Digital Marketing Adoption and Business Growth Among Small Enterprises in India: A Thematic Review of Capabilities, Customer Engagement and Performance Measurement

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@article{1724623,
      author = {Shashank Tiwari, Aarima Gupta},
      title = {Digital Marketing Adoption and Business Growth Among Small Enterprises in India: A Thematic Review of Capabilities, Customer Engagement and Performance Measurement},
      journal = {Iconic Research And Engineering Journals},
      year = {2026},
      volume = {10},
      number = {5},
      pages = {2585-2592},
      issn = {2456-8880},
      url = {https://www.irejournals.com/formatedpaper/1724623.pdf},
      abstract = {Digital marketing enables small businesses to gain visibility, connect with their customers, and penetrate markets that they cannot reach geographically. However, using online platforms does not guarantee that a business will grow. The paper features a paper that offers insights into current developments in digital marketing in relation to small business performance with a specific focus on India while providing some comparison with other countries, when appropriate. In this connection, the review is structured around five key themes: readiness for adoption and business capabilities; providing channels and choosing the message; engaging customers and building trust; measuring success; and operating in certain constraints such as availability of resources and access to platforms. The evidence indicates that results depend on both the presence of digital tools in companies as well as the adequacy of such tools for customer needs and common managerial practices such as the timely provision of responses, reliable delivery, and measurement practices. Survey evidence indicates that the level of adoption of digital tools in Indian MSMEs is not homogeneous but this indicator should take into account the limitations of the survey related to sample and scope. The fact that the reviewed literature covers different territories, sectors, and utilizes different methods and measures implies that the literature cannot support the generalization that digital marketing adoption can lead to improvements in companies. The article proposes the framework of adoption-to-value and the practical ladder of measurement as the way for small companies to link the level of activity related to digital marketing with inquiries and conversions. The article concludes with a plea for the need to conduct longitudinal and sector-comparative studies in India based on more objective performance indicators.},
      keywords = {Digital marketing, small enterprises, MSMEs, India, customer engagement, digital skills, business performance, marketing analytics},
      month = {November},
  }