Abstract

Social media is now a serious factor as a platform for conducting advertising activities. Organizations have recently been spending considerable time, money as well as other resources on advertisements on social media platforms. Besides these efforts, the organizations also face challenges in designing promotions on social media in such a way that they can be successful in attracting customers as well as motivating them to purchase their brands. On the other hand, these huge amounts of resources also are meant to create connections with customers even though the understanding of the manner in which consumers engage with brands on different platforms of social media and how this engagement has an effect on the purchase process is limited. This study will draw on the social identity theory to suggest its hypothesis. It aims to postulate and forecast the situations surrounding individuals thinking concerning themselves as individuals or as members of a particular group. It also goes further to consider the consequences that personal and social identities have on the perceptions of an individual and on the behavior of the group. Thus, this study proposes that when consumers identify with particular brands, it is evident in both the in-role behavior that is related to consumption of the product as well as in extra-role behavior that is beneficial to the entire group, consisting of among others, word of mouth. Consequently, the studys main aim will be identifying as well as testing the critical aspects that are linked to advertising on social media platforms that can help in predicting the intentions of potential customers to purchase.

Keywords: Social Identity theory, Social Media, Behavior of Consumers