SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING IN THE RETAIL INDUSTRY: A CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK ON BENEFITS, CHALLENGES AND STRATEGIES

The widespread use of the Internet and the interest of its users in social networks have led the marketing approaches of businesses from traditional methods to online methods and led to the emergence of social media marketing. Social media has transformed customers from passive viewers to active participants by enabling content sharing, content sharing and two-way communication, and has created great changes in customers' search, selection and purchase behaviors for products/services. Social media marketing focuses on all the marketing activities that businesses do through social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and provides businesses with many benefits such as brand loyalty, brand awareness, increasing sales and reaching more customers at the most affordable cost. This study focuses on creating a broad conceptual framework for social media marketing. In addition, the study aims to assist business managers and marketing professionals in making relevant marketing decisions by examining the advantages, challenges and strategies of social media marketing in the retail industry.