Adoption of Social Media Marketing Among Agropreneurs in Peninsular Malaysia

Abstract

Social media has become one of the main platforms for businesses across the globe to market products or services. However, some entrepreneurs remain doubtful over the efficacy of social media marketing relative to conventional marketing in attracting interests from their targeted audience of diverse backgrounds. Besides, social media is known primarily as the medium for people around the world to socialise with everyone, despite marketing their products or services, especially agro-based products. Inadequate knowledge on how to utilise the platform to market their products by using social media have refrained them from using social media marketing in their business because they require more time and assistance to learn how to employ social media marketing. Thus, the main objective of this study is to investigate the adoption of social media marketing among agropreneurs in Peninsular Malaysia. Primary data was collected using a structured questionnaire via an online survey. The questionnaires were distributed through social media platforms and via email to the targeted respondents using a purposive sampling method. A total of 113 respondents from 12 states in Peninsular Malaysia participated in this study. Data collected were analysed using descriptive, Chi-square and factor analysis. The results indicated that the adoption level of social media marketing among agropreneurs in Peninsular Malaysia is on the medium high level, and the highest and most adopted social media platform is Facebook. The results of Chi-square analysis showed that only types of agro-based business operated has an association with the adoption of social media marketing among agropreneurs. Factor analysis discovered four latent factors on the adoption of social media marketing among agropreneurs, namely perceived usefulness, social influence, perceived ease of use and facilitating conditions. Hence, entrepreneurs who are already adopted social media marketing should cooperate and create an association of online agropreneurs to encourage other entrepreneurs to start embracing social media marketing.