Impact of digital marketing – a bibliometric review

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to review the literature on the topic “impact of digital marketing” over the span of past eight years, published in various prominent research journals in the past eight years. The purpose of this paper is to act as a starting point for several further researches in this area of study, and also to get the overview of the research that has happened and understand the relevant research gaps that exist in the area of digital marketing. Design/methodology/approach Scopus database is used to search the research publications on the selected topic. The papers selected for this paper have been published in the past eight years (2012–2020). Findings It has been concluded by many of the research papers reviewed that “Digital Marketing Efforts” influence the purchase intention of the customer. It can be also inferred that the distinction between the “marketing” and “digital marketing” is soon fading as every type of marketing effort will have an element of “digital marketing” in it. Research limitations/implications The approach to the review is theoretical and no primary data have been collected. This bibliometric review is expected to provide overview of the research that has happened over the span of past eight years in the area of digital marketing. Practical implications Many of the papers have expressed the limitations and opportunities for the future research. Few of the prominent and relevant research gaps are listed in this paper. This paper is expected to lay a foundation for several further studies in this area of study. Originality/value The paper is original in terms of reviewing the literature published on the topic, “impact of digital marketing”, between years 2012 to 2020. As the world has been forced to go digital due to COVID-19 outbreak, it has become all the more significant to take an account of developments in the field of “digital marketing”.