Impact of Social Media Content on Buying Behavior of Youth in Colombo: Special Reference to Fast Food Franchise Industry

Abstract

This paper aims to examine the impact of social media content on buying behavior within the context of the Fast Food Franchise industry, focusing on youth in Colombo. Specifically, the research seeks to evaluate the independent effects of firm-generated content and user-generated content on the purchasing behavior of youth consumers in Colombo regarding the fast food franchise industry. A conceptual and operational framework, along with a research model, has been developed through a comprehensive review of existing literature and studies, employing a quantitative research approach. A sample of 200 respondents was surveyed using a structured questionnaire. The data collected were analyzed to determine the relationship between social media content and buying behavior. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) by IBM was used for data analysis, supplemented by Google-generated analysis. Hypotheses were tested using correlation and regression analyses. The findings, based on Pearson correlation analysis, indicate that firm-generated content, user-generated content, and social media content overall have a positive relationship with buying behavior. However, it was also found that this relationship was not strongly significant, suggesting that social media content may not always have a significant positive impact on buying behavior and is subject to variations depending on environmental and contextual factors.