EFFECT OF SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING ON THE PERFORMANCE OF REAL ESTATE FIRMS IN FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY, ABUJA, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study examined the effect of social media marketing on the performance of real estate firms in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, Nigeria, with specific focus on Facebook marketing and YouTube marketing. The increasing adoption of digital marketing technologies and the growing competitiveness within the real estate sector necessitated the investigation into how social media marketing affect performance of firms. The study adopted a cross-sectional survey research design. The target population comprised 1,784 registered real estate firms in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, while Taro Yamane’s formula was used to derive a sample size of 360 respondents. Primary data were collected through structured questionnaires administered to owners and managers of selected real estate firms. Descriptive statistics and Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) version 3 were employed for data analysis and hypothesis testing. The findings revealed that Facebook marketing has a positive and significant effect on the performance of real estate firms in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Nigeria. The study also found that YouTube marketing has a positive and significant effect on the performance of real estate firms in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Nigeria. The study concluded that social media marketing significantly enhances customer engagement, brand visibility, market reach, and business growth among real estate firms. The study recommended that real estate firms should intensify investment in Facebook and YouTube marketing strategies to improve organizational performance and competitive advantage within the Nigerian real estate industry.