The Influence of Social Media Marketing on Consumer Decision Making in Ivory Coast

This article explores how social media marketing influences customer decision making in the modern digital environment in Ivory Coast. The study followed a qualitative route, using electronic or telephone interviews and desktop research as research instruments to gather data from five retail outlets in Ivory Coast. The sample comprised the employees and customers of those retail outlets. Convenient and snowball sampling techniques were used to select one hundred (100) participants. The study found out that social media usage influences consumer satisfaction in the stages of information search and alternative evaluation, with satisfaction getting amplified as the consumer moves along the process towards the final purchase decision and post-purchase evaluation. This article therefore aims to offer useful insights for companies looking to improve their understanding of consumer behaviour in the digital era and optimize their social media marketing strategies through a thorough analysis of empirical data and theoretical frameworks. The study recommended that businesses looking to succeed in the digital marketplace must now comprehend social media’s influence on consumer decision making due to its widespread use and crucial position in marketing tactics.