research topic in marketing management

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71+ Research Paper Topics & Ideas for Marketing Students

As a marketing student, you probably have access to a plethora of resources such as your college library and of course, the internet, to come up with great research paper topics.

However, the thought of writing your research paper can be daunting, especially if you’re still brainstorming and don’t know what to write about.

Just like any other piece of writing, start by keeping your audience in mind. Then, make a list of research paper topics that are more relevant to your interests, or a new under-developed field (for example; augmented reality, or people sentiments towards Artificial Intelligence), or a unique research topic that intrigues your audience.

But if you’re still struggling to pin down one out of the many research paper topics for your program, we’ll suggest a number of them for you to either choose from; or for you to take inspiration from and come up with your own.

Table of Contents

How to Choose the Best Research Paper Topics

Before we dive into the details, you’ll have to familiarize yourself with the basics. For starters, pick up a pen and paper and brainstorm different topics that you’d like to write about.

While personal interest is definitely important, we also suggest you opt for a topic that will intrigue your readers. Here are a couple of factors you ought to keep in mind while selecting a topic:

Keeping your personal interest in mind

You probably won’t be able to write a stellar research paper if you’re not interested in the topic. Sit down with your peers and advisors to discuss possible ideas. It will be easier for you to discuss different themes once you’ve written down all your ideas in one place. If you’ve decided on a specific keyword for instance “consumer behaviour”, you can look for similar research papers on the internet.

A research paper isn’t a descriptive essay which you can drag aimlessly. Your research paper needs to be based on factual data and that’s only possible if you’ve conducted thorough research. While jotting down points for your first draft, ensure your statements are supported with references or examples citing credible academicals and research work.

Don’t leave it till the last day

A lot of students tend to undermine the writing process and leave for the last few days. Bear in mind that you can’t possibly write your entire research paper overnight. In order to succeed, you’ll have to devote sufficient amount of time to research.

Also, be prepared to schedule meetings with your advisor on a regular basis as you’re bound to require help along the way. At this point, make sure you only rely on credible sources that will support your dissertation.

Examples & List of Research Paper Topics

If you’re still unable to decide a topic of your interest, here is a list of 70 unique marketing research topics that you can use as marketing project topics for your MBA, or any other marketing course:

How do organizations use CSR ( corporate social responsibility ) to reinforce brand equity?
What manipulation tactics do brands use to get more customers?
How can brand image be communicated via social media marketing?
How can social media impact the buying choices of shoppers?
Are consumers equipped to shield themselves from direct marketing strategies?
Determine and analyze consumer buying behavior for [product name]
How does advertising impact consumer behaviour?
How does family orientation impact marketing communications?
What characteristics do buyers look for when purchasing a product online?
How does global marketing incorporate standardization?
What attributes do consumers look for when comparing products online?
How do financial institutions differentiate their goods and services on the basis of social class?
Is direct marketing really the most effective form of marketing?
What internet marketing trends can be expected for the future?
How to marketing strategies differ across different cultures?
Can brand advertising impact political campaigns?
How do brands exploit impulsive buying?
How does loyalty cards encourage sales and boost customer loyalty?
Can well-marketed brands get away with selling substandard quality products?
How is globalization having on impact on consumer behaviour?
Impact of brand image on customer loyalty
Brand attributes that lead to an increase in customer loyalty
Successful marketing approaches that helped break through strong market monopoly
Impact of cause marketing on brand affinity with young mothers
Effect of consumer promotions and discount offerings on brand equity
The outcomes of advertising in a recession
Influence on Social Media advertising on consumer behaviour
Effect of TV advertising on top of mind awareness
Understanding customer perceptions around event sponsorships
Does corporate social responsibility translate into sales?
Canadians perspective on being targeted with mobile ads based on their browser history
Is direct marketing welcomed by people?
Are customers able to differentiate between various mortgage offering by competing banks?
Does social media influence buying behaviour
Do people like being click baited into sponsored posts?
Understanding the impact of celebrity endorsements on ROI for CPG brands
Women’s sentiments around comparison advertising
How effective is comparison advertising to build brand equity?
Do consumers prefer purchasing routine grocery products online?
Is earned media perceived to be as important as it appears to be?
What makes people want to share content to their friends?
Understanding why content goes viral
Marketing challenges around the evolving family structures
Are we losing the emotional value and significance of money being in a cashless society?
Is centralized global marketing a good idea for brand health in local markets?
How is augmented reality going to enhance marketing experiences?
How will artificial intelligence support in making better marketing decisions?
Is immersion marketing through virtual reality technology going to be accepted?
What does the luxury auto buyer look for in a car?
How to instill a desire to purchase for customers in the luxury category
Harmful effects of advertising to kids
Impact of in-store branding on brand salience
Effect marketing strategies for restaurant businesses
Habit formation and ways to integrate new products in consumer lifestyles
Is display advertising going to die?
Can Snapchat help small business grow?
How do customers perceive the brand who advertise on Instagram?
The impact of humour in advertising
Do customers pay attention to nutrition labels?
What triggers impulse buying behaviour
Essentials to sky rocket a new brand to heights of awareness
The factors that lead to customer satisfaction in young adults
Elements that help build an emotional connection with your audience
How do males and females differ in their buying behaviour of mobile phones
Does language targeting help in ethnic advertising?
Customer Perceptions: Are well known brands good in quality?
Is radio still an effective method of advertising?
Rural vs Urban marketing challenges to be mindful of
Impact of internal branding on employee retention and turnover
An in-depth analysis of political marketing in Canada

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Research Topics & Ideas: Marketing

50+ Marketing Research Topic Ideas To Fast-Track Your Project

Marketing and advertising-based research topics

Finding and choosing a strong research topic is the critical first step when it comes to crafting a high-quality dissertation, thesis or research project. If you’ve landed on this post, chances are you’re looking for a marketing-related research topic , but aren’t sure where to start. If so, you’ve come to the right place.

Here, we’ll explore a variety of marketing-related research ideas and topic thought-starters, covering both traditional marketing (offline media) and digital marketing (including social media marketing, content marketing and the like). We’ll also look at actual dissertations and theses from marketing students to give you a view of what a well-defined research topic looks like.

NB – This is just the start…

The topic ideation and evaluation process has multiple steps . In this post, we’ll kickstart the process by sharing some research topic ideas within the marketing domain. This is the starting point, but to develop a well-defined research topic, you’ll need to identify a clear and convincing research gap , along with a well-justified plan of action to fill that gap.

If you’re new to the oftentimes perplexing world of research, or if this is your first time undertaking a formal academic research project, be sure to check out our free dissertation mini-course. In it, we cover the process of writing a dissertation or thesis from start to end. Be sure to also sign up for our free webinar that explores how to find a high-quality research topic.

Overview: Marketing-Related Topics

How to find a research topic (video)
Traditional (offline) marketing topics/ideas
Digital (online) marketing topics/ideas
Examples of actual dissertation topics
Free Webinar : Topic Ideation 101
Where to get extra help

How To Find A Research Topic

Before we look at specific research ideas and topics, it’s useful to first understand what the topic ideation process entails and how to go about finding and refining viable topic ideas. In the video below, we cover exactly that. So, if you’re a first-time researcher, be sure to watch this tutorial before jumping into the collection of marketing research topics we present below.

Now that you’ve got a big-picture view of the topic ideation process, we can dive into a few research ideas to get your creative juices flowing. Please note that these research topic ideas are intentionally broad and generic, so you will need to refine them a fair deal using the techniques we discussed in the video above.

To make life a little easier for you, we’ve grouped the topic ideas based on two main categories – traditional marketing and digital / online marketing . For the latter, we’ve divided it up into a few subcategories, including social media marketing, content marketing and search marketing. That said, there is naturally some overlap between topics, so keep this in mind.

Research Ideas: Traditional Marketing

The perceived effectiveness of different types of direct mail campaigns (e.g., postcards, catalogues, brochures) among small business owners in New York
The perception and use of traditional marketing in creating and nurturing customer loyalty and retention among UK Financial Firms.
The impact of demographic targeting on traditional marketing performance among green businesses
The perception of different types of sales promotion (e.g., discounts, coupons, contests) among GenZ consumers
The continued use of celebrity endorsements in traditional marketing campaigns, post-2020.
Exploring factors related to outdoor advertising recall in India
Measuring the ROI of traditional marketing efforts: a review of current methods
Comparing the effectiveness of different traditional media channels (e.g., television, radio, print) in driving engagement and conversions among established brands
The use of public relations in traditional marketing campaigns among large insurance companies
The role of event marketing in building brand awareness and engagement: perceptions among marketing professionals in the UK

Free Webinar: How To Find A Dissertation Research Topic

Research Ideas: Digital/Online Marketing

Social media marketing

The use of artificial intelligence in social media marketing among online fashion companies in Sweden
The impact of social media on public relations and media relations: a Case Study of Nandos
The role of Twitter in crisis communication and reputation management: a discourse analysis
The impact of social media influencer presence on brand loyalty and customer retention among Gen X.
The use of social media for market research and consumer insights among SMEs in Kenya
The impact of social media on consumer buying behaviour of fast food in Italy
The challenges and opportunities of social media in global and multicultural marketing: perceptions of marketing departments in large corporations
The relationship between social media engagement and website traffic: an analysis of fitness brands
The effectiveness of influencer marketing on social media platforms for household cleaning products in the UK
The perceptions and understanding of paid vs organic social media advertising among Gen Z consumers in San Francisco

Content marketing

The use and understanding of micro-moments in creating personalized content experiences among content creators in the USA
Comparing the effectiveness of methods of personalization of content marketing: an evaluation of best practice
The experiences and use of SEO in content marketing strategy among small online businesses
The use of social media influencers in content marketing campaigns: a Case Study of Hello Fresh
Comparing different content distribution channels for different types of content: perceptions of best practices among content marketing experts
The use of user-generated content in building brand trust and engagement among green companies in the UK
Measuring the ROI of content marketing efforts among luxury brands
The perception and use of Chat GPT in content creation among small online businesses
The perceptions of interactive and immersive content formats (e.g., virtual reality, augmented reality) in marketing among consumers: an experimental study
Comparing image and text-based content formats in driving engagement and conversions on social media: a multi-case study of NGOs

Search engine marketing

The effectiveness of different ad formats (e.g., text ads, shopping ads, video ads) in Search Engine Marketing for tourist destinations
The impact of search engine algorithm updates on Search Engine Marketing performance – who are the winners and losers?
The perception and use of AI and machine learning in Search Engine Marketing strategy and bidding optimization within a UK marketing agency
The use of voice search and its impact on Search Engine Marketing among food retailers in Switzerland
The role of local SEO in driving brick-and-mortar sales: a case study of a local fashion outlet in France
The impact of mobile optimization on Search Engine Marketing performance and conversion rates in Nigeria
Comparing analytical tools for measuring ROI of Search Engine Marketing campaigns
The effectiveness of different types of keywords and search queries in driving traffic towards restaurants in Italy
The use of remarketing and retargeting in search engine marketing campaigns among marketers
The understanding and use of schema markup and structured data in improving Search engine marketing performance among Start-Ups

Research Topic Kickstarter - Need Help Finding A Research Topic?

Email marketing

The perception and use of AI and machine learning in email marketing among NGOs: a focus on personalized content and dynamic segmentation
The effectiveness of email subject line strategies in driving open and click-through rates: an experimental study
Comparing A/B testing and multivariate testing in improving email marketing performance: a case study
The use of personalization on email marketing performance among craft bloggers
The impact of automated email marketing among local online retailers on customer loyalty and retention
The use of automation and triggered emails in increasing engagement and conversion rates for online courses
The perception and understanding of GDPR and other data privacy regulations on email marketing among SMEs
The role of mobile optimization in email marketing targeting Gen Z consumers
The challenges of measuring the ROI of email marketing campaigns: perceptions of SMEs
The effectiveness of different email formats (e.g., text-based, HTML, interactive) in driving engagement: A/B testing for a small online retailer

Marketing-Related Dissertations & Theses

While the ideas we’ve presented above are a decent starting point for finding marketing-related research topic, they are fairly generic and non-specific. So, it helps to look at actual dissertations and theses to see how this all comes together.

Below, we’ve included a selection of research projects from various marketing-related degree programs to help refine your thinking. These are actual dissertations and theses, written as part of Master’s and PhD-level programs, so they can provide some useful insight as to what a research topic looks like in practice.

The Influences of Brand Personality, Culture, and Social Media on Iconic Brand Preferences (Whelan, 2021)
Customer Success and the Transformation of Customer Relationships (Raines, 2022)
The Effects of Online Incentivized Reviews on Organic Review Ratings (Jeong, 2020)
Are You For Real? The Consumption-Driven Self-Authentication Process And Its Effects On Perceived Brand Authenticity (Kuchmaner, 2020)
You Are What You Eat: How Food Texture And Packaging Influence Consumer Well-Being (Ning, 2020)
Social Dialogic Listening: Connecting Marketing Activity To Strategy (Collins, 2020)
Millennials’ Attitudes Towards Influencer Marketing And Purchase Intentions (Yu, 2019)
Cannibalization between Two Mercedes-Benz Models and Consumer Behavior (Ma, 2020)
Selling and Buying Aspects of Used Products That Are Brand Anthropomorphized (Kim, 2019)
Global Identity: Conceptualization, Measurement, And Implications For Marketing Strategy (Yoruk, 2022)
The Intersection of Organizational Frontline Marketing and a High-Tech World (Krotz, 2021)
The Unexplored Impacts of Communication Elements in Marketing (Trinh, 2022)
Founder Social Identity As A Predictor Of Customer And Competitor Orientation In Small And Medium-Sized Enterprises (Rutherford, 2021)

Looking at these titles, you can probably pick up that the research topics here are far more specific and narrowly-focused , compared to the generic ones presented earlier. This is an important thing to keep in mind as you develop your own research topic. That is to say, to create a top-notch research topic, you must be precise and target a specific context with specific variables of interest . In other words, you need to identify a clear, well-justified research gap.

Fast-Track Your Research Topic

If you’re still feeling a bit unsure about how to find a research topic for your marketing dissertation or thesis, check out our 1-on-1 private coaching services below.