INFLUENCE OF SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING AND LIBRARY WEBSITE DESIGN ON VISIBILITY OF LIBRARY SERVICES IN UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES IN BENUE STATE

Abstract

This study investigated the influence of Social Media Marketing and Library Website Design on visibility of library services in university libraries in Benue State Nigeria. Two research questions and two hypotheses guided the study. It adopted a descriptive survey design. Four university libraries in Benue State including Rev. Fr. Moses Orshio Adasu University, Makurdi, Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi, Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo and University of Mkar, Mkar-Nigeria constituted its area. Using stratified sampling technique, a sample size of 100 respondents was drawn from a population of 235 library staff of the four institutions. Data collection was done using a structured questionnaire whose trial test yielded a reliability coefficient of 0.89 using Cronbach Alpha. Descriptive statistics of frequency counts, mean and standard deviation were used for data analysis while Chi-square was used to test hypotheses. The findings revealed that social media effectively enhance library visibility by facilitating real-time updates, attracting new users, improving communication and fostering user engagement. Also, library website design emerged as a paramount branding element, given the importance of an aesthetically pleasing, professionally designed, mobile-compatible and regularly updated website enriched with interactive features. The study concluded that employing social media marketing and library website design for branding of library services is not a peripheral activity but a central and multidimensional strategy that advances the visibility, relevance, credibility and sustainability of university libraries within the academic landscape. It was finally recommended that University libraries and their managements should invest in the development and sustainability of social media marketing and website design.