Advertising and Social Media: A Research Study with Special Reference to Uses and Gratification Theory

Abstract

This research paper is an attempt to study social media (Facebook ) consumers and their perception towards advertising. Characteristics such as privacy, micro targeting, facebook use, awareness, and reactions, were all important factors that influenced these responses. The objective of this study is to see how postgraduate students from four universities across the country view Facebook and its advertisers. The results indicated that student reactions did not overwhelmingly lean in a particular direction. Individual users (consumers) perceive the social network site differently, and this determination directly correlates with the uses and gratification theory.