The Impact of Digital Marketing Activities on Brand Positioning: An Inquiry into Nascent E-Commerce Smes in Türkiye

Abstract

This study investigates the interplay between digital marketing (DM) and digital transformation (DT) in shaping brand promotion and positioning for nascent e-commerce SMEs in Turkey. While global e-commerce growth, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, has been mirrored in Turkey’s dynamic market, the effective utilization of digital tools by new market entrants remains unclear. Through a mixed-methods approach surveying 350 participants from 10 Turkish e-commerce SMEs, the study reveals a high recognition of DM and DT’s importance (Mean=3.72 and 3.84, respectively), with mobile commerce (Mean=3.88) and social media (Mean=3.96) considered critical. Furthermore, qualitative insights gathered through semi-structured interviews with marketing experts were used to refine the survey instrument and provide contextual depth for interpreting the quantitative findings, fulfilling the mixed-methods design.However, a key finding is a weak but significant negative correlation between DM usage and perceived brand positioning improvement, suggesting that tactical DM activities may lack strategic alignment with brand-building goals for resource-constrained startups. The study concludes that for Turkish e-commerce SMEs to thrive, a paradigm shift from mere digital tool adoption to a holistic, strategy-driven integration of DM and DT is essential. Recommendations focus on strategic planning, targeted training, and policy support to bridge this implementation gap.

Keywords

• Digital Marketing
• Digital Transformation
• Brand Positioning
• E-commerce.

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