Primus Partners is proud to present its latest report ‘Empowering Small Businesses through Digital Advertising’. Small and medium businesses (SMBs) are the foundation of India’s entrepreneurial economy. With rising internet usage and growing digital participation, digital advertising has emerged as a critical tool for these businesses to find customers, grow revenue, and build their brand presence, often at lower costs than traditional methods. While many SMBs have begun exploring digital platforms, a large segment still finds it difficult to unlock the full benefits. Some rely on just one or two platforms; others remain dependent on external agencies without deep visibility into campaign performance. There is also a clear knowledge and skill gap when it comes to choosing the right mix of advertising formats, understanding audience behaviour, or measuring returns.
At the same time, the digital advertising landscape is evolving rapidly. AI is making it possible to personalise campaigns, optimise bidding, and generate content at scale. These advances present exciting opportunities, but they also bring concerns about trust, cost, misinformation, and brand safety, especially for smaller businesses with fewer resources. To ensure small businesses can thrive in this new digital environment, it is essential to understand the current adoption landscape, address implementation and skilling barriers, and identify policy and ecosystem support that can help them grow with confidence.
The study involved a quantitative survey of over 1000 MSMEs & startups in India as well as comprehensive interviews with a diverse range of stakeholders, including industry players, MSME and startup founders, and policy experts. Our goal was to gather a multistakeholder perspective, ensuring a well-rounded and in-depth understanding.
Last year, our report ‘Unpacking the Impact of Online Ads on MSMEs and Startups: A Multistakeholder Perspective’ was officially unveiled in December 2024, serving as the precursor to this year’s report. The objective of the report was to explore and assess the role of online advertising in enabling Indian MSMEs to expand their growth and market competitiveness.
