| dc.description.abstract | Over recent years, the widespread growth of social media has played a pivotal role in nurturing Small and
Medium Enterprises (SMEs), and this trend is expected to continue in the foreseeable future. Drawing from
the principles of marketing equity and Chaffey's theories, the primary objective of the present study was to
empirically investigate the correlation and linkage between social media marketing (SMM) as a marketing
strategy and the performance of Small and Medium Enterprises situated in Mtito-Andei, Makueni County.
To achieve this objective, a descriptive survey design was employed, involving the selection of 185
respondents, of which 135 successfully completed and returned the questionnaires. Data analysis
encompassed both descriptive statistics and regression analyses. The research findings revealed the
prevalence of social media marketing (SMM) among SMEs in Mtito-Andei, Makueni County, as indicated by
the descriptive statistics. Furthermore, the study firmly established that social media marketing (SMM)
exerts a significant influence on the performance of SMEs in the region. These findings align with existing
research and provide supportive evidence for both marketing equity and Chaffey's theories.
In light of these outcomes, the study recommends a more comprehensive exploration of the challenges
encountered during the adoption of social media marketing (SMM) in various contexts, including
government initiatives. Additionally, it suggests a thorough research into the role of moderating and
mediating factors, particularly in cases where discrepancies among studies have been observed. Such
disparities in research findings may be attributed to the influence of control variables. | en_US |
