SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING AND THE PERFORMANCE OF SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED ENTERPRISES (SMES) CASE STUDY OF T & K RESTAURANT, TANKE ILORIN

ABSTRACT This study investigates the impact of social media marketing on the performance of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), using T & K Restaurant in Ilorin as a case study. It specifically examines how content marketing, paid advertisements, influencer collaborations, and platform usage (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp) influence customer engagement, revenue generation, brand loyalty, and customer retention. A descriptive survey design was adopted, and data were collected from 373 respondents comprising staff and customers. The data were analyzed using SPSS with descriptive statistics and regression analysis. Results show significant relationships between each social media strategy and corresponding business outcomes: content marketing significantly influenced customer engagement (β = 0.800, p < 0.05); paid advertisements were strongly correlated with revenue generation (r = 0.790, p < 0.05); influencer collaborations affected customer trust and brand loyalty (β = 0.801, p < 0.05); and platform usage positively influenced customer retention with Facebook (β = 0.743), WhatsApp (β = 0.179), and Instagram (β = 0.068), all statistically significant (p < 0.05). The study concludes that social media marketing is a vital tool for SME performance enhancement and recommends continuous strategic investment in digital marketing tools. Keywords: Social Media Marketing, SMEs, Customer Engagement, Paid Advertisements, Brand Loyalty, Customer Retention, T & K Restaurant.