Identifying Dimensions and Prioritizing Digital Marketing Performance Evaluation Metrics from an Innovation Perspective in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs)

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Marketing Management, Faculty of Business Management, College of Management, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.

2 Associate Prof., Department of Media Management and Business Communication, Faculty of Business Management, College of Management, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.

10.22059/jibm.2025.395463.4979

Abstract

Objective
The present study aims to determine the dimensions and degree of importance of digital marketing performance evaluation indicators from the perspective of innovation in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
 
Methodology
The research method is meta-synthesis. In terms of nature, it is exploratory, and in terms of purpose, it falls under fundamental research. The statistical population of the study consisted of all articles published in reputable domestic and international scientific databases related to the concepts and variables under study. The sampling method for selecting the studies was purposive; in this research, 40 studies were selected purposefully. The validity of the meta-synthesis was assessed using the "Critical Appraisal Skills Programme" (CASP). To measure reliability, the Kappa index was used. Data analysis was performed based on coding; given the large volume of data, after open coding extraction, axial coding was applied—where indicators were aligned with their respective factors. Since the final dimensions and indicators of innovative digital marketing performance evaluation in SMEs do not carry equal importance, the Group Neutrosophic Analytic Hierarchy Process (G-NAHP) multi-criteria decision-making method was employed. Microsoft Excel and its advanced functions were used to implement this method.
 
Findings
Fifteen factors were identified in order of importance (highest to lowest) as follows: Revenue per visit, follower growth and retention, total number of visits, visit duration, advertising cost, bounce rate, return site visits, brand awareness, organic search, keyword effectiveness, response rate, engagement and recommendation rate, referral traffic to the site, content sharing rate, and landing page importance.
 
Conclusion
Revenue per visit (RPV) has been given the highest priority due to its direct impact on measuring the financial performance of a website or online store. This analysis indicates that the main factors and their sub-indices are logically ranked based on their importance, each playing a specific role in evaluating the performance of a website or social media platform. This analysis can serve as a tool for decision-making in marketing management and website performance optimization. In the next tier, the growth and retention of followers is prioritized because of its role in enhancing loyalty among existing customers and improving user satisfaction. This factor, measured by sub-indices such as "follower growth through engaging content" and "customer loyalty retention rate," is considered one of the most critical long-term metrics. Following these two factors, total number of visits ranks next in importance, as website traffic and visibility are essential for increasing exposure to products and services. Sub-indices like "total site visits" and "average pages viewed per visit" reflect the attractiveness and quality of the website’s content. Overall, this analysis demonstrates that the key factors and their sub-indices have been logically ranked based on their significance, with each playing a distinct role in evaluating the performance of a website or social media platform. This analysis can serve as a valuable tool for decision-making in marketing management and website performance optimization.
 

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

 
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Journal of Business Management
Volume 18, Issue 2
2026
Pages 504-544

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