The Effect of Social Media Advertising on the Restaurant Industry of Saudi Arabia

Abstract

The rapid growth and widespread adoption of social media platforms has revolutionized the way businesses promote their products and services. The restaurant industry, in particular, has realized the huge potential of social media advertising as a powerful tool to reach and engage with a large customer base. This research aims to clarify the impact of social media on the restaurant industry in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and to help us formulate the study question. The research question in this study is: “How does social media advertising affect the restaurant industry in Saudi Arabia?” The literature review is done by different researchers, academics and scholars who have previously researched similar topics. A sample of 100 participants was selected for the research. Including students and employees aged 18 to 48 years. A research survey was developed and FourEye survey and graphical analysis were used to determine the results. The results of this study showed that social media advertising can positively impact the restaurant industry in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia by significantly increasing brand awareness of restaurants in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. By leveraging different social media platforms such as Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat, restaurants can also reach a wide audience. It has also been shown that social media advertising can have a negative impact on the restaurant industry through which negative reviews or customer complaints can spread quickly. It harms the reputation of the restaurant. One negative experience shared on social media can have a significant impact on a restaurant's image and discourage potential customers from visiting. Social media advertising can also influence consumer behavior switching intention, purchase intention and attitudes.