Strategic social media marketing: An empirical analysis of sequential advertising
By Parshuram Hotkar, Garg R.
Production and Operations Management | December 2023
DOI
doi.org/10.1111/poms.14075
Citation
Hotkar, Parshuram., R., Garg. (2023). Strategic social media marketing: An empirical analysis of sequential advertising Production and Operations Management doi.org/10.1111/poms.14075.
Copyright
Production and Operations Management, 2023
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Abstract
Social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter have emerged as effective channels for advertising that enable consumer targeting based on demographics, interests, and user behavior. Social media marketers have utilized information spillover within these platforms to reach a larger customer base. This information spillover also exists across groups of users within the platform and enhances returns from social media advertising. Thus, this information spillover can be utilized to strategically sequence targeted advertising to amplify the returns from social media ads. In this paper, we present a theoretical model for information retention and show that the sequential advertising strategy is effective in targeting groups of users on a social media platform. In addition, we provide empirical evidence through two series of randomized field experiments. From experiments for a health services organization, we find that sequential advertising campaigns provide 23% more clicks when compared to campaigns that target groups simultaneously, which translates to a saving of 18.7% in the advertising budget to achieve similar results as simultaneous advertising. Additionally, we found that sequential advertising campaigns targeting a smaller group first followed by a larger group provide 10.7% additional clicks when compared to targeting a larger group first followed by a smaller group. These results were consistent for consumer packaged goods that were advertised on Facebook and Twitter. These results provide implications for social media advertising research and practice.

Parshuram Hotkar is an Assistant Professor of Operations Management at the Indian School of Business (ISB). His research examines strategic interactions within supply chains, with applications ranging from omnichannel retail to healthcare. In recent years, his work has increasingly focused on healthcare supply chains, addressing challenges such as drug shortages, quality, and access—issues with direct implications for public health and policy. By combining analytical modeling with practical insights, his research aims to contribute to both academic understanding and real-world solutions.

Professor Hotkar’s work has been recognized with best paper awards from leading academic bodies, including INFORMS and the Decision Sciences Institute (DSI). Beyond healthcare, he has collaborated with think tanks, government agencies, and industry partners to extend the societal impact of his research.

At ISB, he teaches courses on supply chain management, supply network design, strategic procurement, and operations management, with an emphasis on helping students break down complex, real-world challenges into simpler, actionable frameworks.

He earned his PhD and MS in Information, Risk, and Operations Management from the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin. He also holds an MS in Operations Management and a dual degree (BTech and MTech) in Biotechnology from IIT Madras.

Parshuram Hotkar
Parshuram Hotkar