EXTENT OF USAGE OF SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS FOR IMPROVED BUSINESS ACTIVITIES BY SMALL AND MEDIUM SCALE ENTERPRISES IN DELTA STATE

Abstract

This study examined the extent of usage of social media platforms for improved business activities by small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) in Delta State, Nigeria. Guided by two research questions and two null hypotheses, the study adopted a descriptive survey research design. The population comprised 12,540 managers of businesses registered with the Delta State Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency (DEMSMA), while a sample of 400 SME managers, selected using simple random sampling, participated in the study. Data were collected using a validated and reliable 4-point structured questionnaire titled Social Media Platforms for Improved Business Activities (SMPIBA), with reliability confirmed through a pilot study in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, yielding a Cronbach Alpha of 0.90. Data were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, and t-test at 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed that SMEs in Delta State use WhatsApp and YouTube platforms for business activities, but only to a low extent, indicating underutilization of the platforms’ potential for networking, customer engagement, marketing, brand promotion, and global reach. Furthermore, there was no significant difference in responses between urban and rural enterprise managers regarding WhatsApp and YouTube usage. Based on these findings, it was recommended that managers of SMEs should highly utilize WhatsApp to establish business networks and identity, recognize business opportunities, and foster connections among marketers, while YouTube should be strategically used to promote branded personality, video advertisements, and marketing channels for global business reach.