Skip to content
Research Article Open access CC BY 4.0

A Mixed Methods Study to Uncover the Adoption Potential of Digital Marketing in Indian SMEs

Khalil Ahmad, Naveen Pandey

Asian Journal of Economics, Business and Accounting · pp. 168–181 · Published 27 Feb 2024

10.9734/ajeba/2024/v24i41271

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the current level of digital marketing adoption among SMEs in India. It aims to assess the extent of adoption, identify challenges hindering adoption, and explore the perceived benefits of digital marketing. The study utilizes a mixed-method approach to provide comprehensive insights into the adoption of digital marketing strategies by SMEs. Data collection was conducted from SMEs operating in various industries. The study analyzes survey responses and conducts focus group discussions to explore the extent of digital marketing adoption, challenges faced by SMEs, and perceived benefits. The findings indicate that SMEs in India have informative websites but limited adoption of digital marketing tools and strategies. The focus group discussions highlight challenges related to training, security, and legal practices that hinder digital marketing adoption. Despite the challenges, SMEs recognize the advantages of digital marketing, including cost reduction, time savings, market expansion, and quick product launches. The study focuses on SMEs in India, which may limit the generalizability of the findings to other regions. The research is based on self-reported data, which may be subject to response biases. Future research could explore the effectiveness of specific digital marketing strategies and interventions to overcome adoption barriers. This research contributes to the existing knowledge by providing insights into the adoption of digital marketing among SMEs in India. The study offers recommendations for future research and practical implications for enhancing digital marketing capabilities among SMEs, addressing a gap in the literature.

Digital marketing adoption small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) mixed method approach challenges benefits

References (39)

  1. 1 Chapter 12: What does the Anthropocene hold for citizenship? [DOI]
  2. 2 Social media marketing strategy: definition, conceptualization, taxonomy, validation, and future agenda [DOI]
  3. 3 Identifying Digital Transformation Paths in the Business Model of SMEs during the COVID-19 Pandemic [DOI]
  4. 4 Industry 4.0: Adoption challenges and benefits for SMEs [DOI]
  5. 5 Purposive sampling in a qualitative evidence synthesis: a worked example from a synthesis on parental perceptions of vaccination communication [DOI]
  6. 6 The usage of digital marketing channels in SMEs [DOI]
  7. 7 Big data analytics adoption: Determinants and performances among small to medium-sized enterprises [DOI]
  8. 8 Conducting Thematic Analysis with Qualitative Data [DOI]
  9. 9 Mixed methods research: what it is and what it could be [DOI]
  10. 10 Social media marketing: Who is watching the watchers? [DOI]
  11. 11 Technologies for safety and health management in construction: Current use, implementation benefits and limitations, and adoption barriers [DOI]
  12. 12 Digital marketing for B2B organizations: structured literature review and future research directions [DOI]
  13. 13 The impact of E-marketing use on small business enterprises' marketing success [DOI]
  14. 14 From web analytics to digital marketing optimization: Increasing the commercial value of digital analytics [DOI]
  15. 15 A Beginner's Guide to Applied Educational Research using Thematic Analysis [DOI]
  16. 16 Digital marketing in SMEs via data-driven strategies: Reviewing the current state of research [DOI]
  17. 17 Promoting tourism business through digital marketing in the new normal era: a sustainable approach [DOI]
  18. 18 The Digital Marketing Toolkit: A Literature Review for the Identification of Digital Marketing Channels and Platforms [DOI]
  19. 19 Building trust in multi-stakeholder collaborations for new product development in the digital transformation era [DOI]
  20. 20 Digital marketing and tourism: opportunities for Africa [DOI]
  21. 21 Digital Marketing and SMEs: A Systematic Mapping Study [DOI]
  22. 22 From Belief-Importance to Intention: The Impact of Framing on Technology Adoption [DOI]
  23. 23 DIGITAL MARKETING AND SMES: AN IDENTIFICATION OF RESEARCH GAP VIA ARCHIVES OF PAST RESEARCH
  24. 24 E-Marketing Practices from Jordanian Tourism Agencies Perspectives [DOI]
  25. 25 Digital Marketing for Identifying Customers’ Preferences – A Solution for SMEs in Obtaining Competitive Advantages
  26. 26 Key Design Characteristics for Developing Usable E-Commerce Websites in the Arab World [DOI]
  27. 27 MODERATING ROLE OF E-MARKETING ON THE CONSEQUENCES OF MARKET ORIENTATION IN IRANIAN FIRMS
  28. 28 Government Spending on Poverty Alleviation through Co-operatives: A Case Study of Fadama III Project Crop Farmers’ Co-operative Societies in IMO State (Nigeria) [DOI]
  29. 29 Hotel BookingIntentions: ALiterature Review [DOI]
  30. 30 Model design to develop online web based questionnaire [DOI]
  31. 31 International Journal of Information Management [DOI]
  32. 32 The Journal of Internet Banking and Commerce [DOI]
  33. 33 Benchmarking: An International Journal [DOI]
  34. 34 Journal of Enterprise Information Management [DOI]
  35. 35 The Electronic Journal of Information Systems Evaluation [DOI]
  36. 36 International Journal of Computer Sciences and Engineering [DOI]
  37. 37 Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing [DOI]
  38. 38 Semi-Structured Interviews With Expert Practitioners: Their Validity and Significant Contribution to Translational Research [DOI]
  39. 39 10.4018/ijom.2018 [DOI]

Cited by 9

The Effect of Product Quality, Service Quality and eWOM on Repurchase Intention: Consumer Satisfaction as a Mediating Variable (Study on Consumers of Erigo Official Marketplace Products in Malang)

Yusuf Sya'roni, Nur Laili Fikriah · Asian Journal of Economics, Business and Accounting · 2024

Beyond Survival: Assessing the Long-Term Aspirations and Growth Trajectories of Street Entrepreneurs in India

Junaid Hassan · Journal of Informatics Education and Research · 2025

Digital Marketing in Hospitality and Tourism: A Bibliometric Journey and Future Research Directions

Khalil Ahmad, Yachna Gharde · 2024

Real-Time Fair-Exposure Ad Allocation for SMBs and Underserved Creators via Contextual Bandits-with-Knapsacks

Xiongsheng Yi · Proceedings of the 2025 2nd International Conference on Digital Economy and Computer Science · 2025

The Relevance of Abrahamic Religious Ethics in Contemporary Business Practices

Research Scholar, B.S Abdur Rahman Crescent, Institute of Science and Technology, Mr. Abraham John · Journal of International Commercial Law and Technology · 2025

Blockchain technology and its importance for the growth and prosperity of Indian small and medium-sized enterprises

Prof. Ravinder Rena · Indian Journal of Commerce & Management Studies · 2024

The Implementation of Information Systems or Health Informatics to Support Urban Communities in Managing Health Issues

Ester Syeftty Pasaribu, Reni Chairani, Erlin Puspita · 2024 3rd International Conference on Creative Communication and Innovative Technology (ICCIT) · 2024

Showing 7 of 9 known citations — external sources report more than can currently be individually listed.

Related research

Article metrics

Real usage data collected on this platform.

9

Page views

0

PDF downloads

6

Outbound clicks

9

Citations

Views over time

Views by country

Approximate, from request IP at view time — not citizenship or institution. Countries with fewer than 5 views are grouped as "Other".

Traffic sources

Referring site, by host.

Views and downloads exclude known bots/crawlers. Citations combines this platform's own DOI-resolved index with each external source's own reported total — see Cited by above for individually listed citing works. Last refreshed 0 seconds ago.