A STUDY ON THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING ON BRAND PERCEPTION, CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT, AND CONVERSION RATES WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO MADURAI DISTRICT

Special Issue - Innovative Commerce: Bridging Business and Computer Applications (ICBBCA-2026) |PG Department of Commerce with Computer Applications, Mannar Thirumalai Naicker College, Madurai – March 2026| International Journal of Computer Science (IJCS) Published by SK Research Group of Companies (SKRGC)

Abstract

The exponential growth of social media platforms has fundamentally altered the way businesses communicate, market, and build relationships with their customers. This research paper investigates the impact of social media marketing (SMM) on three critical dimensions of business performance — brand perception, customer engagement, and conversion rates — with a focused empirical study conducted in Madurai District, Tamil Nadu. Using a descriptive research design and primary data collected from 100 respondents comprising consumers and business owners across Madurai District, the study employs a structured questionnaire, simple percentage analysis, and chi-square testing to analyse social media marketing behaviours and outcomes. The findings reveal that Instagram and YouTube are the dominant platforms for brand discovery and engagement, that consistent and interactive social media content significantly enhances brand perception and trust, and that targeted advertising on social media platforms contributes meaningfully to purchase conversions. However, challenges such as content saturation, ad fatigue, and distrust of paid promotions continue to limit the effectiveness of social media marketing strategies. The paper concludes with actionable recommendations for businesses operating in Madurai District seeking to optimise their social media marketing investments.

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Keywords

Social Media Marketing, Brand Perception, Customer Engagement, Conversion Rates, Digital Marketing, Instagram, Consumer Behaviour, Madurai District, Tamil Nadu.