The Impact of Social Media Marketing in the Real Estate Sector on Consumer Behavior and Consumer Education

ABSTRACT

With the advancements in communication technologies, the widespread use of the internet has introduced new platforms, methods, and opportunities for businesses to reach their customers. In this context, marketing strategies in the real estate sector have undergone a significant transformation with digitalization and the rise of social media. Social media platforms play a crucial role in reaching potential buyers and tenants, enhancing brand awareness, and strengthening customer trust. Professional visuals, virtual tours, content marketing, and targeted advertising strategies improve customer experience in the real estate sector while making marketing processes more effective and measurable. The increasing dominance of social media-driven marketing strategies over traditional methods has become an inevitable necessity for firms seeking a competitive advantage. This study adopts a quantitative and descriptive research model to analyze the attitudes, perceptions, and decision-making processes of consumers engaged in real estate marketing through social media. The findings indicate that variables such as gender, marital status, income level, and occupational group significantly influence perceptions of social media marketing. It was found that female participants are more sensitive to social media marketing compared to males, married individuals show greater interest in fashion-related content, and private sector employees react more strongly to entertainment and fashion content on social media than public sector employees. While educational level does not appear to be a decisive factor in the perception of social media marketing, an individual's occupational group significantly affects their social media consumption habits. As consumers' perceptions of social media marketing increase, their purchase intentions also rise. Particularly, entertainment and fashion-oriented content strongly influences consumer purchasing decisions. Consistent with previous studies, social media advertisements are found to guide consumer behavior, facilitate the formation of an emotional connection with brands, and encourage impulse purchasing decisions.