The Role of Digital Marketing in Driving Growth and Competitiveness of SMEs in the Digital Transformation Era: Systematic Literature Review

Digital marketing has evolved into a critical element in modern business strategies, especially with the emergence of digital technologies that influence consumer behavior and company marketing decisions. In recent years, research on digital marketing has expanded significantly to explore how digital technology affects various marketing dimensions, including consumer behaviour, promotion, and customer loyalty. This study investigates the essential role of digital marketing in fostering the growth and advancement of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) amid digital transformation. The objective of this literature review is to analyze prior research findings and offer a systematic review of the literature. This study collects 30 articles on the adoption of digital marketing sourced from journals indexed in Scopus or Web of Science. The findings from this systematic literature review highlight four key roles of digital marketing in enhancing SME performance: brand awareness, customer engagement, global market reach, and cost efficiency.