According to (Desai & Vidyapeeth, 2019) in a review, companies implementing digital marketing approaches achieved an annual growth rate of 20% over companies that only depended on conventional marketing strategies. For women who run home-based or small-scale bakeries, digital marketing provides a flexible and affordable way of growing their business (Drummond et al., 2017). Learning several tools, such as social media, email marketing, and content marketing not only increase visibility but also assist bakery owners in reaching the proper audience and turn occasional buyers to loyal customers (Render et al., 2013). With limited access to resources, physical outlets, or formal advertising, social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp and SEO become vital to visibility and costumer relationship (Kingsnorth, 2022).
Research implementation
This article refers to the thesis research “Leveraging Digital Marketing Strategies for the Growth of Small Bakeries”, which explores how women entrepreneurs in Siliguri, India, use digital platforms to increase visibility, improve customer relationships, and drive business growth. The objective of this research was to understand the application of digital marketing for the growth and sustainability of women-owned small bakeries. The study tries to provide answers to important questions: What are the most effective digital marketing tools for women-owned small bakeries? How does digital marketing influence customer engagement and sales? What are the challenges faced by women entrepreneurs in using these tools?
To determine these questions, the mixed-method approach was employed combining semi-structured interviews with four women bakery owners and a quantitative survey with 78 bakery customers. This approach allowed for a comprehensive understanding of how digital tools are used in practice and how customers respond to them. Qualitative data were analyzed through thematic analysis, while descriptive statistics were used to analyze survey responses. The theoretical framework was built on the AIDA model (Attention, Interest, Desire, Action) and Customer Engagement Theory (CET), which helped to frame both business strategies and consumer responses.
Digital Tools and Business Impact
Social media websites like Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp proved to be the most effective medium to engage with customers. Posting high quality images, reels or videos of various bakery products, customized hampers, attractive store displays and creative crafts are an important factor in increasing customer inquiries and sales by establishing better relationships with customers (Maheshwari, 2025). This corresponds with the AIDA (Attention, Interest, Desire, Action) model, where visually appealing content captures attention and drives interest (Dhanesh et al., 2022). This underscores the importance of maintaining a dynamic and strongly visual social media presence to attract and engage consumers.
Customer engagement was discovered to be highly dependent on interaction. Bakery business owners who engaged directly with their customers through live Q&A sessions, personalized messages, responding to comments, conducting loyalty programs and offering small discounts reported greater customer satisfaction as well as repeat business. Meaningful engagement transforms transactional relationships into long-term loyalty (Gummerus et al., 2012) . This was proved by the research, as valued and listened customers were more likely to bring referrals to the bakery, demonstrating the power of emotional connections in digital marketing. Several low-cost strategies were highlighted by the research that could be adopted by small bakeries led by women entrepreneurs to enhance their digital presence. Local SEO as a modern digital marketing tool increases their visibility by attracting potential customers searching for bakery products online, which in turn increases website traffic and order volumes.
Few bakery entrepreneurs reported a significant rise in sales after getting their company listed on platforms like Magicpin and Zomato, which improved local search rankings (Maheshwari, 2025). User-generated content was also a powerful tool. Customer requests to share images of their purchases or provide reviews not only promoted trust but also provided free promotional material. In addition, organizing virtual events like baking workshops or live demonstrations, created opportunities for real-time engagement and community building. This shows how the digital community supports business growth in ways that traditional advertising cannot (Popescu & Tulbure, 2022).
Challenges Faced by Women Entrepreneurs
Despite the advantages, there are various challenges for women entrepreneurs in implementing digital marketing. The author (Trisninawati, 2024) explains that limited resources, household responsibilities and socio-cultural barriers are some of the main issues. Based on the research, women entrepreneur being a mother, spouse, daughter along with home duties, the requirement to balance personal responsibilities with professional responsibilities translates into a lack of time to learn and utilize digital marketing skills effectively. This aligns with the article by (Olsson & Bernhard, 2020), that focuses on the multidimensional roles of women entrepreneurs and the challenges they face while balancing work and family responsibilities. In addition to this, woman entrepreneurs also struggle with the technical aspects of digital marketing, such as SEO, content creation, and analytics, which require continuous learning. Some bakers also expressed concerns about negative feedback from customers or online criticism, which impact their confidence in using digital marketing effectively.
Strategic Implications and Recommendations
The research highlighted that even basic use of digital marketing can cause tremendous changes for small bakery businesses. Entrepreneurs do not need to use complex or expensive machines; rather, consistency and sincerity are the key. A bakery can start by focusing on two or three platforms like Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp, posting regularly and interacting with followers (Maheshwari, 2025).
Simple strategies such as offering small discounts for ratings, sharing customer testimonials, or celebrating the birthdays and anniversaries of frequent visitors can be effective in increasing customer retention. In addition, using features like WhatsApp for placing quick orders or Instagram Shops for browsing made the buying process simple and smoother. Search engine visibility can be further optimized by creating a Google Business listing, collecting online reviews, and including frequently searched terms on social media pages and websites.
Bakery business owners are also encouraged to track engagement using free tools like Instagram Insights or Google Analytics to get more insights into what content works best. Moreover, the study also recommends creating digital literacy training programs for women entrepreneurs. Community-based workshops, video tutorials in local languages, and mentorship programs could be valuable in helping women use digital platforms more confidently. Local governments, business groups, and NGOs can play a key role in delivering support of this nature.
Conclusion: Digital Marketing as an Empowerment Tool
Companies, whether big or small, adopt modern digital marketing strategies to promote their brands/business across the world without geographical limitations. In small businesses, modern digital marketing has eased the process of marketing and promotions. For Women led bakery owners digital marketing is not just about selling cakes, but it is about empowering women entrepreneurs to turn their passion into sustainable businesses. Even with limited budgets and resources, these entrepreneurs can harness platforms like Instagram, WhatsApp, and Google to manage their business independently, connect with customers, and compete with larger brands. The flexibility of digital platforms allows women to run successful businesses while simultaneously handling domestic chores.
Through the lens of AIDA and Customer Engagement Theory, one can see those small actions like posting an image of a cake, improving search exposure, or commenting on a customer’s comment can contribute significantly to business growth. These interactions build trust, encourage interest, and create long-term connections. Most importantly, they help women become entrepreneurs. Digital marketing when applied well and with heart, is a bridge between skill and success. For small bakeries owned by women, it offers a path to visibility, financial independence, and community recognition. By embracing digital tools, As, increasing numbers of women are stepping into entrepreneurship, embracing digital tools will be essential not just for survival, but for creating businesses that thrive in the digital age.
