Social Media Platforms and Sales Performance of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises in Benin City

Many Small and Medium Scale Enterprises‟ (SMEs) operators make use of the social media platforms for sharing pictures of themselves in social events. Their lack of information on the influence of the social media platforms on their sales performance may be responsible for their poor adoption of social media platforms for business purpose. The study examined the relationship between social media platforms and sales performance of SMEs in Benin City. The study adopted a survey research design. The population of the study was made up of operators of SMEs in Benin City, Nigeria. The sample size was 357. Questionnaire was the main research instrument. The data were generated using Google online survey, while the data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics through the SPSS Version 20.0. The findings showed that social media adoption, viral marketing, and social media customer relationship management had significant relationship with sales performance. Social media search engine optimisation had a non-significant relationship with sales performance. All the social media platforms variables had positive relationship with sales performance of SMEs in Benin City.Social media adoption had the highest positive coefficient on the sales performance of SMEs in Benin City, while social search engine optimisation had the least positive coefficient on the sales performance of SMEs in Benin City. There was a moderate correlation between social media platforms and the sales performance of SMEs in Benin City. The Pearson correlation revealed that all the social media variables (social media adoption, viral marketing and social customer relationship management) had linear relationship with sales performance. It was concluded that SMEs require much efforts in social media platforms. It was recommended that the SMEs should use the social media to promote their merchandise; leverage on the benefits of viral marketing; use search engine optimisation technology to enable customers to search and see their products online; and complement physical customer relationship with the social media customer relationship management.