ABSTRACT

This study investigates the influence of online marReting strategies on customer patronage of hotels in Umuahia metropolis, Abia State. The objectives of the research were to assess the influence of various online marketing channels, including social media strategies, email services, e-advertising, weblogs, and affiliate marketing, on customers' decisions to patronize hotels. A total of 330 respondents participated in the study, providing insights into their preferences and behaviors. The findings revealed that different social media strategies significantly influence customer patronage, with Facebook and WhatsApp being the most effective platforms, scoring 30. 9% and 70. 6% respectively. Email services also played a crucial role, particularly in providing valuable information, with a mean score of 2.95. E-advertising was shown to enhance customer engagement, with Facebook Ads scoring a mean of 2.95. Web/ogs were perceived as less trustworthy compared to other marketing channels, achieving a mean score of 1.86, while affiliate marketing demonstrated a minimal level of influence with customers patronage, with a mean score of 2. 60. The study tested five hypotheses, all of which were evaluated based on the data collected. The hypotheses relating to social media strategies, email services and e-advertising were rejected, confirming their significant influence on customer patronage while weblog was accepted confirming its non significant influence on customer patronage. Conversely, the hypothesis regarding affiliate marketing was also rejected due to its minimal influence on customers patronage. Generally, the results underscore the necessity for hotels in Umuahia to enhance their online marketing strategies, particularly through social media, email engagement and eadvertising, to effectively attract and retain customers. This study provided a valuable insights for hotel managers aiming to oprimize their marketing efforts in a competitive landscape.