TY - JOUR T1 - Why and How Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Use Social Media AU - Yarımoğlu, Emel AU - Polat, Veronika PY - 2018 DA - July JF - Journal of Business in The Digital Age JO - JOBDA PB - Berrin ONARAN WT - DergiPark SN - 2651-4737 SP - 1 EP - 9 VL - 1 IS - 1 LA - en AB - Nowadays, social media is very important tool forbusinesses’ promotional activities. Social media can provide significantadvantages in time, cost, and communication quality for companies. The aim ofthis qualitative research was to understand how and why small and medium-sizedenterprises in Aegean region/Turkey use social media. Within this aim, thestudy examined the main promotional activities of small and medium-sizedenterprises which operate in Izmir (as an urban part of Aegean Region) andKusadasi (as a rural part of Aegean Region). In order to analyze the differentcharacteristics of small and medium-sized enterprises in rural and urban parts,one rural and one urban city were selected. Fifteen companies from Kusadasi andfifteen companies from Izmir were included to the research to understand howand why they use social media. Maximum variation sampling technique was used inselecting companies. Data were collected viastructured interview technique by using face-to-face interviews and telephoneinterviews. Employees or owners of thecompanies were interviewed in December, 2017. Data were recorded, transcribed,and analyzed via content analysis. Findings showed that the small and medium-sizedenterprises preferred mostly social media for their promotional activities. Themain reasons to prefer social media were that social media is easy,fast, convenient, and cheap to advertise. The main activities of the small and medium-sized enterprises in social media werethat sharing the photos of the companies’ products and organizing someactivities to reach targeted customers. 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