DIGITAL MARKETING FEATURES IN TIK TOK INFLUENCE PURCHASE DECISION: A STUDY AMONG USIM STUDENTS

Abstract

Due to the rise of social media, it has become a popular medium for marketers to generate qualified leads, launch new products, communicate with target audiences, and increase brand awareness quickly and effectively. Advancement of technology with the existence of the internet enable globally transmitted information in a faster way and focusing on social media presence as an effective platform for digital marketing. Marketers can use social media to display their products in creative ways, such as by creating videos. TikTok is among the most widely used social media. This study investigated an understanding about the digital marketing features in TikTok influence purchase decisions among students. Due to the fact that the information published on TikTok is short, entertaining, trendy, creative, and highly engaging, these platforms have become well-liked for marketing campaigns. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to study about digital marketing features in TikTok that can influence students in purchasing decisions.
 This research will provide new insights into the reasons and the effect of digital marketing features by using the TikTok platform. For this study, a qualitative research design through the in-depth interview was used, with 6 informants and interview questions were prepared. The interview questions were designed to help researchers accomplish the objectives of the research. Informants for this study mainly focused on students from the Faculty of Leadership and Management (FKP), USIM (Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia) who were selected by purposive sampling. The Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) has been used in this research to examine how an individual's attitude toward a behaviour can reflect their evaluation or generally feel about that behaviour. It has also been used to measure the subjective norms within a person's perception of social pressure to engage in or avoid from engaging in a specific behaviour, which builds a strong foundation for the consumer purchase decision. This study found that the digital marketing features in TikTok that can influence students’ purchase decisions are TikTok Shop, Short video content, and TikTok’s live sales. Other than that, the effect of the digital marketing features could lead someone to become extravagant and addicted behaviours. This approach will allow current and future researchers to gain a better understanding of the digital marketing features in TikTok that can influence purchase decisions among students and its effect.