Effect of social media marketing strategies on the brand equity of private hospitals in Nairobi County, Kenya

Abstract

A powerful brand is one of the most crucial assets for any firm that aspires to achieve sustainable growth in the current market, which is characterized by greater levels of competition and integration. Not only is this the case in the sector of fast-moving consumer goods, but it is also the case in the industry of services, where the intangible attributes of products are prevalent and difficult for customers to conceptualize. The topic of investing in brand equity is an important one for every marketer to consider. At the other end of the spectrum, social media is a web-based service platform that enables users to build profiles that are either fully or partially public. Users are able to speak with a list of other users who have connections and perspectives that are comparable to their own within the same system by using these profiles. As a result of the proliferation of social media, a new digital realm and grid linkages have been established. The objective of this study was to investigate the impact that social media marketing techniques have on the brand equity of private hospitals located in Nairobi County using the data collected. The explicit goals of this study were to determine the impact that social media platforms like Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and LinkedIn have on the brand equity of hospitals. The theoretical frameworks of Social Media Engagement Theory and Customer-Based Brand Equity Model served as the foundation for the Thesis. The researcher encountered some limitations which include; some respondents not willing to fill the questionnaire on time and lack of cooperation. The relationship between the independent and dependent variable was demonstrated through the use of a conceptual framework. There are twenty private hospitals located in Nairobi County, according to the Ministry of Health Report 2023, which specifies that the target population consisted of these facilities. The target population was twenty hospitals where three managers and three assistant managers were selected which totalled to 120. With regard to the investigation, the census sample method was utilized. Descriptive cross-sectional survey was adopted. Information was gathered through the use of questionnaires. SPSS, which included both descriptive and inferential statistics, was used to perform the analysis on the data that was obtained. To identify the nature of the relationship that exists between the independent variables and the dependent variable, a multivariate regression analysis was carried out. Information has been presented in the form of graphs, tables, and charts to illustrate the findings. The study concluded that there is a positive relationship between all the independent and dependent variables which was shown by regression analysis. The study also revealed that there is a positive correlation between Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and LinkedIn and brand equity in private hospitals in Nairobi county. The study concluded that adequate social media marketing strategies is necessary when promoting brand equity in private hospitals. The study recommendations were as follows; Private hospitals in Nairobi should invest in comprehensive social media marketing strategies that go beyond mere presence on social platforms. This entails creating engaging and relevant content, leveraging user-generated content, fostering meaningful interactions with followers, and monitoring and responding to customer feedback effectively.