Effectiveness of E-Advertising through Social Media Networks in Saudi Arabia

Online advertisement has been characterized as one of the most rapidly growing phenomena on the internet compared to traditional advertisement. Furthermore, the wide spread of social media, which have fascinated hundreds of millions of users, has made online advertisement encounter numerous types of challenges. Therefore, this study is conducted to analyze the effectiveness of electronic promotional advertising in social media in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It aims to identify the effects of advertisements and the recommendations of friends via social media (Face book, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn and Instagram) on users' purchasing behavior. This study has followed the descriptive and survey methodology by designing a questionnaire that has been refereed and tested for validity and reliability; then published through email groups in Saudi Arabia. A total of 133 valid responses have been received. One of the outcomes of this study indicated that the majority of users of the subject sample reinforced the influence of advertisements and friends’ recommendations in social media on drawing their attention and increasing their intention to make purchases. Furthermore, the study recommends that businesses should benefit from social media in their promotion campaigns and closely pay attention to what customers exchange in social media regarding products and services. Keywords: E-advertisement, Facebook, Friends’ recommendations, Purchasing behavior, Social media, Twitter.