Social Marketing and Its Tools in the Process of Creating Consumer Purchasing Decisions
Purpose: With the rise of digital technologies and the increasing access to the Internet, social media platforms have become an integral part of the daily lives of millions of people around the world. Social media marketing is all about building engagement and interaction with potential customers by creating engaging and creative content. The ability to reach a wide audience and integrate with them and their shopping preferences plays a key role here. The aim of the article is to determine the impact of social marketing, including influencer marketing activities, on the process of supporting and making purchasing decisions by consumers. The study focuses, incl. on identifying the key aspects determining the role of social media in shaping the shopping preferences of their users. The analysis covers both theoretical and practical issues, enabling understanding of the phenomena that may affect the success of marketing campaigns of enterprises conducted via social media. Design/Methodology/Approach: The study is based on both a review of the literature on the concept, meaning, and contemporary scope and practical ways of using social media in Poland against the background of the global market, as well as on the results of primary research on the issue raised. The study was carried out using the method of a diagnostic survey. Thanks to the use of this method, descriptions of both mass phenomena and processes taking place in communities were obtained, which makes it possible to explain them. The link to the survey was shared via social media platforms, highlighting Facebook, Instagram and Facebook Massenger among the users of the application. The research was carried out in the period from 25.11.2024. to 31.12.2024. The form was filled in by 745 willing people. The sample for the study was selected in a deliberate manner, because its addressees were people who actively use various forms of Internet communication using social media on a daily basis. Findings: Due to generational differences and continuous development in the IT areas, companies have to constantly adapt to the changing environment. Despite the constant need to use traditional forms of marketing, the world is developing extremely quickly and an increasing part of everyday life is moving to the virtual sphere, where promotional activities differ significantly from the classic forms used in the real world. Internet marketing includes many different forms of marketing communication, using it you can use solutions such as: social media marketing, influencer marketing, e-mail marketing, video marketing, viral marketing, content marketing and graphic ads – display, etc. Thanks to the use of various types of online marketing instruments, companies combine traditional ways of communication with modern technological solutions. This combination ensures that customer contact activities are optimized and that customer preferences are better understood. Practical Implications: The article contains a lot of valuable information on the contemporary ways of using social media and their instruments both in the everyday life of buyers and in the contemporary shape of the market functioning of enterprises. The analysis of the results of research on the role of social media in the process of purchasing decisions by consumers may be helpful in understanding the process of consumer behavior, and thus in the market functioning of enterprises and expanding the spectrum of methods of product promotion to include social media. Originality / Value: The study contains important information on the impact of marketing policy and the social media and instruments used by companies on the purchasing decision process of consumers.