Page 1 of 21
Journal for Studies in Management and Planning
Available at http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/
ISSN: 2395-0463
Volume 04 Issue 05
April 2018
Available online: http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/ P a g e | 274
Impact Of Digital Marketing On Customers’
Engagement : A Case Study Of The Middle East
Dr. Syed Ahmad Murtaza Alvi
Assistant professor
Department of Business Administration
College of Finance and Administration Services
Saudi Electronic University
Riyadh...
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Email.. a.murtaza@seu.edu.sa
ABSTRACT
Marketers have realized that effective marketing strategies have to be oriented in a
manner that leads to better customers’ engagement and improves customer experience.
In the wake of advanced technology, businesses have realized the potential of the
booming digital technology and are adopting digital marketing at a high rate. The high
rate of advancement in digital technology offers an ideal avenue for business enterprises
to exploit and optimize the customer experience and customer engagement given to their
customers through digital marketing. The Middle East is adopting digital technology for
marketing purposes at a high rate. Notably, the ‘millennials’ in the Middle East countries
are leading in digital consumption. A study conducted by Smith in 2012 indicated that
millennial ‘netizens’ are motivated by certain types of digital marketing to make initial
and repeat purchases.
The availability of digital technologies among residents in the Middle East is
contributing immensely to the high rate of digital marketing adoption. The smartphone
penetration in the Middle East market has been increasing thus providing a broader
audience for digital marketing content. Furthermore, the benefits that accrue to business
enterprises as a result of digital marketing are a motivating factor for the adoption of
Page 2 of 21
Journal for Studies in Management and Planning
Available at http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/
ISSN: 2395-0463
Volume 04 Issue 05
April 2018
Available online: http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/ P a g e | 275
digital marketing by businesses in the Middle East. The diffusion of digital technology
such as mobile applications immensely contributes to digital marketing.
KEYWORDS:
Customer, Digital, Marketing
INTRODUCTION
According to Puccinelli et al., (2009), companies can leverage digital technology to gain
a deeper insight and comprehension of consumer behavior and patterns. The knowledge
of consumer behavior is critical in formulating efficient and effective strategies of
increasing customer experience and engagement.
Furthermore, Grewal, Levy, and Kumar (2009) add that the highly turbulent
contemporary business environments require that businesses not only offer innovative
products at low prices but also prioritize customer experience in orders to survive and
cope up with the competition. Moreover, Mascarenhas, Kesavan, and Bernacchi (2006) in
their study on total customers experience as an approach to create lasting customer
experience noted that; optimizing customer experience is pertinent in increasing customer
loyalty and engagement in the business brands, which is a core aim of organizational
marketing efforts.
A study report submitted by Radcliffe and Lam (2018) to the University of Oregon
revealed that penetration of smartphones in the Middle East is fast-paced and that
smartphones have become an integral part of the lives of many adults in the twenty-first
century. According to this report, the internet and smartphone penetration in the Middle
East have fast risen since the start of the Arab spring up from 35.6% in 2011 to 56.4% by
March 2017 (Radcliffe and Lam, 2018). The increasing adoption of social technologies,
for instance, the social media in the Middle East, dynamic consumer, and increased
global digital competition is the primary motivator for many businesses to adopt digital
marketing in the Middle East.
Furthermore, Gartner, as cited by Alesadrah (2017) asserted that a group of scientists
forecasted that by 2020 more than 85% of customer interactions and transactions would
be done online with the help of technologies supported by artificial intelligence and data
Page 3 of 21
Journal for Studies in Management and Planning
Available at http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/
ISSN: 2395-0463
Volume 04 Issue 05
April 2018
Available online: http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/ P a g e | 276
analytics (Alesandrah, 2017). Shabbir and Anwer (2015) argued that artificial intelligence
is revolutionizing the way of life and business practices in many sectors as it gradually
permeates every facet of human lives. Moreover, a potentially disruptive technology such
as blockchain technology further strengthens and diversifies the digital marketing
portfolio. Blockchain improves customer experience and customer loyalty programs in
electronic commerce through easing payments during transactions (Choi, 2018).
Khan, Al-Shihi, Al-khanjariand, and Sarrab (2015) indicated that the last nine years have
seen the Middle East undergo a major digital technology revolution infused with digital
knowledge, communication and information technologies. For instance, according to
Kathleen as cited by Alkhunaizan and Love (2013), 60% of the residents in Saudi Arabia
owned smartphones in the year 2011, and 85% of the populations with the smartphones
used the internet.
Furthermore, subscriptions to mobile services grew to 53.7 million in 2011 from 2.3
million in the year 2001 (Alkhunaizan and Love, 2013). The statistics highlighted above
proliferated over time due to the contribution of the Arab spring’ to the digital technology
boom. Using Saudi Arabia as an example, it can be inferred that digital marketing
technology has penetrated every facet of the lives of the Middle East‘netizens’.
Therefore, the significant online presence of Middle East residents drives business to
exploit online digital marketing to reach their target markets with the aim of engaging
customers for consumptions and improving their experience with the organizational
products and services.
The advancement in information and communication technology in the digital era poses
immense problems and roadblocks to the marketing practice. Marketers are flocking
digital space in a bid to market their products and services. According to Ranganathan
and Bellani (2016), digital marketing has out-maneuvered traditional marketing in the
sense that it is socially interactive and highly engaging. Digital marketing not only affects
the marketing investments, strategies and overall planning but also branding (Rokka,
2013).
