The Social Media Identity: An exploratory study on how Swedish companies conducts marketing on international social media

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The Social Media Identity

An exploratory study on how Swedish companies conducts marketing on international social media

Bachelor Thesis

Authors: Edvin Holpers, Reuben Edenkrantz Emails: kh222vs@student.lnu.se,

re222ik@student.lnu.se

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Abstract

The world today has successively been shrinking in terms of distance between us as individuals, globalisation and the increased digitalisation of our society have made information accessible and connectivity simpler and more profound. In conjunction with digitalising our lives, a new medium within the digital world has risen to such prominence that it is now a factor of constant influence upon us and our environment, social media. As a consequence, people have to a large extent become digital natives. This has led to firms and brands sensing opportunities within the medium and the utilisation of its different unique vehicles.

In combination with practitioners increased interest and utilisation of social media from a business standpoint, business and marketing researchers have conducted increasing amounts of research on the area. Subsequently, the researchers of this paper identified the need for an increased understanding of social media marketing strategies, as further highlighted by other researchers in previous studies on the field of social media marketing. Thus, the purpose to contribute to an increased understanding of social media marketing and how this international medium, with its unique features and possibilities, could be used as a marketing tool by companies in their respective industry and market was formulated.

To provide the profound understanding stated, due to the complex nature of the matter at hand, an abductive approach was used and motivated for. The theories and concepts used for formulation of the questions in the operationalisation, for the semi-structured interviews, was presented from a broad to narrow structure under the literature review. Furthermore, the theories were summarised in the conceptual framework. The following analysis categorised and positioned the informants and their respective firms under four sub-concepts of the main concept of social media marketing strategies. These

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categorisations laid the foundation for the conclusion of the paper and the answering of the posed research question. The final chapter then concludes by stating the researcher’s recommendations and the presentation of an example of a possible model for the stages of utilising social media to its fullest extent.

Finally, limitations and avenues for future research topics are presented and concludes the paper.

The paper provides an increased and profound understanding of how four Swedish firms, in different sectors, utilise the same tool for digital marketing.

We suggest that all firms active on social media for marketing purposes, should aim to adapt their marketing towards the full utilisation of all its features and possibilities. Furthermore, a process of adapting traditional marketing to the new form of social media marketing, utilising the mediums unique features and possibilities are subsequently discussed. A possible future model to describe this adaptation process are presented and further elaborated upon as one avenue for future research.

Keywords

Social media marketing strategies, International platforms, Utilisation, Adaptation

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Acknowledgments

Firstly, we would like to show our outmost gratitude and thank our respondents that provided us with the empirical data necessary to conduct the thesis. Their contribution and participation facilitated the process of the paper to a great extent. We are thankful to them for taking the time to answer our questions and so transparent and open regarding their activities. Thank you.

Secondly, this thesis would not have seen the light of day without the continuous supervision and guidance from our supervisor, Pär Vasko. The way in which he prioritised to give us necessary feedback and his quick response time when contacting him, is a leading example of a superb supervisor. The feedback we received were crucial for the thesis and his professionalism has contributed to our own personal development, even outside of the scope of this thesis. Thank you.

Lastly, we would like to extend our gratitude to our fellow students that have provided us with feedback during the seminars along the way. Our examiner, Richard Owusu, contributed with general feedback during these seminars. He both gave good feedback, as well as posed constructive criticism. Thank you.

Edvin Holpers Reuben Edenkrantz

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1 Introduction

This chapter will introduce the reader to the context of the thesis through a descriptive background. Thereafter, a problematisation will follow and a continuation with research questions and a presentation of the purpose of the thesis. An outline of the thesis will conclude the chapter.

1.1 Background

Social media platforms are today an interwoven part of our society and our everyday life, most of us today are even seen as “digital natives” (Tuten &

Solomon, 2017). As a consequence, social media’s active part in the international business environment as a marketing tool for firms, has today become apparent (Haddow & Haddow, 2014). This has led to firms, regardless of size and market focus, using the social media tool, in its marketing, regardless of industry. Meaning that they all use the same tool, with the same international outreach, possibilities, and challenges, in their respective marketing. Moreover, different industries, in different environments, adhere to separate industry-specific trends to consider when conducting marketing activities. Despite this, they still use the same tool that is social media platforms when promoting the firm or selling their products/services.

In recent time, one of the major factors driving our societal evolution and advancement have been that of increasing technology and its international outlooks (Barney, 2010). Whether it be regarding nations and geopolitical intrigues, to companies and internationalisation or that of individual communication across past national boundaries. A paramount societal and social shift has occurred in recent times, nations no longer focus on their continent and its regional politics. Individuals are no longer unaware of events in other parts of the world to which they have no real connection whatsoever, at least in the old sense of connections.

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Companies no longer solely focus on solving the issue of how to increase sales in the home market and how to combat the rising number of competitors at home. Today’s society is global, in every sense of the word, nations meddle in other national bodies on the other side of the world, individuals have continued connections with new acquaintances in other nations and continents (Wilson, Kellerman, & Corey, 2013). Businesses can now worry about how to enter other national markets in the best way. Some businesses can achieve internationalisation in a rapid pace and challenge the traditional theories, these are called born global (Hollensen, 2017).

Technology and globalisation undoubtably go hand in hand with one another, together with increased ease of communication and growing internationalisation, the sharing of ideas and cultures have led to technological leaps, that in turn have spurred globalisation to increase (Acs & Preston, 1997).

One cannot discuss these two factors without mentioning another social change, that of digitalisation. In conjunction with the seen technological advances and international outlooks, an entirely new, globally available world has appeared, the digital one (Yeganeh, 2019). Today it is rare to find a company in a developed nation that does not have at least one computer, even rarer to find an individual without a smartphone or a household without internet connection. The digitalisation of our lives can maybe be seen in its most apparent form in the example of waking up in your bed and almost immediately be connected to the entire world and its information as soon as you turn off the alarm on your phone, people have become digital natives (Tuten & Solomon, 2017).

Due to these three large scale shifts in societal norms, new kinds of information and entertainment platforms have risen as a consequence of this development. The established news broadcasts and entertainment shows on television have had a difficult time to adapt to its decline in viewership, major

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newspapers and magazines have had to quickly digitalise to survive (Haddow

& Haddow, 2014).

These platforms and sites offer on-demand entertainment and information that the user can choose a time and place for. Moreover, they offer possibilities such as international outreach, ease of communication and the ability to create communities around ideas, products, or brands without geographical barriers (Haddow & Haddow, 2014).

The social media topic is a large scene that is out of the scope of this thesis, however, some factors behind these platforms’ success is of importance. The social media platforms that are so prominent today, rarely creates their own value, in the same sense as a car manufacturer might. Instead, these companies focus on the construction of a framework that attracts users and retains them, and most of all makes it as easy and as desirable as possible for the users to create or choose the value themselves (Singaraju, Nguyen, Niininen, &

Sullivan-Mort, 2016). Social media platforms are user-driven platforms, where the users, either alone or together, create the value of the digital service (Tuten & Solomon, 2017). By constructing frameworks that appeal to our senses of confirmation and belonging (Haddow & Haddow, 2014), one could say that digital social media has almost become a substitute for real life social interaction, or at least synonymous with it.

The tipping point is an idea and a concept of how social phenomenon and changes can suddenly tip towards becoming a rapid sensation of change, or a social trend adopted by the many (Gladwell, 2000). Gladwell (2000) presents three laws to understand how small trends or phenomenon suddenly tip towards becoming large social trends in a rapid and dramatic fashion: The law of the few, The law of Stickiness and the power of Context. These are of relevancy when understanding the context behind the success of social media platforms, as well as how trends on these platforms spread. It is evident that the concepts behind social media platforms are user-driven, that they co-create

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value and tap into our need for confirmation from our peers and gives us a feeling of belonging. This have created a sticky framework in which its users thrive in creating their own value.

On these social media platforms, and as a consequence of their designs and the engagement of its users, an old phenomenon has followed the users into the digital world, trends (Zhang, Zhao, & Xu, 2016). Gladwell (2000) states that the word trend itself is not something new, fashion trends, commercial trends and trending products or ideas have existed for throughout many years. The definition of the word trend is “a general development or change in a situation or in the way that people are behaving” (Cambridge University Press, n/a).

There is a definition for the term global trend, which is “a general development or change in a situation that affects many countries of the world” (Cambridge University Press, n/a). Other terms such as social trends or macro/micro trends are terms that can be encountered.

However, international social media platforms have presented a new context in which unique features and possibilities has become synonymous when thinking of these platforms. One example of such a possibility is that of trends spreading on these platforms. However, in this new media and the digital world, it has become more apparent and accessible than ever. Everyone with a computer or mobile phone can directly partake in trends on social media, like performing certain dances to a specific song or watch a certain type of video.

The new comedy and entertainment form of memes are stained with trends, one type of meme is popular and can be found everywhere for a month or two, to then be replaced by another type of layout or punchline. When reading the word “Trend”, all of us think of a substantially different types of scenes in our minds today, some might think of fashion and music, others think of memes, and silly dances, some might even think of the global trend of digitalisation itself and the effect on international business. Therefore, this thesis will refer to this phenomenon as social media trends, defined as trends that occur on and

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are spread almost exclusively in the new context of social media platforms. By redefining a new term for trend in this context, to a term that specifically refers to trends created on social media platforms or the spreading of social trends on these platforms, in their digital and unique context. This thesis contributes by minimising future misunderstandings in future marketing research and make its discussions and findings relevant and understandable to marketeers and practitioners.

This new medium of social media is relatively new as a research subject, especially when discussing and investigating how companies can apply traditional marketing strategies to this international medium, or how to reconfigure them in this new context, as stated byLi, et al (2021); Aral, et al (2013), Moorman & Day (2016) and Guesalaga (2016). It is here that the researchers found the inception to this thesis.

1.2

Problematisation

Regarding the recently created digital context of social media platforms as a new marketing tool for companies to reach an international audience efficiently, most marketing research conducted on the field have aimed to integrate or reconfigure traditional marketing strategies so the concepts, theories and models can be applied to the context of social media (Li et al.

2021). Moreover, several researchers have stated the need to fill several research gaps in the area that is social media, e g. Aral et al. (2013),Guesalaga (2016) and Moorman & Day (2016).

Social Media Marketing Strategies (SMMS) are for example defined and conceptualised by comparing five dimensions in social media and marketing strategy: Core, Orientation, Resource, Purpose and Premise (Li et al. 2021). A taxonomy for the development of SMMS are presented. The article concludes that the field of SMMS has plenty of room for future research, and it is here that this thesis aims to contribute.

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Contributing to the area of research that is SMMS and exploring how marketeers can use the new medium of social media as a marketing channel with an instant international outreach. The discussions and conclusions to be made can aid future marketers on both a local and an international level. Social media has reduced the traditional marketing gap between company and audience, whilst encouraging interaction between the two (Haddow &

Haddow, 2014). Furthermore, due to the instant international and local outreach that these platforms offer at a low or no-cost for firms, most companies today are active on social media channels, regardless of size, nationality, market focus or ambition (Ajina, 2019). As a consequence, these firms market themselves or what they offer, through the same tool, despite operating in different business environments. Due to all this, the research conducted on firms’ social media marketing, regardless of their industry, size, and market focus, are internationally applicable. The international context of the medium and the firms use of the same tool, to achieve their respective marketing objectives, makes the research field of social media marketing instantly international. For instance, according to Stephen (2016) global advertising is driven by digital channels, making it evident to understand the digital environment and its platforms. Thus, the research on social media marketing is important for international business practitioners and researchers to consider, when discussing social media marketing as a component of the international business environment.

Although the area of social media and its potential for marketing have gained increasing attention from researchers and practitioners in recent years, the research tend to focus more on the subject of how to define and conceptualise terms such as digital marketing, social media, and marketing strategies.

Moreover, how these can be integrated to provide further understanding and develop new theories and models for marketeers and marketing managers are further discussed (Li et al. 2021).

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According to researchers such as (Li et al. 2021); (Aral, Dellarocas, & Godes, 2013), (Guesalaga, 2016) and (Moorman & Day, 2016), the area of how marketing strategies can be applied, reconstructed or created for use in this new context needs further research.

One of the five dimensions presented in the profile of SMMS’s, that of its

“Purpose”, is of particular interest here (Li et al. 2021). The article finds that SMMS’s purpose is “To generate, integrate, and reconfigure social media resources to achieve specific marketing objectives”. According to this purpose, firms should therefore utilise all unique features offered by the social media platforms, and their following possibilities.

This marketing medium is international due to the spreading of, for example social media trends over national boundaries. A product of this, is that firms are subject to industry-specific trends that impacts their respective business environments accordingly. These social media spread trends, thus impact firms regardless of their size or if they are international or local, due to social media being used by most people. Is this something that is considered by Swedish businesses’ content managers, that are active on the international marketing medium of social media platforms? And do they utilise the mediums unique features in their social media marketing?

For this thesis to be able to contribute to the research gap regarding social media marketing strategies, through exploring how Swedish content managers utilise the medium. The researchers have firstly, as previously stated, defined a term that solely refers to trends that occur on social media, namely social media trends. Thereafter, a study can be conducted on Swedish content managers that are active on social media platforms that offer an international outreach and investigate how they utilise the marketing resources of social media, and if they take the platforms characteristics into consideration when conducting their firms marketing on this international medium.

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Even though the medium of social media is international in its outreach, and the research conducted on its context is internationally applicable for international and global companies. It is of interest to examine how Swedish companies and the staff that is responsible for social media handling, relate to this international marketing medium and not solely focus on international companies. By examining how Swedish companies utilise social media and its unique marketing possibilities, the researchers can gain interesting insights in how this international medium and its unique features for marketing are perceived.

1.3 Research Questions

How do Swedish marketing managers conduct their social media marketing, and utilise the international mediums features?

1.4 Purpose

Contribute to an increased understanding of social media marketing and how this international medium, with its unique features and possibilities, could be used as a marketing tool by companies in their respective industry and market.

1.5 Delimitations

As a consequence of the complex area of research that is social media and how marketing strategies can be applied in its context, the issues, and possibilities for research on the topic is paramount. To narrow the exploration to a doable scope, the researchers have therefore chosen to investigate how Swedish firms relate to and utilise social media and its uniqueness.

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1.6 Outline

Introduction

•In the chapter, the topic of the thesis and the background to the research conducted is presented. The research gap is highligted thorugh the problem discussion leading into the presentation of the resarch questions and the purpose. The chapter is then concluded with the delimitations of the paper.

Literature Review

•By presenting the relevant theories and concepts for the resarch topig of the paper, the chapter provides the reader with a the relevant theoretical frame. The chapter concludes with a conceptual framework summary, presenting the process from theory to practically applicable definitions to be used when analysing the empirical findings.

Methodology

•This chapter presents and motivates the research methods and approaches chosen for the gathering of the empirical data.

Furthermore, it highlights ethical considerations and critiques of the methodological process.

Empirical Findings

•Here, the presentation of empirical data gathered is displayed alongside short information regarding the respondents that have been interviewed. The respondents where selected through criteria that are described in the purposive sampling.

Analysis

•In this chapter, the empirical data is analysed using the presented theoretical framework. The analysis aims to create valueable information and discussions for the identified research gap.

Conclusion

•The conclusion chapter highlights the papers findings, analysis conclusions and assumptions regarding the topic. Furthermore, the chapter answers the research question and complements the identified research gap and provides recommendations for further research.

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2 Literature Review

In this chapter, all theories, concepts, and ideas stated in previous research will be presented and described as to provide the reader with the necessary understanding regarding this thesis coming discussions. An explanation of the relevancy these concepts have towards the goals of this thesis will be shortly discussed. The chapter will conclude with the presentation of the conceptual framework.

2.1 Social media

Marketing through the medium of social media is a new, complex undertaking in comparison to traditional ways of conducting marketing through printed newspapers for example (Haddow & Haddow, 2014). However, this new medium offer firms an extremely large marketing potential with its unique features of communication, participation, creation, collaboration, socialising, sharing, and so on, the list can be made long (Tuten & Solomon, 2017). All these features can be included into terms such as User-Generated or User- Driven platforms, which is what most successful social media platforms has designed its digital framework towards nourishing and encouraging (Tuten &

Solomon, 2017).

For an exploratory study regarding social media marketing strategies to be of any relevancy to future research, the marketing medium of social media needs to be contextualised and understood. As a consequence of a profound understanding of the context and environment of social media from a marketing perspective, the researchers can deduce towards more detailed sub concepts that can be investigated using practical questions to answer the research question of the thesis.

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2.1.1 The Tipping Point

The tipping point idea can be used to gain circumstantial knowledge of the old phenomena of trends, in its new form of social media trends in the new context that is social media. Moreover, the idea of tipping points is applicable when understanding why social media has been so successful and why these platforms present a paramount opportunity for firms aiming to modernise their marketing.

The Tipping Point, How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference, in which Gladwell (2000) discusses different historical phenomena and presents his idea of the tipping point. By presenting several widely different historical examples of societal phenomenon’s, such as the rapid change in New York Crime rates and the sudden explosion of sales figures for the Hush Puppies shoes, Gladwell (2000) discusses and draw logical connections and reach a conclusion that there is a visible pattern in all sudden, dramatic, and seemingly inexplainable changes in society. Whether it be regarding sudden drops in crime rates or the unexpected re-emergence of the Hush puppies’ shoes as a fashion trend.

By drawing a similarity to how epidemics often function and stating three factors that have been seen as vital to rapidly spreading epidemics throughout history, Gladwell (2000) introduces three rules of the tipping point. The point at which a steady rise of, for example sales of the Hush Puppies, suddenly explode into a rapid and seemingly inexplainable rise at a previously unimaginable pace. The first rule of the tipping point is that of “The law of the few”, which refers to the need to have some individuals with a large influential impact on the many, the connectors. With today’s explosion of enormously influential people such as youtubers with millions of followers and viewers each day, or social media personalities that has such an outreach that traditional companies offer sponsorships to such an extent that these

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personalities become a social media business. It might be more prudent to think of these people as the modern examples of these connectors.

Rule number two is that of “The stickiness factor”, Gladwell (2000) poses that what is being introduced to a collective, needs to be memorable and sticky. A more modern example of this rule would be the relatively new social media app of TikTok and how the design and adjustments made to its presentation of its short, intriguing, and easily consumed videos, have made such an impact on the stickiness of its content, that other older video-oriented platforms such as YouTube have implemented similar features to remain competitive.

Additionally, by using New York crime rates as an example of showcasing the power and necessity of the third rule, Gladwell (2000) presents “The power of context”. Gladwell (2000) states that we as individuals are not only sensitive to changes in the context, rather exquisitely so, so much that changes in context are capable of tipping a phenomenon.

Conclusively, Gladwell (2000) states that all things and changes can be pushed to a tipping point, at which they become dramatic changes and societal phenomenon. With the slightest push – in just the right place – it can be tipped.

The idea of the tipping point and Gladwell’s idea that social phenomena suddenly are tipped towards rapid and dramatic societal change, or a trend. Is of relevance as contextual understanding to how both social media platforms and social media trends thereon, have successively found and constructed a framework that is sticky, has and breeds connectors and altogether present a compelling context to its users. These are environmental facts and factors that need to be kept in mind when discussing how firms, both Swedish and international, small, and large, can utilise this medium and its resources for marketing, communication, and branding purposes. The applicability of Gladwell’s rules to the rise of social media and the spreading of social media trends point towards how much influence social media has, as well as how

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much marketing power this can entail for a firm being able to efficiently market on these platforms, utilise its influence and the international outreach of its channels.

2.1.2 Social Media Marketing

A new term, “Digital Natives”, is the definition of a person that is active on social media platforms to a large extent (Tuten & Solomon, 2017). This definition, coined by Tuten & Solomon (2017) is today something that can be attributed to almost everyone, since almost everyone today has a smartphone and thus is easily connected to social media platforms. If not, chances are that

“Non-Digital Natives” are still subject to influence from these platforms and its users, from other informational outlets that can be more traditional or from social interactions with digital natives.

Social media are the online means of communication, conveyance, collaboration, and cultivation among interconnected and interdependent networks of people, communities, and organisations (Stephen, 2016). Tuten &

Solomon (2017) further defines social media as complex and a rapidly advancing environment, whilst today being the backbone of society. There are today about 4.66 billion global internet users, which is roughly 50% mankind’s current population, and this percentage is rising rapidly (Kemp, 2021).

Social media as a marketing medium is an extremely large and ever-changing environment, with limitless possibilities for marketing campaigns, branding and customer relations and retention, to name a few. The compiling of research, theories and facts regarding this environment is provided by Tuten

& Solomon in their book “Social Media Marketing” from 2017. This compilation of information contributes with a deep contextual understanding of the topic of social media marketing.

Furthermore, the compilation of research as presented by Tuten & Solomon (2017) identify several key terms, definitions, zones, and concepts that have

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been chosen by the researchers as sub concepts for the operationalisation of the study, these will however be discussed after the main concept in this chapter, for the sake of the chapters structure.

2.2 Social Media Marketing Strategies (SMMS)

The use of social media in companies marketing strategies have increased rapidly in recent time, research have covered social media in terms such as digital marketing and there is plentiful of research on marketing strategy, few researchers have conceptualised social media and marketing strategy into a consolidated knowledge on social media marketing strategies (SMMS) (Li, Larimo, & Leonidou, 2021). This research gap was aimed to be filled by defining SMMS, conceptualise their development and propose a taxonomy to divide SMMS into four strategies, as presented by Li et al. (2021). In the article, the researchers define the term SMMS by drawing a comparison of Social Media, and Marketing strategy. Looking at certain factors that define them: Core; Orientation; Resource, Purpose and Premise. By comparing these factors, the researchers present a resulting profile for SMMS.

According to the researchers, SMMS core and orientation is “Customer engagement” and “Transactional-oriented versus engagement-oriented”

respectively (Li et al. 2021). SMMS resource is “In exchange with customer- owned resources” with the purpose “To generate, integrate, and reconfigure social media resources to achieve specific marketing objectives”. Finally, the premise presented in the SMMS profile is “To capitalize on social media interactions and customer engagement so as to generate marketing resources”

(Li et al. 2021). If companies apply this profile as their main dimensions for their own marketing strategy regarding social media, all features and subsequent possibilities are components to consider for the companies’

marketeers. For example, if features such as reposts and comments are to be defined as social media marketing resources, then the SMMS aims to either

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generate, reconfigure, or integrate these features to achieve specific marketing objectives.

Moreover, the researchers present a conceptualisation of the SMMS development process, where they highlight the actions taken by both customer and the firm in the interactions on social media, in the form of their respective drivers, inputs, throughputs, and the outputs that follow, respectively (Li et al.

2021).

Drawing from the main concept of SMMS and its profile presented by Li et al.

(2021), in conjunction with the theoretical frame compiled by Tuten &

Solomon (2017), the researchers have identified four sub-concepts that classifies how firms relate to and utilise social media: Identity, Scope, Motive, and Culture. The ideas and theories that make up the four sub-concepts are provided and defined by Tuten & Solomon (2017). These sub-concepts are in turn made up of definitions that describe how a firm conducts and identifies itself and its social media activity within each sub-concept.

2.2.1 Social Media Identity

Communication is defined as the imparting or exchanging of information by speaking, writing, or using some other medium (Lexico, n/a). Within these mediums there are specific vehicles for marketeers to use when communicating, for example a specific tv show in the medium of television (Tuten & Solomon, 2017). In social media, there are numerous vehicles within each channel. Tuten & Solomon (2017) organises and group these options into four zones of specific types of channels within social media.

➢ Social Community

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Social Community describe channels of social media that focus primarily upon relationships and the common activities peoples participate in with others who share the same interest or identification (Tuten & Solomon, 2017).

➢ Social Publishing

The zone of social publishing encompasses firms that produce and issue content for distribution on social publishing sites (Tuten &

Solomon, 2017). These platforms offer both the hosting of content and enable the audience to participate in, and share said content. The social publishing platforms have removed the barriers identified in traditional publishing and broadcasting mediums, in regard to enabling user- generated content (UGC).

➢ Social Entertainment

This zone is somewhat similar to social publishing. However, the publishing zone focuses on the sharing of knowledge whilst the entertainment zone has its founding idea in entertainment (Tuten &

Solomon, 2017). Some examples of platforms in this zone would be the likes of Spotify as well as platforms that operate in several of these zones, like YouTube and Twitter.

➢ Social Commerce

The final zone includes platforms that offer the possibility for buying and selling through online channels. This can be done by social shopping, social marketplaces, and hybrid channels enabling online commerce between the users (Tuten & Solomon, 2017). These platforms often have features that influences the decision-making process in the form of recommendations, ratings, and comments.

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2.2.2 Social Media Scope

The social media scope aims to describe how firms use the medium of international social media by identifying as a “Defender” or a “Explorer”

(Tuten & Solomon, 2017). The question behind the sub-concept is if the organisation uses social media marketing internally or externally to collaborate and interact with stakeholders, customers or consumers and suppliers?

➢ Explorer

An organisation active in social media from an Explorer standpoint, are collaborating with stakeholders, suppliers, and customers in its social media marketing (Tuten & Solomon, 2017). By seeking interaction and collaboration in its use of social media, engaging in comments, reposts and shared content creation. Explorers are seen to be exploring the medium of social media to a larger extent than firms operating from a more traditional usage of marketing.

➢ Defender

The other way to approach social media marketing is that of a Defender (Tuten & Solomon, 2017). Firms that see and use social media as a primarily one-way communication and marketing tool are to be seen as a Defender. When conducting their marketing on social media, these firms largely operate by the same thinking and traditional principles regarding marketing in other, more traditional mediums that do not offer the same opportunities for user-generated content (UGC) and co- creational value.

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2.2.3 Social Media Motive

Tuten & Solomon (2017) highlights some of the most common impulses that researchers have identified as being some of the motives for why actors engage in social media interaction. Researchers have found that the motives for why actors participate in this new medium is many and might be because of several impulses (Tuten & Solomon, 2017).

➢ Affinity Impulse

The impulse of affinity refers to the usage of social media and the active participation in its features stemming from a desire for Social Capital (Tuten & Solomon, 2017). Meaning the assets attained when building and nourishing relationships and connections with other people and users. Social networks have provided its users to stay in touch with friends and family, as well as enabling a creation and initiation of new relationships and contacts.

➢ Personal Utility Impulse

Tuten & Solomon (2017) compiles research regarding the personal utility of social media participation, they highlight that researchers have found that some actors and users do consider the question “What is in it for me?”. The research conducted on social media, have shown that utility such as information seeking, entertainment seeking or the incentive of convenience, are major factors for many social media users and actors (Tuten & Solomon, 2017).

➢ Contact Comfort & Immediacy Impulse

This impulse exemplifies itself in peoples natural desire to feel closeness and belonging with other individuals (Tuten & Solomon, 2017). Social media has offered people the opportunity to easily find likeminded individuals and nurture the creation of communities online.

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Tuten & Solomon (2017) further mentions that previous studies have shown that social media users even seek contact and immediacy from brands and companies.

➢ Altruistic Impulse

The altruistic impulse refers to the participation on social media “to make the world a better place”, as a way of doing something good (Tuten & Solomon, 2017). Social media platforms have enabled a larger international and immediate outreach and has made cash donations a faster process, for example.

➢ Curiosity Impulse

This impulse refers to participation in social media as a way to gain information and knowledge (Tuten & Solomon, 2017). Simply put, social media and the following of brands and other users is an excellent way of satisfying our curiosity.

➢ Validation Impulse

The validation impulse encompasses why individuals tend to post a majority of selfies on social media (Tuten & Solomon, 2017). The impulse is highlighted by the tendency to check up on how many likes the posts received and reading of the comments. In other words, the validation impulse can be seen as “feeding one’s own ego”. The impulse is thought to be prevalent in people who seek to mend self- doubt through these platforms.

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2.2.4 Social Media Culture

➢ Traditional

The traditional social media culture relates to firms that use social media marketing as a tool for mass communication and applies the traditional thinking of marketing to the new context of social media (Tuten & Solomon, 2017). It is comparable to firms that are classified as a defender under the social media scope sub-concept. A firm that is traditional in its social media marketing are not very flexible and open minded in its use of the platforms’ features.

➢ Modern

A modern firm on the other hand, conducts its social media marketing in a permeable, open, and flexible manner (Tuten & Solomon, 2017).

Thus, the firm can be said to have a modern social media culture, where new features on platforms are explored and used and customer and company interaction is always engaged, in both a planned and spontaneous fashion.

2.3 Conceptual Framework

Through the literature review, starting at a contextual understanding of social media, factors behind its rise to prominence and how social phenomena can be tipped towards dramatic changes. The researchers have learnt that social media marketing as such, still is an under-researched topic, specifically regarding the implementation of traditional marketing strategies or the creation of new ones, so called Social Media Marketing Strategies (SMMS). Furthermore, the different aspects and features that make up the platforms characteristics can be seen as a marketing resource or vehicle within the marketing medium of social media and its different platforms, and can thus be utilised by companies aiming to achieve the purpose of SMMS, which is “to generate, integrate, and

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reconfigure social media resources to achieve specific marketing objectives”

(Li et al. 2021).

From the literature review, the researchers have selected four sub concepts to investigate in order to answer the research question posed. By investigating how the firms would be positioned within the different definitions of each sub- concept, the researchers can analyse and discuss how the respondents relate to and utilise social media and its different marketing resources.

Figure 1 – Conceptual Framework Figure

Social

Media SMMS Sub-

Concepts Definitions

The relation to and utilisation of Social Media

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3 Methodology

This chapter will present the methodology that the researchers have chosen and highlights the process of conducting the study. The chapter begins with a presentation of the methodological approach and the research method used. It continues with structure and implementation of the study. Followed by the method for analysing and the literature selection is presented . The chapter then concludes with a quality assessment, research ethics and a critique of the method.

3.1 Abductive approach

The authors have chosen the abductive reasoning approach when investigating how firms conduct their social media marketing and utilise its features. The abductive reasoning approach highlights the fact that it has its stronghold between the mix of both inductive and deductive reasoning to eliminate each obstacle and limitation between the two. The difficulty of inductive reasoning is to prove that empirical data will lead to theory-building and the difficulty of deductive reasoning is the fact that it is very reliant on its strict logic of testing theories as well as falsifying hypothesis (Bell, Bryman, & Harley, 2019). The abductive reasoning approach seeks to explain a detected empirical phenomenon which existing theory fail to elaborate upon, in order words, the abductive approach aims to clarify the identification of an explanation to facilitate the understanding of the phenomenon (Bell, Bryman, & Harley, 2019); (Timmermanns & Tavory, 2012); (Saunders, Lewis, & Thornhill, 2016).

To achieve this, the authors must mix their course of activities between the inductive -and deductive approach to obtain knowledge on an empirical phenomenon from a theoretical standpoint where an understanding has been gathered from literature (Bell, Bryman, & Harley, 2019).

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This is relevant for the authors since a detected phenomenon seeks explanation through theory-driven questions (quantitative) with semi-structured interviews (qualitative). Abductive reasoning aims to clarify and make sense of a puzzling phenomenon by filling uncoherent gaps of the researchers understanding of the matter (Zelechowska, Zyluk, & Urbanski, 2020), (Brinkmann & Kvale, 2015). To further highlight the collection of empirical data, a measure of four phases were presented, these phases guide the researcher through abductive reasoning. The four phases consist of Exploration; Examination; Selection;

and Explanation (Zelechowska, Zyluk, & Urbanski, 2020). This is applicable for the authors of this thesis since a phenomenon was explored and through theories were examined, furthermore, a selection regarding the interviews were presented followed by an explanation through the analysed answers of the participants.

Tavory and Timmerman (2012) present the abductive analysis as “a creative inferential process” where two parts exist, “one-part empirical observations of a social world, the other part a set of theoretical propositions” (Rinehart, 2021).

Tavory and Timmerman (2012) suggest a back-and-forth process between empirical findings and theory-based readings. An abductive approach can be linked to when the environment is uncertain, such as, a phenomenon (Brinkmann & Kvale, 2015).

Timmermans and Tavory (2012) further states that the interpretation of the phenomenon is affected by observations, other similar phenomena, and previous experiences due to a hidden cause and effect view. This can lead to the creation of new definitions of the phenomenon (does not have to be compared to previous explanations and experiences), however, this results in the fact that abductive reasoning seeks a suitable fit between observed facts (qualitative) and rules (quantitative). This means that the findings are difficult to generalise since a suitable description is presented to specific areas (Timmermanns & Tavory, 2012).

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3.2 Research method

Since the authors implements an explorative study and the abductive approach, it is clear to see that they aim to clarify the identification of an explanation to facilitate the understanding of the phenomenon, thus, the authors have chosen a qualitative research method. The authors seek to present a nuanced explanation dependent on contextualisation rather than a generalisable explanation.

Qualitative research method is interpretation-oriented which means that the importance is on the social reality aspect. Furthermore, the understanding of the matter can be affected by main choices set by how the participants interprets the environment. The theory should originate from gathering data and data analysis, to gain an understanding on patterns behind the curtains. It is crucial to not manipulate data to match the theory, however, to rather observe the field itself. Qualitative research method tends to detect social environment in terms of processes, that is why it is strongly connected to pattern explanation regarding change (Bryman & Bell, 2017).

That is why the authors have chosen qualitative research method, to observe the social environment and gain an understanding through empirical findings rather than manipulating the findings to pre-chosen theory.

3.3 Semi-Structured Interviews

The authors searched for an approach that could match the purpose and the research question the best, semi-structured interviews enabled that match.

Semi-structured interviews are relevant when searching for knowledge and information from individuals that have experience within the chosen area (Denscombe, 2018). The informant can speak freely on their opinions and thoughts regarding the selected area that the authors have chosen. This enables the authors to obtain the information that the informant deems necessary and relevant.

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The questions do not have to follow any specific order which lead the interview to become very flexible for all parties involved (Denscombe, 2018).

Since the authors seeks to obtain relevant information, thoughts, and opinions from practitioners in the field regarding a rather undiscussed phenomena, this type of interview form fits the authors the best.

3.3.1 Implementation

The interviews were held with an interview guide as a guideline where the same questions were directed towards the informants. An interview guide enables the authors to lead the informants to certain themes without asking directed questions, the aim is to have the informant speak freely with a specific theme in mind rather than asking directly about the matter at hand (Bryman &

Bell, 2017).

The authors based their interview guide on the four sub-concepts from the operationalisation chapter where questions were based within each sub- concept. The different concepts consist of (1). Social Media Identity, (2).

Social Media Scope, (3). Social Media Motive, and (4). Social Media Culture.

All four interviews were held digitally, two over the platform Zoom, and the remaining two over phone, in which all were transcribed accordingly.

3.3.2 Selection

The selection was determined through the relevancy of the research questions.

since the determents and criteria specified the position and the industry, the authors deemed it redundant to present the names of the informants and the name of the companies. Therefore, only the position and industry are presented and shown.

The one the authors could identify as the most relevant was the purposive sampling. There are different approaches within purposive sampling when deciding which selection strategy that is the most relevant.

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Through purposive sampling the authors chose the criteria-oriented approach.

The criteria-oriented approach means that cases or individuals that fulfils pre- determined criteria are chosen for the interviews (Bryman & Bell, 2017). This was suitable for the authors since the informants were relevant due to the fulfilment of these criteria. The chosen criteria as well as the informants are presented below:

Respondent specific criteria

• Position in firm – Marketing Manager, Content Manager, Marketing Strategy, Or Similar.

• Relation to social media – Largely involved in the firms use of social media.

Firm specific criteria

• Location – Sweden.

• Market Focus – Swedish.

• Social Media Relation – Active on at least one social media platform.

• Social Media Engagement – Active on social media for at least one year with weekly activity, e.g., posts, comments, reposts.

Informants Position Business

Informant 1 Business Developer Wildlife/ Ski Resort Informant 2 Marketing Manager Catering/ Restaurant Informant 3 Marketing Manager Sports/ Golf

Informant 4 Marketing Manager Hairdresser

Table 1 - Interview List

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3.4 Literature Selection

The selection of the literature was based on the identified themes that the authors desired to investigate. A theme can be explained as a category that is identified by the authors from primary choices that already exist from literature. Furthermore, this provides a theoretical understanding for the authors which enables them to bring forth codes that can be easier analysed (Bryman & Bell, 2017). Relevant literature was therefore used to match the identified themes.

3.5 Quality assessment

To better assess the quality of the thesis, the authors have chosen two alternative concepts that represent reliability and validity. The two concepts in focus are: trustworthiness and authenticity. There are four criteria within trustworthiness, these are: credibility, transferability, dependability, and confirmability (Bryman & Bell, 2017).

The credibility criteria consist of the importance to present the most acceptable description of the social reality, if there are several definitions regarding the same social reality then confusion might occur, and it is the researcher’s task to eliminate that confusion. The transferability criteria consist of the need to present a profound description of the researched area since qualitative methods often focus on small groups. The focus on small groups results in contextual importance and the findings are seldom generalisable. The dependability criteria consist of the importance to establish a correct research process from start to finish. Lastly, the confirmability criteria consist of the importance that the authors have acted in good faith and that personal values have not interfered with the method (Bryman & Bell, 2017).

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The authenticity concept consists of the justice side of the research method and the importance of transparency, that the authors have presented a clear structure and approach regarding research methods, solid arguments, and a trustworthy approach (Bryman & Bell, 2017).

3.6 Research Ethics

The researchers have taken several precautions into consideration when conducting the empirical findings. The precautions consist of requirements such as, utilisation, information, confidentiality, and the requirement of consent. The requirements dictate the correct way to approach and protect the informants. The informants must be aware and consent to that the authors can use their words and statements in their academical work. Furthermore, that the informants have the right to be anonymous and that they can dismiss any further interaction and remove any previous left statements. Moreover, the informants must be aware that their information is confidential, meaning, the authors will not share any personal information. Lastly, the informed consent must take place to ensure that the parties involved have accepted the terms presented by the authors, if not, the informant have the right to decline further interaction (Bryman & Bell, 2017).

3.7 Critique of method

The authors made active choices throughout the thesis to better guarantee the credibility, transferability, dependability, and confirmability criteria. the research field state some critique regarding qualitative research method. For instance, quantitative researchers state that qualitative studies often are too subjective and rely too much on the researchers own personal experiences, knowledge, and interpretations. Furthermore, a qualitative study often focuses on small groups or selected individuals within a company, which leads to the lack of generalisation. Quantitative researchers mean that a result from a

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qualitative study cannot be applicable on other environments or scenarios (Bryman & Bell, 2017).

The informants speak freely from own experiences which is important to take into consideration since the informants then cannot represent the whole field, they are active within. The interviews were specifically in focus from their perspective. The answers, however, can work as an indicator or a reference since every participating informant works with marketing. Opinions on the matter can therefore be presented. Regarding the selection there is a lack of participants, we as authors know that more informants would have helped create a more profound understanding.

3.8 Operationalisation

The process the researchers have undergone, to establish empirical questions derived from the conceptual framework, is here visualised in the subsequent table. The process begins with an exploration of previous research regarding the area of study. From the conceptual framework presented in the literature review chapter, the researchers picked out four sub-concepts to further investigate, so as to gain an overall understanding of how the respondents conduct their social media marketing and provide the data necessary to answer the Research Question (RQ). With the aim to investigate in which category or definition of each sub-concept the respondents would be positioned, the researchers then formulated the interview questions presented in the interview guide under attachments.

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Main Concept

Social Media Marketing Strategy

Sub-concept 1 Sub-concept 2 Sub-concept 3 Sub-concept 4 Social Media

Identity: 4 zones

Social Media Scope

Social Media Motive: Impulse

Social Media Culture

Social Community Defender Affinity Traditional

Social Publishing Explorer Personal Utility Modern

Social Entertainment

Contact Comfort &

Immediacy

Social Commerce Altruistic

Curiosity Validation

Int. Question 1-2 Int. Question 3 Int. Question 4-5 Int. Question 6-8

Table 2 – Operationalisation

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4 Empirical Findings

This chapter will present the empirical findings of the study conducted. It begins by presenting the respondents with a short background, respectively. The chapter concludes with exhibiting the respondents’ answers to the questions asked, in a structure following the sub-concepts of the theoretical framework.

4.1 Respondents

The following empirical data presented has been gathered using the presented methodology and the respondents adhere to the criteria in the purposive sampling. The data is presented in a flowing format following the sub concepts as headings for the respondents’ answers.

4.1.1 Informant 1 – Wildlife/Ski Resort

The respondent has a background as a real estate agent and is currently studying, as part of the studies the respondent is, what in Sweden is called learner at work (Lärande I arbete, LIU) as a business developer at the firm.

The firm is active in the wildlife industry, specifically in managing ski centres and campsites. The respondent is active in picking out products/packages to be marketed on social media and investigating different strategies for marketing of the company.

4.1.2 Informant 2 – Catering/Restaurants

The respondent is currently the marketing manager at the firm, which operates in the catering industry. The firm offer catering services and manages three restaurants. The respondent is a board member and is in charge of the marketing of the firm, mainly the marketing of the restaurants and caterings different packages and product offers related to events.

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4.1.3 Informant 3 – Sports/Golf

The respondent has a background as a teacher, however, is currently working as a marketing manager at a golf course. The golf club offers memberships, lessons, competitions, advice, and digital guidance, furthermore, they offer advanced developing techniques that members can exploit and utilise. As a marketing manager, it is the person´s job to promote deals, membership deals and other relevant subjects that affects the club´s business. Another task is to develop and plan the marketing strategy for future scenarios, such as, events, trainings, courses, and competitions.

4.1.4 Informant 4 – Service/Hair salon

The respondent has been the owner of the salon for many years and is very familiar with the internal and external processes regarding marketing. The marketing manager is in this case the owner. The task is to stay updated and informed to easier plan and strategize the marketing. The owner encourages everyone to look for new trends regarding relevant attributes to the company.

It is this person´s job to navigate the team and delegate the tasks.

4.2 Social Media Identity

To investigate the respondent’s social media identity two main questions were asked as presented in the operationalisation table. Here, all the respondents stated that their company are active in marketing through the social media platforms of Instagram and Facebook very briefly and confidently. When the wildlife respondent was asked a follow up question if they were not using other platforms like YouTube, the respondent stated that the previously stated platforms were the only ones they were active on. The sport industry respondent stated their activity on these two platforms, furthermore, the respondent added a specific other platform to the conversation.

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“I also have something that is not currently active, more like something I want to learn more about, which is a YouTube channel where I sometimes make a video or two. But I really do not know if that serves a purpose, it´s

more something you try along the way.”

Responding to the other main question, if they primarily sell or promote the firms’ brand or its products and services, the answers differed between the wildlife and catering respondents. The wildlife firm used the platforms solely as promoting and marketing activities, whilst providing a link to their website along with their posts. The catering on the other hand, firstly stated that they sell directly through these platforms after some initial thought, moreover, the respondent proceeded to answer that marketing probably is the main activity.

“We sell directly…yes, orders come through that way also.

Yes, that is the primary activity, the marketing. Direct sales are a side effect, one could say.”

The sports firm respondent answered that they use the platforms for promotion of themselves and their club primarily. Much like the service respondent, who very confidently and concisely answered that their main focus is to promote, without a doubt.

4.3 Social Media Scope

The questions asked to investigate the respondent’s social media scope relate to if they seek interaction or treat the activity as more of a traditional one-way advertising campaign.

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The catering firm respondent briefly answered that they only advertise or publish information, and further stated that interactions do occur, often in the form of questions regarding products or packages, however, that they do not initially seek interaction. A follow up question was asked regarding if they engage with this interaction when it occurs, to which the respondent stated that yes, they do engage in the interaction, for example by answering the questions about the products, since its mostly in this form the interaction occur.

The wildlife respondent had some hesitation regarding what kind of interaction was implied by the initial question, asking if the researchers meant that there is interaction in the message of the posts. To which the researchers clarified by giving the example of if the firm posts with the aim and hope to receive comments or reposts for example, and if they then engage actively in this interaction.

“Yeah…well…I would say we are extremely bad at seeking interaction in the way you just described. Like asking a question and asking the followers to answer in the comment section. However, there does exist messages like “We just launched this package, click here to read more”, I am not sure what that falls under. If you mean if we ask a question to the audience and want them to answer, we do not really do that. We rather inform that we have this, and

we want you to click here.”

The researchers then asked if the respondent saw the activity as one-way marketing or as seeking interaction, to which the respondent answered that one-way was probably the closest to the truth.

The sports respondent answered, after clarification of the question, that they are more about self-validation, and that they market their brand first and foremost.

The Social Media Identity: An exploratory study on how Swedish companies conducts marketing on international social media