Advancing the Application of Digital Marketing in Irish SMEs. Case company: English Language Ireland
Vo, Trang (2014)
Savonia-ammattikorkeakoulu
2014
All rights reserved
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-201403273574
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-201403273574
Tiivistelmä
SMEs form by far the majority of the business community in the Republic of Ireland and they are very diverse and encompass many different sectors and activities. Marketing related expenditure is considered to be significantly costly for
most Irish SMEs and it is one of the reasons why SMEs refrain from heavily investing in marketing. With the increasing popularity of digital marketing, it seems to be an efficient cost-cutting solution for SMEs to spread their businesses and to reach out to audiences across boundaries. However, due to the lack of understanding, professional development and expertise in Internet marketing, most Irish SMEs nowadays have not been able to maximise the potential of integrated digital marketing.
Therefore, the aim of this thesis was to achieve the following goals:
1. Provide insights into the concept of digital marketing, especially the most commonly used channels of digital marketing, aiming to facilitate Irish SMEs to understand the concept to its full potential.
2. On the basis of the quantitative research, suggestions in relation to improving the current practice of applying digital marketing in Irish SMEs and in the case company will be initiated.
The survey questionnaire was designed using Webropol programme and was ready to deliver by the end of January 2014 with the purpose to obtain information about the application of digital marketing in Irish SMEs in Ireland. There were a total of 177 respondents to the questionnaire.
The survey results have not just only revealed some great achievements of Irish SMEs and the case company in engaging digital marketing into their business operation, but also indicated their downsides which need to be significantly reconsidered in order to perfect the process of establishing digital marketing strategy.
most Irish SMEs and it is one of the reasons why SMEs refrain from heavily investing in marketing. With the increasing popularity of digital marketing, it seems to be an efficient cost-cutting solution for SMEs to spread their businesses and to reach out to audiences across boundaries. However, due to the lack of understanding, professional development and expertise in Internet marketing, most Irish SMEs nowadays have not been able to maximise the potential of integrated digital marketing.
Therefore, the aim of this thesis was to achieve the following goals:
1. Provide insights into the concept of digital marketing, especially the most commonly used channels of digital marketing, aiming to facilitate Irish SMEs to understand the concept to its full potential.
2. On the basis of the quantitative research, suggestions in relation to improving the current practice of applying digital marketing in Irish SMEs and in the case company will be initiated.
The survey questionnaire was designed using Webropol programme and was ready to deliver by the end of January 2014 with the purpose to obtain information about the application of digital marketing in Irish SMEs in Ireland. There were a total of 177 respondents to the questionnaire.
The survey results have not just only revealed some great achievements of Irish SMEs and the case company in engaging digital marketing into their business operation, but also indicated their downsides which need to be significantly reconsidered in order to perfect the process of establishing digital marketing strategy.