INFLUENCE OF SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS ON THE GROWTH OF SME’S IN ENUGU METROPOLIS

ABSTRACT The study examined the influence of social media platforms on the growth of SMEs in Enugu metropolis. The research was guided by four main objectives which are: to determine the level of social media adoption among SME owners, to identify the most commonly used platforms by business owners to examine the challenges faced when using social media and to assess how social media usage influences customer engagement, sales and brand awareness. The study was anchored on both: Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the Resource-Based View (RBV) theory. A descriptive survey was adopted for the research design and structured questionnaire was used as the instrument of data collection to elicit information from business owners in Enugu metropolis who formed the population of the study. With the use of Cochran formula, 384 was derived as the sample size for the study. The findings from the survey revealed that SMEs in Enugu metropolis use social media actively on daily basis, with social media platforms like WhatsApp and Facebook identified as the most popular platforms used due to its cost-effectiveness and simplicity when it comes with user experience. Challenges like high data tariffs, low digital literacy, power supply instability and problem in measuring ROI were found to be the limitations when using social media. It recommended thus that stakeholders should address identified challenges by providing affordable internet, regular digital training, and improved infrastructure to help SMEs maximize the benefits of social media for sustainable growth.