AN EMPIRICAL INVESTIGATION ON THE SIGNIFICANT USAGE OF DIGITAL MARKETING CHANNELS IN SMES WITH SPECIFIC REFERENCE TO UTTARA KANNADA DISTRICT OF KARNATAKA STATE

Author Name: 1. Jayadatta S, 2. Shrikanth Ganapati Naik

Volume/Issue: 01/12

Country: India

DOI NO.: 08.2020-25662434 DOI Link: http://www.doi-ds.org/doilink/05.2021-64187659/UIJIR

Affiliation:

1. Assistant Professor KLES IMSR, BVB Campus, Vidyanagar, Hubli
2. Assistant Professor& HOD, Department of Commerce, Government First Grade College, Kumta, Karnataka

ABSTRACT

The main purpose and intent of the study is to provide insights into the utilization and goals of digital marketing, and examines factors that influence the adoption and use of digital marketing channels in SMEs. The design and approach with respect to methodology includes the data comprises semi-structured theme interviews in SMEs among 16 managers and 421 survey respondents in Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka State. The findings and also the results of this study reveal that SMEs seem not use the full potential of the new digital tools, and so are not deriving benefit from the opportunities they provide. Furthermore, the results also raise the question of whether SMEs have understood the fundamental change in the nature of communication brought about by digitization. Major research study limitations includes data comes from one region and thus the research context limits the generalizability of the results. Practical implications of the study reveal that SMEs seem not to be keeping pace with digital developments, mostly due to the lack of knowledge of digital marketing. Most of the studied SMEs do not apply the full potential of the new digital tools and hence are not benefitting fully from them. Significant social implications focuses on the discussions on the future regional development of SMEs have called for training programmes to help SMEs exploit digitization. This is something that the government should take note of. The major Originality and value Whereas focuses on the adoption process of new technologies such as IT in general and the internet in particular have been examined in the SME literature, this is among the first studies examining adoption and usage of digital tools from the marketing perspective.

Key words:  Digital marketing, channels, tools, marketing communications, technology adoption, social media, small- and medium-sized enterprises, resources