The major purpose of this study is to examine the effects of social media advertising on the purchase behaviour of young university students. The study employed an exploratory research design and cross-sectional survey technique. On the basis of a comprehensive literature review, research hypotheses were formulated to investigate the relationship between study variables. The primary data were collected using questionnaires from students of public sector universities operating in the city of Faisalabad, Pakistan. Non-probability and convenience sampling were adopted in the selection of target respondents, which were 283 students, both day-scholars and boarding students. The findings reveal that social media advertising affects the purchasing behaviour of social media users. The recommendations of the study are that the companies should concentrate more on promotional activities using social networks as this is more effective, less costly and accessible to a large number of target audiences.