Influential Factors in the Marketing Uses of Social Media A Descriptive Study of a Sample of Saudi Charitable Foundations

Abstract

The study aims to analyze the influential factors in the marketing uses of social media. The theory of global systems is used to explain the presence of a new component in the administrative and technical systems in the modern enterprise. A survey sample from Saudi charities is used. The data of the study consist of all foundations and charitable organizations. A purposeful sample is selected of the most profitable, oldest, and most experienced foundations.

The study concludes that the most technical factors affecting the marketing uses of social media are (the easy use of these media, their accessibility at any time, and the easiness for the public to use them). Meanwhile, the organizational factors show a lack of written vision of the senior administration about the use of social media, which has resulted in a number of problems. It has turned out that the most influential environmental factors are the charities increasing interest in using celebrities of social media and opinion leaders to support their projects, and the increasing number of charitable organizations using social media.