aims to identify possible indicators of social media effectiveness towards microenterprises strategic planning. A conceptual framework is developed based on marketing mix elements of promotion and place in identifying the possible indicators of social media effectiveness. Owner/managers of food and beverage microenterprises in the Malaysian state of Sarawak were approached to understand their Facebook promotional strategy, features in generating interest to their outlet and general outcome in supporting their marketing mix elements. Through thematic analysis, the findings indicated sales increment, customer retention and viral marketing are vital for social media effectiveness. The context of the paper is limited to microenterprises in developing market through a subjective-based strategic planning evaluation framework. Selective marketing mix elements are applied through the perspective of Food and Beverage industry in the development of the social media effectiveness indicators. The three themes from the findings: sales increment, customer retention and viral marketing could serve as the foundation for microenterprise strategic planning.