SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES EMPLOYED BY BENIN-BASED FOOD AND BEVERAGE COMPANIES

ABSTRACT

This study was carried out to know the social media management strategies employed by Benin-based food and beverage companies. It is also to examine the effectiveness of these social media management strategies and how well it has been implemented in the companies in Benin. The goal was to examine the social media management strategies employed in Benin-based food and beverage companies, their effectiveness, challenges, and how well it has been implemented.  To provide a theoretical framework, the study was anchored on the diffusion of innovation theory and the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM): A Survey and interview research design was adopted with a sample size of 96, and a questionnaire and an interview guide as the primary data collection instrument. 96 copies of the designed questionnaire were distributed, while 12 food beverage companies were selected to respond to the interview questions. Findings from the analysis of the data gathered showed that it is evident that these food and beverage companies utilize a diverse array of strategies to augment their online visibility, interact with their intended audience, and market their products and services. Despite encountering obstacles like content creation challenges, these establishments exhibit resilience in adapting to the ever-evolving realm of social media. Furthermore, the findings show the importance of having a good knowledge of social media management and how it works, as this would prevent challenges such as difficulty in interesting content creation.This study also reveals that most Benin-based companies exhibit a high level of utilization of social media management strategies, with some employing multiple tactics to promote their social media presence. However, observations during the research reveal discrepancies in the success levels of implementation among companies, with those lacking branches outside Benin experiencing lower success rates compared to nationwide chains like Chicken Republic and Domino Pizza. Companies with proficient IT teams or dedicated social media managers, report greater effectiveness in their strategies, while Instagram emerges as the most utilized platform due to its popularity and target audience alignment. Hence this recommends that a new social media account should be created for the Benin branch, a good IT team should be employed, and also multiple strategies should be employed and not just one.