The Most Effective Online Marketing Channels in the Daily Deal Industry. How Small Businesses Can Acquire New Customers in the UK and the US

Table of Contents

Abstract

Summary of dissertation by chapters

Acknowledgements

Chapter 1: Introduction

1.1 Research aim

1.2 Structure

1.3 Defining effectiveness

1.4 Benefits to academia and scope

Chapter 2: Literature review

2.1 Introduction

2.2 Types of online promotion channels

2.2.1 Website

2.2.2 Search Engine Marketing

2.2.3 Online public relation (PR)

2.2.4 Online Partnerships

2.2.5 Social media marketing

2.2.6 Online advertising

2.2.7 E-mail Marketing

2.2.8 Online viral marketing

2.3 The most effective marketing channel: numerical data

2.4 Conclusion

Chapter 3: Research Methodology

3.1 Introduction

3.2 Research philosophy

3.3 Research approach

3.4 Research strategy

3.5 Choices

3.6 Data collection

3.7 data analysis

3.8 Limitations

3.9 conclusion

Chapter 4: Data findings and analyses

4.1 Introduction

4.2 Collection of data through Google Analytics

4.2.1 Social and Direct

4.2.2 Referral

4.2.3 Organic

4.2.4 Affiliate and Paid Search

4.2.5 E-mail

4.2.6 Interpretation of results from MisterDrinkster's data collection

4.3 Supporting data collection; numerical and non-numerical.

4.3.1 Search Engine Marketing

4.3.2 Email marketing

4.3.3 Social Media

4.3.4 Online Word of mouth and Referral

4.3.5 Online partnerships

4.3.6 Website and blogging

4.3.7 Online PR and Advertising

4.3.8 Guerrilla marketing and content marketing

4.4 Interpretation of analysis and conclusion

Chapter 5: Comparing findings with the literature review

Chapter 6: Conclusion

6.1 Limitations and future research

7 Personal Reflection

8 References

9 Appendices

Research Objectives and Focus Areas

This dissertation aims to identify the most effective online marketing channels that small businesses within the daily deal industry in the UK and USA can utilize to acquire new customers. The primary objective is to bridge the existing gap in literature regarding a specific marketing framework for these enterprises.

• Identification of effective online marketing channels for daily deal businesses.
• Comparison of theoretical findings with empirical data from a case study (MisterDrinkster).
• Development of a circular model framework to guide small daily deal firms.
• Evaluation of digital marketing strategies including SEO, e-mail marketing, social media, and affiliate partnerships.
• Analysis of customer acquisition efficiency within a highly competitive industry.

Excerpt from the Book

Chapter Summaries

Chapter 1: Introduction: This chapter establishes the research aim to identify effective marketing channels for small daily deal firms and outlines the research objectives and questions.

Chapter 2: Literature review: This section reviews existing literature on digital marketing channels to establish a theoretical foundation and identifies that a framework for the daily deal industry is missing.

Chapter 3: Research Methodology: This chapter describes the research philosophy and strategy, justifying the use of a pragmatic, deductive approach involving a case study of MisterDrinkster.

Chapter 4: Data findings and analyses: This chapter presents and interprets the primary data collected via Google Analytics and supporting secondary data to evaluate the performance of various marketing channels.

Chapter 5: Comparing findings with the literature review: This chapter reconciles the empirical findings with the theoretical literature, highlighting where affiliate and e-mail marketing perform differently in practice.

Chapter 6: Conclusion: This final chapter synthesizes the research to produce a framework model for small daily deal businesses and provides recommendations for future research.

Keywords

Online Marketing, Daily Deal Industry, Customer Acquisition, Small Businesses, Search Engine Optimization, E-mail Marketing, Affiliate Marketing, Social Media Marketing, Google Analytics, Digital Marketing Strategy, Referral Programs, Guerrilla Marketing, Content Marketing, Conversion Rate, Effectiveness

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the core focus of this dissertation?

The research investigates the most effective online marketing channels for small businesses in the daily deal industry, focusing on the UK and USA markets to improve customer acquisition.

What are the primary themes discussed?

The core themes include digital marketing strategies, the effectiveness of various channels like SEO, social media, and e-mail marketing, and the adaptation of these strategies for the specific niche of daily deal companies.

What is the ultimate goal of this research?

The primary goal is to develop a comprehensive, practical framework that small daily deal firms can use as a guideline for planning their online marketing activities.

Which scientific methodology was utilized?

The study employs a pragmatic approach with a deductive strategy. It utilizes a minor case study (MisterDrinkster) to collect primary quantitative data, supplemented by secondary data from industry reports and literature.

What does the main body of the work cover?

It covers a thorough literature review, a structured methodology section, empirical data analysis from Google Analytics, and a comparison between generalized marketing theories and the reality of the daily deal industry.

How are the key findings characterized?

The work is characterized by the identification of specific channels—such as a well-optimized website, in-house e-mail lists, and strategic affiliate programs—as the most vital tools for daily deal firms.

Why was MisterDrinkster used as a case study?

The author owns MisterDrinkster, which provided unique access to internal data and a practical, hands-on understanding of the challenges small daily deal firms face in the digital space.

How did the author define marketing "effectiveness"?

Effectiveness is defined in this dissertation specifically as the capacity of a marketing channel to drive the highest number of actual sales/customer acquisitions.