The Role of Social Media in Marketing Value-Added Products: An Agripreneur Perspective
Karnika E
Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Sociology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, 641003, India.
Karthikeyan C *
Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Sociology, TNAU, Coimbatore, India.
Aravindh Kumar S
Department of Plant Biotechnology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, 641003, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
In recent years, social media has significantly impacted the marketing of value-added products, prompting agripreneurs to focus on value added products. The study was conducted among agripreneurs in India, aiming to assess the influence of agripreneurs on social media marketing. Through bibliometric analysis, the need for the study has been proved. Further, the study examined factors that affect social media use for marketing value-added products, applying the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and measuring its impact using Heckman analysis. The study identifies perceived usefulness, compatibility, and attitude as key drivers that shape agripreneurs' intention to use social media for marketing, ultimately influencing their adoption of these platforms. Furthermore, the findings reveal that while Instagram and YouTube are gaining popularity, WhatsApp and Facebook remain the most effective platforms for marketing value-added products, particularly across different age groups.
Keywords: Agripreneurs, business, engagement rate, Facebook, WhatsApp, value-added products, time spent