The impact of social media on consumer behavior in choosing restaurants in Bangladesh

Abstract

Over the past few years, internet has taken the world by a storm and a new phenomenon known as social media has changed the course of our lives. Each and every aspect of today’s world has been affected by social media, including the restaurant industry. Social media has transferred power from organizations towards individuals and communities, creating a power shift to the users end. The objective of this research is to highlight and explore several key factors affecting consumer choice in restaurant in Bangladesh’s context. A sample of 116 subjects, using convenience sampling and via questionnaire is used to understand the relative importance of key attributes and their impact on consumer behavior in restaurant selection. The result reveal the impact of eWOM, online reviews, food packaging, restaurant brand color and Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to attract consumes. Additionally, this paper aims to develop a better understanding of the importance of social media to promote business that can be applied by restaurant owners to help them achieve their marketing objective.