Digital Marketing Adoption and Business Effectiveness Among SMEs: A Study of Firms in Enugu State, Nigeria
Author
Kamalu Adamu Mohammed, Abubakar Abdallah Yahaya & Mohammed Murtala Abdallah
Abstract
The research focused on the relationship between digital marketing and the effectiveness of small and medium-scale enterprises in Enugu State, Southeast, Nigeria. The broad objective of the study is to assess the relationship between digital marketing and the effectiveness of small and medium-scale enterprises in Enugu State. The specific objectives of the study are to: Ascertain the relationship between social media and Customer Retention Rate among SMEs in Enugu State, and Investigate the relationship between content marketing and Number of New Customers Acquired among SMEs in Enugu State.The study adopted a survey research design. The target population of this study consists of the management staff of the ten (10) selected registered small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Enugu State, southeast Nigeria. A sample of 146 was determined using a census sampling technique. Quantitative data for the study were collected through a structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were analysed using simple percentages, means, tables, skewness, standard deviation, and charts using IBM SPSS version 25.0. Pearson's correlation and regression analysis was used to test the hypothetical relationship between the study variables. The findings revealed a positive and significant relationship between social media marketing and customer retention rate in Enugu State, Nigeria, and a positive and significant relationship between content marketing and number of new customers acquired in Enugu State, Nigeria. Thus, the study concluded that digital marketing strategies have a substantial impact on the operational success of SMEs in Enugu State. Specifically, social media and content marketing are interconnected with key business outcomes, including customer retention rate and number of new customers acquired. SMEs that strategically invest in digital tools and prioritize their online presence stand to gain significant competitive advantages in today's increasingly digital marketplace. The study recommended that SME-supporting institutions, such as the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, and digital innovation hubs, develop structured training programs focused on strategic social media management. Also recommended that government and private stakeholders should promote access to affordable or subsidized content creation services for SMEs.
Keywords
Digital Marketing, Effectiveness, Social Media Marketing, Customer Retention Rate, Content Marketing, Number of New Customers Acquired
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References
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