• Thursday, March 28, 2024
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BusinessDay

43% of Nigerians make smartphone purchase decisions based on social media

How smartphone companies are including features to adapt to the new normal

A new study by the Research and Intelligence Unit of the Omni-media group, RED | For Africa,
indicates that about 43 per cent of Nigerians with active social media accounts have been
influenced to buy smartphones based on brand-focused online marketing campaigns.

The research study was undertaken by RED | For Africa to analyze and give insight into the
impact and effectiveness of social media marketing campaigns in influencing consumer choices
and driving sales of phone devices in Nigeria.

Speaking on the study, Isime Esene, Head of Research and Intelligence said, “People do not
buy things by chance, and even for technology brands that provide both functional and social
value, consumers need products that will not disappoint, fail, or crash when they are needed.

“As a rapidly growing sector in Nigeria, marketing technology devices and properties on social
media is an important business activity for all major brands in the industry. But if it is to be done
effectively, it is important to understand what exactly drives the choices and decisions for
targeted consumers,” he added.

Mr  Esene explained that the research data is designed to help smartphone brands position
themselves to understand their customers better, and also improve their bottom-line. More
research reports are expected to be released, covering contemporary issues and topics in
media and communication, church culture, politics, and governance.

The research report is built on an extensive survey conducted with 1,007 respondents between
ages 18 – 60 years across Nigeria, and further supported by three focus group discussions to
assess buying decisions and major interests of smartphone product consumers.
A sizeable number of the participants (83 per cent) are resident in Lagos, with others covering
Oyo, Kano, FCT Abuja, Enugu and Osun state. Also, the age division between participants is
18-25 years (61.07 percent); 26-35 years (26.42 percent); 36–40 years (8.15 percent); 41-50
years (2.78 per cent) and 51-60 years (2.68 per cent).

Results from the research study indicate that:

1. While 78.57 per cent of respondents between ages 26–35 years have been exposed to
communication materials from social media mobile phone campaigns, more than half (60.38 per cent) of respondents, say they have never been influenced to buy a phone by a social media
campaign.

2. Likewise, only 42.7 per cent of those aged 18–25 years have previously bought a mobile
because they were convinced of its value by a social media campaign.

3. The top 3 priorities for those looking to buy a smartphone are Features & Specifications,
Price, and Brand Reputation. Although the price consideration is really high among those who
earn less than N100,000 monthly.

4. About 52 per cent of the respondents say they “probably would” be influenced to buy a
phone due to a social media campaign, 13.7 per cent say they “definitely would not”.

5. Social media campaigns appear to be effective for increasing awareness, but cannot be
fully dependable in driving action for those who want to buy phones. This assertion was further
supported by brand managers in surveyed phone wholesale stores.

6. To drive action, messaging for phone campaigns on social media should focus more on
the phone features and price indication, depending on the target customers and selected
platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and others).
The detailed report can be downloaded  HERE