RESEARCH PROPOSAL

TOPIC: THE IMPACT OF ONLINE BUSINESS IN SMALL

OR MEDIUM SIZE ORGANIZATIONS

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 Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3

Background to the project................................................................................................................3

Research rationale............................................................................................................................3

Project aim and objectives...............................................................................................................4

Literature review..............................................................................................................................4

Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................5

References........................................................................................................................................6

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Introduction
Digital marketing or online marketing is a modern form of marketing in present day where
different online communication channels are being utilized by the organization. Businesses
irrespective of its size, are utilizing different methods of online marketing. Small or medium
sized businesses tend to have different constraints such as limited time, resources, finances and
others. Thus, these businesses are undertaking different online marketing options that are
available with them (Ziółkowska, 2021). This has made the organization to increase its reach and
get a strong customer base. Here the options that are available with the customers are cost
effective and less time consuming. The process of targeting a particular market or segment of
customer is easy with the help of digital or online marketing techniques used by the firm. Hence
this research will be done to analyze the impact that online marketing techniques has on small or
medium sized business.

Background to the project

Traditional marketing techniques that were utilized by businesses tend to focus on the
information or message that the organization tend to share to the customers. Whereas in present
days businesses are focusing on the customers itself through the usage of modern form of digital
marketing that is digital marketing. This form of marketing tends to focus on the different needs
and demands of customers that the organization focuses on. Modern or online marketing
technique is a multi-channels approach where the firm tends to utilize different social media
channels that are available with itself (Hussain et al., 2020). Hence different channels focus on
different group or segment of customers based on their locality and demography. Organizations
tends to utilize different channels according to the customers present and their target market.
There are various businesses that are operating only through the online platforms that are present
with the organization. The major part of businesses are the startups or small enterprises that are
being operating successfully.

Research rationale
Businesses in present days are moving towards online platforms for producing sales and
customer base for the firm. These firms are focusing on generating a wide customer base through
social media platforms that are made available to them. This has helped the firm to reach at a

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global level and thus market or advertise itself to customers from different locality and culture.
Every organization tries to get customer insight so as to make the process of targeting efficient.
Thus, these modern methods of marketing tools majorly social media can help firms to get a
wider customer insight or data. This data can be more useful to the organization. Communicating
at a personal level can help the firm to engage with the customers and thus improvise the
relationship that they have. This can also help in building customer loyalty and improve the
brand reputation as well as image. Awareness concerning the brand and its effectiveness is also
possible through digital marketing.

Project aim and objectives

This project aims at investigating the impact of online platforms of marketing on small and
medium sized enterprises.

Objectives:

1. To know the factors of digital marketing that attract the small businesses.
2. to identify the success factors of organization after utilizing digital marketing.

Literature review
As per Ali et al., (2020), the growth and several activities of organizations in today's market is
due to the implementation of social media and ecommerce technology in it. The Internet has
transformed the pattern in which an organization would tend to communicate with its customers.
Different digital marketing platforms are becoming common and being used by businesses in
daily activities. These are being utilised by small and medium sized firms. Majorly it can be
considered as a way for people to exchange and consume the information. With the usage of
Internet, social media has been giving people access and contacts thus building a network for the
organization. This is the way through which awareness and accessibility is being possible to the
customers. Customers are getting adopted to the pattern through which a certain marketing
concerns are being undertaken. This has been used by companies to strengthen the relationship
between consumers and organizations. According to Zhen et al., (2021), social media is
considered as an effective option as the organisation could get a higher customer insight and thus
improvise understanding of the customer’s needs and demands. This can also help a business to
provide effective services and products to the customers. The organisation could also actively

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know about the performance of competitors in the market through social media platforms.
Digital marketing helps the firm to get knowledge concerning the trends in the market and thus
utilise the technology upgradation that has been occurred. Further, these technologies allow the
organizations to directly communicate with the customers and thus take the real time feedbacks
and opinions that they have. This can further be applied to improvise offerings that they provide
to the customers. The response rate of customers towards the experience of product or service is
huge through digital marketing platforms. As per, Hizam-Hanafia and Soomro (2021), awareness
concerning the brands is been done at the maximum level through the social media platforms.
The major target audience of the organisations is present on Internet and this can help in
communicating with them efficiently. The sales of the organization is boosted at a maximum
level through the usage of digital technologies. Irrespective of the industry in which organisation
is been working firms in present days are been utilising and getting benefited through these
platforms. The investment required for utilising these platforms is minimum and the human
efforts is also least.

Conclusion
To conclude it can be said that through this research proposal the impact of social media as well
as different digital marketing tools has on small and medium size enterprises can be known. This
can help in knowing the factors that can impact businesses and its operations by using digital
marketing. In recent days businesses are being focusing on utilising different technologies that
are been upgraded in the market and thus attracting customers towards organisation. Undertaking
these options is important as these are cost effective and efficient for businesses to implement.
Hence it becomes important for small and medium size operating organisations to undertake
such strategies.

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References
Ali Qalati, S., Li, W., Ahmed, N., Ali Mirani, M. and Khan, A., 2020. Examining the factors
affecting SME performance: the mediating role of social media adoption. Sustainability,
13(1), p.75.

Hizam-Hanafiah, M. and Soomro, M.A., 2021. The situation of technology companies in

industry 4.0 and the open innovation. Journal of open innovation: technology, market,
and complexity, 7(1), p.34.

Hussain, A., Shahzad, A. and Hassan, R., 2020. Organizational and environmental factors with
the mediating role of e-commerce and SME performance. Journal of Open Innovation:
Technology, Market, and Complexity, 6(4), p.196.

Zhen, Z., Yousaf, Z., Radulescu, M. and Yasir, M., 2021. Nexus of digital organizational culture,
capabilities, organizational readiness, and innovation: Investigation of SMEs operating in
the digital economy. Sustainability, 13(2), p.720.

Ziółkowska, M.J., 2021. Digital transformation and marketing activities in small and medium-
sized enterprises. Sustainability, 13(5), p.2512.