CONSUMER PERCEPTION TOWARDS DIGITAL MARKETING SERVICES: A STUDY WITH REFERENCE TO ILIFE TECHNOLOGIES, TRICHY

Digital marketing has become a central channel through which businesses reach, inform, and retain customers, yet the success of digital campaigns depends heavily on how consumers themselves perceive the content, platforms, and organizations behind them.This study examines consumer perception towards the digital marketing services offered by ILIFE Technologies, an information technology and digital marketing company based in Tiruchirappalli (Trichy), Tamil Nadu, which also provides internship and industrial training programmes to management and technology students.Using a descriptive research design and a convenience sample of 100 respondents familiar with the company's services, primary data were collected through a structured thirty-item questionnaire covering demographic profile, awareness and usage of digital marketing services, perception on a five-point Likert scale, and overall satisfaction and future preference.The results show a predominantly young, well-educated, and digitally active respondent base, with over ninety percent using the internet daily and Instagram emerging as the most used platform.A large majority of respondents had made a purchase after seeing an online advertisement, and product reviews and price, rather than advertisements alone, were identified as the strongest influences on purchase decisions.Respondents held broadly positive views of digital marketing's usefulness, relevance, and time-saving value, and rated its overall effectiveness favourably, yet a substantial share remained neutral on questions of trust and payment security, indicating that confidence-building measures remain an area for improvement.Social media marketing emerged as the most trusted digital marketing channel, and smartphones as the dominant access device.The study concludes that digital marketing is an effective communication and business tool, but its impact for ILIFE Technologies depends on the credibility, relevance, and mobile-friendliness of the content delivered, and it offers targeted suggestions for strengthening customer trust and engagement.