The impact of social media intervention on the performance of SMEs during the COVID-19 pandemic

This study investigated the impact of social media intervention on small and medium-sized enterprises' (SMEs) organizational performances during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were collected from 61 participants using convenient sampling, and SPSS was used for data analysis. The study intends to identify the extent in which social media networks affect organizational performance during the pandemic and how did SMEs utilize social media during the pandemic. This study also aims to identify the different impacts of different social media platforms on SMEs performance during the pandemic. The findings revealed a positive and strong relationship between social media platforms, social media content design, types of social media activities, and SMEs' organizational performances. All hypotheses were supported. The findings also indicates that Facebook was the most effective social media platforms utilized by the SMEs during the Covid-19 pandemic especially by the food and beverage industry and information technology sectors followed by Instagram. The results shows that social media platforms played a crucial role in enhancing SME performance during the pandemic. Effective utilization of social media content design was found to positively impact organizational performance. Different social media platforms had varying effects on SME performance, highlighting the need for tailored strategies. These findings contribute to the understanding of the role of social media intervention in SMEs' organizational performances during crisis situations. SMEs can leverage social media platforms, create engaging content, and adapt strategies based on platform characteristics to enhance organizational performance. This study provides valuable insights for SMEs navigating challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. By effectively utilizing social media intervention, SMEs can enhance brand visibility, customer engagement, and overall performance. These findings offer practical recommendations to guide SMEs in leveraging social media during crisis situations and achieving sustainable growth in dynamic business environments.