THE EFFICACY OF FACEBOOK MARKETING STRATEGIES IN CATALYSING BUSINESS GROWTH FOR EVENT MANAGEMENT ENTERPRISES IN BULAWAYO

Authors: Sifiso Dube & Paul Nemashakwe

ABSTRACT

In the contemporary business landscape, digital marketing has become a pivotal tool for fostering business growth and establishing a competitive edge. Social media platforms, particularly Facebook, have emerged as crucial channels for reaching target audiences and promoting brand visibility. In the realm of event management companies, the strategic utilisation of these digital tools holds the potential to enhance event promotion, bolster audience engagement, and elevate brand visibility, ultimately contributing to business growth. Although significant research has been done in Zimbabwe on the efficacy of digital marketing tactics in a variety of industries, there is paltry research- based knowledge on the effectiveness of Facebook marketing strategies in promoting growth in event management entities in Bulawayo. Hence, this study sought to analyse the effectiveness of Facebook marketing strategies in promoting growth for event management companies in Bulawayo. Guided by the pragmatism research philosophy and the abductive approach, the study used a mixed methods design. Quantitative data was collected from participants chosen through proportional stratified sampling while qualitative data was collected from participants chosen through purposive sampling. The study found that Facebook was an effective platform for enhancing brand visibility within the local market. It was concluded that there was a positive correlation between Facebook marketing and attraction of customers, retention of customers, brand reputation and business growth for event management enterprises in Bulawayo. It was recommended that organisations must establish robust systems for monitoring social media metrics regularly and analysing key performance indicators such as reach, engagement, and conversion rates.

Keywords: Business growth; Event management; Facebook; Facebook marketing; Social media

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