| dc.description.abstract | Globally, most industries have harnessed the potential of digital marketing tools in driving
consumer purchase intentions for their brands. Within the country we have seen various
industries incorporating digital marketing tools in their operations; however, within the motor
vehicle industry there has been limited investigation into this phenomenon. Industry reporting
has shown that there is volatility in vehicle sales in the country hence there is need to
examine whether digital marketing tools can determine the consumer purchase intention. The
study sought to establish the effect of social media marketing, website marketing and search
engine optimization on consumer purchase intention. The research was anchored on the
unified theory of acceptance and use of technology, theory of reasoned action and the
technology acceptance model. The study utilized a descriptive research design in determining
the relationship between the variables. The population for the study was drawn from the 197
registered motor dealers (new and second hand) that operate within Nairobi City County.
Using Yamane formula, the calculated sample size for this survey was 131 respondents. A
structured research questionnaire was used in data collection with Google forms used to
compliment the data collection procedures. The study instrument was pretested and checked
for validity and reliability. The collected data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential
statistical tests. Evidence from a mean analysis scores, show that firms in this sector have
embraced the use of digital marketing to a large extent. Factor analysis led to the extraction
of three factors that defined variations on consumer purchase intention to a great extent. The
study established a positive and significant relationship between digital marketing tools and
consumer purchase intention, while the third digital tool had a significant but negative effect
on the predicted variable. The study recommends the need for players in the auto mobile
industry to invest more on digital tools as the market place shifts grounds to the digital space. | en_US |
