Title: The effect of social media marketing on Bhubaneswar's hotel industries performance: an empirical study using PLS-SEM approach

Authors: Prasant Kumar Rout; Mamata Nayak; Gobinda Chandra Panda; Biswa Ranjan Mohanty; Shib Sankar Sana

Addresses: Department of Management, ISBM University, Chhura, Gariaband, Chhattisgarh, India ' Department of Management, ISBM University, Chhura, Gariaband, Chhattisgarh, India ' Department of Operations Management, Biju Patnaik Institute of Information Technology and Management Studies (BIITM), Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India ' Department of Economics, Biju Patnaik Institute of Information Technology and Management Studies (BIITM), Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India ' Department of Mathematics, Kishore Bharati Bhagini Nivedita College, Ramkrishna Sarani, Behala, Kolkata, India

Abstract: Social media platforms have become essential across various sectors, including the hotel industry, by enabling quick information access and engagement with customers. This study examines the significance of social media marketing in enhancing hotel business performance, specifically analysing the relationship between different marketing capabilities and social media marketing capabilities. Utilising a five-capability framework, the study explores how hotels can benefit from social media capabilities in pricing, product development, communication, branding, and selling. Conducted in Bhubaneswar, India, the research surveyed 145 hotels using a 36-question questionnaire. Data analysis was carried out using Smart PLS 3.0 for structural equation modelling, assessed factor loadings and path coefficients. Findings reveal that social media capabilities in pricing, communication, and selling significantly enhance social media marketing performance. This study recommends that hotel business owners focus on developing social media marketing capabilities, as they play a critical role in advancing various marketing skills and directly impact hotel business performance and growth.

Keywords: marketing capability; social media marketing; pricing capability; branding capability; selling capability; business performance; hotel industry.

DOI: 10.1504/IJAMS.2025.148093

International Journal of Applied Management Science, 2025 Vol.17 No.3, pp.294 - 310

Received: 11 Sep 2023
Accepted: 05 Jul 2024
Published online: 25 Aug 2025 *

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