An Analysis of Digital Marketing Strategies in Improving MSME Competitiveness

Utami Puji Lestari; Tri Apriyono; Ansri Jayanti; Klemens Mere; Muhammad Azizi

doi:10.55681/economina.v5i10.4777

Authors

Utami Puji Lestari Universitas Sunan Giri Surabaya, Indonesia
Tri Apriyono Institut Jambatan Bulan Timika, Indonesia
Ansri Jayanti Sekolah Tinggi Ilmu Ekonomi Makassar Maju, Indonesia
Klemens Mere Universitas Wisnuwardhana Malang, Indonesia
Muhammad Azizi Universitas Tomakaka Mamuju, Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.55681/economina.v5i10.4777

Keywords:

Digital Marketing; Msmes; Competitiveness; Social Media Marketing; Literature Review

Abstract

Micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) play an important role in economies but often face resource constraints that limit their ability to compete. Digital technologies offer opportunities to overcome some of these constraints, yet it remains unclear how digital marketing strategies relate to MSME competitiveness. This study aims to identify the digital marketing strategies relevant to MSMEs, analyze how these strategies relate to competitiveness, and synthesize the challenges and research gaps that emerge. The study employs a narrative literature review, with sources searched in Scopus and Google Scholar for publications from 2018 to 2026 and selected according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. The selected literature was analyzed using thematic analysis and synthesized narratively. The results are organized into three themes: digital marketing strategies and channels, the relationship between these strategies and competitiveness, and the factors that enable or hinder implementation. The synthesis shows that digital marketing is conceptualized as a coordinated combination of channels, with social media receiving particular attention, and that its contribution to competitiveness is not automatic but depends on firm capabilities, knowledge, and strategic orientation. Limited resources and the perceptions of owner-managers emerge as important constraints. The review also finds that few studies directly link specific digital marketing strategies to competitiveness outcomes in MSMEs. The study concludes that digital marketing strengthens MSME competitiveness when it is embedded in broader capabilities, and it recommends empirical research that tests specific strategies across sectors and levels of digital readiness.

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