ABSTRACT
This research is an attempt to find out if Instagram influences consumer buying behavior using
Aun Undergraduate students who were enrolled into the spring 2018 academic session. To find
out the number of students registered for the spring 2018 session, Mr Yakubu Ayuba was
contacted in order to get a concise and accurate number. In response to this request, the registrar
confirmed that a total number of 976 undergraduates were registered and based on the Taro
Yamane Formula, the confidence level; the sample size and the margin of error were derived.
The problem statement of this research is to find out how conversant consumers use Instagram
and if it influences its buying decisions.
Communications and Multimedia Designs Program
Senior Design Project Manual
CHAPTER 0NE
1.1. INTRODUCTION
In an article published by Cara Salpini in August 23, 2017, it was reported that Instagram was
responsible for 72% purchase decisions on its consumers (Salpini, 2017). Instagram has
continued to evolve and has become a very effective tool for marketing as such those influencers,
marketers and business persons use it as promotional tool to reach other to millions of consumers
from around the world. With the emergence of digital technology, it is faster for information to
travel and reach a larger target audience and with the help of Smartphones and Internets have
made it easier to get updated on Instagram activities.
Instagram has amazing features like insta-stories, filters and promotional tools that help
marketers, brands and even organizations to express their creativity as a drive to deliver offers,
boost sales and create brand awareness (Digital Impact of Instagram On Purchasing Decisions,
2017). The rapid development of technology and several communication channels, the tradition
way of marketing seems to be dying off as consumers started using more of online sources to get
information on products and services that they want to use (Madni, 2014).
This study is an attempt to examine how Instagram has impacted on consumer buying decision
using AUN Students as a case study.
Communications and Multimedia Designs Program
Senior Design Project Manual
1.2. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Consumers make use of various social media channels to find out information, engage and stay
in touch with people. A lot of information and content are shared online and we as individuals
feel compelled to either share these posts with friends or interact by commenting on the
comment section thus engaging and promoting communication which is very essential.
“72% of Instagram users report making purchase decisions based on something that they saw
while browsing the app so if you’re not incorporating it into your social media marketing, you’re
missing out” (Smith, 2018). In addition, Instagram is assumed to be the most effective
promotional tool and because of their flexibility and great feature that allows a wider reach and
express their creativity.
Therefore, this study seeks to find out the “impact’ Instagram has on Consumer buying decisions
using AUN as a case study. By the end of this research we should be able to determine if
Instagram really plays a role in the buying decisions that we make and also help us to understand
the influence Instagram has on its consumer.
1.3. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The objective of this research is to,
I. Determine the effectiveness of Instagram in conveying information about a product or
service to its consumers.
II. To examine Instagram as a promotional tool.
Communications and Multimedia Designs Program
Senior Design Project Manual
III. To determine whether or not Instagram influences Consumers (AUN students) response
to Ads.
1.4. RESEARCH QUESTIONS
I. Is Instagram effective in conveying information about a product or service?
II. How effective is Instagram as a promotional tool?
III. What role does Instagram play in Advertising?
1.5. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This study wants to identify the factors that influence consumer decisions about a product or
service when it comes to using Instagram as a promotional tool. It also wants to find out if
Instagram influences their drive in purchasing certain products or service as preference and how
they respond effectively to it.
1.6. DELIMITATION (SCOPE) OF THE STUDY
This research aims to identify consumers (Aun Students) who are familiar with Instagram and
the results would determine if it influences their buying decisions in response to Ads. Therefore
people use Instagram for diverse specific reason. The research does not intent to cover all the
students who are and use social media but is focused on the factors that influence their buying
decisions.
Communications and Multimedia Designs Program
Senior Design Project Manual
In addition, the research used the Aun community as the population of the study. This was done
by a selection by choice process and consists of both undergraduate and graduate students.
1.7. LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
The limitations I encountered when carrying out this study were,
Inadequate funding: To carry out this research, you must be able to print out enough
questionnaires to interview your population. Unfortunately, there were no enough funds to
interview everyone in my study population.
Unwillingness of people to respond to question: I also encountered the unwillingness of people
from my study population to the questions I asked. Some questionnaires were half filled and
some of them were not filled at all. This limited my study by providing outliers in my data.
1.8. DEFINITION OF TERMS
• Influence: “Influence is the ability to cause desirable and measurable actions and
outcomes” (Solis, 2010).
• Social media: A technological invention that allows individuals or groups to access and
share a vast opinion through networking platforms like Instagram. Facebook, twitter etc.
• Advertising: “Advertising is the nonperson communication of information usually paid
for and usually persuasive in nature about products, services or ideas by identified sponsors
through the various media” (taflinger, 1996)
Communications and Multimedia Designs Program
Senior Design Project Manual
• Instagram: “Instagram is a free, online photo-sharing application and social network
platform that was acquired by Facebook in 2012” (Rouse)
DISCLAIMER: All project works, files and documents posted on this website, eProjectTopics.com are the property/copyright of their respective owners. They are for research reference/guidance purposes only and some of the works may be crowd-sourced. Please don’t submit someone’s work as your own to avoid plagiarism and its consequences. Use it as a reference/citation/guidance purpose only and not copy the work word for word (verbatim). The paper should be used as a guide or framework for your own paper. The contents of this paper should be able to help you in generating new ideas and thoughts for your own study. eProjectTopics.com is a repository of research works where works are uploaded for research guidance. Our aim of providing this work is to help you eradicate the stress of going from one school library to another in search of research materials. This is a legal service because all tertiary institutions permit their students to read previous works, projects, books, articles, journals or papers while developing their own works. This is where the need for literature review comes in. “What a good artist understands is that nothing comes from nowhere. The paid subscription on eProjectTopics.com is a means by which the website is maintained to support Open Education. If you see your work posted here by any means, and you want it to be removed/credited, please contact us with the web address link to the work. We will reply to and honour every request. Please notice it may take up to 24 – 48 hours to process your request.
