Social Media Marketing Strategies to Engage Generation Y Consumers Christopher Tingley Walden University
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Walden University ScholarWorks Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies Collection 2015 Social Media Marketing Strategies to Engage Generation Y Consumers Christopher Tingley Walden University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations Part of the Advertising and Promotion Management Commons, and the Marketing Commons This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies Collection at ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Walden University College of Management and Technology This is to certify that the doctoral study by Christopher Tingley has been found to be complete and satisfactory in all respects, and that any and all revisions required by the review committee have been made. Review Committee Dr. Tim Malone, Committee Chairperson, Doctor of Business Administration Faculty Dr. Lynn Szostek, Committee Member, Doctor of Business Administration Faculty Dr. Richard Snyder, University Reviewer, Doctor of Business Administration Faculty Chief Academic Officer Eric Riedel, Ph.D. Walden University 2015 Abstract Social Media Marketing Strategies to Engage Generation Y Consumers by Christopher M. Tingley MBA, Clarion University of Pennsylvania, 2006 BA, Gannon University, 2004 Doctoral Study Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Business Administration Walden University June 2015 Abstract Consumers of the Generation Y cohort, also referred to as Millennials, include approximately 75 million Americans who have significant purchasing power. These consumers access social media on a daily basis, but they often ignore advertisements that are targeted to them. Previous studies on social media marketing to Generation Y consumers have focused on consumer input but lacked data from marketing professionals. The purpose of this phenomenological study of social media marketers in the United States was to determine successful strategies to engage Generation Y on social media. The study’s conceptual framework was attitude toward the ad. The data were gathered through semistructured telephone interviews conducted with 20 social media marketing professionals who were recruited through email and social media. The data were coded using inductive codes of reoccurring themes. Social media marketers were found to be most successful when remaining honest and transparent, and when personalizing their communications to their target audiences. Marketers reading this study can gain insight into the social media behavior of Generation Y consumers and can apply the strategies presented in this study in their social media campaigns. This study may promote social change by improving the relationship between social media marketers and Generation Y consumers, allowing Generation Y consumers to gain a stronger voice in marketing, and by highlighting the need for marketers to communicate and advertise more honestly with their consumers. Social Media Marketing Strategies to Engage Generation Y Consumers by Christopher M. Tingley MBA, Clarion University of Pennsylvania, 2006 BS, Gannon University, 2004 Doctoral Study Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Business Administration Walden University June 2015 Dedication I dedicate this study to “Uncle” Kenny Tingley. He was my godfather, uncle, and best friend. I know he would be proud of me, and I miss him every day of my life. As the Iced Earth song goes, “Oh I know, he’s watching over me.” Acknowledgments I would like to thank everyone who has been with me along the way through all the laughs and all of the tears. I hope I have done you proud. To quote Willy Wonka, “We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams.” Table of Contents Section 1: Foundation of the Study ......................................................................................1 Background of the Problem ...........................................................................................1 Problem Statement .........................................................................................................3 Purpose Statement ..........................................................................................................3 Nature of the Study ........................................................................................................4 Research Question .........................................................................................................6 Interview Questions ................................................................................................ 6 Conceptual Framework ..................................................................................................7 Definition of Terms........................................................................................................8 Assumptions, Limitations, and Delimitations ..............................................................10 Assumptions .......................................................................................................... 10 Limitations ............................................................................................................ 11 Delimitations ......................................................................................................... 11 Significance of the Study .............................................................................................12 Contribution to Business Practice ......................................................................... 12 Implications for Social Change ............................................................................. 13 A Review of the Professional and Academic Literature ..............................................13 Transition and Summary ..............................................................................................39 Section 2: The Project ........................................................................................................40 Purpose Statement ........................................................................................................40 Role of the Researcher .................................................................................................41 i Participants ...................................................................................................................41 Research Method and Design ......................................................................................43 Method .................................................................................................................. 43 Research Design.................................................................................................... 45 Population and Sampling .............................................................................................46 Ethical Research...........................................................................................................47 Data Collection ............................................................................................................48 Instruments ............................................................................................................ 48 Data Collection Technique ................................................................................... 50 Data Organization Techniques .............................................................................. 50 Data Analysis Technique .............................................................................................51 Reliability and Validity ................................................................................................53 Reliability .............................................................................................................. 53 Validity ................................................................................................................. 55 Transition and Summary ..............................................................................................56 Section 3: Application to Professional Practice and Implications for Change ..................57 Overview of Study .......................................................................................................57 Presentation of the Findings.........................................................................................58 Applications to Professional Practice ..........................................................................69 Implications for Social Change ....................................................................................70 Recommendations for Action ......................................................................................71 Recommendations for Further Study ...........................................................................72 ii Reflections ...................................................................................................................72 Summary and Study Conclusions ................................................................................73 References ..........................................................................................................................74 Appendix A: Interview Questions .....................................................................................92