Influence of Social Media Marketing on Consumers’ Purchasing Decision Towards the Restaurant Industry in Bangladesh

The broader objective of the study was to evaluate the influence of the social media marketing features—Informativeness, Interactivity, Perceived Relevance and Brand Trust on consumers' purchase decisions within the restaurant industry in Bangladesh. Employing a quantitative research design, data were collected via an online survey targeting active social media users who regularly engage with restaurant brands. A total of 205 valid responses were analyzed using SmartPLS 4.0 for structural equation modeling. The findings revealed that Brand Trust plays a significant role in influencing Purchase Decisions, underscoring the importance of trust in reducing uncertainty and fostering consumer confidence in service-oriented sectors such as restaurants. These finding highlights that maintaining transparent and trustworthy communication on social media platforms is essential for driving purchasing behavior. Perceived Relevance was also identified as a significant predictor of Purchase Decisions, suggesting that tailored and relevant marketing content on social media effectively captures consumer attention and drives purchasing behavior. However, the study found that while relevance engages consumers, it does not necessarily translate into building long-term trust in the brand. In contrast, Informativeness and Interactivity were found to have no significant direct effects on Purchase Decisions. Despite this, these features remain important for fostering engagement and building a foundation for trust, as interactive and informative content can enhance the consumer-brand relationship over time. In summary, the findings emphasize the pivotal role of Brand Trust and Perceived Relevance in influencing Purchase Decisions, while Informativeness and Interactivity serve as supportive elements in strengthening consumer engagement and trust. These results offer actionable insights for marketers in the restaurant industry to optimize their social media strategies by prioritizing trust- building and relevance.