THE INFLUENCE OF DIGITAL MARKETING ON CUSTOMER PURCHASE DECISIONS: A REVIEW OF MARKETING STRATEGIES IN THE DIGITAL ERA

Abstract

Digital marketing has transformed how businesses engage with their customers and how it impacts their decision-making process. The aim of this narrative integrative literature review is to study the impact of digital marketing strategies on the customer buying process throughout the customer lifecycle. It covers key digital marketing techniques such as social media marketing, content marketing, search engine marketing, influencer marketing, email marketing, mobile marketing, online reviews, electronic word of mouth marketing, personalised marketing, artificial intelligence marketing, video marketing and omnichannel marketing. The review is based on literature ranging from 2016 to 2025 and focuses on the various stages of the consumer decision-making process, starting with the need recognition stage and ending in post-purchase behaviour. It also creates a conceptual model through which digital marketing strategies are connected with the key mediating variables such as customer engagement, perceived value, brand image, perceived usefulness, and customer experience, and trust. Additional factors that moderate the model include privacy concerns, digital literacy, product type, consumer characteristics, platform credibility and cultural context. The results indicate that digital marketing effectiveness is not solely reliant on technology, but also on trust, transparency, content quality, and ethical marketing practices. The paper ends with the conclusion that digital marketing is best realized through a range of techniques being deployed strategically, taking into account customer experience, building trust, consumer privacy and the short-term need to convert and long-term to build brand loyalty and customer retention.