Examining the importance of digital marketing strategies in brand creation for SMEs in Malaysia

Kharmeyni Jumbulingam; Hossam Fadel; Diaa M. A.  Al-Daqqaq; Caren Angellina  Mimaki

doi:10.38043/revenue.v5i1.5285

Authors

Kharmeyni Jumbulingam MAHSA University
Hossam Fadel MAHSA University
Diaa M. A. Al-Daqqaq MAHSA University
Caren Angellina Mimaki Universitas Pendidikan Nasional

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.38043/revenue.v5i1.5285

Keywords:

Brand creation, consumer engagement, digital marketing, Malaysian SMEs, online marketing platforms

Abstract

This research aimed to investigate the relationship between brand creation and various types of marketing strategies in SMEs across Malaysia, with a focus on the role of digital platforms in shaping consumer engagement and perceptions. The research was conducted using a correlational quantitative approach in Malaysia. Through the probability sampling method, 51 SME employees were selected. Research data were collected through surveys and analyzed using SPSS software. The findings showed that utilizing various digital marketing strategies was essential for SME brand creation. Social media, content creation, community engagement, influencer collaboration, SEO, and email marketing proved significant in increasing brand visibility and loyalty among Malaysian consumers. The study highlighted that content marketing enabled SMEs to convey their values and unique selling propositions. Additionally, implementing an SEO strategy significantly increased an SME's visibility in search engine results, boosted website traffic, and built customer credibility. Influencer marketing was also effective for Malaysian SMEs in facilitating audience reach and increasing brand awareness through personalized consumer relationships. Moreover, email marketing played an important role in brand creation by enhancing customer relationships and engagement. This study provided empirical insights into how Malaysian SMEs leveraged digital marketing channels to strengthen their brands, emphasizing the need to adapt strategies to changing consumer preferences and technological advances in the digital landscape.

References

Articles

Ahuja, Y. and Loura, I. (2020). An investigative study of influencer marketing: nuances, challenges, and impact. Journal for Global Business Advancement, 13(5), 561-583. https://doi.org/10.1504/JGBA.2020.112824

Amiri, A. M., Kushwaha, B. P., and Singh, R. (2023). Visualisation of global research trends and future research directions of digital marketing in small and medium enterprises using bibliometric analysis. Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, 30(3), 621-641. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JSBED-04-2022-0206

Bokrantz, J. and Dul, J. (2023). Building and testing necessity theories in supply chain management. Journal of Supply Chain Management, 59(1), 48-65. https://doi.org/10.1111/jscm.12287

Bruce, E., Shurong, Z., Ying, D., Yaqi, M., Amoah, J., and Egala, S. B. (2023). The effect of digital marketing adoption on SMEs sustainable growth: Empirical evidence from Ghana. Sustainability, 15(6), 4760. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15064760

Cheah, J., Leong, S.Y., and Fernando, Y. (2023). Innovation strategies and organizational performance: the moderating role of company size among small-and medium-sized companies. Benchmarking: An International Journal, 30(9), 2854-2868. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/BIJ-03-2021-0139

Chen, Q. and Huang, L. (2017). The effectiveness of online advertising: Consumers perceptions of ads on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Journal of Advertising Research, 57(2), 159-172.

Chopra, A., Avhad, V., and Jaju, A. S. (2021). Influencer marketing: An exploratory study to identify antecedents of consumer behavior of millennial. Business Perspectives and Research, 9(1), 77-91. https://doi.org/10.1177/2278533720923486

Coman, C., Popica, M. M., & Rezeanu, C. I. (2020). The adoption of digital marketing by SMEs entrepreneurs. In Digital Science 2019 (pp. 431-441). Springer International Publishing.

Dumitriu, D., Militaru, G., Deselnicu, D. C., Niculescu, A., and Popescu, M. A. M. (2019). A perspective over modern SMEs: Managing brand equity, growth, and sustainability through digital marketing tools and techniques. Sustainability, 11(7), 2111. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11072111

Freberg, K., Graham, K., McGaughey, K., and Freberg, L.A. (2011). Who are the social media influencers? A study of public perceptions of personality. Public Relations Review, 37(1), 90-92. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2010.11.001

Gao, J., Siddik, A. B., Khawar Abbas, S., Hamayun, M., Masukujjaman, M., and Alam, S. S. (2023). Impact of E-commerce and digital marketing adoption on the financial and sustainability performance of MSMEs during the COVID-19 pandemic: An empirical study. Sustainability, 15(2), 1594. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15021594

Haenlein, M., Anadol, E., Farnsworth, T., Hugo, H., Hunichen, J., and Welte, D. (2020). Navigating the new era of influencer marketing: How to be successful on Instagram, TikTok, & Co. California management review, 63(1), 5-25. https://doi.org/10.1177/0008125620958166

Ho, J., Pang, C., and Choy, C. (2020). Content marketing capability building: a conceptual framework. Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing, 14(1), 133-151. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JRIM-06-2018-0082

Iglesias, O., Landgraf, P., Ind, N., Markovic, S., and Koporcic, N. (2020). Corporate brand identity co-creation in business-to-business contexts. Industrial Marketing Management, 85, 32-43. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indmarman.2019.09.008

Jadhav, G. G., Gaikwad, S. V., and Bapat, D. (2023). A systematic literature review: digital marketing and its impact on SMEs. Journal of Indian Business Research, 15(1), 76-91. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/JIBR-05-2022-0129

James, L. (2021). Identifying the effect of digital marketing channels on the growth of SME in South Asia: A case study on Faheem Haydar Dealzmag. Journal of SA Business, 1(3), 23-32. https://ssrn.com/abstract=3760167

Kaplan, A.M. and Haenlein, M. (2010). Users of the world, unite! The challenges and opportunities of Social Media. Business Horizons, 53(1), 59-68. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bushor.2009.09.003

Keller, K. L. (1993). Conceptualizing, measuring, and managing customer-based brand equity. Journal of Marketing, 57(1), 1-22. http://www.jstor.org/stable/1252054?origin=JSTOR-pdf

Kraus, S., Gast, J., Schleich, M., Jones, P., and Ritter, M. (2019). Content is king: How SMEs create content for social media marketing under limited resources. Journal of Macromarketing, 39(4), 415-430.

Lee, M. and Johnson, K. K. P. (2010). Consumer perceptions of online advertising in Malaysia. Journal of Internet Commerce, 9(1), 21-38.

Lin, C. C. (2021). Investigating complimentary e-marketing strategy for small-and medium-sized enterprises at growth stage in taiwan. Information, 12(9), 380. https://doi.org/10.3390/info12090380

Ologunebi, J., & Taiwo, E. O. (2023). The importance of SEO and SEM in improving brand visibility in the e-commerce industry: A study of Decathlon, Amazon, and ASOS. A study of Decathlon, Amazon, and ASOS. (November 20, 2023).

Omar, F.I., Zan, U.M.S.M., Hassan, N.A. and Ibrahim, I., (2020). Digital marketing: An influence towards business performance among entrepreneurs of small and medium enterprises. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 10(9), 126-141. http://dx.doi.org/10.6007/IJARBSS/v10-i9/7709

Peter, M. K., & Dalla Vecchia, M. (2021). The digital marketing toolkit: a literature review for the identification of digital marketing channels and platforms. In New trends in business information systems and technology: Digital innovation and digital business transformation (pp. 251-265). http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-48332-6_17

Santos, O. N., Santos, M. S., Dragas, C. D. and Posadas, M. A., (2022). Effective Digital Marketing Strategies Used by MSMEs in NCR Under New Normal. Journal of Business and Management Studies, 4(1), 124-130. http://dx.doi.org/10.32996/jbms.2022.4.1.15

Sawaftah, D., Aljarah, A., and Lahuerta-Otero, E. (2021). Power brand defense up, my friend! stimulating brand defense through digital content marketing. Sustainability, 13(18), 10266. https://doi.org/10.3390/su131810266

Tan, W. M., & Lee, V. H. (2018). The effects of online advertising on web traffic: A study in Malaysia. Telematics and Informatics, 35(2), 367-378.

Thaha, A. R., Maulina, E., Muftiadi, R. A., & Alexandri, M. B. (2021). Digital marketing and SMEs: A systematic mapping study. Library Philosophy and Practice, 1-19. http://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13285382

Ullah, I., Khan, M., Rakhmonov, D. A., Bakhritdinovich, K. M., Jacquemod, J., and Bae, J. (2023). Factors affecting digital marketing adoption in Pakistani small and medium enterprises. Logistics, 7(3), 41. https://doi.org/10.3390/logistics7030041

Yong, S. M. (2023). 4th industry revolution digital marketing adoption challenges in SMEs and its effect on customer responsiveness. Information Management and Business Review, 15(2), 152-172. https://doi.org/10.22610/imbr.v15i2(I)SI.3429

Yunus, M., Saputra, J. and Muhammad, Z. (2022). Digital marketing, online trust and online purchase intention of e-commerce customers: Mediating the role of customer relationship management. International Journal of Data and Network Science, 6(3), 935-944. http://dx.doi.org/10.5267/j.ijdns.2022.2.003

Zikowska, M. J. (2021). Digital transformation and marketing activities in small and medium-sized enterprises. Sustainability, 13(5), 2512. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13052512

Books

Aaker, D. A. (1996). Building strong brands. Free Press.

Chaffey, D. and Ellis-Chadwick, F. (2019). Digital marketing: Strategy, implementation, and practice. Pearson UK.

Kapferer, J. N. (2012). The new strategic brand management: Advanced insights and strategic thinking. Kogan Page Publishers.

Keller, K. L. (2013). Strategic Brand Management: Building, Measuring, and Managing Brand Equity. Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ.

Pulizzi, J. and Barrett, N. (2008). Get content, get customers: Turn prospects into buyers with content marketing. McGraw-Hill.

Qualman, E. (2013). Socialnomics: How social media transforms the way we live and do business. Wiley.

Safko, L. and Brake, D. K. (2009). The social media bible: Tactics, tools, and strategies for business success. Wiley.

Smith, P. R. and Taylor, J. (2019). Marketing communications: An integrated approach. Routledge.

Web Pages

DataReportal. (2024). Global social media users. DataReportal. Retrieved July 11, 2024, from https://datareportal.com/social-media-users

Department of Statistics Malaysia. (2022). Micro, small & medium enterprises (MSMEs) performance 2022. Department of Statistics Malaysia. Retrieved July 11, 2024, from https://www.dosm.gov.my/portal-main/release-content/micro-small--medium-enterprises-msmes-performance-2022

Statista. (2024). Digital population worldwide. Statista. Retrieved July 11, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/617136/digital-population-worldwide/