Modern Research in Decision Making

Evaluation of the Efficiency of Digital Marketing Strategies Using Data Envelopment Analysis Approach

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Neda Karimi

Assistant Professor, Department of Industrial Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, East Guilan, University of Guilan, Iran

Abstract
With the rapid expansion of digital technologies, organizations face a growing diversity of digital marketing strategies whose relative efficiency has rarely been compared through systematic quantitative approaches. Decision-making regarding the selection and resource allocation among these strategies—especially in emerging markets such as Iran—requires a reliable analytical method for performance assessment and optimization. This study aimed to evaluate the relative efficiency of digital marketing strategies using a hybrid approach that integrates the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). Based on a systematic literature review and the opinions of seven digital marketing experts, five input criteria (cost, time, human resources, number of campaigns, and technical complexity) and four output criteria (conversion rate, revenue, website traffic, and brand awareness) were identified. Data for eight major digital marketing strategies were generated through Monte Carlo simulation and validated against industry benchmarks by expert review. The input-oriented DEA model showed that content marketing achieved the highest level of technical efficiency. Incorporating AHP-derived weights provided more realistic rank estimation by constraining irrational weight distributions in the traditional DEA model. The novelty of this research lies in the quantitative evaluation of emerging digital marketing approaches—including influencer, video, and affiliate marketing—alongside traditional strategies, offering a data-driven managerial toolkit for evidence-based marketing decisions. The findings provide practical guidance for optimizing budget allocation and improving performance efficiency across diverse digital marketing channels.

Keywords

Data Envelopment Analysis
Analytic Hierarchy Process
Digital Marketing
Efficiency Evaluation
Multi-criteria Decision Making
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