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EFFECTIVE DIGITAL MARKETING STRATEGIES FOR INCREASED ENGAGEMENT IN REAL ESTATE

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Abstract

Real estate marketing has traditionally been accomplished through conventional media outlets such as print advertising since the inception of the industry. However, the digital evolution is changing the way real estate professionals engage with their customers. This doctoral study explored effective digital marketing strategies for increased engagement in real estate. The general business problem was that it was not known what digital marketing strategies were used by property managers at GildEstates to increase consumer engagement or how those marketing strategies could be improved. The specific business problem was that some Real Estate managers lack the necessary digital marketing strategies to increase consumer engagement. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to determine what digital marketing strategies were used by GildEstates to increase consumer engagement and how those marketing strategies could be improved. The analysis resulted in a total of eight themes that answered two research questions. The first research question was what digital marketing strategies are used by GildEstates to increase consumer engagement? The second research question was, how could those marketing strategies be improved? The researcher used a qualitative research method to conduct the study. The design the researcher used was a case study. The case study consisted of fifteen (15) participants currently employed as property managers at GildEstates (Pseudonym). The researcher used Braun and Clarkes 6 phase Thematic Analysis to code, search, review, define, and perform a write-up of the findings. 2 The findings concluded that participants seeking to increase consumer engagement require technology that provides a simplistic method of tracking communication with their target audience. Additionally, the property managers of GildEstates described the importance of using digital media to provide information that saves time, stay informed, and educate their client as means to help them increase consumer engagement. The findings also determined that property managers at GildEstates rely on digital media’s ability to allow customers to initiate engagement with the property managers in a non-invasive and safe manner for property managers to be able to increase consumer engagement.
EFFECTIVE DIGITAL MARKETING STRATEGIES FOR INCREASED ENGAGEMENT IN
REAL ESTATE
Doctoral Study Project (DSP)
Presented to the Glenn R. Jones College of Business
of Trident University International, a Member of the American Inter Continental University
System
in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of
Doctor of Business Administration
by
MICHAEL MCCAIN
Chandler, Arizona
2023
(Defended 12 21, 2022)
Approved by:
Office of Academic Affairs
01 27, 2023
Dean: Lisa Mohanty, PhD
Director: Christopher Linski, DMgt
Committee Chair: John R. Magrane, Jr., Ph.D.
Committee Member: George del-Hierro, Ph.D.
Committee Member: Christopher Linski, DMgt
© 2023 Michael Scott McCain
1
ABSTRACT
EFFECTIVE DIGITAL MARKETING STRATEGIES FOR INCREASED ENGAGEMENT IN
REAL ESTATE
Trident University International - 2023
Real estate marketing has traditionally been accomplished through conventional media outlets
such as print advertising since the inception of the industry. However, the digital evolution is
changing the way real estate professionals engage with their customers. This doctoral study
explored effective digital marketing strategies for increased engagement in real estate. The
general business problem was that it was not known what digital marketing strategies were used
by property managers at GildEstates to increase consumer engagement or how those marketing
strategies could be improved. The specific business problem was that some Real Estate managers
lack the necessary digital marketing strategies to increase consumer engagement. The purpose of
this qualitative case study was to determine what digital marketing strategies were used by
GildEstates to increase consumer engagement and how those marketing strategies could be
improved.
The analysis resulted in a total of eight themes that answered two research questions. The first
research question was what digital marketing strategies are used by GildEstates to increase
consumer engagement? The second research question was, how could those marketing strategies
be improved? The researcher used a qualitative research method to conduct the study. The design
the researcher used was a case study. The case study consisted of fifteen (15) participants
currently employed as property managers at GildEstates (Pseudonym). The researcher used
Braun and Clarkes 6 phase Thematic Analysis to code, search, review, define, and perform a
write-up of the findings.
2
The findings concluded that participants seeking to increase consumer engagement require
technology that provides a simplistic method of tracking communication with their target
audience. Additionally, the property managers of GildEstates described the importance of using
digital media to provide information that saves time, stay informed, and educate their client as
means to help them increase consumer engagement. The findings also determined that property
managers at GildEstates rely on digital media’s ability to allow customers to initiate engagement
with the property managers in a non-invasive and safe manner for property managers to be able
to increase consumer engagement.
3
PREFACE
The inspiration for my research project was to inspire my family, friends and community.
By dedicating myself to this research project, I am hopeful that my efforts set an example and
motivate those who I love, those who have impacted my life, and those who dream of reaching
their educational goals. Real estate has saved my life and this project is my way of showing my
appreciation.
The purpose of this research project was to provide insight for other real estate
professionals who are interested in exploring effective digital marketing strategies to help
increase consumer engagement. It is my hope that the contributions made by the research make it
easier for organizational leaders to find effective digital marketing strategies to help them
increase consumer engagement. One of the most valuable lessons I learned along the doctoral
journey is that the universe conspires in favor of those who are determined and aligns us with
individuals, examples, and lessons that can help us along our path.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
My family was instrumental in ensuring I stayed on course. To my parents, my wife,
children, siblings, and friends, I thank you and honor you through my research. Thank you to my
committee for holding me to the highest of standards. Thank you to Dr. Ashley Griffith for
igniting my doctoral journey.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................................... 1
PREFACE ...................................................................................................................................... 3
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ......................................................................................................... 4
TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................................. 1
LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................................ 6
LIST OF FIGURES ...................................................................................................................... 7
CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................ 8
Background ....................................................................................................................... 8
Statement of the Problem ............................................................................................... 10
Purpose of the Study ....................................................................................................... 11
Conceptual Framework .................................................................................................. 12
Research Questions ......................................................................................................... 15
Method and Design Overview ........................................................................................ 16
Significance of the Study ................................................................................................ 18
Definition of Key Terms ................................................................................................. 19
Summary .......................................................................................................................... 21
CHAPTER II: LITERATURE REVIEW ................................................................................ 23
Documentation ................................................................................................................ 24
Organizational Analysis and Benchmarking................................................................ 24
Implications for Social Change ...................................................................................... 26
Digital Media ................................................................................................................... 33
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Technological Compatibility ................................................................................ 34
Consumer Engagement ......................................................................................... 38
Customer Relationship Management ............................................................................ 45
Performance Measurement ................................................................................... 49
Impact of Technological Innovations ................................................................... 51
Managerial Control ........................................................................................................ 52
Theories ............................................................................................................................ 53
Technology ........................................................................................................... 55
Organization .......................................................................................................... 55
Environment .......................................................................................................... 56
Perceived Influence and Usefulness ..................................................................... 57
Perceived Ease of Use ........................................................................................... 57
Method and Design Literature ...................................................................................... 58
Qualitative Research ............................................................................................. 58
Design ................................................................................................................... 58
Research Approach: Similar Studies .................................................................... 59
Summary .......................................................................................................................... 61
CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY .......................................................................................... 63
Research Method and Design ........................................................................................ 64
Population ........................................................................................................................ 67
Sample .............................................................................................................................. 68
Data Collection Instruments .......................................................................................... 70
Questionnaires: Property Manager of GildEstates ................................................ 73
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Follow-Up Focus Group: ...................................................................................... 74
Property Managers ................................................................................................ 74
Follow-Up Interviews: Property Managers .......................................................... 75
Instrument Reliability ........................................................................................... 76
Expert Panel Review ............................................................................................. 77
Data Collection Procedures ............................................................................................ 78
Questionnaires: Property Managers ...................................................................... 78
Follow-Up Focus Group: Property Managers....................................................... 79
Follow-Up Interview: Property Managers ............................................................ 80
COVID-19 Accommodations ............................................................................... 82
Data Processing ............................................................................................................... 82
Data Analysis Procedures ............................................................................................... 83
Assumptions .................................................................................................................... 86
Limitations ....................................................................................................................... 88
Delimitations .................................................................................................................... 89
Ethical Assurances .......................................................................................................... 89
Participant Protection Process ............................................................................... 90
Data Protection Process ........................................................................................ 90
Bias Mitigation...................................................................................................... 91
Summary .......................................................................................................................... 91
CHAPTER IV: DATA COLLECTION AND DATA ANALYSIS ........................................ 93
Descriptive Data .............................................................................................................. 93
Results .............................................................................................................................. 94
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Initial Codes with Frequencies.............................................................................. 98
Initial Themes ..................................................................................................... 100
Final Themes ....................................................................................................... 102
Evaluation of Findings .................................................................................................. 110
Interpretation of Results ...................................................................................... 116
Triangulation ....................................................................................................... 117
Summary ........................................................................................................................ 120
CHAPTER V: APPLICATION TO PRACTICE AND DISCUSSION ............................... 121
Implications to Practice ................................................................................................ 122
Easy to Use Means Easy to Engage .................................................................... 123
Increased Efficiency Encourages Increased Engagement ................................... 123
Increased Relevance Results in Higher Opportunity for Engagement ............... 124
Promotion as a Strategy for Engagement ............................................................ 124
Digital Marketing is a Cost-Effective Communication Solution ........................ 125
Weaknesses of the Study .............................................................................................. 125
Results ............................................................................................................................ 126
Implications to Theory and Literature ....................................................................... 127
Easy to Use Means Easy to Engage .................................................................... 127
Increased Efficiency Encourages Increased Engagement ................................... 128
Increased Relevance Results in Higher Opportunity for Engagement ............... 128
Promotion as a Strategy for Engagement ............................................................ 129
Digital Marketing is a Cost-Effective Communication Solution ........................ 130
Recommendations for Practice .................................................................................... 130
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Theme 1: Easy to Use Means Easy to Engage .................................................... 130
Theme 2: Increased Efficiency Encourages Increased Engagement .................. 130
Theme 3: Increased Relevance Results in Higher Opportunity for Engagement 132
Theme 4: Promotion as a Strategy for Engagement ........................................... 132
Theme 5: Digital Marketing is a Cost-Effective Communication Solution ....... 132
Recommendations for Future Research ..................................................................... 133
Conclusions .................................................................................................................... 135
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY REPORT ..................................................................................... 138
Introduction to the Business Problem ......................................................................... 138
The Study ....................................................................................................................... 138
The Findings .................................................................................................................. 139
Analysis of the Findings ............................................................................................... 140
Key Implications for Business...................................................................................... 144
Recommendations for Practitioners ............................................................................ 147
REFERENCES .......................................................................................................................... 150
APPENDIX A: LETTER OF INTENT AND SITE AUTHORIZATIONS ......................... 167
APPENDIX B: RECRUITMENT LETTERS ........................................................................ 168
APPENDIX C: INFORMED CONSENT FORMS ................................................................ 174
APPENDIX D: INSTRUMENTS AND PROTOCOLS......................................................... 189
APPENDIX E: IRB TRAINING CERTIFICATE................................................................. 200
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LIST OF TABLES
Table 1 Research Study Methodology Matrix ............................................................................ 71
Table 2 Instrument Development and Theory ............................................................................. 78
Table 3 Instrument Analysis ....................................................................................................... 94
Table 4 Themes and Codes ......................................................................................................... 96
Table 5 Research Questions/Response Summary ..................................................................... 109
7
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1 Conceptual Framework Illustration .............................................................................. 14
Figure 2 Tipping the Scale Illustration ....................................................................................... 36
Figure 3 Benefits of Using Digital Media Illustration ................................................................ 40
Figure 4 Data Analysis Illustration ............................................................................................. 86
Figure 5 Participants of the Study ............................................................................................... 95
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CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION
Informational real estate database technology affects the way real estate managers engage
with their target audience. Real estate professionals have an opportunity to leverage digital media
tools to increase consumer engagement. However, real estate professionals must take time to
understand how they can leverage digital marketing strategies to increase consumer engagement.
The focus of this doctoral study project was to explore which digital media tools are most
effective for real estate managers determined to increase consumer engagement in real estate.
Chapter 1 provides an overview of the statement of the problem, purpose of the study, research
questions the researcher intends to explore, the significance of the study, and definition of key
terms.
Background
The general objectives associated with enhancing database technology are helping
industry leaders optimize marketing communications that include interactivity and efficiency
(Karjaluoto et al., 2015). Database technology provides real estate managers with organizational
stability and the ability to locate and leverage information about their target customers quickly.
Through technological marketing strategies, managers learn their customers’ preferences and
create online communities to concentrate the resources of the company toward profitable
marketing routines (Rosenthal & Brito, 2017). The convenience and utility of smartphones make
them the primary technological device that organizational leaders incorporate into their business
to collect information about potential customers, serve their present customers’ needs, and
communicate with their stakeholders (Norris, 2018).
Digital marketing strategies are important within an organization to help practitioners
organize information as well as enhance lead conversion when communicating with potential
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customers. Day and Hubbard (2003) posited that organizational leaders who did not adopt digital
technology to foster relationships with their customers did not possess strategic degrees of
freedom and were unable to retain their customers as a result. The use of digital media offers
practitioners resources that allow them to use innovative technology to process information
quicker and more accurately within their organization’s specified constraints (Madakam et al.,
2019).
Kim et al. (2021) defined digital marketing as a collaborative medium where firms,
customers, and partners collaborate using adaptive technologies to sustain value for all
stakeholders. Digital marketing is enabled by a series of digital touchpoints that encompass
marketing activity and processes that create value for customers and institutions (Kannan & Li,
2017). Between August 6, 1991, when the first website was officially launched (CERN.com),
and August 1996, over 300,000 new websites were added to the internet (Ryan, 2016). With the
growing population of the internet, marketers took notice and saw an opportunity to market to
both consumers and businesses alike. It was only a matter of time before business professionals
started using the magic of digital marketing to communicate with their target audience and seize
their piece of the market share.
The organization where the researcher conducted their research was a real estate
organization founded in 1973, GildEstates. In total, the organization manages 2,600 units spread
across 226 properties. The company has 126 employees, most of which perform duties at the
properties managed by the organization. Office staff for the organization consists of five
accountants in the accounting department and fifteen employees in the operations department.
The researcher collected data from property managers who work away from the corporate office
in Los Angeles, California.
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Statement of the Problem
Real estate managers who lack digital marketing strategies experience decreased
consumer engagement (Barger et al., 2016). Ninety-four percent of all businesses with a
marketing department use one of the “Big 4” social media platforms to engage with their
customers (Kujur & Singh, 2017). The general business problem is that it is not known what
digital marketing strategies are used by GildEstates to increase consumer engagement or how
those marketing strategies can be improved. The specific business problem is that some Real
Estate managers lack the necessary digital marketing strategies to increase consumer
engagement.
It is not known what digital marketing strategies are used by real estate managers to
increase consumer engagement and how those marketing strategies can be improved at
GildEstates. On an individual level, a real estate practitioner who is not familiar with using
digital media to build rapport with a potential customer will not be successful in securing a real
estate transaction for their customer (Madakam et al., 2019). An organization that does not
participate in the digital media realm may appear to lack transparency, honesty, and lacks ease of
communication with their potential customers (Barger et al., 2016). If the real estate industry
fails to conform to the digital revolution, it will see slow growth and the economic consequences
may be catastrophic.
GildEstates has been in existence prior to the advent of digital media. The gap the
researcher attempted to fill was the need to learn the impediments preventing real estate
managers from implementing the necessary digital marketing strategies needed to increase
consumer engagement. The company contains several legacy employees who use antiquated
methods of generating new business and communicating with prospective customers. Although
11
the organization has a website, there is no two-way communication between property managers
and customers other than e-mail. The organization does not currently have an active page on
social media platforms. Property managers of the organization also do not have social media
pages they can use to engage with customers and communicate important messages to current
tenants.
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this qualitative case study was to determine what digital marketing
strategies were used by GildEstates to increase consumer engagement and how those marketing
strategies could be improved. The targeted population of this case study consisted of fifteen real
estate managers at GildEstates in West Los Angeles, California, who used technology and
experienced increases in consumer engagement. Using digital marketing strategies may help real
estate managers increase consumer engagement with their digital customers. Industry leaders
rely on digital marketing to motivate, communicate, disclose information, and emphasize
competence (Nagar & Schoenfeld, 2018). Yuvraj et al. (2018) determined that real estate
practitioners that successfully utilize digital media platforms, can increase profits and engage
with more of their target audience than their competitors. Digital marketing strategies could
assist in the contribution of reputations systems and the development of smart cities in the
community to help foster social change by building trust through rating systems and online
advice communities. Seiler (1999) revealed that digital marketing systems are necessary to
establish relationship marketing and increase sales from prospective customers. The use of
digital marketing strategies can help some real estate managers increase consumer engagement.
Real estate practitioners are the first line of defense for real estate organizations and having a
positive digital media presence can propel an organization into achieving more online relevance
12
and more market share within its respected industry. To achieve more market share, it is vital
that organizational leaders learn digital media etiquette to better understand the needs and
preferences of their potential customers. However, it is vital for practitioners to understand what
internal and external factors influence an organizations decision to adopt digital technology to
engage with potential and existing customers.
Conceptual Framework
The researcher used the Technology, Organizational, and Environmental (TOE)
framework to explore elements that may determine factors inhibiting real estate practitioners
from using digital media to engage with potential customers. Additionally, the researcher used
the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to investigate behavioral elements that hinder
practitioners from adopting digital technology to effectively engage with their customers.
The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) was introduced by Davis et al. in 1989. Davis
et al. (1989) developed the TAM theory to explore resistance surrounding user acceptance as it
relates to the adaptation of innovative technology. The study evaluated pre-existing beliefs and
attitudes toward adoption of innovative technology. A user preference toward the type of
innovation a practitioner adopts is pivotal when determining which technology is best suited for
adoption (Davis et al., 2009).
An additional framework for this study is the technology organization environmental
(TOE) framework, developed by Tornatzky et al. (1990) (Pre-considered factors affecting ERP
system adoption in Malaysian SMEs using a technology-organization-environment framework,
2010). Researchers and practitioners use technology, organizational infrastructure, and
environmental understanding to identify elements that influence the adoption of innovative
technology (Chen et al., 2019). Managers use digital marketing strategies to avoid ethical
13
conflicts by allowing the technology to provide validation in circumstances that can reveal
managerial bias (Kakabadse et al., 2008). Three essential elements that influence the decision to
implement new technology within an organization include technological attributes,
organizational characteristics, and environmental context (Lin, 2014).
Some technological hurdles that practitioners may encounter when deciding on whether
to adopt innovative technology include system limitations, insufficient infrastructure, and legacy
staff that is not technologically perceptive. Environmental elements may also hinder the adoption
of technology. Environmental factors that organizational leaders may encounter can include
economic limitations and Department of Real Estate restrictions that prevent real estate
organizations from deploying specific digital marketing strategies into their marketing mix.
Lastly, organizational factors that practitioners may take into consideration prior to adopting
innovative technology may include organizational agility or managerial structure that hinders
employees from deploying innovative technology that may be beneficial to the organization.
The external factors that influence and organizations decision to adopt digital technology
using the Technology, Environmental, and Organizational framework. Technology,
Organizational, and Environmental factors was pivotal for organizational leaders’ decision to
adopt innovative technology.
This theory helps to identify the determinants that influence the adoption of digital
marketing strategies in a real estate setting. By using the TOE theory to guide the study, the
researcher can explore which digital marketing strategies are employed by real estate managers
interest consumers enough to engage with the organization and establish patronage. Building
upon the technology acceptance model (TAM) and the diffusion of innovations (DOI) theory,
Tornatzky et al. (1990) presented the technology organization environment framework that
14
provided a method to help study real estate intelligence that will help leaders make better
decisions. Ramanathan and Krishnan (2015) posited that the TOE framework encourages users
to consider the broader context for adopting innovation. Tornatzky et al.’s (1990) technology
organization environment framework aligns with this study exploring the conditions that
encourage real estate managers to implement digital marketing strategies that increase consumer
engagement. By employing TOE theory in this study, the researcher gained specific knowledge
of the underlying elements real estate managers rely on to adopt digital marketing strategies that
optimize engagement with members of their organizations.
Figure 1
Conceptual Framework Illustration
Note. From Tornatzky et al. (1990). The figure above illustrates some of the external factors
related to the TOE framework, those potential adopters of technology take into consideration
before determining if their organization should adopt innovative technology.
15
The conceptual framework helped explore technological factors that help real estate
managers determine how to incorporate digital marketing strategies into their marketing
repertoire. In addition, organizational factors are a major component that the TOE theory helped
identify reluctance to adopt digital media marketing strategies into practice. Finally, internal, and
external environmental factors such as licensing may play a role in the adoption of specific
digital media marketing strategies, we attempted to use the conceptual framework to explore
challenges and opportunities for increasing consumer engagement.
Research Questions
The research attempted to provide insight into the ongoing challenges real estate
professionals’ face when attempting to increase consumer engagement through technology by
considering two research questions. With digital marketing and social media marketing
becoming a key strategy professionals use to increase engagement with consumers,
understanding which strategies real estate professionals can use to increase engagement could
potentially help real estate professionals across the entire industry. Practitioners were
interviewed and discussed digital marketing strategies they use to increase consumer
engagement. Additionally, property managers participated in a follow-up focus group to gain
insight regarding their perception of digital marketing strategies and how digital marketing
strategies can increase consumer engagement.
RQ1. What digital marketing strategies are used by GildEstates to increase consumer
engagement?
RQ2. How can those marketing strategies be improved?
16
Method and Design Overview
Researchers use qualitative research, also referred to as naturalistic inquiry, as a tool to
describe, interpret, and explain social reality (Beuving & Vries, 2015). Real estate is a profession
that relies on the usual method of practice. Using the qualitative research method helps
researchers discover theoretical insights through cyclical processes (May, 2002). Real estate
practitioners can use qualitative research to understand which processes can be exchanged to
optimize the efforts of their initiating and optimizing consumer engagement. According to
Carson (2001), researchers use qualitative research methods to understand marketing
management decision making more than any other research method. Scholars who adopt the
qualitative method to conduct research draw on observations from their findings to introduce
information beyond the context of their research (Bansal et al., 2018). A valuable benefit of
conducting qualitative research is the in-depth understanding of marketing phenomena
researchers acquire from managerial and consumer perspectives (Carson, 2001). Seale (2007)
determined that evaluation research is a method researchers use to carry out activities that
address social problems to improve the quality of public sector services.
Buehring et al. (2006) defined qualitative research as information not reliant on statistical
data. Quantitative methods often require researchers to make decisions about their research at the
height of their study to ensure alignment throughout their project. In contrast, qualitative
research obliges the researcher to remain cognizant of their research question throughout the
project (Bansal et al., 2018). One-way researchers differentiate qualitative methods from
quantitative methods is by understanding qualitative methods to gather information and
quantitative methods to analyze information (Myers & Avison, 2002). Some researchers use the
17
quantitative method to provide a broader meaning to an observed relationship through numbers
(Beuving & Vries, 2015).
In this study, the researcher intended to research some of the resources real estate
managers use to increase consumer engagement. The researcher used a qualitative method to
collect information, gather insight, and draw from the observations. The researcher did not need
to perform statistical or mathematical analyses on the data that I collect. Therefore, a quantitative
method is not necessary to use for the study. A mixed-method approach incorporates
mathematical modeling similar to the quantitative method, which would convolute the qualitative
study.
The aim of case study research was to provide the researcher the ability to explore a
setting to advance understanding (Merriam, 1988). Through case study research, the researcher
can create plausible interpretations of the information, create, and audit trail so that other
researchers may validate or construct alternative arguments relevant to the topic (Bassey, 2003).
The focal point of a case study is particularization and exploring the uniqueness and specifics
surrounding the case (Stake, 1995). A case study approach is valuable for this study as it served
as a guide to concentrate the study on a specific industry, specific consumers within that
industry, and specific marketing strategies that professionals within that industry have
familiarity. A case study allowed the researcher to develop an advanced understanding about the
digital marketing strategies real estate professionals use to increase consumer engagement. One
of the drawbacks of case study research is the lack of generalizability (Hancock et al., 2021).
Without generalizability, the researcher was confined to the findings related to the topic of study.
The current study used follow-up interviews and follow-up focus groups to collect data
from participants. The researcher conducted follow-up interviews and administered a follow-up
18
focus group, and questionnaires for property managers at GildEstates. There are several
advantages to administering qualitative follow-up interviews including low-cost, automatic
transcription, and minimal barriers to participation (Nehls, 2013). The follow-up interviews
provided a top-level understanding of how the organization can use digital marketing strategies
to increase consumer engagement by learning how the strategies align with the overall mission of
the organization. Focus groups are valuable because they allow a researcher to obtain several
perspectives about a single topic (Gibbs, 1997). The focus group is valuable because it will
provide the researcher insight from a front-line perspective on how managers use digital media
strategies to engage with potential and existing customers of the company.
Significance of the Study
The significance of this study was that researchers could identify effective digital
marketing strategies some real estate managers can use to increase consumer engagement.
Karjaluoto et al. (2015) mentioned that industry leaders acknowledge the importance of listening,
engaging, and communicating with their customers to enhance brand imagery and better
understand their customer’s needs. Real estate managers rely on real estate intelligence to
measure performance and synthesize data to convert into essential information that real estate
managers can use to improve infrastructure (Apgar, 2009). The researcher believed the results of
the study will help members of the organization determine how to use digital marketing
strategies personalize their customers’ experiences and increase brand awareness for prospective
customers. It was the aim of the researcher to contribute to existing literature on this topic
through the exploration of digital media technology currently available and provide insight on
how the industry professionals believe technology can be enhanced to improve the digital media
marketing experience. The researcher anticipated the results of this study would help
19
organizational members evaluate their current marketing efforts and implement a more efficient
system that enhances communication between the organization and their current customers.
Digital consumers often use online platforms to share information, get emotional support,
and solve problems (Kouper, 2009). Researchers can use the findings of this study to discover
the widespread use of digital marketing strategies that could assist in the contribution/
development of reputations systems or smart cities in the community to help foster social change
through the implementation of online advice communities and consumer rating systems. The
researcher believed the results of this study would create a tighter communication system that
instilled confidence in the organizations existing customers. In turn, those customers would be
willing to provide feedback that will result in a positive online reputation status, and a feedback
loop producing continuous online referrals.
Results of the study could potentially help real estate practitioners get a better
understanding of the value of incorporating specific digital marketing strategies into their
marketing mix. Through the adoption and incorporation of digital marketing strategies discussed
in this study, the real estate industry could operate more efficiently by increasing customer
information satisfaction, achieve profit acquisition, and enhance customer retention. The
researcher anticipates the results of this study affecting closely related fields to adopt some of
these strategies within this study to increase organizational performance, enhance consumer
engagement, and organizational profitability.
Definition of Key Terms
Asynchronous Collaboration. Asynchronous collaboration implies a platform that
allows multiple users to advance information in a common space such as a server (Oshima et al.,
2007).
20
Branding. The process a company uses to distinguish its product from the competition
(Sinha et al., 2011).
Customer Relationship Management (CRM). A system used by organizations to study
customers’ behavior and provide organizational leaders with insight about how to improve a
product or service through customer activities and experiences (Duque et al., 2018).
Database Technology. Storage for information accumulated for the containment of
structured knowledge and group compatibility (Masior, 2019).
Digital Marketing. The use of diverse digital technology is used to promote brands and
products (Gravatt, 2018).
Disruptive Innovation. The unexpected displacement of technology that is already in
use by technology that better serves the user(s) (Čiutienė & Thattakath, 2014).
E-commerce. The process of conducting online transactions and information exchange
between organizations and individuals electronically (Wienclaw, 2019).
Intrinsic Motivation. Intrinsic motivation describes a phenomenon that does not require
accompaniment (Francescotti, 2014).
Marketing Mix. A combination of tools used to market a product or service (Gilstein,
2018).
Real Estate Agent. Professionals that assist clients in facilitating transactions associated
with the acquisition of real property (Nadeau, 2018).
Relationship Marketing. Marketing efforts an organization uses to establish, develop,
and maintain successful exchanges (Rasul, 2017).
Social Currency. An experience shared by consumers when interacting with other brand
users while sharing information about a brand (Journal of Product & Brand Management, 2014).
21
Social Impact. Beneficial outcomes of prosocial behavior enjoyed by a broader
community of the intended targets (Rawhouser et al., 2019).
Social Media. A network of applications and websites that assist users in their efforts to
generate content, communicate, and interact on a grand scale (Cooper, 2018).
Technology. Information equipment, techniques, and processes used to convert
information into output (Hosseini et al., 2018).
Technology Acceptance Model. The theory used by organizations to predict which
features influence the motivation to adopt new technology (Dziak, 2017).
Technological Innovation. The development of new products and production processes
an organization to develop and implement organizational activities and organizational
infrastructure (Flynn, 2019).
Traditional Advertising. A form of media previously known as mass-media, which
includes television, radio, print, and outdoor advertising (Ertemel & Ammoura, 2017).
Summary
The purpose of this doctoral study was to explore effective digital marketing strategies
for increased consumer engagement in real estate. Fifteen (15) real estate participants were
instrumental in discovering how digital marketing strategies help increase consumer engagement
and ultimately increase organizational profits. Exploring how digital media strategies can
effectively increase consumer engagement can lead to the development of reputations systems or
smart cities in the community to help foster social change through the implementation of online
advice communities and consumer rating systems.
Using qualitative research to investigate strategies real estate professionals use to
increase consumer engagement will optimize the efforts of real estate practitioners who intend on
22
using digital media to optimize consumer engagement. The researcher conducted used a
questionnaire, follow-up interviews, and a follow-up focus group, to explore effective strategies
real estate practitioners use to increase consumer engagement. The researcher used the TOE
theory to explore elements that influence the adoption of innovative technology. The TAM
theory was also used to explore behavioral intentions that lead real estate practitioners to adopt
new technology. Combining the strategies with a thorough literature review, the researcher
constructed a thematic analysis to help triangulate their findings. Chapter 2 provides a thorough
literature review that explores peer-reviewed articles to help highlight some important factors
relating to the adoption of digital media. In the next chapter, the researcher highlights important
topics relating to the adoption of innovative technology including technological compatibility,
consumer engagement, customer relationship management resources, performance measurement,
and managerial control.
23
CHAPTER II: LITERATURE REVIEW
The findings of this study may lead to the widespread use of database technology and
informatics could assist in the contribution and development of reputations systems or smart
cities in the community to help foster social change. A review of the professional and academic
literature allows researchers to explore ideas, theories, and concepts to make a connection
between the idea of the researcher and the collection of data they discover from other
researchers.
A literature review summarizes a subject field that evaluates a range of relevant sources
to support the identification of specific research questions (Rowley & Slack, 2004). Marshall
(2010) postulated that a literature review is a systematic method used by researchers,
practitioners, and scholars to interpret work produced by researchers. Literature reviews are a
preferred method of evaluation because they consist of information about the highest-ranking
journals in their disciplines and sub-disciplines (Wright, 2016). The purpose of this qualitative
case study was to explore the technological database strategies some real estate managers use to
increase consumer engagement.
Real estate practitioners should understand what an effective digital marketing strategy
can do for their bottom line. A real estate organization that can engage customers online has an
advantage that other real estate organizations lack. The literature review in this study explored
the digital marketing strategies real estate managers can use to increase engagement with
potential customers. An understanding of how real estate managers can use digital media to
increase engagement will put into perspective the strategies discussed in the case study discussed
in this doctoral study.
24
Documentation
The literature review search includes data the researcher collected from academic & peer-
reviewed journals, real estate association websites, Google Scholar, electronic textbooks, and
various Trident University Library databases, including EBSCOhost, ProQuest, and Sage
Publications. Social media platforms such as Facebook (Metavaerse), Twitter, Tik-Tok,
YouTube, and multiple blogs provided relevant information throughout the review of data that
the researcher collected for this study. The themes that the researcher used to conduct the
research included social media, digital marketing, innovative disruptions, real estate technology,
technology utilization, and database technology.
Organizational Analysis and Benchmarking
The problem that the researcher investigated is “It is not known what digital marketing
strategies are used by GildEstates to increase consumer engagement or how those marketing
strategies can be improved” (McCain, 2022). Some real estate practitioners may believe that
their current marketing methods are sufficient and there is not a need to alter or enhance their
marketing efforts. Madigan (2021) determined that real estate marketing strategies only
accounted for 0.5% of sector revenue while most practitioners continue to rely on word-of-mouth
referrals, as it has been the most reliable method for real estate agents to secure referrals. Internet
traffic volume continues to grow at an annualized rate of 22.3% while television subscription is
slowing at an annualized 2.3% (Ristoff, 2021). This may be an indication that traditional
marketing methods could be shifting to digital and virtual methods that require practitioners to
increase their knowledge base and skillset to remain competitive in their industry.
The researcher worked closely with the VP of Acquisitions of the organization to help
explore which digital marketing strategies helped increase consumer engagement from the
25
inception of acquisition of a new portfolio asset. The organization where the researcher
conducted research uses their website to engage with and secure new customers. Though the
traditional marketing methods have been sufficient for practitioners at the organization the
researcher was conducting research, the consistency could be due to external environmental
factors and may not be long lasting. IBISWorld (2022) posited that consultants with a
competitive edge in specific industries are seeing an increase in e-commerce sales and services
conducted online thanks to the coronavirus pandemic. According to Råheim et al. (2016), it is
important to establish roles, rules, approaches, and agendas early in the research process so that
the researcher and research participants understand expectations and boundaries during the
research process.
The organization the researcher constructed the project around is a real estate
development and management firm in West Los Angeles, California. The researcher selected this
firm because they believe there is synergy between the doctoral study project and the digital
marketing issues the firm continued to experience. The justification for selecting this
organization is that through exploration of the digital marketing techniques this organization
employs, the researcher could get a better understanding of which digital marketing strategy was
most effective for this organization and real estate firms that are similarly structured. The
researcher only used this one organization to fulfill the requirements of the sample size in the
doctoral study project.
The articles relevant to the doctoral study were downloaded and saved according to the
scope of information the articles could provide for the research. Each article was read
thoroughly, and pertinent data was highlighted to incorporate into the study. Articles that are the
least useful for the research were filed in a separate category to be summoned later if needed.
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Implications for Social Change
The way real estate managers conduct transactions is a result of the innovation of the
internet (Goodwin & Stetelman, 2013). Previously, real estate managers would use a system that
was predominately paper driven. The marketing strategies real estate managers traditionally
employed were one-sided. Advertising on public transportation and in print media such as
newspapers, magazines, and brochures prevent real estate professionals from experiencing two-
way communication from their target audience. The world is moving into the digital age and real
estate professionals must learn to adjust. It is important for real estate managers to be cognizant
of the benefits of technology coming to market that can provide their organization with an
industry advantage.
Forward-thinking real estate managers seeking to engage consumers must deliver a more
prosperous digital experience (Petit et al., 2019); by leveraging internet technology to assist
technologically inclined homebuyers (Gonzales, 2016). There is a continual evolution of
technological advancements that create an automated, comfortable, and personalized experience
for consumers. A personalized experience allows consumers to voice their expectations and
experiences to their service providers and potential clients who have access to their reviews. The
advent of the internet led to technical innovation that resulted in a host of new channels,
including social networking (Ertemel & Ammoura, 2017). Social networking platforms provide
real estate practitioners with an integrated virtual venue equipped with communication tools to
facilitate Online-socialization (Guo et al., 2015). Online socialization is a digital currency
provided by consumers that real estate professionals can use to engage with their target audience
members in real time. One of the resources real estate managers can use to achieve this is
electronic data interchange.
27
Electronic Data Interchange is an information system that provides advantages to
organizations that include expediting the transfer of information from one location to another as
well as mitigating financial and human resources by sending information electronically instead
of physically (Kuan & Chau, 2001). Kuan and Chau (2001) conducted one of the earlier studies
on how electronic data interchange (EDI) was important to the success of small business firms
by demonstrating how firms that adopted EDI, were under higher government pressure to adopt
EDI than firms that did not adopt EDI. Many organizations use digital media to send digital
information which includes email applications, messenger applications, and file hosting services
like Dropbox. Kuan and Chau (2001) suggested that there are a few reasons small businesses
decide against the implementation of EDI including underutilized integration (organizational),
lack of IT sophistication (technological), and weak market positions (environmental). Firms with
an insufficient number of employees may not benefit from the implementation of EDI.
Additionally, small businesses that have employees who are unable to operate sophisticated
technology or technology learning barriers to incorporate systems that may divert their attention
from their primary work tasks. Such barriers could have adverse effects on real estate
organizations such as a reduction in sales.
Cornelius (2018) conducted a study about strategies real estate managers implemented to
mitigate declining sales in a post-recession environment. Customer service, consistent hard work,
market specialization, and innovation were some of the strategies successful real estate managers
may incorporate to help mitigate declining sales in the real estate industry (Cornelius, 2018).
Real estate professionals will have to find ways to communicate effectively with their target
audience while simultaneously learning how to navigate the platforms their customers prefer
using. Not only will real estate managers have to strengthen their digital proficiency but also
28
learn how to establish rapport and provide exceptional customer service at the same time. One
may inquire about the effectiveness of customer service and how customer service serves as a
medium to increase consumer engagement.
Cornelius (2018) determined customer service is the most essential strategy real estate
managers can embrace because it allows professionals to build relationships that develop into
brand loyalty. Digital media platforms convert real estate professionals from employees of an
organization to an extension of the brand for which they are associated. A real estate professional
must bear in mind that everything they do online lasts forever, and they must act in the best
interest of the organization. The reputation of the brand and the individual depends on their
online conduct. Establishing an online presence and engaging with customers may be the
determining factor real estate professionals use to gain a strong referral system within their
online network. However, the effectiveness of a real estate professional’s online presence is
limited to the resources available to the organization they serve and the decision makers
approving online activity.
Ghobakhloo et al. (2011) illustrated the decision-making process employed by managers
to utilize electronic commerce in small and medium-sized enterprises. Ghobakhloo et al. (2011)
surveyed 235 managers who employ electronic commerce to investigate motives including the
perceived advantage to the organization. The study used a wide range of variables to determine
the compatibility and advantages gained by small businesses that determined the practicality of
incorporating electronic commerce. Some of the valuable components electronic commerce can
provide to small businesses are improved transactional efficiencies, market expansion, and
reduced transaction costs (Ghobakhloo et al., 2011). Some real estate managers use digital media
platforms as a neutral meeting space to conduct electronic commerce. Real estate professionals
29
can soon utilize platforms such as the metaverse to enhance the virtual meeting experience with
their customers. However, there may be some barriers to entry (such as cost) for managers
attempting to use new technology to increase efficiency and provide alternative experiences for
their customers.
This study suggests that organizations must be ready for electronic commerce
implementation if they would like to take advantage of the efficiencies associated with
performing digital transactions. Cost of access is a determining factor that organizations must be
ready to accept combined with availability that restricts many small business organizations. The
lack of financial and technological resources restricts many small businesses from adopting
electronic commerce (Ghobakhloo et al., 2011). TOE framework utilized in this study suggests
that perceived compatibility (technological), CEO’s knowledge of implementation
(organizational), and buyer/ supplier pressure (environmental) factors are determining factors
that help managers decide whether a small business is ready to incorporate electronic commerce
as a viable organizational enhancement for their business model. Pressure from buyer and
suppliers may be factors that real estate professionals can mitigate by addressing the fears
learning the needs of their potential customers.
Every business has obstacles that affect sales and consumer and engagement. Cornelius
(2018) suggested real estate managers who anticipate staying in the real estate industry long-
term, must learn how to cater to clients who may be fearful of commitment. Communicating
with clients in the digital age is a necessity for real estate managers seeking to build rapport with
their clients. Digital communication can help real estate managers keep records of conversations
to alleviate confusion and maintain efficiency. Real estate professionals can use the information
outlined in Cornelius’ research study in a digital setting such as social media and digital media to
30
tailor their marketing campaigns toward potential buyers hesitant to purchase real estate in a
post-recession market. Implementing digital media strategies to combat consumer-fears is a great
way to increase consumer confidence and identify consumer behavior patterns.
The implementation of social-marketing strategies helps organizational leaders employ a
practical, useful, and sustainable strategy for organizations that they serve (Papakosmas et al.,
2012). Through research and development, organizational leaders can identify technological
advancement opportunities. Technological advancements often lead to new concepts and
evolution in business communication (Hosseini et al., 2018). Gradual technological advances are
responsible for the development of digital environments, and the influence customers receive
while in the digital environments.
A direct result of the advancement of the internet is technological changes that have
helped evolve business practices for countless organizations throughout the century, including
real estate organizations. Impact technological developments have on the practice of real estate is
the expanded availability and access to real estate related information (Benjamin et al., 2002).
Previously, real estate managers would rely on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) to market
their available listings to their customers. Industry leaders have since been made aware of mobile
technologies to include in their marketing mix, including mobile applications, social networking,
tablet computers, QR Codes, and GPS technology (Goodwin & Stetelman, 2013).
Goodwin and Stetelman (2013) used a qualitative research study to evaluate how
technology integrates into the marketing of real estate. Goodwin and Stetelman (2013) studied
how buyers use technology in the real estate process. Over 3,700 people were surveyed to
discuss their experiences with technology and their recent experience with real estate. Goodwin
and Stetelman (2013) determined that online marketing of real estate listings is most valuable to
31
a younger generation of real estate customers and for those who are more comfortable with
technology. Marketing to digital customers is beneficial to real estate managers if that is the
target audience of the organization.
Real estate professionals need to understand which methods are most effective for
communicating with their intended target market. Goodwin and Stetelman (2013) determined
that technology was beneficial to both buyers and sellers of real estate. The benefit of this study
is that it helps introduce the value of internet marketing to practicing real estate agents. One of
the things that the researcher found most interesting about this article is that the authors of this
research study mention the insignificance of the real estate based digital media websites
available for civilian use. Though these sites are valuable for real estate practitioners, the sites do
buyers and sellers no good if the sites do not bring value to the people involved in the financial
transactions other than the real estate brokers. Real estate based digital media sites could be more
effective if the sites provided a feedback loop for all things a real estate customer may need to
complete their transaction.
Information reported in this research study revealed that the use of the internet and
technology and the engagement it creates can be associated with the amount of income generated
by real estate practitioners. This information is valuable because a direct correlation is evident
between digital marketing practices, consumer engagement, and the value it provides to real
estate practitioners. Marketing real estate through digital media channels is important, however,
the way the real estate agents promote real estate listings appears to be most important when
marketing real estate listings to generate consumer engagement. Real estate managers must
continue to find ways to generate public interest and grow their knowledge about the value of
marketing property via digital media as if it were the only method available to enhance consumer
32
engagement. Digital media is a viable resource real estate managers can use to learn about
industry trends as well as teach their customers important information about the industry that
could increase the trust factor between a client and their realtor.
Technological innovation has afforded real estate practitioners the ability to deliver
contextually relevant communication to their clients (Shankar et al., 2016). Websites such as
Zillow and Redfin are two of the largest real estate information providers in the world and are
continually collecting data to help provide alternative real estate services to consumers. Learning
how to navigate sites that are intuitive and easily accessible to real estate customers can help real
estate agents gain favorable results with their customers. However, some real estate professionals
may not understand the value associated with using such niche technology because they have yet
to see significant change associated with the adoption of innovative technology in their industry.
Gonzales (2016) conducted a study to evaluate the correlation between smart technology
and the sales volume, education, gender, and age of the real estate agent. Gonzales (2016)
believed that real estate agents adopt technology to position their organizations to have a better
line of communication with new homebuyers. Large firms use internet technology as a tool to
save real estate agents’ search time. Gonzales (2016) determined that the vast amount of real
estate information offered online takes away from a consumer’s perceived value of the services
offered by real estate managers.
Gonzales (2016) examined the influence smart technology has on the declining use of
real estate professionals. One major benefit of this study is that the researcher provides a forecast
as to a shift in the responsibilities and services that real estate managers will offer in the future.
Between the vast information about real estate that has become available to the public, well-
informed internet users, and third-party technology disruptions such as innovative social media
33
tools, real estate agents were obligated to offer more than the traditional sales service and expand
to offering real estate support services such as home warranty plans, property insurance, home
renovations, and landscaping. Finally, real estate managers may benefit from this study by being
able to determine if there is a correlation between an increase in consumer engagement and the
use of smart technology by consumers. The limitation of this study is that technology is ever
evolving, and the technology evaluated in this study may not be antiquated, insufficient, and
irrelevant for determining how future technology influences consumer behavior.
Gonzales’s (2016) research study is relative to any industry that has experienced a major
technological disruption. When analyzing the factors that are associated with increasing
engagement, one can use this research study to understand the role technology plays in assisting
consumers to find alternative methods to purchase products or evade a real estate professional
when purchasing real estate. Gonzales (2016) stated that the technology-empowered consumer
develops a perception that a company with a positive online presence can maintain quality
control of their online reputation and inventory. It is safe to assume that an increase in
engagement can be attributed to a decline in perceived value by the target audience. This
research study will help real estate managers improve and restore perceived value in their
products or services.
Digital Media
Websites like Zillow have completely transformed the customer experience by immersing
consumers in valuable information about real estate that used to be exclusively available to real
estate professionals only. Customers use websites like Zillow to find information about
neighborhoods where they are interested in potentially purchasing a property. Zillow’s most
popular feature is the automated valuation method that Zillow refers to as the Zestimate
34
(Poursaeed et al., 2018). Customers can use this valuation system created by Zillow’s algorithm
to get a sense of what home values are in specific neighborhoods without the pressures,
persuasiveness, or unsolicited opinion of their real estate agent. Real estate-based websites can
also offer services customers may find useful when accessing information on the go.
In addition to image recognition photo banks real estate practitioners use today for
property image recognition purposes (PR Newswire, 2019); online applications, electronic credit
checks, virtual tours, online rent payments, digital maintenance requests, and web-based
marketing are also business tools that were previously unavailable to real estate practitioners to
enhance the consumer experience (Dobrian, 2011). Benjamin et al. (2002) determined real estate
managers experience a surge in consumer engagement when they offer digital utilities such and
contact information for third-party vendors such as moving companies, mortgage brokers, and
other service providers. These digital marketing tools help automate real estate duties; however,
these tools also provide another layer of engagement for digital consumers. These tools can be
amassed only when an organization is able to accommodate the innovative technology needed to
help grow the company.
Technological Compatibility
Bereznoi (2014) believed business innovation is established by identifying a new market
need and determining the most effective way to satisfy the need while delivering consumer value
to a target audience. Although the need for adopting technology to increase consumer
engagement does not constitute a traditional real estate market need, it is undoubtedly an
essential element for managers who want to build a competitive brand. Geyda (2020) determined
that information-technology capability and dynamic capability are imperative tools for managers
of organizations interested in measuring, complying, and remaining competitive in rapidly
35
changing environments. However, not all real estate organizations are equipped to implement
new technology into their marketing mix. Demishkevich (2015) believed that a lack of
knowledge, in-house expertise, and financial capital prevents small businesses from entering
broader markets and scaling their business models. As internet marketing becomes more
common, factors such as ease of accessibility and low-cost product development will help
mitigate traditional barriers previously faced by lone entrepreneurs (Scott et al., 2019).
Organizations typically have different motives for attempting to implement new
technology into their marketing mix, which includes monetary, strategic, and compulsory
(Piruncharoen et al., 2011). The apparent intention for implementing technology into an
organization’s marketing mix would be to increase revenue; however, the strategic dimension of
exploiting technology is rooted in a more long-term objective that aligns with its strategic
intentions. Kaleka and Morgan (2019) defined strategic intentions as the future goals an
organization sets to accomplish using a specific method strategically. Real estate managers use
strategic intentions to determine which technological tools was the most effective in establishing
a brand identity when seeking to provide content that consumers find engaging. The engagement
of consumers is pivotal for managers of any organization that intends on expanding its services
from traditional brick and mortar locations to online platforms and beyond.
36
Figure 2
Tipping the Scale Illustration
Note. The Tipping the Scale Illustration depicts some of the reluctances and benefits associated
with the adoption of innovative technology. The left side of the scale illustrates some barriers
organizations face that make organizational leaders reluctant to adopt innovative technology. The
right side of the scale represents resources organizations may use to mitigate obstacles
preventing the organization from adopting innovative technology. Understanding the challenges
is the first step in learning how to side-step those obstacles and successfully implement
innovative technology such as digital media.
Demishkevich (2015) conducted a case study of five small business owners to get a better
understanding of their development and implementation of internet market strategies.
Demishkevich (2015) found that better financial performance, higher survival rates, consumer
engagement, and healthier economic systems were a direct result of implementing successful
internet marketing strategies. Though only half of small businesses make it past five years,
37
internet marketing increases a business’s chances of beating those odds. Demishkevich (2015)
concluded small businesses interested in reaching target audiences must use technological
marketing practices to stay competitive. Real estate managers are typically a part of a small (less
than 20 employees) firm and will need to understand and embrace the internet marketing
practices that larger organizations adopt if those managers intend to compete on a grand scale. In
their study, Demishkevich (2015) determined internet marketing improves customer
relationships, operational efficiency, marketing effectiveness, and a firm’s performance when the
marketing strategy is effective. The benefit of this study is that real estate managers can finally
begin to understand the value of internet marketing as small business owners. Real estate
managers used this research to establish marketing practices more effective at reaching their
target audience.
Real estate is only one industry where small business operators perform transactions.
Thus, any industry or manager that runs a boutique-style operation should use this research study
to understand the benefits of internet marketing. Demishkevich (2015) advised the internet and
technological advancements play a vital role in how consumers find and use information. When
small business managers and owners can determine where most of their business comes from,
those businesses can focus on the studying metrics that provide information that allows real
estate managers to market their services and products more effectively enabling a more
meaningful interaction with customers interested in patronizing their businesses. Demishkevich
(2015) posited using an internet marketing strategy is essentially the only way for small
businesses to compete in the same arenas as their larger competition.
Stanford (2003) posited that the successful leveraging of digital solutions requires
practitioners to implement long-term strategic planning and short-term tactical planning. To
38
achieve successful implementation of digital solutions, organizations must employ a pool of
individuals aligned with corporate goals, familiarize themselves with the necessary technology,
and assert their abilities accordingly. Through this strategic initiative, managers can achieve
brand interactivity. Adhikari and Panda (2019) described brand interactivity as a consumer’s
perception of creating an authentic and meaningful connection with the organization. Brand
interactivity occurs when consumers take control of how and when they choose to engage with a
brand, such as clicking on a pop-up advertisement to learn more (Lee et al., 2013). Managers
must be mindful of the intensity of the experience they provide to customers who seek to learn
about their brand, as different people’s interpretations of comfort and convenience through
engagement may vary. Letheren et al. (2019) believed that different intensity levels translate
differently depending on the consumer, ultimately creating separate rules for how consumers
engage with the brand and its representatives.
Consumer Engagement
Real estate managers embrace technological marketing strategies by increasing brand
attention and consumer interest to attract potential customers (Cornelius, 2018). Real estate
salespeople must engage with consumers because they understand people do not necessarily buy
from someone who is qualified; they buy from people they like and trust (Rasul, 2017). The
consumer-brand relationship began as a monetary transaction and evolved into an emotional
interaction that activates impulse and influences a consumer’s decision to purchase (Sinha et al.,
2011). According to Jayasingh (2019), information seeking is the primary determinant
responsible for engagement behavior. Results from an earlier study conducted by Sihi and
Lawson (2018) corroborated that psychological ownership (consisting of the effect of the service
in the digital environment, self-identity, place, and stimulation) contributes to the connection
39
people feel toward a product or service. Managers receive insight when studying the connection
people feel toward a brand. Some companies use smart interactive products to improve customer
perception of the brand, brand positioning, and enhance the consumer’s emotional attachment to
the brand (Nguyen & Simkin, 2017). Managers use the information they collect as tools to create
compelling content that engages their target audience. The user’s overall experience may vary
based on characteristics that the technology provides to the customer (Hermsen et al., 2016).
Social media is a platform real estate managers use as an outlet to produce consumer-
stimulating content so they can fulfill the arousal requirements of their target audience and begin
engaging with their customers (Sihi & Lawson, 2018). Syrdal (2016) posited that while some
consumers may pursue engagement with an organization due to their relationship with the brand,
social media engagement is directly correlated to information provided by the content offered to
the consumer by the host of the brand that provides content which serves as a point of contact
between the brand and the consumer. Real estate managers can enhance social media
engagement by fulfilling consumer social needs, entertaining, and informing their target
audience members (Florenthal, 2019). Van Ments et al. (2015) posited that by communicating
with their target audience members through internal stimulation; managers may predict the
expected effects of their intended message. Social media sites provide opinion leaders with an
environment that allows them to provide product-related opinions to potential consumers (Chu &
Kim, 2011).
Kendall (2014) conducted a study where 50 participants were surveyed to gauge their
interest level in Facebook and Twitter posts created by real estate professionals. The researcher
found that the same interests do not govern the target audience and the average social media
user. In other words, the audience most available through these sites is not the target audience
40
that the marketing efforts the real estate agent intended to reach. Kendall (2014) also found that
social network marketing alone is not enough to engage a user enough to act.
Figure 3
Benefits of Using Digital Media Illustration
Note. Digital media is an organic feedback loop to help real estate practitioners deliver content
that will help engage consumers through infotainment content. The illustration is a depiction of
the benefits real estate practitioners can obtain through engaging with consumers by using digital
media. Through digital engagement, real estate practitioners hope to impact digital customers
enough to spread the word about their content to other digital media users. Word of mouth is a
positive effect of engaging with digital customers.
Several real estate professionals use social media to sell homes. How will real estate
professionals that use the same tools to market their product set themselves apart from any other
real estate professional? The benefit of this research study is that it helps real estate managers get
41
a better understanding of how to market their products and services via social media. Kendall
(2014) posited that online customers represent the changing face of marketing and sales. The real
estate market provides grounds for interpersonal contact between real estate agents and
consumers in which the result of the relationship leads to a successful business transaction
(Kendall, 2014). Real estate sales positions have evolved with social media as social media
offers another layer for people involved in a transaction to build rapport with one another and
refer other customers.
The advent of the internet has made it easier for consumers to refer to members who have
provided outstanding customer service experiences. There is no higher compliment a real estate
practitioner can receive than a referral from one of their customers. Real estate managers rely on
digital consumers to use social media to spread the word about their brand. Chuang et al. (2019)
defined electronic word of mouth (eWOM) as information shared on social networking sites by
consumers satisfied with an item or service. A customer satisfied with the performance of a
brand for which they have engaged will provide a positive review to their associates about the
service they received. Chu and Kim (2011) posited that consumers who review online
recommendations are more likely to select the recommended service or product than one that
was not. Organizations can increase the likelihood of online recommendations by offering
services and products that are unique to the brand. Some features that are becoming popular in
the real estate industry include innovative technology such as virtual and augmented realty.
Augmented reality is another form of engaging technology that allows consumers to
experience a product or service (Javornik, 2016). Multisensory online experiences such as virtual
reality and augmented reality will create a more engaging and immersive experience for real
estate customers (Petit et al., 2019). Industry leaders use augmented reality to project
42
superimposed computer-generated images that allow customers to preview a potential purchase
in real-time. Some experts predict augmented reality (AR) will surpass the use of virtual reality
(VR), where the user is immersed in a computer-generated reality via wearable equipment
(Laterman, 2017). Virtual reality is a medium that influences consumer decision making by
emphasizing imagery and personal impressions (Sheu et al., 2017). Real estate managers
currently use virtual reality to entice their clients by allowing them to view properties in the
virtual environment (Cowan & Kerton, 2019). Augmented-Reality (AR) technology’s
expectation is that it will integrate well with social media to help enhance the consumer-
engagement experience. Due to external factors such as costly barriers to entry and lack of
hardware able to accommodate such features, VR and AR are seeing slow adoption in the real
estate sector.
A study by Yoon and George (2013) conducted a study to explore the reason for the slow
adoption of virtual worlds through survey and data source collection to decipher why
organizations are slow to adopt virtual world technology. Management support, technological
compatibility, and intensity of competition are all factors contributing to the adoption of virtual
worlds (Yoon & George, 2013). Product knowledge ensures practitioners have the organizational
compatibility to offer their products in a virtual setting. Kaur (2019) determined that e-property
management systems will eventually replace traditional methods of property management.
Organizations transitioning from traditional real estate services to digital real estate services,
organizations will need to budget for human and other organizational resources. The costs
associated with such a transition may cause financial challenges for organizations that are not
economically equipped to transition. With proper managerial support, organizations can
ultimately reduce employee training costs associated with digital resource implementation.
43
Another factor mitigating the adoption of virtual reality and augmented reality is the users’ lack
of understanding about where the technology can be useful. Wearable technology such as the
Oculus and the Metaquest have made the application of AR and VR more accessible to civilians
and practitioners, but still has a long way to go to become a standard tool real estate practitioners
can use to utilize the benefits of engaging in virtual worlds like the Metaverse.
Yoon and George (2013) sent their questionnaire to 2,289 potential respondents and only
received 178 responses. The low response rate was attributed to a lack of knowledge about
virtual worlds. Most of the responses received by Yoon and George (2013) were from employees
with a “manager” title, which created limitations within the study. The managerial response was
expected given their vested interest in the company as stakeholders. From an organizational
perspective, readiness was the determining factor for management’s consideration to adopt
virtual world technology. Perceived pressures from competitors and trading partners were key
determinants for virtual world adoption from an environmental perspective. Technological
factors were not significant enough (in this study) to be used as a determining factor to adopt
virtual world technology. As concluded in previously mentioned studies, managers need to
ensure their organizations are ready financially and organizationally to adopt next-level
technology. It is pivotal for organizations to adopt technology prior to making recommendations
to their customers about how they can use the technology to increase efficiency.
Technology plays a vital role in engaging consumers by identifying influencers who act
as opinion leaders that establish market-wide diffusion (Nejad et al., 2014). Technological
interaction is transitioning from cognitive engagement to social, behavioral, and affective
engagement (Letheren et al., 2019) That is why marketers must remain especially cognizant of
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how their targeted content will appeal to their customers in the social and physical environment
by understanding the dynamics that maximize consumer engagement (Scholz & Smith, 2016).
One of the dynamics becoming available to maximize the efficiencies of real estate
transactions are smart contracts and security tokens backed by real world assets. Gupta et al.
(2020) believed that real estate stakeholders was able to use specialized security vehicles such as
security tokens to increase functionality and flexibility of real estate transactions. The Metaverse
was one of the first digital platforms to provide a place for consumers to engage and perform
digital real estate transactions more quickly and efficiently by using blockchain systems to
execute smart contracts and conduct business in an alternative environment.
According to Friedman (2020), digital technology became a more progressive resource
and changed the way consumers and professionals’ interface in traditional physical
environments. Organizations used digital technology to track consumer trends and generate data
that drive real estate industry insights (Friedman, 2020). These trends were useful tools for
industry leaders who want to deliver content that will impact consumers and initiate engagement.
Digital technology can be a valuable resource however, there are still regulations that need to be
implemented for industry professionals to be able to confidently rely on some of the tools
available for organizations and consumers alike.
Oluwatofunmi et al. (2021) determined that customers are likely to use digital technology
to explore and determine the capabilities of a real estate organization. Some of the factors
potential customers look for include reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy
(Oluwatofunmi et al., 2021). Customers who do most of their shopping and browsing digitally
are able to interpret cues in responsiveness, expediency, and knowledge of products, services,
and industry. Artificial intelligence is a common tool used in service industries to preserve
45
human resources; however, it may behoove real estate professionals to develop rapport early on
to engage with potential customers on terms that are convenient and comfortable for the client.
Customer Relationship Management
Consumer needs are ever changing, and the internet is an essential tool that industry
leaders rely on to meet the changing trends and preferences of their target audience
(Demishkevich, 2015). Technology has increased buyer search behavior and expectations based
on their perception of the real estate industry. Technology and the way real estate managers
leverage technology provides performance drivers to create agents influence behavior that
engages consumers (Plouffe et al., 2016). Employee related metrics play a significant role in real
estate managers seeking to enhance their customer’s home-buying experience (Shankar et al.,
2016). Clark and Moonen (2015), believed that the technology transformation is changing the
way organizations prioritize budgeting for digital systems for implementing conventional
infrastructure. Real estate managers are on the frontline when it comes to consumer interaction
and has a small window of opportunity to engage a potential client. In that small window of time,
real estate managers must develop an effective engagement strategy increases the likeliness of
connecting with their customer.
In her qualitative case study, Hicks (2018) employed the TOE framework to explore
marketing strategies small retail managers used to sell goods in the online environment. Some of
the themes that emerged from the study included customer engagement, customer satisfaction,
and organizational benefit. The four participants of the study helped Hicks (2018) discover
customer preferences used by managers to encourage pricing decisions. According to Hicks
(2018), one of the measures which encouraged consumers to purchase goods from a vendor is the
ability of the consumer to trust the vendor. The online experience, which includes the quality of
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online representation, is a trust factor that attributes to the success of managers online marketing
strategies. One of the most valuable online marketing strategies a manager can implement is
rapport building with potential customers.
Hicks (2018) discusses the significance of social customer relationship management
models (SCRM) in her study, citing that it enhances two-way communication between
consumers and retailers. The participants in the study determined social media was an
economical method for reaching customers. Hicks (2018) posited that a mixture of traditional
marketing and digital marketing is an acceptable assortment of marketing communication for
customers. Traditional marketing channels include radio, distributed flyers, and billboards
(Hicks, 2018). Hicks recommends the adoption of electronic communication because it improves
the customer service process and impacts an organization's long-term relationship building.
Fostering relationships with customers puts real estate managers in a more preferential position
than their competitors as consistent engagement helps consumers develop confidence in their
representative’s ability to communicate with their customer and on their customer’s behalf.
Simmons (2015) conducted a case study where interviewing service directors from 178
organizations to understand the correlation between customer satisfaction and Customer
Relationship Management (CRM) utilization. CRM increased branch revenue and customer
satisfaction. I selected this research study because it provides insight into an additional
component helping real estate practitioners correlate value between digital media customer
relationship building and providing a system that can help real estate managers analyze the
behavior of their customers.
In their study, Cruz-Jesus et al. (2019) used the TOE framework to investigate the
determinants influencing the adoption of customer retention management. The authors of this
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case study developed a questionnaire with the anticipation of receiving responses from top
management participants regarding the three stages of CRM adoption (perception, adoption, and
implementation). Technology competence was an important factor during the adoption stage of
CRM. According to Cruz-Jesus et al. (2019), data quality and integration were the most
significant drivers of the perception and adoption stages of implementing CRM.
From an environmental aspect, competitive drive pressures were determined to be the
most significant driver during the adoption process. Cruz-Jesus et al. (2019) believed managers
should provide support to their subordinates for CRM systems and how they can include it in
their marketing repertoire to benefit the organization. The explained variation in this study
57.3% (routinization) and 57.6% (adoption) means that the first two stages of the adoption
process are the most sensitive organizations and management should consider this when
determining whether to implement CRM (Cruz-Jesus et al., 2019). Organizations implementing
CRM’s and other information systems should ensure the employees of the organization
thoroughly understand how to use these systems for produce more effective results.
Information systems help companies collect consumer information that may help real
estate managers determine metrics regarding consumer relations (Simmons, 2015). This study is
beneficial to real estate managers because it provides insight into the relationship between CRM
system usage, customer satisfaction, and gross revenue. This study was helpful for the research
study because it provides a suggested improvement or additional tool for social media sites to
provide businesses who market to customers. Simmons (2015) determined real estate managers
can consolidate efforts and use a CRM system that provides an interface capable of educating
them on social media metrics. A CRM that interfaces to a real estate professional’s digital media
platform will provide insight as to which marketing tactics are most effective and which
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marketing efforts produce little to no results. The efficiency of a real estate practitioner’s
performance has a direct effect on how customers perceive the organization and the capabilities
of their representatives.
A customer’s perception of a brand's authentic content contributes directly to the impact
of engagement between a brand and its customer (Syrdal & Briggs, 2018). The way a customer
sees a company determines whether they will trust the organization’s representative enough to
patronize the business (Rasul, 2017). Real estate customers have become more informed
shoppers, allowing them to make better-informed decisions, save their real estate representative
time, and reduce overall costs associated with the real estate transaction (Gravatt, 2018). The
evolution of the average real estate customers will require real estate professionals to expand
their marketing strategies to engage consumers and increase market share. The more a real estate
manager engages with their customers, the more prepared the agent will need to be to deliver
results promptly and efficiently.
Internet consumers require having information available to them when they conduct an
internet search (Simmons, 2015). Parise et al. (2016) defined the crisis of immediacy as a
consumer’s need to receive expert intervention in real-time throughout their shopping
experience. Smart technology provides a wide range of access to real estate resources for public
consumption and has adversely led to a decline in real estate professionals (Gonzales, 2016).
Some real estate managers have evaded this technological protest by learning the information
access points of their target audience members, how their target audience members use the real
estate information they are consuming, and which real estate resources are obsolete to their target
audience (Goodwin & Stetelman, 2013). However, prior to real estate customers gaining insight
to the information access points, it is necessary for their real estate manager be aware of industry
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changes so that they can act as a liaison to civilians for all things real estate business. The real
estate practitioner will have to develop and foster these skills internally at the organization at
where they are employed.
Bernardi (2022) believes that cultural transformation starts with investing in
organizational culture. Fostering employee development by aligning their abilities with the
mission of the organization is important. To be ready to participate in a digital economy,
organizations must be ready to make a digital transformation to embrace the digital culture where
their employees and consumers engage (Bernardi, 2022). Much of the social process between
consumers and employees will occur digitally and very soon, virtually. Social media will provide
media richness for employers where they are able to measure how well their employees develop
and align their media presence with the mission of the organization (Bernardi, 2022). An
employees social media presence shall serve as an extension of the organization where they
reduce uncertainty and improve the resolution of potential problems (Bernardi, 2022). According
to Bernardi (2022), some of the resources real estate practitioners may use to engage with
potential customers include blogs, photos, events, SMS-messaging, audio and video messaging.
Management to determine which strategies are most effective for organizational communication
can then measure the metrics captured from these communication methods.
Performance Measurement
Demishkevich (2015) posited that measuring the impact of marketing strategies is vital to
improving marketing performance. Some industry leaders measure the performance of
engagement through soft-social metrics such as “Likes,” “re-tweets,” “posts,” “shares,” and
“impressions” (Fulgoni, 2015). Posts commonly shared include pictures, opinions, status
updates, links to articles, and recommendations (Sihi & Lawson, 2018). Digital consumers often
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use social media to access information, interact, exchange opinions, and discuss current issues
(Arslan, 2017).
According to Porter et al. (2019), the data revolution offers new opportunities for data
collection. Information shared on social media platforms is valuable because of the way it
supports targeted advertising and housing market experiences (Porter et al., 2019). Service
professionals often use paid ads on social media to boost the performance of their message to a
targeted audience. Facebook’s Ad Manager, for example, generates data which measures
behavior and classifies users based on their likelihood to engage with a given targeted message
initiated by an organizational representative.
Organizations can attribute collecting advanced consumer analytics to personalization
(Parise et al., 2016). Personalizing the consumer experience can engage potential customers and
encourage them to return and retrieve that sense of belonging to something they can connect
with. That initial connection can provide managers with insights as to how they can enhance the
experience for the customer. Oklander et al. (2018) determined that digital marketing provides
managers with the ability to estimate effectiveness, determine demand, and track requests of
consumers. Can the traditionally used platforms provide real estate practitioners with these
significant insights?
According to Nemeth (2013), Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn were the top-rated social
media platforms among real estate professionals. Nemeth (2013) revealed Twitter is a platform
that connects consumers to organizations (and their representatives) in real time. Whereas
LinkedIn is a network where professionals gather to share information and insights (Nemeth,
2013). Facebook (Meta) is where friends and family connect to express interests and share
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content (Nemeth, 2013). In addition to sharing content, real estate managers can use certain tools
available on social media platforms to help organize their consumer affairs.
Mendoza et al. (2007), posited that most organizations use CRM strategies to resolve
problems related to uncoordinated initiatives. Critical Success Factors (CSF) of customer
relationship management strategies are typically implemented to address human factors,
processes, and technology (Mendoza et al., 2007). Social media often provides built-in solutions
to help organizations address the issues within their organizations whilst helping members of
their organization engage with potential customers. The impact of an organization’s CRM
strategy depends on how adamant its members are about finding solutions for and advancing
their human, technological, and organizational deficiencies. For real estate managers to use
technology to help them increase efficiency, they must first learn the capabilities of the
technology they intend to adopt.
Impact of Technological Innovations
Čiutienė and Thattakath (2014) describe breakthrough innovations as a technological
advancement that an organization adopts to propel an existing service or product ahead of its
competitors. In 1980, Tim Berners-Lee established a network of interconnected computers with
the ability to share and distribute information efficiently; we now call this breakthrough
innovation The Internet (Čiutienė & Thattakath, 2014). The internet is the most impactful
innovation in history. The internet is a tool that business owners, including real estate
professionals, use to gain a competitive advantage in their respective industries. Hendel et al.
(2009) posited that the internet provides real estate managers with a less expensive and more
effective alternative to facilitate direct marketing efforts and increase consumer engagement.
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According to Shaw (2020), several property technology (PropTech) organizations have
evolved into platforms that offer more to their customers than just resources for buying and
selling real estate. Some of the more sophisticated proptech organizations such as Zillow, Redfin,
and Zoopla provide innovative sales data, neighborhood metrics, property estimates, and
neighborhood comparisons. Siniak et al. (2020) described proptech as the implementation of
emerging technology such as drones, virtual reality, building information modeling, blockchains,
smart contracts, and smart cities, in the real estate sector.
Benjamin et al. (2002) believed that decreasing the cost of technology and its widespread
use would affect productivity and the level of income earned by realtors. Understanding that
there is another element added to the traditional transaction, which typically consists of
consumer and representative, is pivotal to recognize. Value fusion increases value for consumers
and firms by collaborating in the context of digital media or mobile technology (Larivière et al.,
2013). Shankar et al. (2016) highlighted the importance of leveraging value by embracing and
enhancing the interaction between customer, employee, and technology. Organizational leaders
must develop corporate structure to ensure the technology they adopt is conducive to the culture
the organization epitomizes.
Managerial Control
Organizational structure is often adopted to sustain a competitive advantage in digital
environments (Grimshaw et al., 2002). Executive managers use technology to measure
performance standards’ effectiveness by the reactiveness of consumers through engagement with
the brand and its representatives. Innovative technology is a toll that may help managers improve
their performance metrics with their team members and internal organizational standards.
Managers are responsible for learning, providing, and upgrading the right technological mix to
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help employees engage with their customers and enhance the consumer experience.
Understanding how to effectively engage with consumers through digital media will help real
estate managers provide more efficient operations that may provide a more valuable experience
for potential and existing customers. Arndt and Harkins (2012) posited that technology that
automates employee functions should be combined with technology that increases employee
production.
Theories
This study presents an integrated framework that combines the technology-organization-
environment (TOE) framework and the technology acceptance model (TAM) framework to
characterize critical factors shaping the adoption of innovative technology. TOE framework has
been studied in several prior research studies to examine the factors influencing the reliance of
technology adoption. According to Salimonu et al. (2013), the TOE framework is useful for
studying the adoption of technology as well as developing a thorough understanding of different
types of innovation. The TAM framework is also utilized in previous studies as a means to
measure practicality and efficiency surrounding the decision to adopt innovative technology
(Purwanto & Budiman, 2020).
In accordance with Wymer and Regan (2005), effective digital media marketing
strategies remove competitive disadvantages and geographical isolation. Small organizations
with corporate offices in a concentrated part of town typically have a limited geographical reach.
Limited reach makes it difficult for smaller organizations to compete in the market on a grand
scale with their more established competition. The researcher’s theory was that the adoption of
innovative technology creates a competitive advantage for small and medium enterprises. The
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adoption of innovative technology levels the playing field for small and medium enterprises
(Gengatharen & Standing, 2005).
Innovative technology, specifically digital media marketing provides a platform for small
businesses to reach more of their target audience members for a low cost of entry to compete
more effectively with their larger rivals. This in turn helps organizations reach more potential
consumers than they otherwise would with traditional marketing strategies. Social media
marketing provides a relative advantage for small and medium enterprises by increasing
visibility, at a low cost so that they can adjust to market conditions with limited resources (Qalati
et al., 2020).
Cost effectiveness is a considerable factor when implementing new technology. Though
cost effectiveness is an important factor, there must be other justifiable reasons organizations use
to make decisions surrounding the implementation of innovative technology. Innovative
technology can provide firms with an economic method of obtaining a competitive advantage.
Malik et al. (2021) posited that technology implementation by small and medium enterprises are
justified if they are able to save costs while differentiating their position in the marketplace and
retain customers.
Before an organization is able to retain customers, an organization needs to be able to
locate their target clientele. Digital media marketing has made it easier for clientele to locate the
organization. Environmental barriers have been eliminated by an organizations ability to use
digital media to promote their services to otherwise unsuspecting customers. Innovative
technology allows organizations to compete in markets they would not have access to otherwise.
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Technology
The technological component of the TOE framework developed in 1990, focuses on
technological considerations organizational leaders face when determining the appropriateness of
adopting innovative technology. Some of the benefits organizational leaders may consider
include cost of adoption, increased efficiency, quality, and reliability (Lihniash et al., 2019).
Maintenance, training and transition costs are some of the drawbacks some organizational
leaders take into consideration when determining whether to implement of innovative technology
such as digital media marketing resources. Pathak, Ashok, & Tan (2020) utilized the TOE
framework to explore value co-creation in the B2B context and the factors affecting
organizational participation in the value co-creation. Through their study, Pathak, Ashok, & Tan
(2020) found that technology enables co-creation by supporting the infrastructure between the
customer and the organization. Technology is a tool that enables customers to interact with
members of the organization instead of only receiving one-way communication. These findings
are relevant for the research conducted in this study because it solidifies the researcher’s decision
to use the framework used to explore effective digital marketing strategies real estate
professionals use to increase consumer engagement. Additionally, the findings of the study
illuminate different methods consumers can use to co-create meaningful interactions with
representatives of digital organizations.
Organization
Organizational factors that rank high on the list of importance include individual adoption
factors, organizational readiness, and task-fit (Rosli et al., 2012). In their study using TOE
framework, Awa et al. (2016) posited that firm size plays a significant role in the adoption of
technology as can management’s knowledge about innovation influence and how it impacts
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organizational strategy. Due to ever-changing technological resources, it may be difficult for an
organization’s management team to understand all potential possibilities as they relate to
organizational enhancement. However, an organization that is equipped with fundamental
understanding of how technological adoption can progress their mission, was in a better position
to adopt innovative technology than an organization containing leadership that is not receptive to
change. The key findings in the abovementioned study are valuable to this doctoral study
because it highlights the importance of hiring leaders that are concerned with evolving an
organization. Studies like the one previously mentioned illustrate the importance of hiring
multifaceted employees that can navigate the organization in traditional settings and be open-
minded enough to look ahead to see what possibilities may become available to better position
their organization.
Environment
Neupane et al. (2019) conducted a study relating to trust based smart city adoption where
environmental factors significantly impact the decision-making process for organizations
considering adopting new technology. Neupane et al. (2019) believed that environmental factors
such as external pressures could significantly influence an organization to adopt new technology.
Rawash (2021) corroborated this theory in his study about e-commerce adoption by positing that
industry pressures as well as pressures of uncertainty from climate and government have much to
do with an organizations decision to adopt innovative technology. Having an understanding
about environmental elements and their influence on technology is valuable to this study because
this topic may serve as a theme of importance for exploring a practitioners willingness or
trepidation to adopt innovative technology such as digital media resources into their marketing
mix.
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Perceived Influence and Usefulness
The technology acceptance model has guiding principles that influence technology
adoption, perceived usefulness and ease of use (Purwanto & Budiman, 2020). The perceived
influence of a specific technology is important for stakeholders of an organization, as some may
believe the influence of technology can directly enhance a company’s organizational abilities,
reputation, or sustainability. One of the perceived influences of adopting innovative technology,
such as digital consumer engagement is to understand what factors are vital to achieving
consumer acceptance that influence consumers attitudes toward conducting business online.
According to Ha and Stoel (2009), organizations using technology to engage with customers
should take into consideration quality determinants that increase perception of usefulness for
internal and external stakeholders alike. Perceived influence and the constructs surrounding this
element of the TAM framework is important for this study because it helps highlight the motive
to adopt innovative technology. Every organization has different motives for adding and
removing strategies to make their businesses operate more effectively. Understanding some of
the intentions behind technology adoption and perception of adoption can better position the
researcher to align intentions and expectations of innovative technology adoption.
Perceived Ease of Use
Perceived ease of use is the perception that using specific systems will alleviate mental
and physical effort (Johar & Awalluddin, 2011). Ahmad Salleh et al. (2015) believed that
perceived complexity hinders the adoption and implementation of new technology because the
perception produces a higher level of uncertainty to whether the adoption of technology was
equitable for the organization. Additionally, Ajibade (2018) believed that it is not perceived ease
of using the technology, rather the skillset and qualifications of the user operating the technology
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that appear to make it easier to adopt into the organization. Lin (2013) suggested usability testing
to assess a possible relationship between ease of use and user ability. Perceived ease of use
discussion is important to this study because it influences the decision to adopt new technology.
Method and Design Literature
Qualitative Research
For decades, qualitative research has guided decisions based on behavioral and
organizational sciences (Maxwell, 2008). Feldman et al. (2004) believed qualitative research
should be a relationship-building tool that helps researchers gain access and nurture established
relationships for the sake of producing research. According to Cassell et al. (2018), qualitative
research should produce trustworthy, meaningful, and evidence-based knowledge that
organizations may use. One way a researcher can increase trustworthiness of interpretation is
through triangulation. Through the collection of information from multiple sources, a researcher
seeks to view phenomenon from different approaches and triangulate that data to increase the
validity of their research (Conway & West, 2014).
Design
A case study is the study of the particularity and complexities of a certain case to develop
an understanding of how uniqueness of the case affects other circumstances (Stake, 1995). Case
study research was pioneered at the University of Chicago in 1920 (Mills et al., 2009).
According to Yin (2011) some of the topics case study research has covered includes community
studies, public health, business, public policy, and social controversies. Gerring (2006)
determined case studies can help researchers gain better understanding of the whole by
concentrating efforts on a key part.
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The typical rationale for conducting a case study is that it takes into account variability of
human action, interrelationships, and variations of possible perceptions about one topic (Simons,
2009). The different variables that one topic encompasses can be endless. Hancock et al. (2021)
suggested that people who observe the same events often have different accounts because they
observe in different ways making it necessary to perform studies that extract the rich data
associated with each person’s account. Case study research provides opportunity for a researcher
to dig deep and gain understanding of phenomena from multiple data sources (Farquhar, 2012).
Research Approach: Similar Studies
McKee et al. (2017) employed qualitative research to explore why so many young people
are living in the private rental sector for longer periods than previous generations. The case study
used in this study was beneficial because the responses came from several participants with
different perspectives. However, the researchers were able to code the information received into
common themes and provide reasoning based on commonalities of the participants. This
approach will help build on existing bodies of knowledge by allowing future researchers to
replicate the method and conduct similar studies.
Ayodele et al. (2015) used questionnaires to assess the use of social media in real estate
transactions. Through their research, the researchers were able to determine Facebook, YouTube,
and Twitter were the most used platforms amongst professionals they surveyed. This study will
help future researchers understand how to use questionnaires in a way that yields viable results.
The research integrated common themes such as brand recognition, marketplace insight, and
building a strong customer base that could assist in helping the researcher build a stronger body
of knowledge.
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Researchers use qualitative research, also referred to as naturalistic inquiry, as a tool to
describe, interpret, and explain social reality (Beuving & Vries, 2015). Real estate is a profession
that relies on the usual method of practice. Using the qualitative research method helps
researchers discover theoretical insights through cyclical processes (May, 2002). Real estate
practitioners can use qualitative research to understand which processes are interchangeable to
best optimize resources to increase consumer engagement.
Venkatesh and Bala (2012) employed the TOE theory in their case study to explore the
synergies between the adoption of information technology and inter-organizational relationships.
After studying 248 firms, it was determined that process compatibility, standards uncertainty,
and technological readiness all contributed to the success of technological implantation in firms
interested in adopting new technology (Venkatesh & Bala, 2012). Saleem et al. (2021) posited
that technological readiness was a determining factor organizational leaders use when
considering adopting new technology. Technological readiness may include reduction in
operational costs, ability to improve customer relationships, and build brand loyalty. These
benefits have been contributing factors for organizational leaders increasing their willingness to
adopt social media as a method for engaging with consumers via social media (Pateli et al.,
2020). Technological readiness helps quell fears of uncertainty avoidance for organizational
leaders who find technology adoption unsettling (Saleem et al., 2021). Additionally,
organizations that accommodate social media users and their preferences, typically see an
increase in patronage and benefit from the effects of electronic word of mouth (Pateli et al.,
2020).
Pateli et al. (2020) performed a qualitative study yielding results that support the
implementation of social media enhances a firm’s ability to increase connection and
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collaboration within their market. Using the TOE theory, the study concluded that firms using
social media to engage with their customers experience a rise in consumer engagement through
and increase in user contributions (Pateli et al. 2020). Real estate stakeholders such as
consumers, agents, government regulators, and industry affiliates stand to benefit from adopting
innovative technologies (Ullah et al., 2019). Gutierez et al. (2015) performed a qualitative case
study using the TOE method to investigate the factors influencing managers to adopt cloud
computing. It was determined that cost saving, agility, flexibility, and improved collaboration for
mobile digital environments were among the determining factors managers found crucial for
adopting cloud-based technology (Gutierez et al., 2015). Yan-Xin et al. (2014) conducted a case
study where they determined that brands that adopt the social web capture new audiences and
increase their brand awareness and market share.
Real estate stake holders stand to optimize their experience by adopting and embracing
innovative technology (Ullah et al., 2019). According to Shaw (2020), resources such as 3D
model renderings, data transparency, increasing consumer engagement, and combining portfolio
solutions such as leasing, and financing are all benefits of adopting digital technology.
Summary
This chapter is devoted to learning more about the information available to help support
the research study. Some of the resources the researcher employed to conduct the literature
review include The Trident University library, social media platforms such as Facebook and
Twitter, and Google Scholar. The intent of the literature review is to explore which digital media
platforms are most effective for helping real estate managers increase consumer engagement.
The literature review focuses on eight key themes, which include environmental and
organizational drivers of social change, technological compatibility, consumer engagement,
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customer relationship management, customer retention, performance measurement, impact of
technological innovations, and managerial control.
Technological readiness is a key theme that kept coming up surrounding the hesitancy of
digital media implementation. Cost of implementation and the lack of a consistent performance
measurement metric were consistent themes that drove uncertainty among some managers
hesitant to implement digital media strategies. Some case studies suggest that brand engagement
is more important to consumers than engagement is more valuable than individual interactions
by representatives of the firm. In the last segment of this chapter, the researcher highlighted
articles that use qualitative case studies to support the topic the researcher intend to research
along with the TOE theory. In the next chapter of the doctoral study project, the researcher will
highlight the methodology that the researcher intends to use to explore effective digital media
strategies real estate managers use to increase consumer engagement. In chapter three, the
researcher will discuss the methodology and design they used to conduct the study. The
researcher will also describe the data collection instruments and procedures used to conduct the
study.
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CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY
Researchers use qualitative research, also referred to as naturalistic inquiry, as a tool to
describe, interpret, and explain social reality (Beuving & Vries, 2015). Real estate is a profession
that relies on the usual method of practice. Using the qualitative research method helps
researchers discover theoretical insights through cyclical processes (May, 2002). Real estate
practitioners can use qualitative research to understand which processes can be exchanged to
optimize the efforts of their initiating and optimizing consumer engagement.
The purpose of this qualitative case study was to determine what digital marketing
strategies GildEstates uses to increase consumer engagement and how those marketing strategies
can be improved. The general business problem is that it is not known what digital marketing
strategies are used by GildEstates to increase consumer engagement or how those marketing
strategies can be improved. The specific business problem is that some Real Estate managers
lack the necessary digital marketing strategies to increase consumer engagement. The research
questions the researcher explored were:
RQ1. What digital marketing strategies are used by GildEstates to increase consumer
engagement?
RQ2. How those marketing strategies can be improved?
According to Carson (2001), researchers use qualitative research methods to understand
marketing management decision making more than any other research method. Scholars who
adopt the qualitative method to conduct research draw on observations from their findings to
introduce information beyond the context of their research (Bansal et al., 2018). A valuable
benefit of conducting qualitative research is the in-depth understanding of marketing phenomena
researchers acquire from managerial and consumer perspective (Carson, 2001). Seale (2007)
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determined that evaluation research is a method researchers use to carry out activities that
address social problems to improve the quality of public sector services.
Using qualitative research to explore which digital marketing tools real estate
organizations use to engage with consumers was the focus of this doctoral study research project.
The purpose of the research was to explore how organizations use digital marketing technology
to engage with consumers. In this chapter, the researcher intends to discuss how the data
collection instruments the researcher used to conduct research and process data to create an
analysis that includes assumptions, limitations, and delimitations for the doctoral study to
explore how real estate managers use digital media to engage with consumers.
Research Method and Design
Qualitative research is information that does not rely on numerical data (Buehring et al.,
2006) define qualitative research as information not reliant on statistical data. Quantitative
methods often require researchers to make decisions about their research at the height of their
study to ensure alignment throughout their project. In contrast, qualitative research obliges the
researcher to remain cognizant of their research question throughout the project (Bansal et al.,
2018). A consistent way researchers differentiate qualitative methods from quantitative methods
is by understanding qualitative methods to gather information and quantitative methods to
analyze information (Myers & Avison, 2002).
Some researchers use the quantitative method to provide a broader meaning to an
observed relationship through numbers (Beuving & Vries, 2015). In this study, some of the
digital marketing resources real estate managers use to increase consumer engagement was to
topic of exploration. A case study was the method used to collect information, gather insight, and
draw from the observations. There is no need to perform statistical or mathematical analyses on
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the data that is collected. Therefore, a quantitative method is not necessary to use for the study. A
mixed-method approach incorporates mathematical modeling like the quantitative method, which
would convolute the qualitative study.
There are three methods available for researchers to use, which include: qualitative,
quantitative, or mixed methods (Saunders et al., 2015). Using in-depth interviews and
observations, the researcher used a qualitative research design to collect data (Kuada, 2012).
Wienclaw (2017) defined qualitative research as non-numeric studies such as data collection
techniques and analytical procedures that researchers use to observe and analyze real-world
behavior. In contrast, quantitative researchers often collect numeric data and analyze information
through statistics and graphs (Saunders et al., 2015). Generalizability and objectivity are
quantitative characteristics and not reasonable practices to consider for qualitative research; thus,
a quantitative method would not be an appropriate method for the doctoral study (Korstjens &
Moser, 2018). Mixed method researchers utilize quantitative and qualitative methodologies to
provide a more comprehensive answer to their research question (Saunders et al., 2015). Harper
(2019) posited that the most practical mixed-method research challenge is that it requires the
researcher to construct an organized research team to develop a range of methods to pursue
common answers. Time constraints and limited resources prevent me from conducting a mixed-
method research study. Additionally, excessive quantizing of data may lead to loss of
explanatory richness (Yin, 2018). Thus, a mixed-method approach was not selected for this
research study.
For this study, the researcher conducted a single explanatory evaluation. There are three
types of case studies typically used in academic research: explanatory case studies, descriptive
case studies, and exploratory case studies (Yin, 2018). According to Yin (2018), the goal of a
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case study is to understand what the case is, how it works, and how it relates to real-world
contextual environments. The researcher considered three research design options to conduct a
qualitative study on exploring the successful digital marketing strategies real estate managers use
to increase consumer engagement: (a) ethnography, (b) narrative, and (c) case study.
Ethnography is the written account of people or ethnic groups (Yin, 2018). Ethnography is not
the optimal research approach for the proposed study because ethnography is a design focused on
the events and values that shape a participant’s behavior and not develop an understanding of
how strategic approaches translate to consumer engagement. A narrative design entails seeking
to understand why or how people create meaning in their lives (Gilstein, 2013). The researcher
eliminated the narrative-inquiry design option because the doctoral research study has less to do
with creating meaning than increasing consumer engagement. The case study design method was
the optimal design method because a case study allowed the researcher to interpret realistic
scenarios where real estate managers use digital marketing strategies to increase consumer
engagement using observation.
The researcher designed the case study by developing a protocol to collect information.
Once collected, the researcher will identify the quality of the data, identify casualty, and develop
a report that provides theoretical implications. Through their exploration, the researcher intended
to develop a better understanding surrounding the effective digital marketing strategies some real
estate professionals use to increase customer engagement.
Dalati and Marx Gómez (2018) believed that research objectives are the top reason
researchers tend to choose questionnaires as the preferred instrument for their studies. The
researcher chose the open-ended questionnaire to make sure the questions presented to the
participants are consistent and free from bias. Questionnaires also allow for easy access to the
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respondents, timely results, low-cost to administer, and the ability to uphold confidentiality
agreements (Pratto & Rodman, 1987). The questionnaire provided the researcher answers that
needed to develop themes necessary to address both research questions.
The focus group interview was invented in 1987 by Robert Merton as a method of
investigating opinions of participants (Vaughn et al., 1996). Powell and Single (1996) describe a
focus group as a collection of individuals assembled by a researcher to discuss from personal
experience a topic that is the subject of the research. A focus group is important to this research
because professionals can help the researcher gain insight on phenomena that relates to an
industry from the perspectives and experiences of industry professionals. Additionally, the
experience of the professionals in the follow-up focus group better positioned the researcher to
develop answers to the questions proposed in the doctoral study.
Population
The researcher selected a real estate organization management firm that has successfully
implemented database technology strategies to increase engagement that translate into direct
sales efforts for their colleagues. Yin (2018) posited that the population sample comprises human
subjects within a study from which a researcher gathers information. The recommended
minimum non-probability sample size for semi-structured or in-depth interviews is 525
participants, and 412 when considering a homogeneous population (Saunders et al., 2015). The
researcher chose 75 property managers in West Los Angeles, California who are qualified to
provide insight relevant to the topic of study for this research subject matter. It is crucial for
researchers to select equitable participants to ensure each person within the population is fairly
included or excluded, so the research can remain accurate and efficient (Yin, 2018). Qualitative
researchers should collect data from participants who can provide reliable information.
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According to Saunders et al. (2016), it is pivotal for the researcher to understand the cultural
normality of the participants in a study to avoid misinterpreting responses due to professional or
cultural differences between the participant and the observer. To validate the study, the
justification relating to the sample size is the significance of the information that allowed the
researcher to reach data saturation with the selected population. The population consisted of 75
property managers employed at GildEstates. GildEstates manages several properties in the
Greater Los Angeles, California and surrounding areas.
Sample
This study included 15 participants, all of which are property managers that are employed
by GildEstates. Fifteen separate questionnaires were administered to participants who are
employees of GildEstates. The fifteen property managers in Group A took the questionnaire.
Five property managers in Group B participated in the follow-up focus group to discuss
improvements as a group. Five property managers in Group C participated in the follow-up
interviews for experiences. Group B (five participants) and Group C (five more participants)
were extracted from the “A” Group to create their respected groups. These participants were a
good fit for answering the research question because of their professional experience in the real
estate industry and their understanding of digital media.
All the participants were property managers that are responsible for managing one or
more buildings for GildEstates. Qualitative researchers select their participants through
convenience sampling or purposive sampling. The sampling techniques the researcher used to
the property managers at GildEstates was purposive sampling. Purposive sampling occurs when
the researcher hand selects participants given specific qualities the potential participants possess
that could assist with the study (Etikan et al., 2016). The sampling technique works best for this
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study because property managemers can only answer the questions that need to be answered. The
number of participants compliment the data collection method because of the small sample size,
the researcher can quickly collect the information needed quickly and easily. In total, seventy-
five property managers at GildEstates received a recruitment letter to participate in the study.
All the participants in the study are property managers. Convenience sampling is the most
used sampling method in research and is only takes into consideration the convenience to the
researcher (Farrokhi & Mahmoudi-Hamidabad, 2012). Purposeful sampling occurs when the
researcher selects the participants according to the needs of the study (Morse, 1991). The
property managers were selected using purposeful sampling. Property managers are on the front
line engaging with customers of the organization. Using the follow-up focus group to learn about
collective opinions of the selected group helped the researcher get a better understanding on how
the views of property managers were beneficial in answering the research questions in the study.
The researcher distributed recruitment letters to 15 property managers to participate in the study.
A researcher must select the most appropriate sample size that will aid in achieving data
saturation. Data sampling is a technique that helps researchers mitigate efforts by collecting and
analyzing information from a group of participants rather than gathering information from all
possible cases associated with the research within the study (Saunders et al., 2015). Samples
represent populations of interest or groups that help a researcher measure the response of most
participants within each group (Green & Salkind, 2017). To achieve data saturation, the
researcher used the simple random sampling method to collect information from the sampling
population from online discussions and web questionnaires that contain comprehensive semi-
structured follow-up interview questions to achieve methodological triangulation. The researcher
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confirmed that the number of participants (15) was sufficient for this study to determine the
reappearance in themes where additional information provides no new insight.
The population consisted of real estate employees who use digital media to increase
consumer engagement with their customers. The sampling frame was the employees of the
organization who deal directly with potential customers they secure on digital media platforms.
Participants were solicited via email or phone call inquiring about their interest to participate in
the study. The organizational representative provided an email list that the researcher used to
contact potential participants. The researcher sent an e-mail to potential participants (from e-mail
list made available from organizational leader) inquiring about their interest in participating in
the study. Specifics regarding, frequency, timing, and privacy concerns was made available to
participants (verbally) immediately following their commitment to participate in the study. The
researcher used a simple random method to select participants to allow property managers the
ability to answer the web questionnaires as representatives of their respected regions.
Data Collection Instruments
Stieglitz et al. (2018) recommended that researchers consider using both qualitative and
quantitative research methods to harness the power of social media big data. The researcher also
received an expert panel review from two (2) PhD’s who reviewed and validated the instruments
used in the study. The researcher used qualitative resources from published peer-reviewed
articles and journals to collect non-mathematical data to explore how real estate managers use
digital marketing tools to engage with consumers. The vast information available from the
variety of digital media platforms has become abundant and the researcher employed the data
associated with each relevant platform to gather insight on the topic. Additionally, the researcher
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performed questionnaires and follow-up focus group sessions to collect information from the
doctoral study participants.
Table 1
Research Study Methodology Matrix
Note. The matrix describes the instruments and participants who participated in the doctoral
study. The order of participation and the purpose of the instruments are also present in the
Research Study Methodology Matrix to provide context of how the instruments and methods
used relate to the methodology of the study. Follow-up participants are not included in the total
sample twice, the total participants equal 15.
Each case study comprises a different set of related questions and scenarios that call for
different research designs and strategies for collecting data (Yin, 2018). A follow-up focus group
session containing open-ended questions served as the preferred method for collecting
information from participants. Qualitative research studies may use mono-method data collection
techniques; however, multi-method data collection techniques enhance a researcher’s credibility
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(Saunders et al., 2015). Therefore, the researcher also collected data by conducting semi-
structured follow-up focus group as a secondary data source. The collection techniques utilized
in this case study assisted in distinguishing information about the study’s subject against
information that is external to the case study. According to Yin (2018), data collection
techniques should help establish a chain of evidence to increase the quality of the case study. The
first instrument the researcher used is a questionnaire provided to property managers of
GildEstates. The questionnaire was provided to the participants via surveymonkey.com. Answers
collected from property managers was coded and themed accordingly.
The instruments and questions were approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB).
The IRB’s top concern is respect for humans, beneficence, and justice for all research
participants. Therefore, the instruments the researcher uses and the questions the researcher was
asking require approval from the IRB. Every researcher is required to complete an online
certificate of completion on Protecting Human Research Participants.
The researcher also obtained a certificate of completion as a requirement by the IRB. The
certificate of completion was obtained by going to the Doctoral Resources section at Trident
University. In the Doctoral Resources section, the researcher navigated to the IRB steps tab and
followed the link to phrptraining.com. There, the researcher took the required course and
completed the course with a passing score (Appendix E). The certificate of completion is
important to the research study because it is a requirement from IRB to ensure the researcher
understands their ethical and fiduciary responsibility to everyone who is participating in the
study. Additionally, the certificate of completion indicates that the researcher understands the
ethical requirements necessary to conduct the research study.
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Questionnaires: Property Manager of GildEstates
Questionnaires (Appendix D) were used to survey property managers in Group A at
GildEstates. The questionnaire consisted of open-ended and multiple-choice questions regarding
digital marketing strategies for increased engagement in real estate. The open-ended
questionnaire questions were rooted in the technology-organization-environment theory. The
TOE framework describes how a company views influences to determine the adoption and
implementation of innovative technology (Batada, 2021). The researcher used the TOE
framework as a lens to guide the research study. The researcher will ethically gain access to the
information of the abovementioned individuals from a supplied e-mail list provided by the owner
of GildEstates. The last question in the questionnaire instrument asked participants whether they
would be open to participating in either a follow-up interview or a follow-up focus group.
Property managers of GildEstates answered questions driven by the framework about the
implementation of effective marketing strategies to increase consumer engagement.
The questionnaire included 13 open-ended and multiple-choice questions. The questions
were grounded in technology-organization-environment framework. Since a key tenet of TOE is
organization, five questions probed to explore the experiences of the participants that relate to
this concept. For example, does digital media marketing encourage consumer engagement with
members of your organization? A second primary tenet of TOE is environment. The environment
associated with future implementation of digital media strategies helped answer the research
question pertaining to which digital marketing strategies real estate consumers feel most
comfortable engaging with real estate professionals. Therefore, eight open-ended questions were
adapted from past research conducted on this concept and incorporated into the electronic
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survey. For example, are mobile digital marketing strategies as effective as other digital
marketing strategies for enhancing consumer engagement?
Follow-Up Focus Group: Property Managers
Follow-Up focus groups (Appendix D) were used to collect data from the property
managers in Group B. Property managers answered open-ended questions surrounding effective
digital marketing strategies for increased engagement in real estate. The open-ended questions
were grounded in and adapted from the technology acceptance model (TAM). The technology
acceptance model takes into consideration two variables’ organizations consider when adopting
new technology, perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use (Lee et al., 2003).
Understanding the perception of ease of use and perceived usefulness of effective digital
marketing strategies used in real estate to increase consumer engagement helped the researcher
understand the motivating factors property managers believed provide added value to their roles
at the organization.
The follow-up focus group included twelve open-ended questions. The questions were
grounded in technology acceptance model framework. Since a key tenet of TAM is perceived
usefulness, three of questions probed to explore the experiences of the participants that relate to
this concept. For example, how does your company leverage digital media to its fullest capacity
regarding real estate?
A second primary tenet of TAM is perceived ease of use. Perceived ease of use is a factor
extremely important to the implementation of innovative technology as it instills confidence in
the employees who was utilizing the technology. Additionally, understanding why real estate
practitioners use the technology they currently utilize to maintain and increase consumer
engagement helped answer the research question related to the doctoral study topic. Therefore,
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two of the open-ended questions were adapted from past research conducted on this concept and
incorporated into the follow-up focus group instrument. For example, what social media resource
is most effective for optimizing consumer engagement?
Follow-Up Interviews: Property Managers
Interviews (Appendix D) were used to collect data from the property managers of Groups
A & B at GildEstates. The follow-up interview consisted of open-ended questions surrounding
the effective digital marketing strategies for increased engagement in real estate. The open-ended
follow-up interview questions were grounded in and adapted from the technology-organization-
environment theory. The TOE framework describes how a company views influences to
determine the adoption and implementation of innovative technology (Batada, 2021). The
researcher used the TOE framework as a lens to guide the research study. Property managers of
GildEstates answered questions driven by the framework about the implementation of effective
marketing strategies to increase consumer engagement.
The semi-structured follow-up interviews included 12 open-ended questions. The
questions were grounded in technology-organization-environment framework. Since a key tenet
of TOE is organization, nine questions probed to explore the experiences of the participants that
relate to this concept. For example, how does digital media marketing help employees build
rapport with digital customers?
A second primary tenet of TOE is organization. The technology associated with future
implementation of digital media strategies helped answer the research question pertaining to
which digital marketing strategies real estate managers use to increase consumer engagement.
Therefore, four open-ended questions were adapted from past research conducted on this concept
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and incorporated into the semi-structured follow-up interview. For example, which specific
digital media platform do you find is best for optimizing consumer engagement?
Instrument Reliability
Researchers use instruments (Appendix D) to measure responses from participants as it
relates to the topic of study. For researchers to rely on the accuracy and validity of the
instruments used to measure responses, it is important to ensure the instruments are reliable
(Salmond, 2008). An instrument's reliability is contingent on repeatability and accuracy
(Taherdoost, 2016). Reliability is important for this doctoral study, as it will ensure the research
is free of bias and consistent for all participants of the study (Heale & Twycross, 2015). The
researcher enhanced the reliability of the instruments used in the study by soliciting an expert
panel review. The expert panel review consisted of two doctoral graduates who validated the
instruments used in the study.
Zoom.com was a resource the researcher used to gather bulk-information from
participants. The follow-up interview consisted of 12 questions related to the experiences
relatable to each department member and helped identify the need to use digital media platforms
to increase consumer engagement. The TOE theory was a guiding factor in creating the questions
for the follow-up interviews as technology, environment, and organizational fundamentals
helped frame the follow-up interview questions related to each participant’s willingness to adopt
digital media platforms to increase consumer engagement. The follow-up interviews took
approximately 20 minutes to complete unless each participant had a question or concern
regarding the context of the questions within the follow-up interview.
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Expert Panel Review
The researcher recruited two doctoral graduates to review and validate the instruments of
the study. The first panel reviewer is a California State University Long Beach graduate with an
EdD degree in Educational Leadership with a focus in Student Affairs/ Higher Education
Administration. This panelist recommended that the researcher include a few lines explaining the
origins of digital marketing, how it is defined, and when we started hearing about it as a practice.
She believes it will provide good framing for the research study.
The second panelist is a USC graduate with an EdD degree in Educational Leadership
and Organizational Change. This panelist recommended that the researcher use more of a
narrative voice to describe detailed explanations of the diagrams. The researcher has taken all
feedback and recommendations into account and has applied modifications where recommended.
A case study was taken to analyze each participant’s experience with different digital
media platforms and how they use each platform in the real estate setting. Based on each
participant’s level of professional experience, the researcher created a list of themes that the
researcher referenced to analyze how each type of employee uses digital media resources to
engage with real estate consumers. The follow-up focus group questions were formatted to gain
understanding on how each participant leverages digital media to increase consumer engagement
with real estate customers.
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Table 2
Instrument Development and Theory
Note. The Instrument Development and Theory Table depicts how the instruments were
administered to the participants and the relevance of the data collection as it relates to the
framework the researcher intends to use in the doctoral study.
Data Collection Procedures
Questionnaires: Property Managers
The researcher recruited property managers from GildEstates by sending them an email
asking for their participation in the doctoral study. The participants that the researcher contacted
were GildEstate property managers responsible for interacting with residents digitally and in
person. The researcher ethically gained access to the information of the abovementioned
individuals from a supplied e-mail list provided by the owner GildEstates. Recruitment was done
by sending an email to prospective participants. E-mail information was provided by the owner
of GildEstates to the researcher. The recruitment period lasted thirty days. If there were not
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enough participants to reach minimum sample, the researcher would have resubmitted the
recruitment letter to the 75 prospective participants. If more than the minimum number
volunteered to participate in the questionnaire process, the researcher would have used random
sampling to select the participants; the researcher selected fifteen random participants to
participate in taking the questionnaire. The researcher terminated the recruitment process once
the number of qualified participants agreed to participate in the study. The questionnaire was
coordinated via e-mail and confirmed with a phone call. The platform that was used to conduct
the questionnaire was surveymonkey.com.
The researcher confirmed with the participants that their participation is voluntary and
explained the potential risks associated with the research. The participants were informed of their
anonymity should they choose to proceed with the questionnaire. Lastly, the researcher
confirmed that each participant has signed all consent forms. If the participants agree to
participate the questionnaire, the process continued.
The researcher began the questionnaire with brief introduction questions. The researcher
went over demographic information and moved to probing questions. Once all questions were
asked and answered, the interviewer concluded the follow-up interview and stopped the
recording.
Follow-Up Focus Group: Property Managers
The researcher recruited property managers of GildEstate by sending them an email
asking for their participation in the doctoral study. The participants that the researcher contacted
were property managers responsible for managing buildings for the organization. The researcher
ethically gained access to the information of the abovementioned individuals from a supplied e-
mail list provided by the owner of GildEstates. The recruitment period lasted thirty days.
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Participants for the follow-up interview were recruited from the last question of the questionnaire
asking whether any of the fifteen participants would be open to participating in either a follow-
up interview or a follow-up focus group. Recruitment was done by sending an email to
prospective participants. The recruitment period lasted thirty days. If there were not enough
participants to reach minimum sample, the researcher would resubmit the recruitment letter to
the 75 prospective participants. If more than the minimum number volunteered for either of the
follow-up instruments, the researcher would select five random participants for the follow-up
focus group. The researcher terminated the recruitment process once the number of qualified
participants agreed to participate in the study. The follow-up interviews were coordinated via e-
mail and confirmed with a phone call. The platform that was used to conduct the follow-up
interviews was conducted on Microsoft Teams.
The interviewer confirmed with the participants that their participation was voluntary and
explained the potential risks associated with the research. The participants were informed of their
anonymity should they choose to participate in the follow-up interview. Lastly, the researcher
confirmed that the participants signed all consent forms. If the participants agreed to participate,
the interview process commenced.
The interviewer began recording and started the follow-up interview with a brief
introduction. The interviewer went over demographic information and moved to probing
questions. Once all questions were asked and answered, the interviewer concluded the follow-up
interview and stopped the recording.
Follow-Up Interview: Property Managers
The researcher recruited property managers from GildEstates by sending them an email
asking for their participation in the doctoral study. The participants that the researcher contacted
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were GildEstates property managers responsible for interacting with residents digitally and in
person. The researcher ethically gained access to the information of the abovementioned
individuals from a supplied e-mail list provided by the owner GildEstates. Recruitment was done
by sending an email to prospective participants. E-mail information was provided by the owner
of GildEstates to the researcher. The recruitment period lasted thirty days. Participants for the
follow-up interview were recruited from the last question of the questionnaire asking whether
any of the fifteen participants would be open to participating in either a follow-up interview or a
follow-up focus group. If there were not enough participants to reach minimum sample, the
researcher would have resubmitted the recruitment letter to the 75 prospective participants. If
more than the minimum number volunteer for either of the follow-up instruments, the researcher
would have selected five random participants for the follow-up interview. The researcher
terminated the recruitment process once the number of qualified participants agreed to participate
in the study. The follow-up interviews were coordinated via e-mail and confirmed with a phone
call. The platform that was used to conduct the follow-up interviews was zoom.com.
The interviewer confirmed with the participants that their participation is voluntary and
explained the potential risks associated with the research. The participants were informed of their
anonymity should they choose to proceed with the follow-up interview. Lastly, the researcher
confirmed that each participant has signed all consent forms. If the participants agreed to
participate, the interview process commenced.
The interviewer will begin recording and start the follow-up interview with a brief
introduction. The interviewer went over demographic information and moved to probing
questions. Once all questions were asked and answered, the interviewer concluded the follow-up
interview and stopped the recording.
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COVID-19 Accommodations
The pandemic has restricted in person meeting in many areas preventing researchers from
meeting with participants in person. If the researcher is unable to meet with in person to collect
the necessary information due to COVID-19 restrictions, the researcher used technology to meet
with participants virtually. Mobile applications such as Zoom.com and Microsoft Teams were
utilized to conduct follow-up interviews and follow-up focus groups. The researcher will phone
in to the members of the organization prior to meeting to let them know the instruments was
facilitated virtually as a measure to keep participants safe.
Data Processing
Coding information helps researchers identify patterns of information making it easier for
the researcher to determine whether information is relevant to their research (Clark & Vealé,
2018). Zahle (2018) believed that non-epistemic values would provide researchers with red flags
when reading information which they anticipated collecting for their doctoral study. Online data
was accessible via the internet from a secured link sent to the researcher as a creator that the
researcher can only access with a username and password combination. Information was video
recorded from the Zoom.com app and audio recordings were secured through a voice recording
mobile application so the researcher could use for transcription. Electronic data was stored in
password protected cloud storage such as dropbox.com. The researcher manually transcribed
verbal data and secure it in online cloud storage such as dropbox.com with password protection.
The researcher was used Dedoose.com to organize and analyze the qualitative research data
collected from the participants of the study.
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Data Analysis Procedures
According to Monash University (2018) it is important for researchers to collect data and
not lose site of the big picture by establishing connections between existing research and the
researcher’s research questions. Researchers’ can use the information collected to maintain
structure and organize information in a logical manor. The collected information was raw data
until it is processed, verified, and themed (Data Presentation and Analysis, 2018). Raw
information for qualitative research was formatted and analyzed to help present a well-supported
argument. Research data often covers four (4) different types of information, observational,
experimental, simulation, and derived or compiled data (New England Collaborative Data
Management Curriculum, 2018). Researchers tend to use thematic analysis to generate
unanticipated insights by highlighting similarities and differences provided by case study
participants (Nowell Lorelli et al., 2017).
The researcher used a hybrid analysis approach known as the funnel structure. The
interviewer initiated each follow-up interview through a set of broad open-ended questions to
build rapport with the interviewee. The interviewer then narrowed the topic of discussion by
asking more concentrated priori questions. Beginning the interview with open-ended questions
provided the interviewer with the perspective of each follow-up interviewee based on their
experiences and understanding about the topic while providing the interviewee a familiar
foundation to get more comfortable with the follow-up interview process. The funnel structure
helped the interviewer better guide the follow-up interview toward a more concentrated and
strategized discussion.
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Using Braun and Clarkes 6 Phase Thematic Analysis, the researcher became familiar
with data, generate codes, search for themes, review themes, define themes, and write up the
findings (Lochmiller, 2021).
Phase 1 allowed the researcher to become familiar with the information as it related to the
motivation behind adopting social media platforms to increase consumer engagement. The
researcher first began to transcribe the data carefully reading and re-reading the data to become
familiar with the information while remaining cognizant of whether a thematic pattern was
detected. It was the anticipation of the researcher that the responses would have common themes
that would make them easier to code in phase 2.
During phase 2, the interviewer used responses to the priori questions to determine
emergent coding. Coding allowed the researcher to become immersed in the dataset to be deeply
engaged with the information and identify labels of interest as they relate to the research question
(Clarke et al., 2015). The researcher conducted the coding by first finding interesting patterns
that exist within the responses and collate information as it related to each code. The researcher
then reviewed the themes in phase three to determine whether the motivation fell into the
categories the researcher generated codes for and coded each theme and matched participant
responses with coded themes from phase 3.
Phase 3 allowed the researcher to gather information as it related to relevant themes and
mapped information to the themes accordingly. In phase 3, the research question acted as a guide
to determine relevance in terms and potential patterns (Terry et al., 2017). During this analysis,
the researcher detected potential clusters of information containing alternate meanings. The
researcher remained cognizant of different meanings and how they related to proposed
categories.
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Phase 4 was an evaluation of the responses and review of common themes to ensure the
themes were well aligned with coded categories. The researcher double checked the data to
ensure it relates to a theme and assembled a thematic map. Additionally, the researcher checked
for clear coherence of data to construct boundaries between themes (Riger & Sigurvinsdottir,
2016). The researcher performed a final review to ensure all information that aligned with a
theme was collected and distributed to the proper channel. Steps one through four were repeated
for each instrument.
In phase 5, themes were defined according to motivation for adoption of digital media
with intention to increase consumer engagement. Phase five provided a proving ground for the
data and their relation to each theme so that the researcher could clearly identify and name the
themes. The researcher ensured naming conventions for each theme were appropriate and
properly identified each dataset. The researcher triangulated the information in phase 5.
Phase 6 was to provide a formal write-up of the findings to include in the doctoral study
project to discuss how the themes relate to the research question and literature. Phase 6 is where
the researcher addressed the meaning of each theme. The researcher also addressed assumptions
in phase 6 as well as implications of each theme. The findings of the thematic analysis were
written in a way the reader deems to be trustworthy.
Once the information collected from participants was transcribed, the information was
coded by the following categories: ease of use, efficiency, relevance, promotion, and cost. Each
answer received was coded accordingly using a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet to categorize each
response by thematic relevance. Initially, the spreadsheet was stored in a password protected
Google Sheets spreadsheet. Once thematic coding of the answers was complete, the spreadsheet
was stored on dropbox.com in a password protected folder accessible by the password holder.
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Figure 4
Data Analysis Illustration
Note. The Data Analysis Illustration is a visual representation of the steps the researcher took to
conduct the Braun and Clarke 6-Step thematic analysis.
Assumptions
The research process can cause researchers to create assumptions that influence the
research process and shape the interpretation of the information a researcher collects (Saunders
et al., 2015). Unexpected patterns require philosophers to reconsider their assumptions and
search for alternative explanations to their systematic understanding of a specific phenomenon
(Wortham, 2015).
The research process may influence assumptions onto researchers that may include
assumptions about human knowledge, realities, and values (Saunders et al., 2015). The first
assumption in this study was that the professionals involved in the study provided truthful,
accurate, and candid feedback during the course. Another assumption was that each participant
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in the study identified database management strategies as valuable tools essential to the success
of other real estate practitioners seeking to increase direct sales.
Human knowledge is described as ideas imprinted on the senses or perception through
emotion and mental activities (Berkeley & Jessop, 1952). Scientific knowledge differs from
human knowledge through the basis of research and sociological analysis (Barnes et al., 1996).
Human knowledge lacks the ability to identify and describe real and natural problems (Wynne,
2013). As it relates to this study, human knowledge would not be sufficient to interpret and
answer the research question asked in this doctoral study.
Assumptions about realities are unjust when discussing preferences of real estate
practitioners regarding tried and proven methods for increasing consumer engagement.
Researchers may assume that the information provided in this study are the only options that real
estate professionals have when it comes to increasing consumer engagement in the real estate
sector. However, several alternative digital marketing platforms may produce similar results.
Finally, the assumption that participants have adequate experience with social media may also be
an unrealistic assumption.
Assumptions regarding shared values of participants at it relates to their interest in the
research topic may be misleading. The researcher does not make implications that participants in
the study share the same values, as their roles are to answer questions and give their perspective.
Researchers shall not assume the participants of the study share the same values as the researcher
of the topic. Additionally, researchers shall not assume participants value one digital media
platform to another as they may have more experience with one platform and no familiarity with
another.
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Limitations
Yin (2018) suggests that it is crucial for all researchers to acknowledge the strengths and
limitations of case study research. One limitation of this qualitative case study is that the
participants have different levels of exposure and experience with database technology. Another
limitation associated with this study is that the participants’ geographical location may play a
role in the need for database technology and the method in which the participants use database
technology. Finally, qualitative research methodology limits researchers to data collection that
does not involve numbers or statistics.
The follow-up focus group participants of this study may be partial to a specific type of
technology and how they use the technology to increase consumer engagement. Hicks (2018)
believed that bias or dishonest answers might have a significant impact on the credibility of a
study. Although the variables that I selected are primarily through the lens of (Tornatzky et al.,
1990) technology organization environment framework to identify the determinants that
influence the adoption of digital marketing strategies, there may not be a full representation of all
the factors associated with digital marketing anchors that help organizations increase consumer
engagement. Each of the factors identified in the conceptual framework (technology,
organization, & environment) may play a different role in each organization, presenting
inconsistent responses to the follow-up focus group questions.
Due to the pandemic and COVID-19, the researcher is unable to conduct physical in-
person follow-up interviews and follow-up focus groups. Instead, the follow-up interviews were
administered through Zoom.com and the follow-up focus groups were hosted on the Microsoft
Teams mobile and desktop application. Not being allowed to conduct in person follow-up focus
groups make it difficult to interpret non-verbal cues and body language of the participants in the
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study. Additionally, internet connectivity problems may arise which may hinder ease of
communication with the participants.
Delimitations
Delimitations refer to the constriction of configurations within a study to manage
information (Yu et al., 2015). The delimitation in this study is the participation criterion of the
participants, real estate professionals that use database technology to increase direct sales. The
limitation of restricting participants of the study to real estate professionals with database
technology experience restricts the participation of other qualified professionals. There could be
other practitioners within the industry that are qualified to participate in the study and add
valuable insight as it relates to answering the research questions.
Additionally, the real estate professionals included in this study needed to have current
database technology routines established to help increase direct sales. Large (over 500
employees) real estate organizations were not included in selecting participants for this study.
Smaller organizations may not have a strong pool of participants that mid-size and larger
organizations tend to employ. This restriction limits the quantity of information available for the
study.
Ethical Assurances
Institutional Research Boards ensure that risks and benefits are appropriately balanced
and provide consent to researchers regarding specific subjects they anticipate studying (Bracken-
Roche et al., 2017). As well, the IRB provides a governing body for researchers and provide an
ethical foundation for researchers to ensure the intentions of the researcher align with the
problem they are attempting to solve (Bracken-Roche et al., 2017). Research ethics help ensure
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all participants receive respect, minimal exposure to risk, and privacy and confidentiality
throughout the study (Piotrowski, 2018).
The researcher ensures the research is ethical by ensuring all participant identities
receive the protection they deserve. Each participant received a formal letter of informed
consent. First, the researcher received approval by obtaining a signed letter of intent from the
Director of Operations to conduct research at GildEstates. Then the researcher began collecting
consent forms from participants once the researcher received a Trident University IRB approval
number. To ensure the target population was appropriate for the doctoral study, the researcher
had to be mindful that they continuously separate and make their role as a researcher clear from
all other roles they intend on investigating. In addition, to satisfy the IRB, the researcher needed
to ensure that the data they collected directly addressed the research questions they have and
does not go off topic. All participant identities will remain completely confidential as to remain
in compliance with IRB requirements.
Participant Protection Process
Participant protection is a high priority for the researcher and participants involved in the
study. The researcher collected signed consent forms prior to collecting any information from
participants. Participants were made aware that participation is voluntary, and they were not
obligated to participate. Participants were also be advised that their answers were completely
confidential, and their identities will remain anonymous.
Data Protection Process
The researcher has received a signed letter of intent and site authorization from the
organization where the researcher intends to conduct their research. Raw data that the researcher
collects, including documentation, shall remain under protection during and after the study by
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remaining in a secured location designated in a cloud-based, password-protected system.
Assurances for formal approval of the study were sought. In the proposal, the researcher received
IRB approval prior to the collection of any data from the organization from which the researcher
received the signed letter of intent and site authorization.
Bias Mitigation
Remaining cognizant of limitations allowed the researcher to quickly identify biases and
move forward with the research accordingly. Identifying delimitations to determine which
participants qualify to become part of the sample size, the researcher can ensure they are
selecting participants who can add value to the subject matter through their daily experiences as
they relate to the study. Finally, the researcher has addressed the IRB ethics requirements that
allowed for a safe space for participants to involve themselves with this study. In chapter 4,
information was collected from the population and a thematic analysis was conducted to help
determine what social media strategies real estate managers in Los Angeles find most effective
for increasing consumer engagement. In chapter four, the researcher provides descriptive data on
the research collected for the study as well as provide results of the findings. Additionally, the
researcher will provide an evaluation of findings from their research.
Summary
As mentioned, a qualitative research method was the proposed method used to conduct
the doctoral study project. A case study was the design method of choice as it is a design that
yields real world contextual data (Yin, 2018). The population for the case study will consist of
117 participants. Using follow-up interviews and questionnaires to collect information from
participants, one of the data-collection instruments the researcher employed is zoom.com.
Zoom.com allows secure follow-up interviews to be conducted with case study participants at no
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cost. Once the researcher secures and transcribes the follow-up interviews from zoom.com, they
will conduct follow-up focus groups with open-ended questions with property managers to get
more insight as to which digital marketing platforms are most effective for real estate managers
looking to increase consumer engagement. Using the Braun and Clarke 6 phase thematic analysis
approach, the researcher coded and evaluated information received and presented a write up of
their findings.
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CHAPTER IV: DATA COLLECTION AND DATA ANALYSIS
The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the effective digital marketing
strategies for increased engagement in real estate used at GildEstates. This study followed the
explanatory research definition by Bentouhami et al. (2021), with a goal of focusing on the
presumed cause of frequent use while considering other characteristics of presumed cause of
using specific digital marketing strategies over other available marketing alternatives. Based on
the purpose and problem of this study, the research questions were:
RQ1. What digital marketing strategies are used by GildEstates to increase consumer
engagement?
RQ2. How can those marketing strategies be improved?
In this chapter, the researcher will discuss the data collection process, the data collection
method, and provide an analysis of the results and their relationship to each research question.
This study was conducted from the population of property managers employed at GildEstates, to
gain perspectives and attitudes toward digital marketing strategies to understand the firm’s
policies regarding consumer engagement through digital marketing. The available literature
surrounding increasing consumer engagement through effective digital marketing strategies
lacked qualitative studies identifying how property management professionals utilized digital
marketing to increase consumer engagement. There is also a lack of research concentrated
towards the property management sector in real estate that identify how real estate professionals
effectively use digital marketing strategies to engage with property management customers.
Descriptive Data
The researcher deployed a multiple-choice questionnaire to fifteen property managers at
GildEstates to gather preliminary data related to the research questions. Additionally, the
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researcher performed a focus-group session with five property managers employed at
GildEstates to gather insight on how managers use digital media strategies to engage with
potential and existing customers of the company. Finally, the researcher conducted individual
interviews with five property managers employed at GildEstates to gain perspective and get
recommendations from participants surrounding the research questions of the study. The follow-
up interviews provided a top-level understanding of how the organization uses digital marketing
strategies to increase consumer engagement by learning how the strategies align with the overall
mission of the organization. The questionnaires took each participant an average of 18 minutes to
complete. Follow up interviews ran approximately 25 to 30 minutes. The follow-up focus group
was thorough and lasted an hour.
Table 3
Instrument Analysis
Instrument
Participants
Average time to complete
Questionnaire
15 participants
18 minutes
Follow-up interviews
5 participants
2530 minutes
Follow-up focus group
5 participants
1 hour
Note. The instrument analysis provides key information about how the participants engaged with
the instruments of the study. It is important to note that the sample has overlapping participants.
Results
The study included 15 property managers who are employed at GidEstates. The
participants of the study were selected by the researcher after they were sent recruitment letters
and met the qualifications of the study. The qualifications of the study indicated prospective
participants needed to be currently practicing real estate in Los Angeles, California, used digital
media to communicate with their customers, and were over 18 years of age. Of the 15
participants, all the participants took part in completing the questionnaire. Five of the initial 15
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participants were selected to take part in follow-up interviews and another five participants from
the questionnaire were selected to participate in a digital follow-up focus group. Figure 5
provides an illustration of the sample population with respect to their role in the doctoral study
project and their perspective surrounding social media.
Figure 5
Participants of the Study
Note. A diverse group of participants is necessary to ensure there is no bias from the researcher
as well as promote inclusion. The illustration demonstrates how diverse the pool of property
managers (participants) were who participated in the instruments of the study. Responses from
such a diverse group of professionals are necessary to learn more about the experiences each
practitioner has regarding their experiences attempting to increase engagement through social
media. A well-rounded group of participants can provide perspective from a universal aspect as
opposed to a more concentrated group of participants.
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Table 4
Themes and Codes
Theme (number of data excerpts)
Codes grouped into theme (number of data excerpts)
Theme 1: Easy to Use Means Easy
to Engage
GildEstates requires digital media
strategies that are easy for their
property managers to use to be able
to increase consumer engagement.
Convenience 8
Intuitive Platforms 101
A convenient and intuitive platform provide property
managers with an easy-to-use strategy to increase
consumer engagement.
Theme 2: Increased Efficiency
Encourages Increased
Engagement
Property managers at GildEstates
can increase consumer engagement
by encouraging their staff members
to use digital media platforms that
help the user become more
efficient.
Effectiveness 27
Gaging Interest 46
Locating Target Audience 10
A digital media platform that allows property managers
to gage interest and easily locate their target audience
will consolidate their efforts and increase efficiency
when using digital media to increase consumer
engagement.
Theme 3: Increased Relevance
Results in Higher Opportunity
for Engagement
Using digital media platforms as a
method for staying relevant,
GildEstates property managers can
increase consumer engagement by
being more intentional with their
online presence such as using call
to action to force desired
participation.
Going Viral 6
Increase Engagement 90
Rebranding 17
Industry Trends 8
Using digital media as a platform to increase popularity
and position the brand in ways that increase their online
presence will help property managers increase
consumer engagement while using social media to
increase relevance for the organization.
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Theme (number of data excerpts)
Codes grouped into theme (number of data excerpts)
Theme 4: Promotion as a Strategy
for Engagement
GildEstates can increase consumer
engagement by teaching their
property managers effective
promotion techniques on their
preferred digital media platforms,
including online etiquette,
providing branded content, and
cross promoting with other real
estate professionals.
Cross Promotion 20
Build Target Audience 60
Encourage Decision Making 37
Brand Introduction 67
Create Visibility 7
Using digital media as a strategy to introduce the brand
to digital customers to create visibility and increase
engagement will provide property managers with an
opportunity to build their target audiences and promote
their services accordingly.
Theme 5: Digital Marketing is a
Cost-Effective Communication
Solution
GildEstates can increase consumer
engagement by using digital media
as a method to reduce cost while
increasing their market share.
Exploring widgets within the
applications they use can
differentiate their content from
other users.
Price of Entry 6
Free to Consumer 90
The price of entry for the property manager is free.
Digital media is also free to the customer which allows
the organization to reduce marketing cost while
increasing market share.
Note. The themes and codes table represent the overarching themes that were used by the
researcher to code the responses of the participants. Step two (2) of the Braun and Clark thematic
analysis required the researcher to generate codes from the data collected. The codes are
groupings of motivational factors determined to be important to property managers employed at
GildEstates. The base themes provide a basic understanding for why property managers use
digital marketing strategies in their marketing mix.
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Initial Codes with Frequencies
The researcher used step one (1) of the Braun and Clark thematic analysis to become
familiar with the data which was accomplished by reviewing the responses provided by the
participants of the study. Responses to the questionnaire, the follow-up interviews, and the
follow-up focus group all provided insight for the researcher as to the importance of having
access to an easy-to-use platform that made it simple for property managers to communicate with
their customers. The questionnaire, follow-up interviews, and follow-up focus group revealed
that 101 times, property managers who participated, described the importance of having an
intuitive platform to use for purposes of increasing consumer engagement. Eight (8) times during
the follow-up interview and follow-up focus group the concept of convenience was discussed
as a key factor responsible for helping property managers increase consumer engagement and
develop a meaningful relationship with their customers
During the data collection process, using digital media platforms that effectively
reinforced the intended message of the property manager(s) was discussed twenty-seven (27)
times. On forty-six (46) separate occasions during the data-collection process did property
managers mention using social media as an effective strategy used to gage thinterest of their
customers to increase consumer engagement. During the structured discussions (interviews and
follow-up focus group), property managers mentioned the importance of using digital media
platforms to locate their target audience for purposes of increasing consumer engagement ten
(10) different times.
Posting on social media for the sake of going-viral was not a determining factor of why
property managers adopted a particular social media platform. However, the topic was brought
up during data collection six (6) times as a factor considered when determining whether to adopt
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a digital media platform that would enhance a property manager’s ability to increase consumer
engagement. Increasing engagement with their target audience was a relevant code during data
collection as it was discussed ninety (90) different times regarding what a digital media platform
needs to be able to accomplish if a property manager decided to adopt the technology. Seventeen
(17) responses were geared toward rebranding the company and providing a fresh outlook of the
organization’s abilities as a reason property managers adopt digital media to increase consumer
engagement. Getting a better understanding of what other practitioners in the industry were
doing as well as using digital media to stay up to date and deliver industry trends was a topic of
discussion eight (8) times during data collection as a reason property managers believed it was
necessary to use digital media as a strategy to increase consumer engagement. Using digital
media marketing to encourage decision-making among consumers was mentioned by
respondents of the questionnaire, follow-up interviews, and follow-up focus groups some 37
times.
Property managers discussed using digital media as a strategy to cross-promote different
company initiatives at GildEstates as a strategy to effectively increase consumer engagement.
Sixty (60) responses during data collection determined that finding and communicating with
their target audience was one of the strategies property managers could use digital media
marketing for to increase consumer engagement. While using social media as a tool to introduce
the GildEstates brand to digital customers was discussed 67 times. It was important to property
managers that they use social media to create visibility and increase internet presence through
social media activity that would drive traffic to the GildEstates brand as a means of increasing
consumer engagement, as it was mentioned 7 times during data collection. Finally, using a free
platform to engage with customers was mentioned 96 times during the data collection process
because property managers of GildEstates believed it was necessary to have a no-cost method of
connecting with their customers if they wanted to use digital media to increase consumer
engagement.
Initial Themes
Through the categorization of the initial codes, the researcher was able to develop initial
themes that they were able to connect to their codes. Responses surrounding the importance of
using a convenient method to interact with their customers and ensuring that the convenient
method of communicating is intuitive for their customers, indicates to property managers that the
platform is an effective digital media strategy they can use to increase consumer engagement.
Thus, the codes convenience and intuitiveness were used to develop the theme “easy to use.”
Property managers provided insight during the data collection process regarding the value
they receive from having a platform that allows them to effectively communicate their message
to their customer. Additionally, using digital media to gage interest allows property managers to
get closer to identifying the needs of their target audience for purposes of providing relevant
content that will open the lines of communication as a strategy used to increase consumer
engagement. Armed with this understanding, the researcher used the codes effectiveness, gage
interest, and locate target audience to identify the theme “increase consumer engagement.”
According to the property managers at GildEstates, digital media marketing strategies
could result in going viral, however going viral is not effective if it fails to increase relevance.
Therefore, going viral is not a metric used to determine effectiveness for increasing consumer
engagement. Using digital media as a resource to deliver rebranding strategies may increase
relevance and result in increasing consumer engagement because rebranding could potentially
reveal synergy between the mission of the organization and motivation for prospective customers
to patronize GildEstates. Additionally, property managers could provide industry updates for
their customers as a strategy to increase consumer engagement. Therefore, going viral,
rebranding, and industry trends were all codes the researcher used to define the theme “staying
relevant.”
It became obvious during the data collection process that property managers of
GildEstates believed digital marketing was a strategy necessary to increase consumer
engagement by promoting their services. Property managers posited that digital marketing was a
tool they could use to build awareness of the services they offer by creating an internet presence
that motivated their target audience to make decisions. One if the strategies the property
managers believe to be most effective is cross promoting their services to different types of
customers in every stage of the leasing process. The codes collected during the data collection
process in relation to the theme “promotion” include cross promotion, building a target audience,
encourage decision making, brand introduction, and creating visibility. The intention behind the
discussions surrounding these codes represent the property managers understanding of what it
means to promote their brand for the purpose of increasing consumer engagement.
GildEstates property managers displayed concern about the cost of entry as it relates to
using digital media to increase consumer engagement. Property managers prefer a free or
economically friendly communication method they can use to connect with their customers if
they were to use digital media as a strategy to increase consumer engagement. Therefore, “cost”
was the initial theme the researcher developed to correspond to the pricing needs of the
practitioners.
Final Themes
The researcher was able to convert the initial themes to provide more defined final
themes that were suitable for the study. The initial themes allowed the researcher to identify
commonalities and link codes to their respected themes. Step four (4) of the Braun and Clark
thematic analysis requires the researcher to review the themes. In developing the final themes,
the researcher was able to build on the initial concepts of the information in the initial themes
and use queues from the discussions to get a better conceptual understanding to provide more
depth. The final themes are available below with excerpts from the instruments used to collect
data and reach triangulation.
Easy to Use Means Easy to Engage. Employees at GildEstates who completed the
questionnaire identified using digital media platforms that are easy to navigate as an underlying
theme to help improve digital media engagement. Property managers in the follow-up focus
group felt strongly about using digital marketing technology that was intuitive and easy to
navigate because they need to be able to provide answers from software that provides easy to
understand results, in a timely fashion to their prospective customers. Subthemes included
concerns regarding providing access to prospective customers that would use the platform to
communicate with the manager from the moment of inquiry and utilized to communicate with
the tenant throughout a resident’s tenancy at a GildEstates property. The specific concern was
that the customer (tenant) would feel dropped off if the property manager was not the person
helping them throughout the process of becoming a tenant. The follow-up focus group also
discussed digital media’s ability to allow customers to initiate engagement with the property
managers in a non-invasive and safe manner. Below are excerpts of a conversation from property
managers at GildEstates:
So, social media is how I find people who are looking for apartments or people looking
for management. They see what I post, and they respond with a message saying “hey, it
looks like you’re in this field are you?” Then I would reply, “yes, I am.” social media
helps create dialogue. People come to me because they know I am in the field and in a
way, it has brought people to me. I use it to gage interest. (IP1)
The above quote from Interview Participant 1 provides an example of dialogue between the
property manager and their digital customer that can occur as a result of sharing content on a
platform that makes it easy for potential customers to engage with a property manager.
I agree, sometimes when I get phone calls from prospective tenants, they ask me, “do you
guys have any videos that I can use to tour the property?” (FGP4)
The above quote from Focus Group Participant 4 illustrates how sharing a post can help increase
engagement outside of social media by using social media to drive traffic to the appropriate
channels that allow customers to easily locate contact information to communicate with a
property manager at their convenience.
This theme is important to the research because it helps provide understanding
surrounding about how an easy-to-use platform can become an inviting strategy for
communication between property managers and their customers.
Increased Efficiency Encourages Increased Engagement. Another major theme
surrounding the utilization of digital media platforms was increasing efficiency. Answers to
follow up interviews and questionnaires both supported views surrounding the necessity for
digital media to save property managers time and resources. The property managers of
GildEstates described the importance of using digital media to provide information that saves
time, stay informed, and educate their clients as a strategy to increase consumer engagement.
I usually use it (social media) to demonstrate what not to do. Like, don’t leave your
apartment looking like “this.” Those are more of what I use social media for. (FGP5)
The above quote from the follow-up focus group participant 5 demonstrates how property
managers can use digital media to educate potential customers through post that highlight
expectations for purposes of preserving resources to maximize efficiency.
It is an effective resource for communicating because not only does it allow us to reach
potential real estate customers from all over the state/country/world, but it also allows us
to be able to communicate with them from anywhere in the world at any time. (IP2)
During their interview, Interview Participant 2 communicated the above quote that highlighted
how efficient property managers can be if they intentionally used digital media to increase
engagement by targeting potential regions, they would not otherwise be able to reach through
traditional marketing channels.
Efficiency is an important theme as it relates to the research because it is a metric that can
be measured in real time. A property manager interested in increasing consumer engagement will
need to be efficient in their strategic endeavors if they plan to progressively increase their level
of success on a consistent basis.
Increased Relevance Results in Higher Opportunity for Engagement. The property
managers of GildEstates expressed a need to stay relevant. The relevance indicated by
GildEstates property managers was discussed from a digital media perspective. The property
managers determined that social media was the best way to keep up with relevant topics related
to the real estate industry. Additionally, the property managers of GildEstates discussed
providing their followers with consistent visibility of their brand on social media platforms to
keep the image of the company relevant as well as their personal brand as real estate
professionals at the forefront of the feeds of their followers in the event an opportunity to engage
presents itself. Remaining relevant is a digital media strategy that property managers at
GildEstates can leverage to increase consumer engagement.
I use Facebook for pricing comparisons. I use social media to like compare prices and get
ideas. I use LinkedIN. I would join groups on LinkedIN and add them as part of my feed
and join groups that I like. I have not done it yet for Facebook, but I think that’s where I
find out a lot of information through people in the industry that repost. (QP3)
Questionnaire Pariticipant 3 discussed above how they increase consumer engagement by
studying what is trending and using that (relevant) information to stay competitive in their
industry. Learning what the competition is offering keeps property managers informed and can
better position a property manager to offer better rates, incentives, and opportunities that are
necessary to increase engagement and get to the results they would like to achieve.
Yeah, but there is a very short window like, it’s good for like a week or two. That was
our take-away from a (recent) conference. So, your advertising window should be short,
sweet, and a hit. You have to use the trending sound; hashtags and you have to attach to
something that is moving so you get some relevance to what you’re doing. But every two
weeks, it kind of goes away. (FGP1)
The above quote from Focus Group Participant 1 determined that using the resources available
on digital media platforms will allow them to participate in trending campaigns that digital media
subscribers follow as to incorporate property managers into the trending algorithm that shows up
in the feeds of other digital media users. Showing up in the feeds of other users keeps the
property managers activity current, relevant, and helps increase overall consumer engagement.
Increased relevance is an important theme related to the research because it highlights the
importance of consistency and how fresh content can keep followers engaged.
Promotion as a Strategy for Engagement. The discussion surrounding promotion was
prevalent in the follow-up focus group discussion and follow up interviews as a pivotal tool
necessary to increase consumer engagement. However, the details surrounding how to measure
success surrounding promotion of services was not easy to decipher. Though the participants
agreed that social media was the best way to optimize their marketing efforts, each manager
attributes their digital marketing success to different social media platforms. It is important to
note that each property manager serves different territories within the city of Los Angeles and
may have a different demographic to whom they solicit based on the typical resident type that
make up their tenant mix.
Depends who are you trying to advertise to. Because if you want to advertise to Gen-Z,
then you would use Tik-Tok. You want to advertise to Millennials use Facebook. You
must know who you want to market to and what you want to use it (social media) for I
would say. (IP3)
The above quote from Follow Up Interview Participant 3 depicts the importance of knowing
your audience and their preferences as a strategy to tailor content in a manner that will increase
consumer engagement among users with different communication styles and preferences. Also,
Property Manager 3 insinuates that different types of customers are impacted differently
depending on their preferred platform as each platform requires users to use a different approach
to achieve impactful communication.
Digital media strategies can increase engagement in real estate. It can increase
engagement in real estate because it allows realtors to reach and engage with a population
that they wouldn't be able to reach in other ways. By using digital media strategies, the
engagement can increase, not only locally, but also globally, due to individuals out of
state/country looking to buy at a different state/country. Additionally, by doing these
digital media strategies, it can also lead to younger individuals starting their real estate
career early and/or start their journey of buying and renting properties. (QP1)
The above quote from Questionnaire Participant 1 signifies the importance of understanding how
to use digital media as an effective resource to promote the brand locally and beyond to increase
consumer engagement outside of usual territorial boundaries. Using promotion as a strategy is
relevant to the research as digital media marketing has provided a strategy for property managers
to enhance their reach to be able to increase consumer engagement without being bound to
regional restrictions.
Digital Marketing is a Cost-Effective Communication Solution. Cost of using digital
media technology was a factor discussed in the follow-up focus group as well as the
questionnaire administered to GildEstates property managers. The property managers discussed
how cost was an underlying element that influenced the use of digital media to increase
consumer engagement. The property managers were not asked whether they would subscribe to a
freemium service nor if they were opposed to using social media platforms they had to subscribe
to or pay to use as a strategy to increase consumer engagement.
In certain places, real estate benefits from being visual. Digital media can help increase
that visual awareness in a quick, easy and cost-effective fashion compared to archaic
print methods. It is easier to get a prospects attention with visual media and digital media
makes that access easier. (FGP3)
The above quote from Focus Group Participant 3 during data collection revealed that property
managers prefer a cost-effective method to increase consumer engagement in a space that allows
them to compete with larger brands in the same industry.
Very likely, because your advertising, or message can get to a large population group at a
low cost compared to mass mailings. (QP4)
Questionnaire Participant 4 compared using cost-effective digital technology against having to
use mass-mailings (which they would have to pay for) to promote their message to increase
consumer engagement. Cost-effective digital media promotions are relevant to the research
because it demonstrates how property managers can gain access to entry without having to use
the same financial resources they otherwise would if the company utilized traditional marketing
channels to increase consumer engagement.
Table 5
Research Questions/Response Summary
Research Questions
Survey/ Interview Questions
Findings
RQ1. What digital
marketing strategies
are used by
GildEstates to
increase consumer
engagement?
Please explain how digital
media can help real estate
professionals increase
engagement in real estate.
Please explain your
opinion on whether mobile
digital marketing
strategies are as effective
as other digital marketing
strategies for enhancing
consumer engagement.
As a group, discuss how
you leverage digital media
to its fullest capacity
regarding real estate.
Participants were definitive that
technology provided them with
a simplistic method of tracking
communication with their target
audience. This finding connects
directly to Theme 1: Easy to
Use Means Easy to Engage.
Participants were adamant that
digital media provides real
estate practitioners greater
outreach capability than
traditional marketing resources.
Finding correlate to theme 4
Promotion as a Strategy for
Engagement.
Participants believed digital
media helps them gage interest
of their target audience to allow
property managers to curate
effective targeted posts. This
finding correlate’s theme 2:
Increased Efficiency
Encourages Increased
Engagement.
Research Questions
Survey/ Interview Questions
Findings
RQ2. How can those
marketing strategies
be improved?
Do you agree with digital
media is an effective
resource for
communicating with real
estate customers? Please
explain.
As a group, discuss why
digital media marketing is
important to the future of
real estate.
As a group, discuss what
strategies real estate
agencies can use digital
marketing better.
Participants determined that
digital media helps consumers
penetrate geographical barriers.
This finding correlates to theme
4: Promotion as a Strategy for
Engagement.
Participants believed digital
media was the most cost-
effective method practitioners
use to streamline consistent
communication with target
audience members. This finding
correlates to theme 5: Digital
Marketing is a Cost-Effective
Communication Solution.
Participants rely on digital
media to promote digital
awareness. This finding
correlates to theme 3: Increased
Relevance Results in Higher
Opportunity for Engagement.
Note. The Research Questions/ Response summary provides a correlation between the research
questions of the doctoral study, some of the questions administered through the instruments, and
the underlining themes that manifested through the answers of the participants. Through this
table, the reader begins to comprehend important touch points practitioners consider when using
digital media to engage with their target audience.
Evaluation of Findings
The findings of this chapter supported the research questions and were generally expected
as using social media to communicate with customers can be hypothesized by nearly any
professional in the service industry. The results from the questionnaire directly corresponded to
the results of the follow-up interviews and the follow-up focus group conducted by the
researcher, as convenience and controlling the narrative between property managers and their
customers directly influenced property managers’ perception surrounding the adoption of digital
media platforms. The data collected by the researcher is helpful for post-doctoral intervention for
real estate professionals to find platforms that will help them execute their intention to market
their services. Property managers need more information to make decisions for adopting
platforms that cost them to use. The decision to adopt digital media to increase consumer
engagement is rooted in effectiveness, efficiency, and convenience.
Research findings determined that the property managers of GildEstates comingle their
digital media efforts and do not use their digital media accounts exclusively to conduct business
on behalf of GildEstates. For example, property managers of GildEstates use digital media for
personal use and for business purposes alike. Property managers of GildEstates do not
intentionally use their accounts to engage specifically with real estate customers. External
content, depending on the tone and interest surrounding the media posted by the property
manager, may divert customers from doing business with GildEstates if the imagery associated
with the property manager does not align with that of the firm for which they belong.
RQ1. The first research question was what digital marketing strategies are used by
GildEstates to increase consumer engagement? The participants of the questionnaire and the
follow-up interview were concentrated on collecting information surrounding the ideals and
values relating to the use of digital media marketing to increase consumer engagement between
property managers at GildEstates and their customers. The findings of this study reveal that
property managers are concerned with using digital media strategies that make it easier to
communicate with their target customers to increase consumer engagement.
Theme 1: Easy to Use Means Easy to Engage revealed that GildEstates requires digital
media strategies that are easy for their property managers to use to be able to increase consumer
engagement. Employees at GildEstates who completed the questionnaire identified Ease of Use
as an underlying theme. Property managers in the follow-up focus group felt strongly about
using digital marketing technology that was intuitive and easy to navigate because they need to
be able to provide answers from software that provides easy to understand results, in a timely
fashion to their prospective customers. Subthemes included concerns regarding providing access
to prospective customers that would use the platform to communicate with the manager from the
moment of inquiry and utilized to communicate with the tenant throughout a resident’s tenancy
at a GildEstates property. The follow-up focus group also discussed digital media’s ability to
allow customers to initiate engagement with the property managers in a non-invasive and safe
manner. Below are excerpts of a conversation from property managers at GildEstates
Theme 2: Increased Efficiency Encourages Increased Engagement revealed that property
managers at GildEstates can increase consumer engagement by encouraging their staff members
to use digital media platforms that help the user improve efficiency. Answers to follow up
interviews and questionnaires both supported views surrounding the necessity for digital media
to save property managers time and resources. The property managers of GildEstates described
the importance of using digital media to provide information that saves time, stay informed, and
educate their clients. Using digital media to automate the qualification process to effectively
determine whether a customer meets the qualification criteria before engaging with the customer
will optimize resources and improve customer engagement between property managers and their
customers. The ability to transcend environmental boundaries was also high on the list of reasons
property managers at GildEstates believed digital media marketing was essential for increasing
consumer engagement in their industry. Using digital media as a strategy to solidify customers
outside of the typical geographic territories a property manager would normally focus their
marketing efforts, is an effective strategy real estate professionals can use to increase consumer
engagement.
In their study, Aytekin and Keskin Dermili (2017) determined that eliminating regional
communication barriers to enhance two-way communication between real estate professionals
and their customers enabled practitioners to gain more exposure and strengthen relationships
with their customers. The same focus on increasing engagement while strengthening interactions
with their core audience was evident in the results of this study. However, participants of the
study were not only motivated by providing effortless means of communicating with their target
audience to increase consumer engagement.
Theme 3: Increased Relevance Results in Higher Opportunity for Engagement revealed
that GildEstates requires digital media strategies that allow property managers to post consistent
content to enhance their ability to increase engagement. The property managers determined that
social media was the best way to keep up with relevant topics related to the real estate industry.
Additionally, the property managers of GildEstates discussed providing their followers with
consistent visibility of their brand on social media platforms to keep the image of the company
relevant as well as their personal brand as real estate professionals at the forefront of the feeds of
their followers in the event an opportunity to engage presents itself. Property managers of
GildEstates were also concerned about controlling the narrative when it came to providing
information about their brand and GildEstates’ position within the industry as a strategy to
increase consumer engagement.
Theme 4: Promotion as a Strategy for Engagement revealed that property managers at
GildEstates can increase consumer engagement by producing content that resonates with their
target audience. Property managers at GildEstates understand how to communicate on their
preferred platforms with different generations who are interested in leasing real property. Thus,
property managers who participated in the study insinuated digital media can be improved by
providing metrics to professionals seeking to analyze each generation they are reaching and
where each generation is in their respective life cycle(s) as a strategy they can use to increase
consumer engagement. Though the participants agreed that social media was the best way to
optimize their marketing efforts, each manager attributes their digital marketing success to
different social media platforms.
It is important to note that each property manager serves different territories within the
city of Los Angeles and may have a different demographic to whom they solicit based on the
typical resident type that make up their tenant mix. Cheong et al. (2010) posited that planners
require marketing related tools to make recommendations and conduct analyses that justify their
decisions. An understanding in external environmental factors can help property managers
concentrate efforts toward a specific customer base more effectively and efficiently.
Using digital media as a strategy to make it easier for their customers to communicate
with the property managers of the organization and using digital media as a resource to save time
and preserve resources for the organization were the primary motivations for property managers
in this study to adopt new technology as a strategy, they can use to increase consumer
engagement.
Theme 5: Digital Media is a Cost-Effective Communication Solution provided an
understanding that GildEstates property managers prefer to use cost effective solutions as a
strategy to increase consumer engagement at a low cost. The property managers discussed how
cost was an underlying element that influenced the use of digital media. The property managers
were not asked whether they would subscribe to a freemium service nor if they were opposed to
using social media platforms they had to subscribe to or pay to use.
Chang et al. (2019) posited that consumer engagement is driven by social belonging and
self-enhancement directed by a brand’s ability to encourage human behavior. The participants of
the study rated controlling the narrative very high on the list of factors encouraging their decision
to use digital media to increase consumer engagement. Shukla (2011) determined that
interpersonal influence provides a significant impact across markets and strategic campaign
building is necessary to influence decision-making.
Taking into consideration factors that drive consumers to make decisions will provide
property managers the opportunity to increase engagement and secure new customers. Property
managers’ online behavior, communication style, and credibility have a direct impact on the
perception of the brand they represent. Wang and Yang (2010) identified brand credibility as a
direct result of brand awareness and brand imagery as driving factors that influence consumers’
intention to purchase from an organization. Property managers at GildEstates can control the
narrative through their online presence to influence decision making as a digital media strategy
to increase consumer engagement.
RQ2. The second research question was how can digital marketing strategies be
improved to increase consumer engagement? As we understand from the results of the
questionnaire, follow-up interview, and the follow-up focus group, the property managers of
GildEstates have a positive perspective regarding the direction of digital marketing as it relates to
increasing engagement in real estate. The participants confessed to using different platforms to
accommodate the various types of information they consume and present to their followers for
consumption. The perspective of the property managers may be rooted in their understanding of
how each platform performs with respect to their goals, and what each platform is lacking to
contribute the most significant amount of productivity in order to become their primary method
of engaging with their target customer.
To determine how digital marketing strategies can be improved, the elements surrounding
the TOE theoretical framework determine that users need to identify which aspects of digital
marketing they could benefit from improving prior to making the decision to adopt new
technology for purposes of increasing consumer engagement. Linton and Solomon (2017)
believed that organizational needs and technology must mutually adapt to each other for the
technological enhancement to be effective.
Interpretation of Results
The technology acceptance model (TAM) is used to assess how people typically make
decisions regarding the adoption of new technology. There was a resounding response among
participants concerning the ease of communication with their primary audience. Seventy-six
(76%) of property managers who participated in the study cited ease of communication with their
primary audience as the primary reason they use digital media. Sixty two percent (62%) of
property managers who participated in the study determined that encouraging decision marketing
was the primary reason they used social media for increasing consumer engagement.
The TOE model explains technological, organizational, and environmental elements
responsible for influencing technology adoption. Forty eight percent (48%) of property managers
who participated in the study determined that strengthening the company’s core audience was
their motivation for adopting digital media to increase consumer engagement. Thirty seven
percent (37%) of property managers believed that social media platforms were their primary
source for staying relevant and communicating with their target audience. Finally, sixty-six
percent (66%) of property manager who participated in the study believed that technological
convenience was essential for them when determining whether to use social media to
communicate with their customers.
Triangulation
Each instrument was coded separately and then compared to initial themes for each
instrument to combine them and create final themes. Consistent codes received during the
questionnaire which appeared to be related, were grouped into categories. Those categories were
then separated into groups that were tied to an overarching theme. During the follow-up
interviews, the researcher was able to collect consistent codes that were already familiar, based
on the responses collected from the questionnaire and tied them to the correlating themes. The
follow-up focus group seemed to corroborate the coding received from the previous two
instruments, making it easy for the researcher to group the codes discussed in the focus group
and place them in accordance with their respected themes.
The ability to communicate easily with a target audience was the primary theme
surrounding the questionnaire, follow-up interviews, and the follow-up focus group. This
relationship is the primary reason property managers at GildEstates use digital media platforms
to increase consumer engagement with their customers. Data collected during the literature
review process represented perception variables such as barrier to entry including cost, access to
potential customers, and using social media posts as a feedback loop to increase service to
customers. New intervention methods have been established to increase consumer engagement
between property managers and their customers that real estate practitioners may consider
addressing to increase consumer engagement in the future.
Easy to Use Means Easy to Engage. RQ1: What digital marketing strategies are used
by GildEstates to increase consumer engagement?
Answer: Property managers use digital media to increase consumer engagement sharing
content on a platform that makes it easy for potential customers to communicate with the
property manager.
RQ2: How can those marketing strategies be improved?
Answer: Property managers at GildEstates can improve this digital marketing strategy by
making it easier for customers to communicate with the property managers at their convenience
by directing the flow of communication. Property managers can direct the flow of
communication by providing a call to action after every post such as message us, “click this
link”, “like the post, and “follow for more details.
Increased Efficiency Encourages Increased Engagement. RQ1: What digital
marketing strategies are used by GildEstates to increase consumer engagement?
Answer: GildEstates property managers use digital marketing as a strategy to increase
consumer engagement by educating consumers and highlighting expectations for purposes of
preserving resources and maximizing efficiency.
RQ2: How can those marketing strategies be improved?
Answer: Property managers at GildEstates can improve this strategy by adding validity
to their content to increase trustworthiness between the customer and the property manager.
Property managers can increase validity by citing references to the information they are sharing
on the digital media platform where they are posting information.
Increased Relevance Results in Higher Opportunity for Engagement. RQ1: What
digital marketing strategies are used by GildEstates to increase consumer engagement?
Answer: Property managers at GildEstates use digital media to increase consumer
engagement by participating in trending social media campaigns as a strategy to interrupt and
become part of the algorithm that allows them to become visible on their followers’ digital media
feeds to encourage engagement.
RQ2: How can those marketing strategies be improved?
Answer: GildEstates property managers can improve this digital marketing strategy by
producing consistent content that incorporates the interests of the customers who follow them.
Promotion as a Strategy for Engagement. RQ1: What digital marketing strategies are
used by GildEstates to increase consumer engagement?
Answer: Property managers employed at GildEstates use digital media as a strategy to
increase consumer engagement by promoting content that resonates with digital media users who
share similar interest but may not be easy to reach due to territorial or communication
restrictions.
RQ2: How can those marketing strategies be improved?
Answer: This marketing strategy can be improved by making sure that content promoted
to digital media users provides an effective message that prevents confusion and increases the
likelihood of increased engagement.
Digital Marketing is a Cost-Effective Communication Solution. RQ1: What digital
marketing strategies are used by GildEstates to increase consumer engagement?
Answer: Property managers at GildEstates use digital media as a strategy to increase
consumer engagement by promoting content at no cost on platforms that allow the company to
compete with larger companies in their industry seeking to target the same pool of customers.
RQ2: How can those marketing strategies be improved?
Answer: This digital marketing strategy can be improved by locating services that allow
GildEstates property managers the ability to automate posts on other free to use platforms to
reach more potential customers simultaneously.
Summary
This qualitative case study applied the Braun and Clark thematic analysis to the data
collected by way on online questionnaire, follow-up interviews, and follow-up focus group to
explore effective digital marketing strategies for increased engagement in real estate. The main
theme of this study concerned ease of communication with target audience members. However,
62% of property managers at GildEstates believed that encouraging decision making was an
essential reason for adopting digital media to increase consumer engagement. Several other key
factors were discovered during the analysis of the study and was discussed further in chapter 5.
The information in chapter 5 will address how real estate professionals can use this information
to increase consumer engagement as well as address how future studies can benefit from this
doctoral study.
CHAPTER V: APPLICATION TO PRACTICE AND DISCUSSION
This study was an exploratory case study with a post study practical application. The
purpose of this study was to determine effective digital marketing strategies real estate
professionals at GildEstates use to increase consumer engagement in the real estate industry.
The study followed the case study research definition written by Saunders and Lee (2017) with a
goal of collecting evidence within the boundaries of research questions to address the validity of
those questions. The instruments utilized for the study included a questionnaire, follow-up
interviews, and a follow-up focus group to explore digital marketing strategies property
managers use to increase consumer engagement. The business problem of this study was
conducted in a case study method as a qualitative study. Tornatzky and Fleischer’s Technology,
Organization, and Environmental framework was applied to the study. Bagozzi & Davis’
Technology Acceptance Model was also applied to the study. The qualitative data was analyzed
using Braun and Clarks’ six step thematic analysis.
The limitations of this study were that the property managers of GildEstates used their
personal social media accounts to steer business to their individual profiles and did not use
digital media exclusively with the intent to increase consumer engagement to advance the
GildEstates brand. Another limitation of the study is that participants were limited to GildEstates
property managers and results were not analyzed for other real estate firms. Another limitation of
the study was that the sample size was limited to 15 participants, which only allowed for a
minimal number of perspectives from those who were allowed to provide feedback.
IRB approval, informed consent acceptance, and anonymity were the combination of
elements that made up the ethical dimensions of this study. The IRB at Trident University
International approved the proposal for this study. After participants received the link to access
the questionnaire, participants were required to read and acknowledge the informed consent page
before gaining access to the questionnaire. None of the instruments used identifiable information
including name, IP addresses, phone numbers, or email addresses were collected from the
participants of the study.
GildEstates used the data collected for post-study application to reference the perspective
of property managers for purposes of enhancing consumer engagement through use of digital
media technology. The perspectives collected from the questionnaire, follow-up interviews, and
follow-up focus group will allow GildEstates to strategize new ways for property managers to
utilize digital media for purposes of increasing consumer engagement. Understanding property
managers’ perceptions allow us to understand the motivating factors associated with adoption
digital media to increase consumer engagement. Though digital media has been available to the
general-public, including real estate professionals, for decades, the need for an updated
perception from the perspective of property managers in Los Angeles has yet to be discussed.
Chapter 5 will address the implications of the study, limitations that have an impact on the study,
responses that support the research questions, and recommendations for future research. The
researcher will also provide recommendations for how GildEstates can apply the results from the
information obtained in the study.
Implications to Practice
The researcher gathered the final themes and created subsections that explicitly discuss
the implications associated with each theme to answer the research questions of the study. Each
theme discussed below will be used to discuss the implications of using each theme as a strategy
to increase consumer engagement for the organization and what the implications are of
improving the theme will be to help the organization increase consumer engagement.
Easy to Use Means Easy to Engage
RQ1. What digital marketing strategies are used by GildEstates to increase consumer
engagement?
Answer. The implication of using digital media as a strategy to increase consumer
engagement by property managers who require easy to use platforms to communicate with their
customers is that digital prospects will be more inclined to use digital media to conveniently
communicate with the property managers they find on the platforms. Also, property managers
will become more comfortable using digital media solutions to amass leads that they can convert
into customers for GildEstates.
RQ2. How can those marketing strategies be improved?
Answer. The implication of utilizing easy to use digital marketing platforms is that
customers and property managers alike will become more comfortable using digital media to
communicate in real time and as a result, there will be an increase in consumer engagement.
Increased Efficiency Encourages Increased Engagement
RQ1. What digital marketing strategies are used by GildEstates to increase consumer
engagement?
Answer. The implication of using digital marketing strategies to increase consumer
engagement is that the strategy will help property managers at GildEstates save time and
resources by allowing them to transcend regional boundaries to locate more potential customers
by gaining access to qualified prospects in different regions of their service areas without using
unnecessary resources to generate leads.
RQ2. How can those marketing strategies be improved?
Answer. The implication of improving digital media strategies to increase efficiency and
increase engagement is that GildEstates will reach more customers, qualify more prospective
tenants, and maintain full occupancy at the buildings they manage.
Increased Relevance Results in Higher Opportunity for Engagement
RQ1. What digital marketing strategies are used by GildEstates to increase consumer
engagement?
Answer. The implication of using digital marketing strategies to increase consumer
engagement by increasing relevance is that customers will become familiar with GildEstates (and
their representatives) and rely on the company as a consistent source for their real estate needs
and as a result will utilize the organization as a resource as needed.
RQ2. How can those marketing strategies be improved?
Answer. An implication of improving digital marketing strategies to increase consumer
engagement by increasing relevance is that customers will begin recommending content they are
interested in consuming, resulting in a more valuable consumer experience for the followers of
GildEstates.
Promotion as a Strategy for Engagement
RQ1. What digital marketing strategies are used by GildEstates to increase consumer
engagement?
Answer. The implication to using digital media as a strategy to increase engagement by
promoting to their customers is that GildEstates will gain access to clients who are out of their
traditional marketing mix. Additionally, GildEstates will collect data in real time as it relates to
their customers’ preferences in the digital space.
RQ2. How can those marketing strategies be improved?
Answer. The implication of improving this strategy is that GildEstates will be able to
tailor content that keeps their customers engaged and improves the organization’s chances of
increasing consumer engagement to secure new customers.
Digital Marketing is a Cost-Effective Communication Solution
RQ1. What digital marketing strategies are used by GildEstates to increase consumer
engagement?
Answer. The implication of using digital marketing strategies as a low-cost method to
increase consumer engagement is that GildEstates will be able to gain an internet following on
the same platforms as their competitors without having to rely on the company’s marketing
budget to gain access to potential customers.
RQ2. How can those marketing strategies be improved?
Answer. The implication of improving cost-effective digital marketing strategies that
allow GildEstates to increase engagement with customers is that the organization will increase
their market share by establishing brand familiarity at no-cost to GildEstates.
Weaknesses of the Study
A weakness of this qualitative case study is that there may not have been enough
participants who are familiar with database technology which may limit their ability to identify
essential strategies necessary to increase consumer engagement. Another weakness associated
with this study is that the participants’ geographical location may play a role in the need for
database technology and the method in which the participants understand the need to use
database technology to increase consumer engagement. Qualitative research methodology limits
the researcher to data collection that does not involve numbers or statistics which is also a
potential weakness for the study.
The follow-up focus group participants of this study may be partial to a specific type of
technology and how they use the technology to increase consumer engagement. Another
potential weakness is that the research is conducted primarily through the lens of (Tornatzky et
al., 1990) technology, organization, and environmental framework to identify the determinants
that influence the adoption of digital marketing strategies. Due to that specific framework, there
may not be a full representation of all the factors associated with digital marketing anchors that
help organizations increase consumer engagement, which is a potential weakness in the study.
Each of the factors identified in the conceptual framework (technology, organization, &
environment) may play a different role in each organization, presenting inconsistent responses to
the follow-up focus group questions which creates a limitation that can be a potential weakness
in the study.
Due to the pandemic and COVID-19, the researcher is unable to conduct physical in-
person follow-up interviews and follow-up focus groups. Instead, the follow-up interviews were
administered through Zoom.com and the follow-up focus groups were hosted on the Microsoft
Teams mobile and desktop application. Not being allowed to conduct in person follow-up focus
groups make it prevented the researcher from being able to interpret non-verbal cues and body
language of the participants in the study which may cause a potential weakness in the study.
Results
The results of this study indicated that the majority of the property managers are using
digital media technology to engage with their customers, however the sample size is too small to
determine whether other property managers who manage property in Los Angeles similarly use
digital media as a strategy to increase consumer engagement. GildEstates does not make it a
requirement for their property managers to engage with their customers through social media
platforms as a strategy to increase consumer engagement. Nor are the property managers at
GildEstates using a single digital media platform to establish an internet as a strategy to increase
consumer engagement. GildEstates property managers should consider maintaining a unified
front on specific social media platforms to strengthen their presence on the internet as a strategy
to increase consumer engagement. Once GildEstates property managers have established a
presence on the internet to increase brand recognition in their field, they can use the same
strategy to engage with consumers on other platforms as well resulting in a direct increase to
consumer engagement for GildEstates. This method will allow GildEstates to determine which
digital media strategy works best for increasing engagement with their customers.
Implications to Theory and Literature
Easy to Use Means Easy to Engage
Adopting technology that is easy to use is directly relatable to the Technology
Acceptance Method, as the theme relates directly to the perception of ease of use. Practitioners
and customers who find technology easy to use will be more inclined to use the technology as a
resource to accomplish their goals. According to Cruz-Jesus et al. (2019), data quality and
integration were the most significant drivers of the perception and adoption stages of
implementing CRM. Additionally, Ha and Stoel (2009) stated that organizations using
technology to engage with customers should take into consideration quality determinants that
increase perception of usefulness for internal and external stakeholders alike.
As internet marketing becomes more common, factors such as ease of accessibility and
low-cost product development will help mitigate traditional barriers previously faced by lone
entrepreneurs (Scott et al., 2019). This information can correlate to the technology aspect of the
TOE theory used to conduct the initial research in this study. As discussed previously, the TOE
theory is used to understand elements that are used to influence the adoption of innovative
technologies. A major tenet of the TOE theory is organization which is an element of the theory
that aligns with the users of digital media who are directly impacted by the results of this
doctoral study, the GildEstates property managers. The results of the study determined that
GildEstates property managers are the members of the organization who require specific digital
media features to be able to implement strategies that increase consumer engagement while using
the adopted technology.
Increased Efficiency Encourages Increased Engagement
Organizations used digital technology to track consumer trends and generate data that
drive real estate industry insights (Friedman, 2020). As it relates to the TAM theory, perceived
usefulness is an integral factor associated with the adoption of innovative technology.
Demishkevich (2015) posited that measuring the impact of marketing strategies is vital to
improving marketing performance. Property managers who perceive digital media as a useful
resource that increases efficiency and encourages increased engagement will use the technology
with the intention of increasing efficiency and enhancing engagement. In the literature review,
Ghobakhloo et al. (2011) established that e-commerce was a practical way for practitioners to
improve transactional efficiencies, market expansion, and reduced transaction costs. In their
study, Demishkevich (2015) believed internet marketing improves customer relationships,
operational efficiency, marketing effectiveness, and a firm’s performance when the marketing
strategy is effective.
Increased Relevance Results in Higher Opportunity for Engagement
The literature review provided insight from Cornelius (2018), who believed that
communicating with clients in the digital age is necessary for real estate managers seeking to
build rapport with their clients. Syrdal (2016) posited that while some consumers may pursue
engagement with an organization due to their relationship with the brand, social media
engagement is directly correlated to information provided by the content offered to the consumer
by the host of the brand that provides content which serves as a point of contact between the
brand and the consumer. Since a key tenet of the TOE theory is technology, it is important for
property managers to use technology to the best of their ability to convince potential customers
that GildEstates has the capability to serve them as customers by displaying their ability to
leverage technology as a resource. Technology plays a vital role in engaging consumers by
identifying influencers who act as opinion leaders that establish market-wide diffusion (Nejad et
al., 2014).
Promotion as a Strategy for Engagement
As mentioned in the literature review, Cornelius (2018) determined that market
specialization and consistent hard work were qualities real estate managers needed to embody to
mitigate declining sales in the real estate industry. Digital media communication helps property
managers use a universal platform to build rapport with their customers to effectively increase
engagement. The Technology Acceptance Model is essential for property managers to take into
consideration when using promotion as a strategy to increase engagement as their actions have a
direct impact on the perceived use and perceived usefulness of adopting technology as a strategy
to increase consumer engagement. Consumers who do not have confidence in the ability to use
technology during the transaction process will likely drop-off during the process and use a more
traditional method to complete the transaction. Geyda (2020) determined that information-
technology capability and dynamic capability are imperative tools for managers of organizations
interested in measuring, complying, and remaining competitive in rapidly changing
environments.
Digital Marketing is a Cost-Effective Communication Solution
In Chapter 2 of this doctoral study, Ghobakhloo et al. (2011) believed that cost of access
is a determining factor that organizations must consider prior to adopting innovative
technologies. A key tenet for the TOE framework is the technological element which includes
availability associated with the technological resource. If a low-cost version of the technology
ceased to exist, it is likely that the users (customers and property managers) would abandon the
technology all together. Malik et al. (2021) posited that technology implementation by small and
medium enterprises are justified if they are able to save costs while differentiating their position
in the marketplace and retain customers.
Recommendations for Practice
The researcher has recommendations for practical applications of this study. Below are
the recommendations from a thematic perspective as it relates to the doctoral study.
Theme 1: Easy to Use Means Easy to Engage
The researcher recommends managers of GildEstates create an easy-to-use guide that
they can distribute to their existing customers who are technologically deficient, to explain the
benefits of using technology to communicate with their property management company. This
correlates to Theme 1: Easy to Use Means Easy to Engage because it will open the lines of
digital communication making it easier for customers to engage with GildEstates.
Theme 2: Increased Efficiency Encourages Increased Engagement
It is recommended that property managers for GildEstates discuss the goals for each
department at GildEstates and determine how digital marketing will affect each department by
the efforts put forth by the property managers of GildEstates focused on increasing consumer
engagement. This recommendation correlates to Theme 2: Increased Efficiency Encourages
Increased Engagement because it helps organize the intentions of each department at GildEstates
and builds companywide cohesion as a result.
The researcher also encourages social media communication between property managers
and customers to ensure property managers have a paper trail they can reference when engaging
with digital customers as a strategy to better serve their customers and increase consumer
engagement. This recommendation correlates to Theme 2: Increased Efficiency Encourages
Increased Engagement as it will help keep members of GildEstates organized with easy to find
dialogue they can reference in the event information from a conversation needs to be easily
accessed for verification purposes.
The researcher recommends the managers of GildEstates research the findings to
automate the leasing process, maintenance requests, and other property management duties to
increase efficiency and increase consumer engagement. This recommendation correlates to
Theme 2: Increased Efficiency Encourages Increased Engagement due to customers and property
managers possessing the ability to easily contact one another digitally as technology will make it
more convenient for tenants to make requests and managers to resolve issues.
The researcher encourages property managers of GildEstates to investigate industry news
sources to ensure they are consuming credible information prior to sharing un-verified content
with their followers as a strategy to improve credibility and increase consumer engagement. This
recommendation correlates to Theme 2: Increased Efficiency Encourages Increased Engagement
as the verification process will increase consumer confidence regarding the efficiency of the
organization which will make customers less hesitant to do business with GildEstates.
Theme 3: Increased Relevance Results in Higher Opportunity for Engagement
The researcher recommends that the organization establish a unified digital media
presence policy that (digitally) positions property managers as an extension of the brand for
which they are associated as a necessary strategy for increasing consumer engagement. This
recommendation correlates directly to Theme 3: Increased Relevance Results in Higher
Opportunity for Engagement for mandating a policy that obligates its employees to use social
media increases the likelihood of members of the organization being seen online and will
enhance opportunities for the public to engage with members of GildEstates.
Theme 4: Promotion as a Strategy for Engagement
The researcher recommends providing internet and digital media etiquette training for
property managers of GildEstates to unify corporate structure and minimize response time as a
strategy to increase consumer engagement. This recommendation correlates with Theme 4:
Promotion as a Strategy for Engagement because ensuring promotions align with the capabilities
of the organization is necessary for increasing engagement and instilling confidence in the real
estate professionals associated with GildEstates.
Theme 5: Digital Marketing is a Cost-Effective Communication Solution
The researcher recommends GildEstates create profiles on all the major social media
platforms to have control of their brand’s image via free marketing ability on each of the major
social media platforms. Additionally, GildEstates should appoint an employee to control their
social media platforms to strengthen the connection between the employee, the organization, and
the customer. This correlates directly with Theme 5: Digital Marketing is a Cost-Effective
Communication Solution because it will cost GildEstates zero dollars to implement these cost-
effective digital marketing strategies into its marketing mix and will provide opportunities for
employees to learn to use digital marketing as a promotional tool for free.
Chambers et al. (2020) encouraged B2C users to develop actionable solutions to create
and sustain successful social media presence. For the property managers of GildEstates,
recommendations for business process improvement include downloading mobile applications
that will interface with social media platforms that allow property managers to create engaging
posts that provide consistent content their followers will appreciate as a strategy necessary to
increase consumer engagement. Educating their followers through social media will encourage
potential customers to use social media to engage with property managers, return for more
engaging content, and contact the property manager via social media for all their needs related to
the provided content as a strategy for increasing consumer engagement. Providing trustworthy
content via digital media will increase the credibility of the property manager and increase the
property manager’s odds of securing a client through the platform where they are actively
posting content.
Recommendations for Future Research
Future studies should consider incorporating property managers who already have a
sizable social media following to ensure the future research can be conducted with a sample that
includes property managers who use social media as a resource to grow their following. All the
property managers who participated in this study have less than 2,000 followers each. Property
managers at GildEstates focus on providing effortless solutions for their customers to contact and
communicate with GildEstates through social media platforms, and do not take a consistent
approach to using social media exclusively to increase consumer engagement with their
customers. Including property managers driven to increase consumer engagement through social
media will enhance the findings of the topic to help property managers optimize their marketing
efforts for increasing consumer engagement.
A comparison between property managers who do not use social media as a daily
resource to communicate with their customers, with those who strictly use social media as their
primary method for communicating with their customers, will allow for a mixed method research
approach conducted through a case study to determine how to use digital media as a strategy to
increase consumer engagement. A mixed method approach to this topic will provide an enhanced
understanding between both sets of data and add knowledge greater than the sum of quantitative
or qualitative data research alone (Ertesvåg et al., 2021).
Another recommendation for future research is for researchers to run a qualitative case
study on property managers who deal exclusively with commercial real estate properties to
explore the different strategies necessary to increase consumer engagement among commercial
tenants. The participants in this study were mainly focused on residential and multi-family
properties in their portfolio of managed assets. Researchers who conduct similar studies should
use questionnaires and interviews to conduct their research on commercial property managers to
gain insight about the mindset associated with using digital media as a strategy to increase
consumer engagement in the commercial property management space.
The study on commercial property management is important as it will further research
surrounding the needs of commercial property managers that deal exclusively with commercial
real estate tenants. The study can also help real estate practitioners understand the needs of
commercial real estate tenants and develop a strategy on how to better serve the digital needs of
those types of customers. United States based commercial property management studies are not
abundant and future research will help provide a refreshed look at the industry as it transitions
into digital territory.
Finally, the researcher recommends future research should surround upcoming
technology not yet popular in the industry including web 3.0. These technologies will provide
real estate practitioners resources such as artificial intelligence, virtual identities, and machine
learning algorithms that will allow them to leverage innovative technology to increase consumer
engagement. The researcher recommends an exploratory case report be conducted to learn more
about what web 3.0 is and how it can be used to increase consumer engagement in property
management. Follow-Up focus groups and field observations should be the instruments used to
conduct the study so that the researchers can get the feelings associated with the technology
explore how real estate managers intend to use the technology to increase consumer engagement.
Though social media is a great place to begin understanding the possibilities of marketing
real estate services, it is obvious that there is new technology on the horizon that will be
introduced to the public and it is pivotal that the real estate industry is at the forefront of
understanding how to leverage the technology in ways satisfy their customers. The research is
necessary for real estate professionals to get a thorough understanding of what new technology
may be available to practitioners and customers alike for purposes of making real estate
marketing more effective and prop-tech more efficient.
Conclusions
This qualitative case study with post study practical application explored effective digital
media strategies real estate managers use to increase consumer engagement. The research
findings indicated that effective digital media utilization by property managers at GildEstates
could make their interactions with customers more meaningful. The findings of this study also
prove that property managers employed at GildEstates are unaware of how their social media
presence can affect their ability to engage with their target audience and increase consumer
engagement. Other information concluded that property managers at GildEstates did not map to
the organizations overall mission of the organization. Recommendations include enhancing
internal communication so property managers can use resources in a manner that save the
company time and effort and determine better strategies necessary to increase consumer
engagement through digital media. Additionally, it is recommended that GildEstates property
managers use social media to learn about industry trends and validate information on the internet
as it relates to the real estate industry, so that they may provide accurate recommendations to
their clients through social media platforms they use as a strategy to increase consumer
engagement.
One generalization note that should be considered is although this is a qualitative case
study, 100% of participants use technology in their everyday lives and 63% described their
ability to use technology as “advanced.” Therefore, it cannot be said that lack of ability to use
technology play a role in why users are not utilizing digital media to enhance communication
with their customers. Property managers are not using digital media to enhance communication
because they do not use it as a primary resource to increase consumer engagement. Property
managers must stay up to date on social media engagement technology embedded in the
platforms they choose to utilize to increase their understanding of digital media engagement and
utilize each platform to its fullest potential for increasing engagement.
In chapter five, the researcher discussed the implications of the study, provided perceived
value of research questions, and offered future intervention possibilities and recommendations
for future research. The researcher recommended establishing a unified vision for the
organization so that property managers at GildEstates can determine how to best use digital
media strategies to increase engagement with their customers. Approaching digital media
marketing from this perspective will provide property managers effective solutions to
communicate with their prospective applicants and current residents as a strategy necessary to
increase consumer engagement.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY REPORT
This executive summary provides the findings of this case study and highlights
information that will allow property managers to create post-study practical application to use
social media as a resource to increase consumer engagement. The main objective of this case
study was to explore effective strategies real estate professionals used to increase consumer
engagement.
Introduction to the Business Problem
The main problem was that it was not known what digital marketing strategies were used
by GildEstates to increase consumer engagement or how those marketing strategies could be
improved. Property managers at GildEstates were unable to optimize their digital marketing
strategies to increase engagement with their applicants and residents. A lack of investigation into
the abilities of each digital marketing platform, in addition to lack of organizational autonomy,
contributes to the under-utilization of digital media to increase consumer engagement. The
purpose of this qualitative case study was to determine what digital marketing strategies were
used by GildEstates to increase consumer engagement and how those marketing strategies can be
improved. To explore the issues of the study, a qualitative case study was developed to help
understand how property managers at GildEstates could optimize their digital marketing
strategies to increase consumer engagement.
The Study
This research study was a qualitative case study with post-study practical application.
The purpose of the study was to explore how property managers at GildEstates used digital
marketing strategies to increase consumer engagement. The researcher investigated how property
managers could improve their digital marketing strategies to increase consumer engagement.
Fifteen (15) property managers currently employed at GildEstates were involved in the study. All
fifteen of the participants completed a questionnaire, five participated in follow-up interviews,
and another five participants were members of a follow-up focus group that discussed current
digital marketing practices the organization’s property managers used to increase consumer
engagement.
The Findings
To address the problem, two research questions were created, as seen below in the
Summary of Research Questions Findings Table. An anonymous online questionnaire was
constructed, as well as follow-up interview sessions, and a follow up focus group session with
the participants of the anonymous questionnaire. The goal of these data collection instruments
was to explore digital media strategies property managers at GildEstates used to engage with
applicants and residents as well as determine common objectives surrounding the use of digital
media resources employed by property managers at GildEstates.
The findings of the online questionnaire indicated that property managers of GildEstates
believe that digital media marketing is a necessity for real estate practitioners seeking to increase
consumer engagement. Most of the responses were in alignment regarding the convenience
associated with using digital media to enrich communication between property managers and
prospective customers. 100% of participants agreed that digital media was the most effective
way to communicate with real estate customers and will continue to use social media as their
primary method of communication with their customers.
The fifteen anonymous online questionnaires, follow-up interviews, and follow-up focus
group were distributed and completed from July 15, 2022, through August 20, 2022. Participants
were not monetarily compensated for their time or participation. All three instruments were
utilized to answer each research question and allowed the researcher to create recommendations.
By using the Braun and Clark six step thematic analysis, the researcher was able to identify and
analyze themes throughout the study.
The researcher found that accessibility was a key factor associated with the decision to
use digital media as a strategy property managers use to increase consumer engagement.
Property managers of GildEstates believe that they need to “walk the path of the customer” and
they agree that the path of the customer is currently social media platforms where they logon to
consume entertainment, education, and expand their network. GildEstates property managers
determined that digital media is in its infancy and will continue to evolve to meet consumer
needs as well as the needs of practitioners that use the digital media as a resource to increase
consumer engagement.
Analysis of the Findings
Several themes emerged from the data collection of this doctoral study. Some themes
were similar in nature others were not. All themes that emerged had a direct correlation to the
research questions and the purpose of the study. Some researchers were more motivated to use
social media to enhance their understanding about the industry to become a resource for their
customers. Other participants were directly concerned with learning how to better serve their
customers through strengthening their digital media communication skills. The themes below
were found to have a direct correlation to the research questions.
Themes and Codes
Theme (number of data excerpts)
Codes grouped into theme (number of data excerpts)
Theme 1: Easy to Use Means Easy
to Engage
Convenience 8
Intuitive Platforms 101
A convenient and intuitive platform provide property
managers with an easy-to-use strategy to increase
consumer engagement.
Theme 2: Increased Efficiency
Encourages Increased Engagement
Effectiveness 27
Gaging Interest 46
Locating Target Audience 10
A digital media platform that allows property managers
to gage interest and easily locate their target audience
will consolidate their efforts and increase efficiency
when using digital media to increase consumer
engagement.
Theme 3: Increased Relevance
Results in Higher Opportunity for
Engagement
Going Viral 6
Increase Engagement 90
Rebranding 17
Industry Trends 8
Using digital media as a platform to increase popularity
and position the brand in ways that increase their online
presence will help property managers increase
consumer engagement while using social media to
increase relevance for the organization.
Theme 4: Promotion as a Strategy
for Engagement
Cross Promotion 20
Build Target Audience 60
Encourage Decision Making 37
Brand Introduction 67
Create Visibility 7
Using digital media as a strategy to introduce the brand
to digital customers to create visibility and increase
engagement will provide property managers with an
opportunity to build their target audiences and promote
their services accordingly.
Theme (number of data excerpts)
Codes grouped into theme (number of data excerpts)
Theme 5: Digital Marketing is a
Cost-Effective Communication
Solution
Price of Entry 6
Free to Consumer 90
The price of entry for the property manager is free.
Digital media is also free to the customer which allows
the organization to reduce marketing cost while
increasing market share.
Theme 1: Easy to Use Means Easy to Engage. Employees at GildEstates who
completed the questionnaire identified Ease of Use as an underlying theme. Property managers in
the follow-up focus group felt strongly about using digital marketing technology that was
intuitive and easy to navigate because they need to be able to provide answers from software that
provides easy to understand results, in a timely fashion to their prospective customers.
Subthemes included concerns regarding providing access to prospective customers that would
use the platform to communicate with the manager from the moment of inquiry and utilized to
communicate with the tenant throughout a resident’s tenancy at a GildEstates property. The
follow-up focus group also discussed digital media’s ability to allow customers to initiate
engagement with the property managers in a non-invasive and safe manner. Below are excerpts
of a conversation from property managers at GildEstates.
Theme 2: Increased Efficiency Encourages Increased Engagement. Another major
theme surrounding the utilization of digital media platforms was efficiency. Answers to follow
up interviews and questionnaires both supported views surrounding the necessity for digital
media to save property managers time and resources. The property managers of GildEstates
described the importance of using digital media to provide information that saves time, stay
informed, and educate their clients.
Theme 3: Increased Relevance Results in Higher Opportunity for Engagement. The
property managers of GildEstates expressed a need to stay relevant. The relevance indicated by
GildEstates property managers were discussed from a digital media perspective. The property
managers determined that social media was the best way to keep up with relevant topics related
to the real estate industry. Additionally, the property managers of GildEstates discussed
providing their followers with consistent visibility of their brand on social media platforms to
keep the image of the company relevant as well as their personal brand as real estate
professionals at the forefront of the feeds of their followers in the event an opportunity to engage
presents itself.
Theme 4: Promotion as a Strategy for Engagement. The discussion surrounding
promotion was prevalent in the follow-up focus group discussion and follow up interviews.
However, the details surrounding how to measure success surrounding promotion of services
was not easy to decipher. Though the participants agreed that social media was the best way to
optimize their marketing efforts, each manager attributes their digital marketing success to
different social media platforms. It is important to note that each property manager serves
different territories within the city of Los Angeles and may have a different demographic to
whom they solicit based on the typical resident type that make up their tenant mix.
Theme 5: Digital Marketing is a Cost-Effective Communication Solution. The cost
of using digital media technology was a factor discussed in the follow-up focus group as well as
the questionnaire administered to GildEstates property managers. The property managers
discussed how cost was an underlying element that influenced the use of digital media. The
property managers were not asked whether they would subscribe to a freemium service nor if
they were opposed to using social media platforms they had to subscribe to or pay to use.
Key Implications for Business
Research findings determined that the property managers of GildEstates comingle their
digital media efforts and do not use their digital media accounts exclusively to conduct business
on behalf of GildEstates. For example, property managers of GildEstates use digital media for
personal use and for business purposes alike. Property managers of GildEstates do not
intentionally use their accounts to engage specifically with real estate customers. External
content, depending on the tone and interest surrounding the media posted by the property
manager, may divert customers from doing business with GildEstates if the imagery associated
with the property manager does not align with that of the firm for which they belong.
RQ1. The first research question was what digital marketing strategies are used by
GildEstates to increase consumer engagement? The participants of the questionnaire and the
follow-up interview were concentrated on collecting information surrounding the ideals and
values surrounding the use of digital media marketing to increase consumer engagement between
property managers at GildEstates and their customers. The findings of this study reveal that
property managers are concerned with the ease of communicating with their target customers.
In their study, Aytekin and Keskin Dermili (2017) determined that eliminating regional
communication barriers to enhance two-way communication between real estate professionals
and their customers enabled practitioners to gain more exposure and strengthen relationships
with their customers. The same focus on increasing engagement while strengthening interactions
with their core audience was evident in the results of this study. However, participants of the
study were not only motivated by ease of communicating with their target audience. Property
managers of GildEstates were concerned about controlling the narrative when it came to
providing information about their brand and GildEstates’ position within the industry.
Chang et al. (2019) posited that consumer engagement is driven by social belonging and
self-enhancement directed by a brand’s ability to encourage human behavior. The participants of
the study rated controlling the narrative very high on the list of factors encouraging their decision
to use digital media to increase consumer engagement. Shukla (2011) determined that
interpersonal influence provides a significant impact across markets and strategic campaign
building is necessary to influence decision-making.
Taking into consideration factors that drive consumers to make decisions will provide
property managers the opportunity to increase engagement and secure new customers. Property
managers’ online behavior, communication style, and credibility have a direct impact on the
perception of the brand they represent. Wang and Yang (2010) identified brand credibility as a
direct result of brand awareness and brand imagery as driving factors that influence consumers’
intention to purchase from an organization.
RQ2. The second research question was how can digital marketing strategies be
improved to increase consumer engagement? As we understand from the results of the
questionnaire, follow-up interview, and the follow-up focus group, the property managers of
GildEstates have a positive perspective regarding the direction of digital marketing as it relates to
increasing engagement in real estate. The participants confessed to using different platforms to
accommodate the various types of information they consume and present to their followers for
consumption. The perspective of the property managers may be rooted in their understanding of
how each platform performs with respect to their goals, and what each platform is lacking to
contribute the most significant amount of productivity in order to become their primary method
of engaging with their target customer.
To determine how digital marketing strategies can be improved, the elements surrounding
the TOE theoretical framework determine that users need to identify which aspects of digital
marketing they could benefit from improving prior to making the decision to adopt new
technology. Linton and Solomon (2017) believed that organizational needs and technology must
mutually adapt to each other for the technological enhancement to be effective. Ease of use, time
saving, and resource preservation were the primary motivations for property managers in this
study to adopt new technology. The ability to transcend environmental boundaries was also high
on the list of reasons property managers at GildEstates believed digital media marketing was
essential for increasing consumer engagement in their industry.
Property managers at GildEstates understand how to communicate with different
generations on their preferred platforms. Thus, property managers who participated in the study
insinuated digital media can be improved by providing metrics to professionals seeking to
analyze each generation they are reaching and where each generation is in their respective life
cycle(s). Cheong et al. (2010) posited that planners require marketing related tools to make
recommendations and conduct analyses that justify their decisions. An understanding in external
environmental factors can help property managers concentrate efforts toward a specific customer
base more effectively and efficiently.
The results of this study indicated that most of the property managers are using digital
media technology to engage with their customers, however the sample size is too small to
determine whether other property managers who manage property in Los Angeles similarly use
digital media to engage with customers. GildEstates does not make it a requirement for their
property managers to engage with their customers through social media platforms. Nor are the
property managers at GildEstates using a single digital media platform to establish or presence
on the Internet. GildEstates property managers should consider maintaining a unified front on
specific social media platforms to strengthen their presence on the internet. Once GildEstates
property managers have established a presence on the internet to have brand recognition in their
field, they can use the same strategy to engage with consumers on other platforms as well. This
method will allow GildEstates to determine which digital media strategy works best for
increasing engagement with their customers.
Recommendations for Practitioners
Future studies should consider incorporating property managers who already have a
sizable social media following. All of the property managers who participated in this study have
less than 2,000 followers each, focus on ease of communication through social media platforms,
and do not take a consistent approach to using social media exclusively to increase consumer
engagement with their customers to enhance the findings of the topic to help property managers
optimize their marketing efforts.
Thus, researchers would need to first, incorporate a system within an organization that
either digitally aligns the participants with the organization where they are employed, or require
the participants to start a new social media page on the platform where the organization intends
to increase engagement with consumers. Next, the organization and the practitioners should work
together to align the social media pages of the practitioners with that of the organization so that
there is clear autonomy between the organization and the practitioner. The organization should
then require monthly training sessions to help practitioners understand social media etiquette and
remind the practitioners of the importance of posting consistent content to keep their followers
engaged. Organizational leaders should use the opportunity to set objectives and measure key
results.
Some of the objectives that practitioners can set include heightening brand awareness,
managing brand reputation, and encouraging their audience to share user generated content.
Increasing brand awareness works in favor of the practitioner because they use the already
established reputation of the brand to increase consumer confidence. Practitioners can heighten
brand awareness by sharing milestones achieved by the organization, as well as more intimate
details about the organization such as company culture, mission, and community involvement.
Managing the brand’s reputation can be done by branding all content that the practitioner shares
which establishes the professional as a thought-leader in their respected field. Encouraging their
followers to share content gives their audience a sense of involvement in sharing the company’s
mission and could potentially help the practitioner gain more followers as a result.
A comparison between property managers who do not use social media as a daily
resource to communicate with their customers, with those who do use social media as their
primary method for communicating with their customers, will allow for a mixed method research
approach. A mixed method approach to this topic will provide an enhanced understanding
between both sets of data and add knowledge greater than the sum of quantitative or qualitative
data research alone (Ertesvåg et al., 2021).
Practitioners should seek to understand the value of using digital media as a strategy to
increase consumer engagement. Creating a list of different digital media platforms to understand
the consumer motivation associated with visiting each digital media platform will provide
practitioners with the insight necessary to create content relatable to the mission of their desired
customer(s). Learning the behaviors of their desired customer will allow the practitioners to
create a buyer persona that allows them to compile an ideal customer profile. The ideal customer
profile will help practitioners determine the motivations of their customers and the strategies
necessary to for property managers to increase consumer engagement.
Along with an ideal customer persona worksheet, practitioners should develop a cost
evaluation report that helps practitioners determine the value of each digital media site as it
relates to the mission of the organization. Also, the cost associated with the offered content can
help determine whether it is appropriate to include the platforms in their marketing mix and if the
organization’s budget can accommodate the costs. If it is not economically feasible for the
organization to incorporate the platform into the marketing mix at the time, the cost evaluation
report can help the organization shape future marketing goals of the company.
Traditionally, real estate organizations released press releases to provide information to
the public about the progress of an organization. However, press releases are one-way
communication strategies. Digital media provides organizations the opportunity to increase
consumer engagement by providing a space to have open dialogue in real time between
customers and organizational leaders. Practitioners must develop a message that allows
consumers to communicate their understanding, frustrations, loyalty, and recommendations for
the company they support. Creating content to ensure the organizations message is well received
is a pivotal skillset for practitioners to develop if they intend to use social media to successfully
increase consumer engagement.
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