International Journal of Management and Leadership Studies
2025; 6(i): 545-562
ISSN:
2311 7575
DIGITAL MARKETING STRATEGIES AND GROWTH OF SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES IN MACHAKOS COUNTY, KENYA
Christine Mbithi and Dr. Samuel Thiong’o
Published:
01 December, 2025
Volume:
6
Issue:
i
Keywords:
digital marketing strategies, Growth, Branding, Search Engine Optimization
This study assessed the effect of digital marketing strategies namely Social Media
Marketing, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Email Marketing, and Online Advertising
on the growth of SMEs in Machakos County. The study was anchored on the Technology
Acceptance Model (TAM), which guided the understanding of both social media
marketing and SME growth. The Resource-Based View (RBV) supported the SEO
dimension, the Diffusion of Innovation (DOI) theory guided the evaluation of email
marketing. A descriptive research design was employed, targeting 18,476 registered
SMEs. A stratified random sample of 377 respondents was selected, and 340 valid
responses were obtained, representing a 90.2% response rate. Data was collected using
structured questionnaires, and the reliability of the instrument was confirmed with
Cronbach’s alpha values ranging from 0.762 to 0.808, indicating high internal consistency.
Quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and
multiple linear regression with the aid of SPSS Version 28. The results revealed that all
four digital marketing strategies had a significant and positive effect on SME growth.
Social Media Marketing emerged as the strongest predictor (β = 0.412), followed by
Online Advertising (β = 0.338), Email Marketing (β = 0.286), and SEO (β = 0.319). The
model reported an R² of 0.612 and adjusted R² of 0.608, indicating that the four strategies
collectively explained 61.2% of the variance in SME growth. ANOVA results further
confirmed the model’s significance (F = 51.327, p < 0.05). The study concluded that digital
marketing strategies significantly contributed to SME growth by enhancing customer
engagement, brand visibility, and profitability. However, challenges persisted, including
digital skill gaps, limited access to analytics tools, and constrained marketing budgets.
The study recommended that SMEs invest in digital skills training, utilize affordable
analytics platforms, and strengthen partnerships with public and private stakeholders to
enhance their digital marketing capacity. Future research should explore the role of
emerging digital innovations such as artificial intelligence, mobile commerce, and
influencer marketing in advancing SME performance across different counties in Kenya.