Relationship between Social Media Engagement and Entrepreneurial Stress among Entrepreneurs

Abstract

Social media has become a necessary part of everyday life. Many businesses have sought to expand their reach through innovative means. One of which is the use of social media which has proven to be the most effective. Entrepreneurs and online vendors have gained success using platforms such as Instagram, Facebook Marketplace, WhatsApp Business etc., which enables them to market their products or services. However, the maintenance of an active digital presence comes at a cost. For those businesses managed by a single person or with minimal staff, it is especially high. This study has examined the relationship between social media engagement and entrepreneurial stress among business owners and online vendors to find out not just the impact of such engagement on stress levels but also the association between the two variables. A cross-sectional, quantitative research designed was used with a sample of 266 participants. Data was collected through standardised tools; Social Media Engagement Scale and Entrepreneurial Stress Index. IBM SPSS was used to conduct descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation and simple linear regression analyses. The results revealed a significant positive relationship between social media engagement and entrepreneurial stress as well as a significant predictive effect of such engagement on stress. These findings have suggested that while active engagement offers valuable opportunities, the demands associated may contribute to increased psychological strain, thus highlighting the importance of developing approaches to maintain an online presence while mitigating entrepreneurial stress.