1. Introduction.………………………………………………………………. 4
1.1 An introduction to the influence of social media…….……………….. 4
1.2 Ryanair company profile……...………………………………………. 4
2. Ryanair and their use of Facebook…………………...…………………… 5
2.1 Strengths…………………………………………………………....…. 6
2.2 Weaknesses……………….......……………………………………….. 7
3. Evaluating the success of Ryanair`s social media marketing...………..….. 7
3.1 Social media performance measurement……………………………… 7
3.2 Ryanair, an evaluation…………………………………………………9
4. Social media improvement suggestions………………………………...… 10
5. Conclusion…………………………………………....…………………… 12
6. References……………………………………………………………….... 13
7. Appendices………………………………………………………………… 17
7.1 “Woman forced to pay £200 to print out Ryanair tickets”…………….. 17
7.2 “Ryanair boss slams 'idiot' who forgot boarding pass”……………….. 19
7.3 Ryanair Facebook quotation………………………………………...… 21
7.4 Hoffman and Fodor`s Performance metrics…………………………….22
7.5 2XMedia Group`s 5 measurements for success………………...……… 23

Executive summary
This case study report is based around the use of social media in today’s global marketplace. The later years have shown how important digital marketing and social media has become. Change in technology along with change in consumer behaviour has made the customers more powerful regarding corporate reputation. Ryanair, Europe’s largest low- cost airline, has only recently started using social media as a tool to renew the customer’s perceptions of the airline. Today, Ryanair use social media mostly as a one-way communication where they are promoting offers and engaging followers to share. The airline is clearly new in the social media game and has a lot to gain through understanding how social media networking affects brand awareness and consumer behavior.

1. Introduction
This case study report is based around the use of social media in today’s global marketplace. Taking one specific company into consideration one will attempt to identify three important elements. Firstly, how they use Facebook as a marketing channel, secondly how they are able to measure their general social media marketing success. Lastly, one will make suggestions as to what improvements could be made by using the social media channels differently, having a closer look at competitors and their use of these channels. 1.1 An introduction to the influence of social media
Today Internet and social media has become an enormous platform for organisations to reach both existing and potential customers all over the world. Social media is a cheap and effective way of reaching almost unlimited numbers of customers. The later years have shown how important digital marketing and social media has become. Change in technology along with change in consumer behaviour has made the customers more powerful regarding corporate reputation. Internet and social media is a new way for customers to share and communicate their experience forcing organisations to think in new ways in order to retain and gain customers (Tiago and Verissimo, 2014).

1.2 Ryanair company profile
Since the one- route start up in 1985, Ryanair has developed into Europe’s largest low- cost airline, transporting 81,6 million customers in 2013. Now connecting 186 destinations in 30 different countries (Ryanair, 2014). Ryanair has only recently started using social media as a tool to renew the customer’s perceptions of the airline. The airline is publicly known for its unsympathetic ways of operating and lack of customer service. According to The Daily Telegraph the airline is publicly voted as the worst customer service brand out of Britain’s hundred biggest brands (Smith, 2013).

2. Ryanair and their use of Facebook
In 2013, Ryanair`s head of communications, Robin Kiely stated the following: “a Facebook page would not be helpful to us” (O´Connell, 2013). Furthermore, Kiely argued that creating social media accounts such as Facebook and Twitter would not benefit Ryanair,