Traditional vs. Digital Marketing: A Comparative Study of Marketing Management Students’ Perceptions and Its Implications for SME Customer Engagement in Olongapo City
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55927/ajabm.v5i3.67Keywords:
Digital Marketing, Traditional Marketing, Customer Engagement, SMEs, Olongapo CityAbstract
This study examined the comparative effectiveness of traditional and digital marketing in influencing customer engagement among Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Olongapo City. Using quantitative descriptive-comparative research design, data were collected from Marketing Management students of Gordon College through a researcher-made questionnaire. Customer engagement was measured through customer involvement, customer participation, customer interaction, and customer behavior. Results revealed that digital marketing consistently obtained higher effectiveness ratings than traditional marketing across all dimensions. Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test results showed statistically significant differences between the two approaches. The results suggest that digital marketing offers greater opportunities for customer engagement due to its interactive and personalized nature. SMEs are encouraged to adopt a digital-first strategy while integrating traditional marketing methods.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Sofia Lyza E Balisong, Sandrine C Magcaling, Maria Camille Anne M Padilla, Althea Joy Y Paule, Angela Bea A Reyes, Lyka Reyes, Joy Ann Ragasa, Mark Joseph Pampolino

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