Abstract
The rapid expansion of digital communication technologies has significantly transformed the nature of contemporary business practices, particularly in the domain of marketing. Among the various digital tools available to entrepreneurs, social media has emerged as one of the most accessible and influential platforms for business promotion, customer engagement, and brand building. This study examines the impact of social media marketing on the business performance of women-owned enterprises in Karnataka. It focuses on the ways in which women entrepreneurs use social media platforms to improve visibility, strengthen customer relationships, and enhance sales outcomes in an increasingly competitive market environment. Karnataka provides an important setting for this analysis because of its growing digital economy, vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem, and increasing participation of women in micro, small, and emerging enterprises. The study is based on both secondary and primary sources of data. Secondary data were drawn from government reports, entrepreneurship literature, and studies on digital marketing and women’s enterprise development. Primary data were collected from 120 women entrepreneurs across Karnataka to understand patterns of social media use and its relationship to business performance. The findings reveal that social media marketing has become a significant tool for women-owned enterprises in improving customer interaction, increasing brand visibility, and supporting sales growth. Organic posting is the most widely used strategy, while paid advertising and influencer-based promotion are less frequently adopted. The study also finds that the effectiveness of social media marketing depends heavily on the entrepreneur’s level of digital awareness, marketing strategy, and ability to use online tools purposefully. The article concludes that social media offers substantial opportunities for women entrepreneurs, but its full potential can only be realized through structured digital marketing training, branding awareness, and the effective use of analytics and platform-specific strategies.