IMPACT OF ONLINE MARKETING ON THE PERFORMANCE OF SMES IN OGBOMOSO METROPOLIS OF OYO STATE

ABSTRACT Online marketing is a subset of electronic marketing which requires a live internet connection for it to function. Due to restrictions on marketing resources, news, advertising, large-scale promotional activities, they have less chance of publicity, so website promotion via the internet means is much more important for them than big ones. This study comprehensively examined the impact of online marketing on the performance of small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) in Ogbomoso Metropolis, Oyo State. The research was guided by three specific objectives: to establish the effect of email marketing on marketing performance, to evaluate the influence of search engine marketing (SEM) on marketing performance, and to investigate the level of adoption of online marketing practices among SMEs in the region. Descriptive research design was used, the researcher made use of primary data. The population of this study consisted of some categories of SMEs which are hotelier business, nylon making business, Ice-block making business, Agro-alied business, bakery business and Mini mart in Ogbomosho North Local Governments Area. Simple random sampling technique was used and one hundred (100) selected employees of SMEs was used. The study was analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics. This includes the use of percentage distribution table while regression analysis was used for data analysis. Findings from the analysis result revealed that the F-value of 54.534 is very high, indicating that the model is statistically significant. This implies that the combined effect of online marketing efforts, including email marketing and SEM, has a significant influence on marketing performance. The p-value of .000 further confirms the significance, as it is less than the 0.05 threshold, indicating strong evidence that online marketing strategies are important predictors of marketing success for SMEs. The research concluded that online marketing is a vital component of modern business strategies for SMEs in Ogbomoso Metropolis. The significant findings illustrate that effective online marketing strategies, particularly email marketing and SEM, lead to improved marketing performance metrics. The study therefore recommended that, SMEs should prioritize digital literacy programs for their workforce, focusing on skills related to email marketing and SEM. Providing employees with adequate training will empower them to execute these strategies effectively, leading to improved marketing outcomes.