Influence of social media on public relations practice in kenya’s banking industry: a study of chase bank kenya limited

Abstract

The banking industry in Kenya is crowded and these banks offer similar products pushing banks into cutthroat competition to entice customers. Social media platform offers these banks an effective platform to make their brands stand out, promote their products and help in crisis management communication. This study therefore aimed at surveying the influence of social media on public relations practice in Kenya banking industry a study of Chase bank Kenya ltd (IR).The specific objectives of the study were: to determine social media contribution to brand visibility of chase bank Kenya Ltd, to establish the role of social media on product promotion at chase bank Kenya Limited (IR) and finally investigate the role social media had on crisis management communication at chase bank Kenya Limited. The study aimed at advancing research and knowledge on how social media should be utilized by the banking industry in conducting their public relations practice. This will aid towards partially achieving Sustainable Development Goal 9 on Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure. The research design used was survey and adopted quantitative approach. A target population of 46 former chase bank employees and clients based at former chase bank branches acquired by SBM bank were investigated.28 former Chase bank employees derived from sales and customer service departments responded to the questionnaires while 16 were former chase bank clients purposively selected for the study on grounds of having interacted with the banks social media platform participated in the study. Purposive sampling was used to select former chase bank employees in sales and customer service department since their roles allowed them to intensively interact with banks clients. Data was collected using closed questionnaires. Analysis was done on Microsoft excel package where data was manipulated in form of percentages, mean, mode and median then findings presented in tables, graphs and pie charts. The findings indicated that social media contributed immensely to brand visibility (58.3%), helped in product promotion (75%) and also contributed to creating and resolving crisis at chase bank Kenya limited (70.9%). Recommendations of the researcher are banks should utilize social media alongside traditional media to promote brand awareness and brand visibility to stand out in the crowded banking industry due to its cost effectiveness. Social media should be utilized by banks in product promotion for instance by creating online competition and giving awards and using celebrity endorsement on social media to promote their products. Banks should regularly monitor their social media platforms to promptly avert crisis and also utilize their social media for crisis management communication. Finally, banks should embrace social media on all other public relations function.