Impact of Brand Awareness on Small and Medium Enterprises in Kenya
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47941/jbsm.3019Keywords:
Brand Awareness, Small and Medium-sized EnterprisesAbstract
Purpose: This study explores the impact of brand awareness on the performance of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Kenya.
Methodology: Guided by a positivist philosophy, the research employed a mixed methods approach to gather and analyze both quantitative and qualitative data. A total of 385 questionnaires were administered to SME stakeholders, with primary data collected for analysis. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, while qualitative responses were examined thematically.
Findings: The findings indicate that brand awareness particularly through social media platforms is a crucial determinant of SME success. Active social media engagement enhances brand recognition, fosters trust, increases visibility, and contributes to improved customer acquisition and retention. Comments and feedback from social media users serve as a vital input in shaping product design and marketing strategies, underscoring the role of customer perceptions in building brand identity.
Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The study recommends that SMEs adopt structured social media management strategies focused on increasing brand visibility. This includes providing timely, personalized responses to customer inquiries and leveraging visually appealing content to enhance brand recall and engagement.
Downloads
References
Aaker,D.A.,1992.The value of brand equity.Journal of business strategy,13(4),pp.27-32.
Aguirre,E.,Mahr,D.,&Grewal,D.,2021."Engagement and personalization in digital marketing:Advancing customer experience and brand awareness."Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science,49(5),pp.981-1001.
Armstrong,G.,Kotler,P.,Harker,M.,&Brennan,R.,2020.Marketing:An Introduction.15th ed.Pearson Education.
Bergström,K.and Söderman,S.,2020.Brand Management and Consistency in Marketing.Journal of Brand Management,27(4),pp.407-421.
Chaffey,D.,&Ellis-Chadwick,F.,2019.Digital Marketing.7th ed.Pearson Education
Chege,S.K.,Karanja,E.N.,&Wambui,L.M.(2020).The Role of Social Media in Enhancing Brand Awareness in SMEs in Nairobi County.International Journal of Marketing,24(2),92-106.
Freberg,K.,Graham,K.,McGaughey,K.,and Freberg,L.,2011.‘Who are the social media influencers?A study of public perceptions of personality’,Public Relations Review,37(1),pp.90-92.
Fombrun,C.J.&van Riel,C.B.,2021.Reputation and Corporate Branding:An Overview.Corporate Reputation Review,14(1),pp.31-42.
Gikonyo,C.,Waweru,N.,&Gichuki,P.(2020).Factors Influencing Social Media Adoption Among SMEs in Nairobi County,Kenya.Journal of Business and Technology,14(3),65-78.
Grewal,D.,Roggeveen,A.L.,&Nordfält,J.,2020."The future of retailing:A review and research agenda."Journal of Retailing,96(2),pp.211-228.
Hanna,R.,Rohm,A.J.,&Crittenden,V.L.,2021."We’re all connected:The power of the social media ecosystem."Business Horizons,54(3),pp.265-273.
Harrison,J.,&Smith,S.,2021."Brand reputation and CSR in the digital age."Journal of Business Ethics,166(4),pp.813-829.
Järvinen,J.,&Taiminen,H.,2021."The impact of ad fatigue on brand effectiveness in digital advertising."Journal of Marketing Research,58(1),pp.53-68.
Kotler,P.,Keller,K.L.,&Chernev,A.,2021.Marketing Management.16th ed.Pearson Education.
Keller,K.L.,2020.Strategic Brand Management:Building,Measuring,and Managing Brand Equity.5th ed.Pearson Education.
Kenya Digital Report(2024)
Kenya National Bureau of Statistics(2023)ICT Survey Report 2023.Nairobi:Government of Kenya.
Keller,K.L.,2013.Strategic Brand Management:Building,Measuring,and Managing Brand Equity.4th ed.Pearson Education,Upper Saddle River,NJ.Ali,U.A.,Faraz,M.,Salman,S.M.,Memon,J.A.and Aziz,A.,2024.
Lemon,K.N.,&Verhoef,P.C.,2021."Understanding customer experience and its relationship to brand awareness."Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science,49(1),pp.1-18.
Liu-Thompkins,Y.,&Roggeveen,A.L.,2020."Ad fatigue:Its impact on consumer engagement and brand awareness."Journal of Interactive Marketing,51,pp.1-12.
Sokolova,M.,&Kefi,H.(2020).“Instagram Influencers:The Impact of Source Characteristics on Consumer's Attitudes and Purchase Intentions.”Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services,55,102068.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2020.102068
Tafesse,W.,&Wien,A.H.,2020."The impact of social media on brand awareness and customer engagement."International Journal of Digital Marketing,14(3),pp.87-104.
Tuten,T.L.,&Solomon,M.R.,2021.Social Media Marketing.4th ed.Sage Publications.
Lou,C.,and Yuan,S.,2019.‘Influencer marketing:Implications for consumer behavior’,Journal of Interactive Advertising,19(2),pp.58-72.
Oduor,J.A.and Kodak,B.,2020.Online humour as a coping mechanism in the face of corona virus pandemic:the Kenyan context.
Lim,X.J.,Cheah,J.H.,Wong,M.W.,Tan,G.W.H.and Basha,N.K.(2024)'Shaping brand loyalty through social media influencers:The role of engagement,social attractiveness,and parasocial relationships',SAGE Open,14(1),pp.1–15.
Manzoor,A.,2023.Use of Social Media by Companies:An Exploratory Study.In Big Data Marketing Strategies for Superior Customer Experience(pp.194-216).IGI
Mukherjee,D.and Hollenbaugh,E.E.,2019.Do social media help in the sustainability of small businesses?A pedagogical study using fictional business cases.International Journal of Higher Education Management,6(1).
Munyua,C.,2020.Scaling up the use of information and communication technologies for smallholder women farmers in the COVID-19 pandemic crisis in Kenya.Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences ISSN(2708-504X),2(1),pp.14-23.
Muthomi,M.,&Gichuki,P.(2021).Leveraging Influencer Marketing for SME Growth in Kenya.International Journal of Social Media Marketing,12(3),101-115.
Mwangi,S.,&Wambui,L.M.(2021).Customer Engagement and Satisfaction Through Social Media in SMEs:A Study of Nairobi.African Journal of Marketing,27(1),134-145.
Mwangi,P.(2023).Social media influencers and consumer behavior in Kenya's SME sector.Journal of Marketing in Africa,15(1),pp.34-42.
Mutinda,M.,&Muthomi,M.(2021).Leveraging Influencer Marketing for SME Growth in Kenya.International Journal of Social Media Marketing,12(3),101-115.
Nguyen,T.H.and Pham,Q.T.(2023)'Influencer marketing, brand awareness,and SME sales:An empirical study',Journal of Marketing Strategies,8(2),pp.25–38.
Waweru,N.,&Gichuki,P.(2020).Optimizing Social Media for Customer Engagement in SMEs in Kenya.International Journal of Business Development,8(1),23-39.
Smith,P.(2015)."Personalization in marketing:The evolution of consumer relationships."Marketing Intelligence&Planning,33(4),518-534.https://doi.org/10.1108/MIP-10-2014-0174
Smith,J.A.and Johnson,L.K.(2025)'Influencer marketing with social platforms:Increasing brand awareness and user engagement',Journal of Digital Marketing Research,12(3),pp.45–60.
Sokolova,M.,&Kefi,H.(2020).“Instagram Influencers:The Impact of Source Characteristics on Consumer's Attitudes and Purchase Intentions.”Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services,55,102068.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2020.102068
Tafesse,W.,&Wien,A.(2018).Managing social media marketing:The influence of social media influencers.Marketing Management Journal,28(2),68-77.
Tuten,T.,Solomon,M.and Ladik,D.,2015.The teaching of social media marketing.In Marketing Dynamism&Sustainability:Things Change,Things Stay the Same…Proceedings of the 2012 Academy of Marketing Science(AMS)Annual Conference(pp.475-475).Springer International Publishing.
Tuten,T.L.and Solomon,M.R.,2015.Social Media Marketing.1st ed.Pearson Education,New Jersey.
Waweru,N.,&Gichuki,P.(2020).Optimizing social media for Customer Engagement in SMEs in Kenya.International Journal of Business Development,8(1),23-39.
Zhang,W.,Chintagunta,P.K.and Kalwani,M.U.,2021.Social media,influencers,and adoption of an eco-friendly product:Field experiment evidence from rural China.Journal of Marketing,85(3),pp.10-27.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Margaret Muthoni Muchori, Dr.Patrick Reid

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) 4.0 License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.