SOCIAL MEDIA IMPACTS ON UNDERGRADUATES’ INVOLVEMENT IN DIGITAL MARKETING IN UNIVERSITY OF ILORIN

Abstract

The rate at which undergraduates involve in digital marketing through social media called for rapid attention as many of them do not see the opportunities as economic advantages over the personal contact market. The study investigated social media impacts on undergraduates' involvement in digital marketing at the University of Ilorin. The objectives of the study were to investigate prevalent social media, the extent of use, undergraduates’ attitudes towards digital marketing and impacts of social media on undergraduates’ involvement in digital marketing. The study adopted a descriptive survey design, 200 undergraduates were selected using a simple random sampling technique. A researcher-designed questionnaire titled “Social Media Impact on Undergraduates' Involvement in Digital Marketing Questionnaire” was used for data collection. The reliability value of 0.82 was obtained for the instrument using Pearson Product Moment Correlation statistical technique. The findings of the study identified the prevalence of social media among undergraduates and the extent of social media usage as a tool in digital marketing.  The finding of the study also revealed that undergraduates had positive attitudes toward digital marketing, there were impacts of social media on undergraduates' involvement in digital marketing. It was, therefore, recommended among others that dynamics of social media marketing for conversion should be unravelled to undergraduates to help them make the best out of digital marketing transactions and there should be more awareness and education for undergraduates on the best use of social media for digital marketing to enhance more engagements and transaction.