Abstract
South Africa has one of the highest Small, Micro and Medium Enterprises (SMME) failure rates due to the gradual adaptation of digital communication platforms. Engaging consumers online has become paramount for the survival of small and micro enterprises, and the COVID-19 pandemic serves as a digital transformation driver. This study explores the use of dark social media for stakeholder engagement by small and micro-retail brands in South Africa. This qualitative study employed an exploratory phenomenological approach. The data were obtained from semi-structured in-depth interviews, involving twelve small and micro retail entrepreneurs, who use WhatsApp Business for their businesses. Findings indicate that the small and micro retail-entrepreneurs use WhatsApp Business to improve customer relations through rapid responses to consumer complaints, giving updates, engaging in non-business conversation, post-purchase engagement amongst others, and use WhatsApp Business features such as catalogues, labelling, starring and the strategic use of complementary social media platforms in their digital strategy. The study also discovered that small and micro-retail entrepreneurs plan their digital communication with consumers on WhatsApp Business before execution and aim to achieve a specific goal. The use of WhatsApp Business is a new phenomenon yet to bear scrutiny, hence, the importance for enterprises to leverage on diversification of social media platforms. Keywords: Dark social media, digital platforms, social Media platforms, stakeholder engagement, WhatsApp Business.
M.A. (Strategic Communication)