Influence of Social Media Marketing on Consumer Buying Behavior: A Special Reference to Jhansi

Abstract

This research paper presents an analysis of the influence of Social Media Marketing (SMM) activities on Consumer Buying Behavior (CBB), with a special reference to Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, based on a quantitative survey. Over the past decade, social media platforms (especially Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube) have fundamentally transformed how brands interact with consumers in India, particularly in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities. Jhansi, as a significant commercial hub of the Bundelkhand region, is witnessing a major shift from traditional marketing to digital marketing. The objective of this study was to determine whether key components of SMM, such as Content Quality (CQ), User Engagement (UE), and Local Influencers (LI), statistically influence the various stages of the purchasing decision process (awareness, consideration, and final purchase) among Jhansi consumers.

Primary data were collected from N=500 consumers in Jhansi city, aged between 18 and 45 years, who were active social media users, through a structured questionnaire. Using Multiple Regression Analysis, it was found that all three components of SMM are significant predictors of Consumer Buying Behavior. The most critical finding was that Local Influencers and User Engagement (specifically reviews and ratings) directly and most strongly affect the Purchase Intent of Jhansi consumers. This indicates that in communities like Jhansi, Social Proof and Trust still play a more crucial role in purchasing decisions compared to generic digital advertising. These findings provide significant implications for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Jhansi to develop targeted and effective digital marketing strategies, emphasizing local community involvement and authentic content.