scholarly journals Business growth and social media: An organisational issue

2016 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 402-409
Author(s):  
Claudette Rabie ◽  
Michael Colin Cant ◽  
Ricardo Machado
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Western Cape ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Broadcast Media ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
Use Of Social Media ◽  
Tourism And Hospitality Industry ◽  
Tourism And Hospitality ◽  
Self Administered Questionnaire

The landscape of marketing has changed considerably over the last decade, with traditional print and broadcast media being expanded and largely replaced by social media platforms. The increasing development of marketing platforms have a large effect on the success and growth of organisations especially within the tourism and hospitality industry, as more travellers are utilising social media as a means of communication and information. The purpose of this research study was therefore to investigate the current use of social media among star-graded accommodation establishments operating in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. A web-based self-administered questionnaire was distributed to star-graded accommodation establishments, who were registered by the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa (TGCSA). A total of 361 useable responses were received. The findings mainly revealed that social media are used in accommodation establishments but that they are still learning how to fully and successfully implement social media platforms in their area of business

scholarly journals Social media in the accommodation industry: A cluster analysis

2016 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 251-258
Author(s):  
Claudette Rabie
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Cluster Analysis ◽  
Major Influence ◽  
Western Cape ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
Use Of Social Media ◽  
Tourism And Hospitality Industry ◽  
Tourism And Hospitality ◽  
Self Administered Questionnaire

In today’s technologically driven and revolutionised era of digital communication, numerous people combine a complex collection of social media platforms and technology to connect them to the world and people around them. The online participation of consumers has forced companies to embrace social media marketing efforts. The continuous advancements in marketing mediums have a major influence on the success and growth of companies, particularly within the tourism and hospitality industry, as increasingly more travellers are using social media as a means of communicating and seeking information. The purpose of this research study was therefore to explore if users of social media as a promotional mix element could be clustered into different groups based on characteristics they possess. A web-based self-administered questionnaire was distributed to accommodation establishments located in the Western Cape province of South Africa and a total of 361 useable responses were received. A four-step cluster analysis was performed in order to identify similar groups of respondents in their use of social media as a promotional mix element. The findings presented four distinct users of social media in the accommodation industry based on six variables identified from the literature.

scholarly journals Using social media to market a promotional event to SMEs: opportunity or wasted effort?

2016 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 76-82 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael C. Cant
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Business Plan ◽  
Jel Classification ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Event Marketing ◽  
Special Event ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
Social Media Tools ◽  
Use Of Social Media ◽  
Self Administered Questionnaire

Much has been said about the advantages of using social media in the marketing of brands and products of companies. Marketing, as we knew it in the past millennia, has changed dramatically and is evolving at a faster pace than ever. Traditional media, such as print and broadcast, are becoming more obsolete and largely replaced by social media platforms. These platforms are growing and expanding in leaps and bounds and have become potent instruments of marketing. It is up to organizations to use these platforms to market their brands, services and business, as it can have a profound effect on the success and growth. This is even truer in the case of entrepreneurs who are generally younger and more technology savvy and who use social media for all means and purposes. The purpose of this research study was, therefore, to investigate the use of social media among institutions that focus on specific events such as a business plan competition and to establish to what extent the use of these social media tools were used or effectively used to communicate the event to SMEs. A web-based self-administered questionnaire was distributed among the respondents of a business plan competition. A total of 992 useable responses were received. The findings mainly revealed that institutions that use social media in their marketing drive either do not plan properly for the use of it, or is careless in their approach to these tools. The results pointed to a large number of respondents (55%) who were not even aware that social media tools were used in the promotion of the competition. Keywords: social media, SME, special event marketing, marketing, usage, promotional mix elements, South Africa. JEL Classification: M13

scholarly journals The Use of Social Media in Public Relations at Non-Governmental Organisations in South Africa

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (6(J)) ◽  
pp. 150-161
Author(s):  
G. Nchabeleng ◽  
CJ. Botha ◽  
CA Bisschoff
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Public Relations ◽  
Social Networking ◽  
Social Networking Sites ◽  
Instant Messaging ◽  
Public Relations Practitioners ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
Use Of Social Media ◽  
The Way

Social media can be a useful tool in public relations in non-governmental organisations (NGOs), but do NGOs make use of social media in their quest for service delivery in South Africa? Social networking sites, blogging, email, instant messaging, and online journals are some of the technological changes that changed the way interaction between people and how they gather information. Although social media is mainly used for interactive dialogue and social interaction, the private sector soon realised that the web-based technologies (especially Facebook and Twitter) could also be a competitive business tool. Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) soon followed suit however at a slower pace than the general communication growth rate of social media in South Africa. This article examines if social networking sites have any impact on public relations practices of NGOs in South Africa – an environment where both customers and employees still struggle to take full advantage of social media. The critical literature findings increase the understanding of the current and future challenges of social media use in public relations at NGOs in South Africa. The study explores the main differences between traditional and social media, how social media is redefining public relations role, and shed some light on defining public relations practices, identify the uses, limitations and benefits of social media by public relations practitioners in NGOs. Recommendations for future communication research are given. Based on the literature, a qualitative research design collected data using semi-structured, individual interviews. The results revealed that social media platforms such as Facebook do have an effect, and even changed the way in which NGOs communicate. The study also revealed that social media certainly has an impact on public relations relationships. This means that it has become crucial that public relations practitioners at NOGs embrace and take advantage of social media, and that they should also invest in proper electronic platforms to reap the benefits of improved communication internally and externally.

Deep Learning and Machine Learning Techniques for Analyzing Travelers' Online Reviews

2022 ◽  
pp. 20-39
Author(s):  
Elliot Mbunge ◽  
Benhildah Muchemwa
Keyword(s):  
Machine Learning ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Deep Learning ◽  
Hospitality Industry ◽  
Learning Models ◽  
Online Data ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Tourism And Hospitality Industry ◽  
Tourism And Hospitality

Social media platforms play a tremendous role in the tourism and hospitality industry. Social media platforms are increasingly becoming a source of information. The complexity and increasing size of tourists' online data make it difficult to extract meaningful insights using traditional models. Therefore, this scoping and comprehensive review aimed to analyze machine learning and deep learning models applied to model tourism data. The study revealed that deep learning and machine learning models are used for forecasting and predicting tourism demand using data from search query data, Google trends, and social media platforms. Also, the study revealed that data-driven models can assist managers and policymakers in mapping and segmenting tourism hotspots and attractions and predicting revenue that is likely to be generated, exploring targeting marketing, segmenting tourists based on their spending patterns, lifestyle, and age group. However, hybrid deep learning models such as inceptionV3, MobilenetsV3, and YOLOv4 are not yet explored in the tourism and hospitality industry.

Social Media Use for Water Conservation Education in South Africa: Perceptions of Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality’s Residents

2019 ◽  
Vol 55 (3) ◽  
pp. 351-369 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charity Hove ◽  
Oluyinka O Osunkunle
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Water Conservation ◽  
Conservation Education ◽  
Conservation Practices ◽  
Quantitative Methodology ◽  
Media Usage ◽  
Persuasive Strategies ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
Use Of Social Media

Water scarcity is increasing in South Africa and communities need to be educated about water conservation practices. This article investigated the perceptions of Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality’s residents concerning the use of social media for water conservation education in their community. Through a quantitative methodology, a sample of 383 respondents answered a questionnaire and the main findings were that 75 per cent of respondents did not know about the municipality’s social media platforms. This article recommends that the municipality creates awareness about its social media platforms, increases social media usage and employs persuasive strategies for participation.

scholarly journals Health-protective behaviour, social media usage and conspiracy belief during the COVID-19 public health emergency

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Allington ◽  
Bobby Duffy ◽  
Simon Wessely ◽  
Nayana Dhavan ◽  
James Rubin
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Positive Relationship ◽  
Information Source ◽  
Negative Relationship ◽  
Broadcast Media ◽  
Conspiracy Beliefs ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
Use Of Social Media ◽  
Source Of Information ◽  
Protective Behaviours

Abstract Background Social media platforms have long been recognised as major disseminators of health misinformation. Many previous studies have found a negative association between health-protective behaviours and belief in the specific form of misinformation popularly known as ‘conspiracy theory’. Concerns have arisen regarding the spread of COVID-19 conspiracy theories on social media. Methods Three questionnaire surveys of social media use, conspiracy beliefs and health-protective behaviours with regard to COVID-19 among UK residents were carried out online, one using a self-selecting sample (N = 949) and two using stratified random samples from a recruited panel (N = 2250, N = 2254). Results All three studies found a negative relationship between COVID-19 conspiracy beliefs and COVID-19 health-protective behaviours, and a positive relationship between COVID-19 conspiracy beliefs and use of social media as a source of information about COVID-19. Studies 2 and 3 also found a negative relationship between COVID-19 health-protective behaviours and use of social media as a source of information, and Study 3 found a positive relationship between health-protective behaviours and use of broadcast media as a source of information. Conclusions When used as an information source, unregulated social media may present a health risk that is partly but not wholly reducible to their role as disseminators of health-related conspiracy beliefs.

scholarly journals The Use of Social Media in Public Relations at Non-Governmental Organisations in South Africa

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 150
Author(s):  
G. Nchabeleng ◽  
CJ. Botha ◽  
CA Bisschoff
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Public Relations ◽  
Social Networking ◽  
Social Networking Sites ◽  
Instant Messaging ◽  
Public Relations Practitioners ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
Use Of Social Media ◽  
The Way

Social media can be a useful tool in public relations in non-governmental organisations (NGOs), but do NGOs make use of social media in their quest for service delivery in South Africa? Social networking sites, blogging, email, instant messaging, and online journals are some of the technological changes that changed the way interaction between people and how they gather information. Although social media is mainly used for interactive dialogue and social interaction, the private sector soon realised that the web-based technologies (especially Facebook and Twitter) could also be a competitive business tool. Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) soon followed suit however at a slower pace than the general communication growth rate of social media in South Africa. This article examines if social networking sites have any impact on public relations practices of NGOs in South Africa – an environment where both customers and employees still struggle to take full advantage of social media. The critical literature findings increase the understanding of the current and future challenges of social media use in public relations at NGOs in South Africa. The study explores the main differences between traditional and social media, how social media is redefining public relations role, and shed some light on defining public relations practices, identify the uses, limitations and benefits of social media by public relations practitioners in NGOs. Recommendations for future communication research are given. Based on the literature, a qualitative research design collected data using semi-structured, individual interviews. The results revealed that social media platforms such as Facebook do have an effect, and even changed the way in which NGOs communicate. The study also revealed that social media certainly has an impact on public relations relationships. This means that it has become crucial that public relations practitioners at NOGs embrace and take advantage of social media, and that they should also invest in proper electronic platforms to reap the benefits of improved communication internally and externally.

scholarly journals Exploring the Characteristics and Behaviors of Nurses Who Have Attained Microcelebrity Status on Instagram: Content Analysis

10.2196/16540 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (5) ◽  
pp. e16540
Author(s):  
Hanna Kerr ◽  
Richard Booth ◽  
Kimberley Jackson
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Content Analysis ◽  
Policy Development ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Area Of Interest ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
Media Platform ◽  
And Behaviors ◽  
Use Of Social Media

Background Instagram is a social media platform that enables users to share images and videos worldwide. Some nurses have used Instagram to document their experiences as a nurse and have subsequently gained microcelebrity status—that is, a user who purposefully seeks to amass a substantive Web-based following and has become recognized as a niche area of interest. Objective This study aimed to identify the characteristics and behaviors of microcelebrity nurses who act as influencers on Instagram and use their nursing profile to gain attention and presence on the Web. Methods A qualitative, exploratory, nonparticipatory content analysis of media and text generated by a purposeful sample of 10 registered nurses who use Instagram and sustain a definable microcelebrity status was conducted. In this study, manifest and latent data were examined to gain an understanding of the characteristics and behaviors of nurses who have attained microcelebrity status on Instagram. Results Data analysis revealed 5 themes of Instagram posts: (1) engaging Instagram users, (2) educational opportunities and insights, (3) nursing-related humor, (4) emotions experienced by nurses, and (5) media and narratives including patient details or work context. Messages were primarily positive in nature; however, multiple potential privacy, ethical, and professional issues were noted throughout the posted content. Conclusions The findings of this study help to expand the current knowledge related to the use of social media platforms such as Instagram, especially in regard to the emergence of nurses who use this form of technology to achieve or maintain a microcelebrity status. This study calls for additional research on nurses’ attainment of microcelebrity status on social media as well as further policy development to adequately prepare nurses to navigate social media.

scholarly journals Online social media usage of car dealerships in Gauteng Province, South Africa

2016 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 601-607 ◽  
Author(s):  
Makgopa S. Sipho
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Marketing Communication ◽  
Gauteng Province ◽  
Motor Industry ◽  
Online Social Media ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
Use Of Social Media

The concept of social media is top of the agenda for many organizations today. Decision makers, as well as marketers, try to identify ways in which organizations can make profitable use of social media platforms. The adoption of social media in marketing communication campaigns to carry the marketing communication message to the target audiences remains a challenge to organizations in the motor industry. The purpose of this paper was to establish an understanding of the online social media tools used by car dealerships in their marketing communication strategies and campaigns. In achieving the purpose of this paper, a qualitative research approach using semi-structured in-depth interviews with marketing personnel of different car dealerships in Gauteng province, South Africa was followed. In this paper, a qualitative content analysis was used to analyze primary data using Atlas ti version 10 computer software. The findings of this paper revealed that the use of social media platforms by car dealerships varied in terms of message content. Recommendations to stakeholders in the motor industry and future research directions are provided. Keywords: social media, marketing communications, communication channels, consumer-to-consumer communications, car dealerships. JEL Classification: M31, M37

scholarly journals Exploring the Characteristics and Behaviors of Nurses Who Have Attained Microcelebrity Status on Instagram: Content Analysis (Preprint)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanna Kerr ◽  
Richard Booth ◽  
Kimberley Jackson
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Content Analysis ◽  
Policy Development ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Area Of Interest ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
Media Platform ◽  
And Behaviors ◽  
Use Of Social Media

BACKGROUND Instagram is a social media platform that enables users to share images and videos worldwide. Some nurses have used Instagram to document their experiences as a nurse and have subsequently gained microcelebrity status—that is, a user who purposefully seeks to amass a substantive Web-based following and has become recognized as a niche area of interest. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to identify the characteristics and behaviors of microcelebrity nurses who act as influencers on Instagram and use their nursing profile to gain attention and presence on the Web. METHODS A qualitative, exploratory, nonparticipatory content analysis of media and text generated by a purposeful sample of 10 registered nurses who use Instagram and sustain a definable microcelebrity status was conducted. In this study, manifest and latent data were examined to gain an understanding of the characteristics and behaviors of nurses who have attained microcelebrity status on Instagram. RESULTS Data analysis revealed 5 themes of Instagram posts: (1) engaging Instagram users, (2) educational opportunities and insights, (3) nursing-related humor, (4) emotions experienced by nurses, and (5) media and narratives including patient details or work context. Messages were primarily positive in nature; however, multiple potential privacy, ethical, and professional issues were noted throughout the posted content. CONCLUSIONS The findings of this study help to expand the current knowledge related to the use of social media platforms such as Instagram, especially in regard to the emergence of nurses who use this form of technology to achieve or maintain a microcelebrity status. This study calls for additional research on nurses’ attainment of microcelebrity status on social media as well as further policy development to adequately prepare nurses to navigate social media.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document