Digital Marketing Adoption and Sales Growth Among Small Businesses in Ondo State

This research investigates the relationship between digital marketing adoption and sales growth among small businesses in Ondo State, situated in Nigeria's South West geopolitical zone. The proliferation of social media platforms, e-commerce applications, and digital advertising tools has created unprecedented opportunities for small businesses to reach broader customer segments at lower costs. This study adopts a descriptive survey design with data collected from 115 small business owners through structured questionnaires and telephone-assisted interviews. Data analysis was performed using descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation. The study examines the adoption and impact of five digital marketing channels: social media marketing, WhatsApp business tools, Google advertising, e-commerce platforms, and email marketing. Findings show that social media marketing and WhatsApp business tools are the most widely adopted digital channels, with a positive association with monthly revenue growth. Google advertising and e-commerce platform use remain limited, primarily due to cost concerns and limited digital literacy. The study also identifies smartphone access and electricity reliability as infrastructural moderators of digital marketing effectiveness. Businesses in urban areas of Akure showed significantly higher digital adoption rates compared to semi-urban and rural counterparts. The research recommends that government agencies and business development organisations in Ondo State invest in digital literacy programmes, subsidised e-commerce access, and reliable electricity supply to unlock the full growth potential of digital marketing for small businesses. Keywords: digital marketing, sales growth, small businesses, Ondo State, social media.