LEVERAGING SOCIAL MEDIA FOR BUSINESS GROWTH (A STUDY OF SMES UTILIZATION OF SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS FOR MARKETING)

ABSTRACT Digital marketing has become an essential tool for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) seeking to improve their market presence and competitiveness. This study examines the impact of digital marketing on SME growth, focusing on the effectiveness of digital marketing strategies, the challenges businesses face in adoption, and the overall influence of digital tools on business performance. A quantitative research design was employed, with data collected through a structured questionnaire administered to SME owners and managers. A total of 300 valid responses were analyzed. The findings reveal that digital marketing significantly enhances SME growth by increasing brand visibility, customer engagement, and sales performance. The study highlights the effectiveness of social media marketing, search engine optimization (SEO), and email marketing in helping SMEs expand their market reach at a relatively low cost. However, despite the benefits, the study identifies key challenges hindering the full adoption of digital marketing by SMEs. These include financial limitations, lack of digital literacy, and the rapid evolution of digital marketing technologies, which make it difficult for small businesses to keep up with industry trends. The study concludes that while digital marketing offers substantial benefits to SMEs, successful adoption requires overcoming financial and technical barriers.