Leveraging Strategic Digital Marketing toward Small Business Utilization
Authors:   Ernesto D. Sarmiento, Jr., Ph.D. http://orcid.org./:0009-0004-4858-3193 ogiesarmiento06@gmail.com Philippine Christian University Manila, Philippines, D. Sarmiento, Jr. Ernesto 
Published: March 2024

This study delves into Advertising as a crucial tool for businesses to promote products or services and achieve income. Traditional advertising channels, such as print ads, television, and radio, have been used to encourage prospects to purchase products or services. However, with the advent of modern technology, traditional advertising has started to diminish, especially for small businesses. Technology has significantly impacted customer behavior and purchase decisions, with most recommendations coming from social media profiles. Digital marketing, on the other hand, involves promoting products, services, or brands using digital channels and technologies. It includes various online marketing strategies and tactics to reach target audiences, build brand awareness, drive website traffic, generate leads, and achieve business goals. Key aspects of digital marketing include Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Search Engine Marketing (SEM), Content Marketing, Social Media Marketing (SMM), Email Marketing, Influencer Marketing, Display Advertising, and Video Marketing. Social media marketing is the most used digital marketing strategy by small businesses, focusing on utilizing social media platforms to promote products, engage with target audiences, and build relationships with customers. Social media allows businesses to speak directly to customers and shape their perceptions of products and services. The recent pandemic has pushed everything digital, and the internet has become the channel for gaining information. Social media advertising has been the choice of many, not just for small businesses but for most people. With strategic planning and execution, social media can be a powerful tool for small business development, brand building, and customer engagement. Small businesses, particularly in the food/beverage industry, have experienced a significant rise during the pandemic, with most starting from a small capital of 10,000-49,999. These micro-small businesses have been able to adapt and innovate to meet changing consumer needs and preferences. Facebook has become a powerful social media advertising platform for small businesses, offering numerous opportunities to reach their target audience and achieve marketing objectives. The primary objective for small businesses when using social media advertising is to increase sales and promote specific products or services. Porter’s Five Forces model provides valuable insights into the competitive dynamics and potential advantages of social media advertising for small businesses. Technical requirements for social media advertising are crucial for small businesses to effectively reach their target audience, optimize campaigns, measure performance, and achieve marketing objectives. Gadgets and a reliable internet connection are essential for small businesses to efficiently utilize these tools. A generalized approach to social media advertising for small businesses can be proposed: Define goals, know the target audience, choose the right platforms, create engaging content, engage with the audience, and regularly evaluate and adjust the effectiveness of their efforts. By understanding their audience, creating engaging content, and adapting to changing trends, small businesses can maximize return on investment and achieve their marketing objectives. Keywords: social media, social media marketing, advertising, marketing strategies, strategic utilization