Is advertising on social media effective? An empirical study on the growth of advertisements on the Big Four (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp)

The past decade has witnessed a rise in the use of social media for communication. Social media have created virtual spaces that businesses use to sell their goods and services. Platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp and Instagram (the Big Four) have become known for linking individuals through text, pictorial, and video messaging, thus creating a way of passing information to customers instantly in a way that creates appeal. An evaluation of the level of involvement of customers with the Big Four indicates that businesses choose their social media platform based on the likelihood of reaching customers. This study identified the reciprocal relationships that businesses have with their customers via the four main social media platforms. This relationship has been created because customers feel they have an individual space in social media, and because the businesses that advertise on social media use personalised messaging to their advantage. This ownership and personalisation speak to the degree to which relationships are formed between corporate entities and individuals in contemporary society.