Internet marketing is critical for meeting changing consumer needs and staying competitive in the business environment. Small business owners need strategies on how to use Internet marketing to promote their products or services. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore how 5 small business owners in Maryland developed and implemented an online marketing strategy. Participants were recruited for their roles as the chief decision maker of their business; additional prerequisites for their participation were that they used Internet marketing, represented different industries, and had fewer than 20 employees. Data came from semi-structured interviews with the small business owners, direct observations of the firms' online marketing processes and technology, and evaluation of companies' use of different Internet marketing channels. The data analysis strategy drew on resource-based view theory propositions, examinations of conflicting explanations discovered during the literature review, and cross-case synthesis. The 5 emergent themes encompassed unstructured planning, limited Internet marketing knowledge and expertise, use of Internet marketing channels and tools, lack of systematic approach to the management of Internet marketing, and inadequate measurement of Internet marketing efforts. By engaging in Internet marketing strategy planning, acquiring specialized Internet marketing knowledge, measuring marketing performance, and extending their Internal marketing resources through outsourcing, small business owners may develop and implement successful online marketing strategies. These findings may influence positive social change by contributing to more effective and efficient marketing practices in small firms that can lead to better financial performance, higher survival rates, and a healthier economic system.

This study discusses Augmented Reality (AR) as a digital marketing tool in online retail, with a special focus on the perceptions and attitudes which consumers hold towards the tool. The project, aims to give insights on how to study AR in online retail settings and also touches upon how different characteristics of augmented reality can impact the consumers attitudes towards products displayed or demonstrated with AR tools. The conceptual framework is based on literature and case studies in the fields of augmented reality, consumer experience and, customer value creation. The data for this research project was obtained through in-depth interviews with participants who have had previous experiences with Augmented Reality. After analysing and categorising their answers, the findings suggest that the participants have an overall positive attitude towards the tool and that they are already keen to engage with the technology. Their answers also suggested that the use of AR tools in online retail could positively affect the consumers attitudes towards the promoted services or products which are displayed with the tool. Moreover, depending on certain factors, the tool could potentially have a positive effect on the purchasing decision. On the negative side, the participants consider the technology is not there yet and needs to be improved to deliver meaningful value for them. Other valuable findings of the project are related to the customer journeys and the value the tool provides to the users. / Denna studie diskuterar Augmented Reality (AR) som ett digitalt marknadsföringsverktyg inom onlinehandeln, med ett särskilt fokus på de uppfattningar och attityder som konsumenterna har gentemot verktyget. Projektet syftar till att ge insikter om hur man studerar AR i online-butiksmiljöer och berör också hur olika egenskaper hos AR kan påverka konsumenternas attityder till produkter som visas eller demonstreras med AR-verktyg. Den konceptuella ramen är baserad på litteratur och fallstudier inom AR, konsumentupplevelse och kundvärdeskapande. Data för detta forskningsprojekt erhölls genom fördjupade intervjuer med deltagare som tidigare haft erfarenheter av AR. Efter att ha analyserat och kategoriserat sina svar föreslår resultatet att deltagarna har en övergripande positiv inställning till verktyget och att de redan är angelägna om att engagera sig i tekniken. Deras svar föreslog också att användningen av AR-verktyg i online-detaljhandeln positivt kunde påverka konsumenternas attityder till de marknadsförda tjänsterna eller produkterna som visas med verktyget. Beroende på vissa faktorer kan verktyget dessutom ha en positiv effekt på inköpsbeslutet. Bland de negativa aspekterna anser deltagarna att tekniken inte Einns där ännu och måste förbättras för att ge ett meningsfullt värde för dem. Andra värdefulla insikter från projektet är relaterade till kundresan och det värde verktyget ger användarna.

Outsourcing är ett organisationsverktyg som kan ge möjligheten att utvidga kompetensen inom ett företag. Tidigare studier visar att SME-företag har ett större behov av att outsourca, men kan behöva stöd för att ta rätt beslut. Inom akademin förklaras verkligheten på ett förenklat sätt genom teoretiska modeller som inte alltid blir testade i praktiken. Denna studie utvärderar en nyskapad teoretisk modell om beslutsprocesser för outsourcing av digitala marknadsföringsuppdrag, för att undersöka vad som styr outsourcingbeslut inom SME-företag i Sverige. Fem företag deltog i studien genom semistrukturerade intervjuer och diskussioner om beslutsmodellen. I teorianknytningen behandlas huvudämnena marknadsföring, outsourcing och beslutsmodellen. Resultatet visar hur de deltagande företagen arbetar med huvudämnena marknadsföring och outsourcing, samt deras åsikter om beslutsmodellen. Resultatet har analyserats och tolkats till företagens olika attityder om huvudämnena samt företagens interna förutsättningar och hur det påverkar företagen. För att kunna besvara studiens frågeställningar diskuteras företagens finansiella brister, kompetensbrist, konkurrenskraft, tidsbrist, beslutsmodellen samt outsourcingbeslut mot teorianknytning. Tre av fem SME-företag anser beslutsmodellen som användbar, men beslutsprocessen är alltför generell för att appliceras på mediebranschens olika verksamhetsområden. / A way for a company to extend its competencies is to use outsourcing as a management tool. Previous studies show that SMEs have a greater need for outsourcing but also need support to make the right decision. Academia explains reality through simplified, theoretical models. It’s not always that these models are tested for their practical use. This study contains an evaluation of an newly created model of the decision-making processes to outsource digital marketing activities to examine what controls these decisions within SMEs in Sweden. Five companies took part in this study through semi-structured interviews and discussions about the decision model. The collected theory involves the main subjects: marketing, outsourcing, and the decision model. The result shows how the partaking companies conduct business relating to marketing and outsourcing, as well as their opinions about the decision model. The result has been analyzed and interpreted to the companies' different attitudes about the main subjects as well as the companies' internal qualifications and how this affects the companies. To be able to answer the study's framing of questions the following topics about the companies are discussed: lack of financial assets, lack of competence, competitiveness, lack of time, the decision model as well as the decisions to outsource in relation to the collected theory. Three out of the five SME companies perceive the decision model to be useful. However, the decision-making process is too general to apply to all the different areas of activity within the media industry.

Digital tools are rapidly evolving (Quach et al. 2022), and this is a contributing factor to the increase in breaches of consumer privacy. This creates a need to understand how consumers relate to marketing using Artificial Intelligence (AI) and personal information to enable personalization (Kumar et al. 2019). AI can generate benefits both for marketers and consumers. It is also used in personal marketing by collecting and managing data in order to make decisions (Huang & Rust 2021a). In contrast, the privacy risks associated with AI are when data is collected without consent and AI systems draw conclusions from individual customer data or interaction data with other consumers (Hermann 2022). There is a need to understand how consumers relate to personal information being used in marketing. For this reason, a qualitative study is being conducted on consumer privacy in relation to the use of AI in digital marketing and how the approach differs between different generations. The study is based on theories to analyze the data collection from interviews to be able to answer the research question. The theories are used to form key concepts that are the basis for a thematic analysis.  The conclusions show that AI can contribute to influence consumer behavior and that there are differences as well as similarities in the generations' approach to digital marketing and AI. Participants in the study have a negative perspective on the subject, while at the same time, some respondents state that personal marketing is preferred. In addition to this, it appears in the study that all participants have insufficient knowledge of how to assess risks when providing personal information, and that they share a concern of AI managing their personal information. The reasons differ depending on the generation of the participants. / Digitala verktyg genomgår, och har under en tid genomgått en snabb utveckling (Quach et al. 2022), och det är en bidragande faktor till att överträdelser på konsumenters integritet ökar. Detta ger ett växande behov av att förstå hur konsumenter förhåller sig till att marknadsföring använder Artificiell Intelligens (AI) och personlig information för att möjliggöra personalisering (Kumar et al. 2019). AI kan generera fördelar för både marknadsförare och kunder. Det används även inom personlig marknadsföring genom att samla in och hantera data för att kunna ta beslut (Huang & Rust 2021a). De integritetsrisker som finns kopplade till AI är däremot när data samlas in utan samtycke och AI-system drar slutsatser från individuella kunddata eller interaktionsdata med andra kunder (Hermann 2022). Här finns ett ökat behov av att förstå hur konsumenter förhåller sig till att personlig information används i marknadsföring. Av denna anledning genomförs en kvalitativ studie om konsumenters integritet i samband med AI i digital marknadsföring, samt hur förhållningssättet skiljer mellan olika generationer.   Studien utgår från teorier för att analysera datainsamlingen med hjälp av semistrukturerade intervjuer för att därefter kunna besvara forskningsfrågan. Teorierna används för att ta fram värdebegrepp som ligger till grund för en tematisk analys.   Slutsatserna visar på att AI kan bidra med påverkan på konsumentbeteenden och att det finns skillnader samt likheter i generationernas förhållningssätt till digital marknadsföring och AI. Deltagare i studien förhåller sig negativt till ämnet, samtidigt som vissa respondenter framför att personlig marknadsföring föredras. Utöver detta framkommer det i studien att samtliga deltagare har otillräckliga kunskaper för hur de ska bedöma risker när de ska tillhandahålla personlig information, samt att de delar en oro av att AI hanterar deras information, däremot skiljer sig orsakerna beroende på deltagarnas ålder och generation.

Titel: Digitala marknadsföringsstrategier med sociala medier för nystartade företag inom streetwear-klädbranschen.   Författare: Kenan Omeragic   Handledare: Christine Tidåsen   Nyckelord: Startupföretag, sociala medier, digital marknadsföring, strategi, konsumenter.   Problemformulering: Vilka marknadsföringsstrategier använder nystartade företag inom klädbranschen för att få attraktion till sitt klädmärke?   Syfte: Syftet med denna studie är att förstå och beskriva hur klädmärken skapar och utför marknadsföringsstrategier.   Avgränsning: Denna studie begränsades till streetwear-märken i Sverige.   Metod: En kvalitativ studie med abduktiv forskning har genomförts för denna studie. Det teoretiska ramverket har utvecklats genom att granska tidigare forskningsstudier och böcker. Empirin samlades in genom semistrukturerade intervjuer med totalt sju deltagare som representerade olika streetwear-företag. Slutsats: Sammanfattningsvis belyser resultaten den transformerande kraften hos sociala medieplattformar när det gäller att nå och engagera målgrupper, öka varumärkesmedvetenheten och öka försäljningen. Effektiv implementering av sociala mediestrategier kan ge startupföretag en konkurrensfördel, vilket gör att de kan etablera sin närvaro, bygga varumärkeslojalitet och få kontakt med sin målgrupp. Ett heltäckande tillvägagångssätt som kombinerar influenser-samarbeten, engagerande innehållsskapande, riktad annonsering och datadriven analys är avgörande för framgångsrik marknadsföring. Nystartade företag måste förbli smidiga och anpassningsbara inför utvecklande plattformar och konsumentpreferenser. Genom att utnyttja sociala medier-analyser och spårningsverktyg kan företag få värdefulla insikter, förfina sina strategier och uppnå högre konverteringsfrekvens. Att anamma revolutionen av sociala medier och utnyttja möjligheter kan driva nystartade företag inom streetwear-klädesindustrin till nya höjder av framgång. / Title: Digital marketing strategies with social media for startup companies in the streetwear clothing-industry. Author: Kenan Omeragic   Supervisor: Christine Tidåsen   Keywords: Startup companies, social media, digital marketing, strategy, consumers.   Problem formulation: What marketing strategies do startup companies use in the clothing industry to gain attraction to their brand?   Purpose: The purpose of this study is to understand and describe how clothing brands create and perform marketing strategies.   Delimitation: This study was limited to streetwear brands in Sweden.   Method: A qualitative study with an abductive research has been carried out for this study. The theoretical framework was developed by reviewing previous research studies and books. The empirical data was gathered through semi-structured interviews with a total of seven participants representing various streetwear companies.   Conclusion: In conclusion, the findings highlighted the transformative power of social media platforms in reaching and engaging target audiences, enhancing brand awareness, and driving sales. Effective implementation of social media strategies can provide startups with a competitive edge, allowing them to establish their presence, build brand loyalty, and connect with their target customers. A comprehensive approach combining influencer collaborations, engaging content creation, targeted advertising, and data-driven analysis is essential for successful marketing. Startups must remain agile and adaptable in the face of evolving platforms and consumer preferences. By leveraging social media analytics and tracking tools, companies can gain valuable insights, refine their strategies, and achieve higher conversion rates. Embracing the social media revolution and capitalizing on opportunities can propel startup companies in the streetwear clothing industry to new heights of success.

Detta examensarbete undersöker vilken betydelse färgval har utifrån skapade reklaminslag, anpassat för Instagram. Vi utgår från några grundläggande begrepp om visuell färguppfattning som har sitt ursprung i färgteori, färgpsykologi, färgsystem och färguppfattning. Vi tar också hänsyn till den digitala marknadsföringen och dess betydelse samt tar hjälp av tidigare forskning inom färgperception och marknadsföring. Syftet med arbetet är att presentera statistik och dataanalys i användningen av olika färgsättningar på bilder i olika sammanhang, för att visa hur färgsättningen i en bild har betydelse för vilka känslor och associationer som väcks hos användaren. Undersökningen använder ett Instagramutseende för att presentera fyra stycken utvalda bilder, två på tema turism och två på tema konsert, där vi sedan applicerar färgerna; gul, röd, blå eller grön. Respondenterna i webbenkäten fick bedöma hur de associerar bilden utifrån de redan framtagna alternativen som finns till varje fråga i enkäten. Undersökningens resultat visar att färgen i en bild har stor betydelse när det gäller associationer och känslor. Det blir viktigt att välja rätt färg i den digitala marknadsföringen för att fånga Instagram-användarens uppmärksamhet och för att skapa intryck hos användaren, för att på så sätt öka inläggets popularitet och förstärka och matcha dess budskap. / This degree project examines the significance of the color choice based on created advertising elements, adapted for Instagram. We start from some basic concepts of visual color perception that have their origins in color theory, color psychology, color systems and color perception. We also take digital marketing and its importance into account and use previous research in color perception and marketing. The purpose of this study is to present statistics and data analysis in the use of different colorings on images in different contexts, to show how the coloring in an image is important for the feelings and associations that are evoked in the user. The survey uses an Instagram layout to present four selected images, two on the theme of tourism and two on the theme of concert, where we then apply the colors; yellow, red, blue or green. The respondents in the web survey had to assess how they associate the image based on the already created alternatives that are available for each question in the survey. The results of the survey show that the color in an image has great significance in terms of associations and feelings. It becomes important to choose the right color in digital marketing to capture the attention of the Instagram user and to create an impression on the user, thus increasing the popularity of the post and reinforcing and matching its message.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is adopted fast and wide across consumer industries and digital marketing. This new technology has the potential to enhance online customer experience and outcomes of customer experience. However, research relating to the impact of AI is still developing and empirical evidence sparse. Taking a consumercentred approach and by adopting Social Response Theory as theoretical lens, this research addresses an overall research question pertaining to the implications of online customer experience with AI on consumer behaviour. A quantitative research strategy with positivist approach is adopted to gather a large sample (n= 489) of online consumers who have previously interacted with AI-enabled technology. The collected data is analysed statistically utilising Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). Empirical findings show strong positive effects of anthropomorphism of AI, para-social interaction with AI, and performance expectancy of AI on all three customer experience dimensions of informativeness, entertainment and social presence. Additionally, there is strong statistical support for the positive effect of informativeness and social presence on continued purchase intentions (β= .379 and β= .315), while the effects of entertainment are less strong. The mediating effects of customer experience have been assessed, highlighting social presence as most important mediator. This research contributes to knowledge by extending previous customer experience theory and quantifying the influence of online customer experience with AI on purchase intentions and eWOM. The theoretical insights also translate into direct implications for marketing practice relating to the design, integration, and implementation of more consumer- and outcome-oriented AI applications. / Faculty of Management, Law and Social Sciences studentship

This study examined how Swedish digital marketers use AI and its impact on their workflow, as well as the limitations of adopting AI for digital marketing. Semi-structured interviews were performed with Swedish digital marketing professionals, and a thematic analysis was conducted to identify themes and patterns that appeared in the data collection.  The software used by participants varied, but all seven utilized ChatGPT. Five used Google Ads and Google Analytics, three used Adobe software (including Adobe Firefly and Photoshop), and two used Midjourney. Other software was also used independently by participants. The findings indicate that AI has enhanced perceived productivity and proved valuable to marketers. Those who employed AI technology reported more effective work sessions and shorter work completion times. However, the study also identified significant limitations of AI in digital marketing. These limitations include AI's inability to match human creativity, which limits the development of creative brand storylines, campaign designs, and content production. Additionally, issues with the tone and accuracy of generative AI content highlight the need to maintain authenticity and reliability in marketing communications. Marketers expressed concerns about the accuracy and quality of AI-generated information and sought clearer guidelines and regulations regarding the use of AI tools.

In B2B organizations, the adoption of digital marketing strategies has increased, leading to the collection of large amounts of data, big data. This has enabled the use of big data analytics, BDA, to uncover valuable insights for digital marketing purpose. Yet, there is limited research on how the B2B organizations integrate and utilize BDA in their digital marketing strategies, especially in the international context. This study aimed to address this research gap by examining how international B2B organizations integrate and utilize BDA in their digital marketing strategy, employing a dynamic capabilities perspective. The methodology of qualitative case study was applied, focusing on two established Swedish B2B organizations with an international presence. Empirical data was collected through semi-structured interviews and complemented with document analysis. Through abductive approach and hermeneutic interpretation, the findings show that despite the need for internal structural improvements, international B2B organizations are actively integrating BDA into their digital marketing strategies. By developing new routines and skills, these organizations can navigate the challenges posed by BDA while harnessing its benefits. Additionally, a framework comprising 10 practices in which international B2B organizations leverage BDA is proposed.

Christmas is a delightful time of the year for many, evoking a range of emotions as people are influenced by various sensory experiences. In recent years, there has been a significant increase in digitalisation, leading to more online shopping. Therefore, the aim of this research is to investigate how the digitalisation of sensory Christmas marketing influences the impulse buying behaviour of Millennials. Additionally, this study aims to examine how Millennials' purchasing behaviour is impacted by these evolving aspects of sensory marketing. This research will aid companies seeking to market Christmas products online using sensory strategies. Furthermore, a qualitative method was utilised to obtain responses for the primary data collection. By employing semi-structured interviews, responses from 15 different participants from the Millennial generation, born between 1981-1996, could be gathered. These participants are also heavy social media users and have a high enthusiasm for Christmas. Once the primary data was collected, the data was analysed alongside existing literature. In conclusion, the findings of this study indicates that Christmas is difficult to experience in the same way in the online space as a physical space. The study has identified that Millennials can experience sensory cues online using their memories and their imagination, and then this might lead to a Christmas feeling. Different factors contribute to whether Millennials are impacted by digital Christmas, and whether this leads to impulse buying behaviour, such as family situation, online or physical preference, limited edition, attention, and emotional responses. The research has yielded various opportunities and challenges in this area, as well as what can be utilised for further research.