THE DIGITAL INFLUENCE: HOW SOCIAL MEDIA, ADVERTISING, AND BRAND PROMOTIONS SHAPE CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR

In the digital era, social media, digital advertising, and brand promotions play a crucial role inshaping consumer behavior. Using a mixed-method approach, this study investigates theimpact of various digital marketing strategies on consumer engagement, purchasingdecisions, and brand perception. Descriptive analysis, correlation analysis, regressionmodeling, behavioral analytics, and sentiment analysis were employed to evaluate marketingeffectiveness. Findings indicate that influencer marketing is the most influential factor,significantly correlating with consumer engagement (r = 0.75), purchase intent (r = 0.78), andbrand perception (r = 0.81). Regression analysis highlights the positive impact of influencermarketing (β = 0.53, p < 0.01), social media ads (β = 0.41, p < 0.05), and retargetingcampaigns (β = 0.38, p < 0.05) on purchasing behavior. Comparative analysis reveals thatinfluencer-driven marketing outperforms traditional advertising in building consumer trust (t= 3.21, p < 0.01). One-way ANOVA (F = 4.98, p < 0.05) suggests that loyalty programs andinfluencer campaigns enhance customer loyalty more effectively than discount-basedpromotions. Segmentation analysis categorizes consumers into Brand Advocates (40%),Price-Sensitive Shoppers (35%), and Passive Consumers (25%), demonstrating variedengagement levels. Sentiment analysis shows 62% positive consumer sentiment, with 13%negative sentiment indicating concerns over ad fatigue and authenticity. Based on thesefindings, businesses should optimize influencer collaborations, personalize content with AIdriveninsights, diversify marketing strategies, and enhance loyalty programs. Future researchshould explore AI-driven automation and social commerce to refine digital engagement andbrand loyalty further.