Unpacking the Impact of social media on Entrepreneurial Ecosystem: Insights from SMEs and Start-Ups in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe

Abstract

This study evaluated the impact of social media (SM) technologies on the growth of business start-ups (BSs) and small to medium enterprises (SMEs) in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. Specifically, it examined how the following social media platforms—X (formerly Twitter), YouTube, WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok—affect key business outcomes: (i) sales growth, (ii) expansion of customer base, (iii) profit maximisation, (iv) enhancement of brand image and (v) increased product and sales visibility. Through the application of various quantitative analysis methods, the study findings were that Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp are the most widely adopted platforms for promoting BSs and SMEs, while YouTube and X (Twitter) are the least utilised. The results revealed a significant correlation between the use of social media technologies and improvements in sales, customer acquisition, profitability, business image and brand awareness among SMEs and BSs in Bulawayo.