Comparative Analysis of Social Media and SMS Marketing Influence on Purchase Decision of Telecom Subscribers in Osun State, Nigeria.

Abstract

Modern digital transformation has positioned digital marketing as a core strategy for telecommunication firms seeking to acquire and retain subscribers. However, in developing markets like Nigeria, subscriber decisions are constrained by varying digital access, network quality, and message intrusiveness. Empirical evidence remains limited regarding the comparative impact of distinct digital channels on telecom consumer choices. This study evaluated the comparative effect of social media and SMS marketing strategies on the purchase decisions of telecom subscribers in Osun State, Nigeria. The study Utilizes a quantitative, cross-sectional survey design, data were collected via structured questionnaires administered to 427 telecom subscribers selected through multi-stage sampling. After data cleaning, 384 valid responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multiple linear regression in SPSS. Findings revealed that digital marketing strategies jointly account for 53.9% of the total variance in subscribers' purchase decisions (R^2=0.539,p<0.001). Both strategies exerted a statistically significant positive influence: SMS marketing emerged as the stronger unique predictor (β=0.336,t=7.384,p<0.001), followed by social media marketing (β=0.312,t=5.817,p<0.001). The study concludes that direct, offline-accessible SMS channels hold superior strategic value over interactive social media platforms in driving consumer subscriptions. Telecom operators should adopt an integrated marketing approach while optimizing personalized SMS messages as a prioritized approach.