An exploratory study of the use of social media marketing in the pay TV industry in Ireland /

Abstract

This research is an exploratory study, which analyses the use of social media by Irish pay-television providers when marketing their services. The main objective of this research is to determine has the use of social media by Irish pay-television providers changed the marketing of their services. Secondary research objectives investigated are: (A) Identify the various social media platforms that pay-television providers utilise to promote their paytelevision service. (B) To determine from a customer’s perspective if the promotional campaigns ran by the pay-television providers via social media platforms proves more effective as a means of engagement than with traditional marketing methods or is a combination of both methods as effective. This research allows a greater understanding of the benefits and importance of social media as a marketing channel when combined with traditional marketing methods of promotion such as print media and television advertising. The study takes a qualitative approach to access its feasibility as an effective marketing channel for paytelevision providers. A participatory action research paradigm is used whereby (a) indepth interviews were conducted with senior marketing personnel from two of Ireland’s prevalent pay-television providers and (b) focus groups were also conducted to ascertain peoples perspectives on social media, their usage of social media in general, why they use social media and their level of awareness and engagement of social media platforms used by Irish pay-television providers. The findings from this research strongly indicate much potential for social media as an effective marketing channel in order for pay-television to market their service to potential and current customers’. As a result of the focus groups conducted the impact of the use of social media by Irish-pay television providers when marketing their service is not fully apparent. It is evident from the research conducted that there is a lot more Irish-pay television providers need to do in order to heighten the effectiveness and impact of social media through the marketing of their service and their promotional campaigns.