Understanding the essential components of digital readiness for tourism SMEs participating in Visit Victoria's "Click for Vic" campaign.

Acknowledgements

I am deeply grateful to my supervisor, Dr. Louise Curham, for her unwavering guidance, support, and care throughout this research journey. Your curiosity, belief in my abilities, and empowering encouragement have transformed my thinking in ways I never imagined possible. Your mentorship has been a constant source of inspiration, and without your thoughtful guidance, this work would not have come to life. Thank you for helping me unlock potential I never thought I could achieve in my lifetime.Extended gratitude the two businesses that generously agreed to be interviewed, The Walkabout Hive and Green Olive at Red Hill, thank you for your invaluable contributions. Your openness and willingness to share your experiences enriched this study immeasurably. This paper is stronger for having captured your insights, and I am deeply grateful for your trust and participation.

To the Victorian tourism industry, which endured the world’s longest lockdowns and emerged stronger on the other side, this research is dedicated to you. I hope these findings offer a practical base for us to prepare, improve, and grow as we continue to shape a better future for the Australian Visitor Economy and the generations to come. This work is also a tribute to Dr. Joanne Pyke, who was so much more than an incredible academic contributor to the visitor economy. Her work, insights and unwavering dedication have inspired so many and left a lasting impact on the field. It is deeply saddening that I cannot share this with her, but her legacy will continue to resonate, guiding our efforts and understanding well into the future.

Finally, to my beloved family, Evan, Olina, Constance, and Leo, thank you from the bottom of my heart for your endless support, patience, and understanding. You sacrificed precious time together and gave me the space I needed to dedicate myself fully to this project. Your faith kept me grounded and determined, even during the most challenging moments. This achievement is as much yours as it is mine, and I am eternally grateful for your love and encouragement.

Declaration

To the best of my knowledge and belief this dissertation contains no material previously published by any other person except where due acknowledgment has been made.

This dissertation contains no material which has been accepted for the award of any other degree or diploma in any university.

Human Ethics The research presented and reported in this thesis was conducted in accordance with the National Health and Medical Research Council National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research (2007) – updated March 2014. The proposed research study received human research ethics approval from the Curtin University Human Research Ethics Committee (EC00262), Approval Number #HRE2024-0569

Date: 5 November 2024      

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of digital readiness for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), especially within the tourism, agriculture, and hospitality sectors. This study focuses on the Click for Vic campaign launched by Visit Victoria as a response to the pandemic, which leveraged digital platforms to promote local products and support SMEs during this crisis. The research examines the essential components of digital readiness, including technological infrastructure, digital marketing skills, and e-commerce capabilities, through a mixed-method approach combining qualitative and quantitative data.

Case studies of selected SMEs, such as Grampians Olive Co., Saltbush Kitchen, Gippsland Jersey, The Walkabout Apiaries, and Green Olive at Red Hill, provide insights into the varying impacts of the campaign based on each business's digital maturity. Notably, the findings reveal contrasting experiences: The Walkabout Apiaries, a business with low digital readiness, saw a significant spike in online orders through the campaign but faced challenges managing logistics. In contrast, Green Olive at Red Hill, with an advanced digital strategy, attributed minimal sales directly to the campaign, as most of their online success was achieved through independent efforts.

The study also highlights that community-driven campaigns like Click for Vic not only provide economic benefits but also foster a sense of solidarity among local businesses and consumers. The qualitative analysis further emphasised that tailored digital campaigns and strategic support are necessary to meet the needs of businesses at different stages of digital maturity. The research concludes with recommendations for future campaigns to offer differentiated support based on digital readiness levels and identifies opportunities for future qualitative research to expand these insights.

This dissertation contributes to the field of digital transformation by providing actionable insights for designing more effective digital initiatives in the tourism sector. It concludes that campaigns like Click for Vic should integrate long-term strategies that align front-end visibility with backend operational capabilities, ensuring sustained benefits for SMEs across varying levels of digital readiness.

An ethics clearance was secured late in the project and an opportunity remains for future qualitative research to deepen these insights and further explore how SMEs can enhance their digital strategies to thrive in both crisis and non-crisis environments.

1. Introduction 

In an increasingly interconnected world, digital transformation has become essential to the survival and growth of businesses, particularly in the tourism, event and hospitality sectors. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of digital readiness, forcing businesses, especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), to transition to digital platforms to maintain operations. These businesses faced significant challenges within the tourism, event and hospitality sectors, including travel restrictions, lockdowns, and limited customer engagement. To support local businesses in this challenging period, the Victorian government introduced the Click for Vic campaign, a digital initiative to promote local products and encourage online purchases through enhanced digital marketing strategies (Andrews, D. 2020).

With over two decades of professional experience in tourism operations management, I bring an insider’s perspective to understanding the critical role of digital readiness in business continuity and resilience. My work has spanned diverse tourism landscapes, providing insights into the operational, marketing, and strategic aspects required for businesses to thrive. This dissertation leverages my experience to explore how SMEs participating in the Click for Vic campaign responded to the pandemic by developing digital capabilities and how varying levels of digital readiness influenced their performance.

The Click for Vic campaign serves as an ideal case study for examining the components of digital readiness required for SMEs in times of crisis. While digital engagement allowed businesses to sustain customer relationships during the pandemic, not all SMEs experienced the campaign’s benefits equally. Some companies, with minimal prior investment in e-commerce platforms, saw a significant boost in online traffic but struggled with logistics and fulfilment. In contrast, digitally mature enterprises found limited additional value from the campaign, as their existing online infrastructure already supported robust sales. This study seeks to understand how these differing levels of digital maturity impacted SMEs' outcomes during the campaign and what lessons can be drawn to guide future digital initiatives.

Research Question

How do varying levels of digital readiness affect the outcomes of tourism SMEs participating in community-driven digital campaigns, such as Click for Vic?

This question focuses on identifying key components of digital readiness, such as infrastructure, digital marketing skills, and e-commerce capabilities and how these elements influence business resilience. The outcomes provided valuable insights into designing more targeted campaigns that accommodate tourism SMEs at different stages of digital maturity.

2. Literature Review

2.1 Defining Digital Readiness for Tourism SMEs

Digital readiness refers to an organisation's capacity to adopt, integrate, and utilise digital technologies to achieve operational efficiency and strategic objectives encompassing technological sense-making, agility, and implementation (Pingali et al., 2023). For tourism SMEs, this involves more than just creating an online presence, it requires a combination of infrastructure, digital skills, and adaptable business models (Dredge et al., 2018). However, many SMEs face challenges such as limited financial resources, technical expertise, and operational bottlenecks, particularly those in rural areas including everything from limited resources to cultural resistance to change (Ramadhany et al., 2022). While businesses with higher digital maturity, those employing tools like Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems and e-commerce platforms, tend to perform better during crises, less digitally prepared SMEs struggle to capitalise on new opportunities (Silva et al., 2022). The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted these disparities, with some SMEs quickly pivoting online while others faced setbacks in logistics and customer engagement (Ketter & Avraham, 2021). This variation highlights the need for differentiated support frameworks that align with varying levels of digital readiness particularly highlighting the challenges and barriers SMEs face in the tourism sector to ensure inclusive participation in initiatives like Click for Vic (Hernández Sánchez & Oskam, 2022). Addressing these challenges is essential for fostering digital resilience and enabling tourism SMEs to thrive in an increasingly competitive and digital environment.

2.2 Components of Digital Readiness

The literature emphasises that digital readiness comprises both technical and organisational dimensions. Silva et al. (2022) proposes the Digitalisation Organisational Readiness Assessment Model (DORAM), which identifies five critical components: strategy, market orientation, business models, organisational capabilities, and operational processes. Similarly, Pingali et al. (2023) identify agility, sensemaking, and strategic implementation as key dimensions essential for fostering sustainable digital operations. Employee engagement and leadership support are also pivotal for transformation, as continuous learning and adaptability are necessary to manage evolving technological landscapes effectively (Sharma & Sharma, 2024).

2.3 Challenges in Digital Transformation among Tourism SMEs

Tourism SMEs often encounter several barriers to achieving digital transformation, including limited financial resources, lack of digital skills, and infrastructural constraints (Popescu, 2018). Financial limitations are particularly significant, as SMEs struggle to allocate capital toward new technology investments without external support (Silva et al., 2022). Additionally, many tourism SMEs face challenges integrating digital systems into existing operations, resulting in fragmented workflows that reduce efficiency (Redjeki et al., 2021). For SMEs in rural areas, connectivity issues and inadequate government support further hinder digital adoption (Ramadhany et al., 2022).

The Technology Organisation Environment (TOE) framework and Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) highlight organisational, technological, and external pressures as determinants of digital adoption (Abate et al., 2024). These include managerial commitment, government regulations, and customer pressure, all of which shape an SME’s ability to adopt digital marketing technologies effectively. Research suggests that convenience, government policies, and customer feedback significantly impact the perceived ease of use (PEOU) and usefulness of digital technologies, thereby influencing adoption decisions (Abate et al., 2024).

2.4 Digital Readiness and Community-Driven Campaigns

Community-driven campaigns, such as Click for Vic, exemplify the role of digital readiness in enabling SMEs to connect with broader customer bases through digital platforms (Andrews, D. 2020). These initiatives provide opportunities for tourism SMEs to engage with new markets, but their success largely depends on the pre-existing digital infrastructure and readiness of participating businesses (Hernández Sánchez & Oskam, 2022). More digitally mature SMEs experience fewer logistical and operational challenges and are better equipped to leverage digital campaigns for growth (Silva et al., 2022).

Government support, mentoring programs, and financial incentives are critical to enabling SMEs with lower digital capabilities to participate meaningfully in these campaigns. Dredge et al. (2018) emphasise that public-private collaborations are essential to fostering inclusive growth, ensuring that all SMEs, regardless of their digital maturity, benefit from these initiatives.

2.5 Crisis Response and Digital Agility

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for digital agility and readiness among tourism SMEs. Businesses with well-established digital operations adapted swiftly to changing circumstances, implementing contactless payments, virtual tours, and automated customer services (Georgiou, 2021). In contrast, SMEs that lacked digital infrastructure struggled to maintain operations, exposing critical vulnerabilities that hindered their recovery. In Victoria, Australia, SMEs that invested in digital tools before the pandemic demonstrated greater resilience, sustaining operations, and engaging with customers through online channels (Pyke et al., 2021).

Digital agility, characterised by the ability to respond quickly to market shifts, is a key determinant of long-term resilience. According to Abate et al. (2024), managerial commitment and government policies are essential in promoting the adoption of digital marketing technologies, ensuring that SMEs remain competitive and sustainable in evolving market conditions.

2.6 Addressing the Digital Readiness Gap

The effectiveness of digital campaigns and recovery efforts depends on narrowing the digital readiness gap between SMEs with high and low digital capabilities. Targeted interventions, such as training programs and financial incentives, are crucial for supporting businesses with limited digital infrastructure (Pingali et al., 2023). Additionally, fostering collaboration among government agencies, tourism boards, and SMEs is essential to building network capacity and promoting inclusive growth (Dredge et al., 2018).

The literature also emphasises the importance of continuous investment in digital infrastructure, skills development, and leadership to build sustainable business models that can withstand future disruptions. Through proactive policy interventions and coordinated support frameworks, SMEs can bridge the digital readiness gap and enhance their participation in future digital campaigns (Silva et al., 2022).

2.7 Conclusion

This literature review demonstrates that digital readiness influences the resilience and competitiveness of tourism SMEs. It highlights the importance of a comprehensive approach that integrates financial support, skill development, and government interventions to ensure that all SMEs benefit from digital transformation initiatives. Campaigns like Click for Vic highlight both the potential and challenges of leveraging digital technologies for regional tourism growth. Addressing the digital readiness gap through targeted policies and collaborative efforts ensures that tourism SMEs are well-prepared to navigate future disruptions and thrive in a digital visitor economy.

3. Research Methodology

This study uses a mixed-methods research approach to explore the impact of varying levels of digital readiness on the performance of SMEs during the Click for Vic campaign. Mixed methods offer a comprehensive perspective by integrating qualitative insights with quantitative data to capture both the subjective experiences of businesses and measurable performance metrics (Bowen, 2009). This dual approach ensures that the study addresses the complexity of digital readiness and its implications effectively, providing robust and triangulated findings.

3.1 Research Design and Approach

This study employs a mixed-methods design that integrates qualitative thematic analysis and quantitative SEO metrics to explore how varying levels of digital readiness influenced the performance of SMEs during the Click for Vic campaign. This approach provides a comprehensive understanding of both the subjective experiences of businesses and measurable outcomes, ensuring triangulation, the validation of results is seen through multiple data sources (Bowen, 2009; Ketter & Avraham, 2021).

3.1.1 Qualitative Component: Document Analysis and Structured Interviews

The qualitative component combines document analysis with structured interviews to capture insights into SMEs' digital strategies, operational challenges, and engagement with the campaign:

●      Document Analysis: Public materials related to the Click for Vic campaign, such as government reports, SME websites, social media posts, and promotional videos, were systematically reviewed to uncover patterns in digital infrastructure, marketing strategies, and operational challenges (Bowen, 2009). Document analysis provides historical context and helps identify recurring themes in how businesses engaged with the campaign.

●      Structured Interviews: Ethics clearance for this study has been granted by Curtin University (Appendix A). Structured interviews with SME owners, managers, and tourism industry stakeholders complement the document analysis by providing deeper insights into their experiences with digital transformation. These interviews explore operational barriers, decision-making processes, and reflections on the effectiveness of the Click for Vic campaign, offering valuable perspectives that are not accessible through secondary data alone (Ketter & Avraham, 2021).

●      Thematic Analysis: Drawing on the principles of qualitative research methods like document analysis (Bowen, 2009), a thematic analysis approach was applied to the qualitative data gathered from both document analysis and interviews. This method identified, analysed, and reported patterns (themes) within the data, providing a deeper understanding of recurring concepts, such as e-commerce adoption, marketing practices, and logistical challenges. This analytical process ensured that the findings are grounded in the data and contribute to a deeper understanding of digital readiness and SME engagement. 

This qualitative approach ensures rich thematic analysis, with key themes, such as e-commerce adoption, marketing practices, and logistical challenges emerging organically from the data (Bowen, 2009). Interviews provide depth, revealing nuanced perspectives on digital readiness and SME engagement throughout the campaign.

3.1.2 Quantitative Component: SEO Metrics Analysis

The quantitative component employs SEO tools and web analytics to assess SMEs' digital performance before, during, and after the campaign:

1.     Pre-campaign: Establishes baseline metrics, such as web traffic, session duration, and click-through rates.

2.     During campaign: Captures the immediate impact on digital engagement, including increases in page views and referral traffic.

3.     Post-campaign: Evaluates the sustainability of digital efforts by monitoring long-term trends in bounce rates, traffic, and session times.

SEO metrics provide objective measurements of how SMEs with varying degrees of digital readiness performed throughout the campaign, complementing the qualitative findings with data-driven insights (Yang & Lin, 2022).

3.1.3 Integrated Research Approach

Combining qualitative and quantitative methods provides both a rich, detailed understanding and a strong basis for confident conclusions. Document analysis and interviews provide experiential insights, while SEO data captures measurable trends in digital engagement. This mixed-methods design ensures the validity of findings through triangulation, enriching the understanding of how digital readiness influenced campaign outcomes (Bowen, 2009).

This approach aligns with Ketter and Avraham’s (2021) recommendation to integrate stakeholder perspectives with performance data in tourism research. It also follows Yang and Lin’s (2022) argument that digital readiness requires both qualitative insight into operational practices and quantitative analysis of measurable results. By combining these methods, the study offers actionable insights into the role of digital readiness in community-driven tourism campaigns.

3.3 Data Collection Methods

This study employs a mixed-methods approach, integrating both qualitative and quantitative methods. The qualitative component utilises document analysis, a systematic procedure for reviewing documents to derive meaning and generate empirical knowledge. As noted by Bowen (2009), the increasing use of document analysis in research is evident in the growing number of reports and articles incorporating this method. The study also utilises quantitative methods to enhance the comprehensiveness of the research. This blend of qualitative and quantitative approaches allows for a more thorough exploration and analysis, resulting in more insightful findings.

3.3.1 Document Analysis and Small Business Selection

Document analysis involves systematically reviewing publicly available materials related to the Click for Vic campaign, such as:

●      Campaign webpages and archived promotional content.

●      YouTube videos (e.g., "Meet the People Behind Your Favourite Victorian Made Products").

●      Social media posts and customer reviews from participating SMEs.

●      Government reports and other publicly accessible documents.

Document analysis offers unobtrusive access to historical data, providing essential insights into the digital strategies, customer engagement, and operational challenges faced by SMEs during the campaign (Bowen, 2009). This method is especially relevant for tourism research, as it allows for a detailed examination of businesses' activities and online presence without requiring direct SME participation.

The study adopts a small business selection strategy, focusing on SMEs with varying levels of digital readiness across the tourism, hospitality, and event sectors. This approach ensures the inclusion of businesses with diverse digital infrastructures, including those with advanced e-commerce platforms and others with minimal online presence. Selecting this range of cases helps compare businesses that benefited from the campaign with those that faced challenges.

3.3.2 Structured Interviews

To enhance understanding derived from the document analysis, semi-structured interviews were conducted with SME owners, managers, and industry stakeholders who participated in the campaign. Semi-structured interviews offer a valuable method for gathering qualitative data by striking a balance between a predetermined set of questions and the adaptability to pursue emergent themes (Hernández Sánchez & Oskam, 2022). This structured yet flexible approach is valuable for exploring complex topics and gaining insights into participants' experiences and perspectives. As noted by Sharma and Sharma (2024), "Semi-structured interviews offer a balance between predetermined questions and flexibility for follow-up questions" (p. 10), allowing the ability to gather both comprehensive and in-depth data.

These interviews aim to capture firsthand experiences, focusing on challenges faced during the campaign. Open-ended questions (Appendix D) were be used to encourage participants to express themselves using their own words. This approach promotes rich, detailed responses that provide a deeper understanding of the participants' experiences and perspectives. Participants were asked to reflect on topics such as digital transformation efforts, marketing strategies, operational difficulties, and customer engagement during the campaign. The use of open-ended questions encourages participants to elaborate on their experiences, providing a more comprehensive understanding of the challenges and successes encountered during the campaign.

The recorded interviews were then be transcribed to facilitate data analysis and interpretation (Pingali et al., 2023). Transcribing interviews is a common practice in qualitative research, allowing for a thorough examination of the data and ensuring that nuances and key themes are not overlooked. The transcription process transforms spoken words into a written format, making it easier for researchers to analyse and interpret the information gathered. This systematic approach to data management aids in identifying patterns, developing themes, and drawing meaningful conclusions from the interviews.

Combining semi-structured interviews with document analysis offers a more robust research methodology supported by the sources. This combined approach is a powerful tool in qualitative research, as it allows for a more holistic and nuanced understanding of the research topic. Document analysis, in conjunction with interview data, can provide valuable contextual information and corroborate or challenge insights gained from interviews.

3.3.4 Integrated Data Collection Approach

Combining document analysis, structured interviews, and SEO-based metrics ensures a comprehensive understanding of how SMEs engaged with the campaign. By integrating these methods, we ensure that the study captures both the subjective and measurable dimensions of SME participation. This comprehensive approach leads to robust findings that effectively address the complexities of digital readiness (Silva et al., 2022). A similar approach was adopted in a study focusing on the digital readiness of SMEs in emerging markets. The researchers utilised a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods, including formal analysis, data curation, conceptualisation, and investigation, to explore the construct of digital readiness and its implications (Pingali et al., 2023).

This integrated approach aligns with the understanding that a comprehensive digital readiness evaluation requires a multifaceted perspective. It allows researchers to gain a more holistic and nuanced understanding of SME engagement in the campaign and its broader impact, leading to more robust and meaningful findings (Ketter & Avraham, 2021).

3.4 Sampling Strategy

This study employs a purposive sampling strategy to select SMEs with diverse levels of digital readiness, ensuring that the sample reflects the range of experiences during the Click for Vic campaign. Purposive sampling allows for the intentional inclusion of participants with characteristics relevant to the research focus, ensuring meaningful insights into how digital maturity influences performance outcomes.

The sample included:

●      SMEs that actively participated in the Click for Vic campaign.

●      Businesses with varying levels of digital infrastructure, including those with advanced e-commerce platforms and those with minimal online presence.

●      Where possible, a cross-section of tourism, hospitality, and event sectors to ensure sectoral diversity and capture the unique challenges of each industry.

This strategy ensures that SMEs at different stages of digital maturity are represented, enabling comparisons between businesses that benefited from the campaign and those that faced operational difficulties. In tourism research, purposive sampling is particularly effective in identifying patterns across businesses with distinct capabilities, providing actionable insights into how digital readiness impacts engagement and performance in community-driven campaigns (Ketter & Avraham, 2021).

3.5 Study Limitations

While this study provides valuable insights into how digital readiness influenced SME performance during the Click for Vic campaign, several limitations must be acknowledged:

1.     Scope of Document Analysis: A limitation of this research lies in the scope and depth of the document analysis. While a thematic approach was applied, there is room for improvement in developing a more robust understanding of document analysis methodologies. Specifically, the study did not employ a quantitative approach, such as counting occurrences of terms or analysing document formats. A more comprehensive approach that integrated both qualitative and quantitative analysis could have generated richer insights and offered a more balanced perspective. This limitation highlights an area for future research development and reflects the learning process in conducting complex qualitative research.

2.     Data Availability: This study utilised publicly available materials and SEO metrics to provide context and support for the findings derived from primary data collection methods. As noted by Bowen (2009), documents created for purposes other than research often lack the comprehensive detail needed to address specific research questions fully. Recognising this limitation, the study employed document analysis as a method for triangulating data, using the insights obtained through analysis of publicly available materials to verify and provide context for the findings from primary data sources, such as on-site observations, financial records and website data.

3.     Victorian context: The findings are specific to the Victorian context and the Click for Vic campaign. Although the insights from this research may offer valuable lessons for similar community-driven digital initiatives, differences in regional infrastructure, tourism policies, and market dynamics may limit their broader applicability. For this reason caution should be exercised when generalising the results to other regions or digital campaigns.

4.     SEO Data Limitations: While helpful for understanding online engagement, SEO data lacks the capacity to capture the intricacies of digital transformation within SMEs, specifically the subjective experiences and internal decision-making processes that drive this shift. The sources consistently highlight the importance of considering qualitative data, particularly through interviews, to understand the managerial challenges and opportunities SMEs face.Popescu (2020) noted that open-ended qualitative data offers valuable insights into the pressures, insecurities, and issues encountered by SMEs during digitalisation that quantitative metrics alone cannot capture. Similarly, Silva et al. (2022) stress the need for a multi-faceted approach to assess organisational readiness for digital transformation, recognising the significant influence of employees' subjective experiences and internal organisational dynamics. Therefore, combining quantitative SEO data with qualitative insights from interviews provides a richer and more insightful understanding of this complex phenomenon, revealing the human aspects and internal dynamics that shape digital transformation within SMEs.

5.     Mixed-Methods Constraints: While combining qualitative and quantitative methods gave a more complete understanding of SME digital transformation, this approach still has its limitations. It could not fully capture all the complexities and may have left some gaps or unaccounted influences in the findings. Future research could address these limitations by using additional data sources, such as longer-term studies or more detailed case studies, to provide more comprehensive insights.

In summary, while the study successfully triangulated data from multiple sources to enhance trustworthiness and provide insights, it acknowledges that improvements could be made, particularly in refining document analysis techniques and integrating more diverse data sources. These limitations highlight the importance of continuous methodological development and the potential for future research to build on this foundational work.

4. Data Analysis and Results

This section presents a comprehensive analysis of three distinct datasets that were methodically chosen to examine the impact and effectiveness of the Click for Vic campaign on various small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the tourism and hospitality sector. The datasets include (1) small business selection based on qualitative content from key campaign materials, (2) website traffic data over a five-year period derived from archival web metrics, and (3) interview data from SME representatives who participated in the campaign.

Each dataset offers unique insights: the first dataset analyses campaign videos to explore how SMEs engaged with and leveraged the Click for Vic initiative; the second assesses changes in digital engagement and content strategy over time; and the third dataset provides qualitative reflections from SME owners on their digital readiness and operational challenges during the campaign. Collectively, these datasets shed light on the relationship between digital maturity, campaign participation, and business resilience, forming a holistic understanding of how digital initiatives influence SMEs in a crisis context.

4.1 Dataset 1: Click for Vic Campaign, Small Business Selection

Introduction 

This section introduces Dataset 1, focusing on the selection and analysis of small businesses from the Click for Vic campaign. The dataset includes insights from three key YouTube videos and the official Click for Vic consumer website, providing a foundation for understanding how various small and medium enterprises (SMEs) engaged with and were impacted by the campaign. The small businesses selected represent a spectrum of digital readiness levels, offering a comparative view of how the campaign influenced their digital engagement and business outcomes. Selection of Videos and Website for Content Analysis

Three key YouTube videos produced by Visit Victoria were selected for this research to provide insight into the implementation and impact of the Click for Vic campaign:

1.     Click for Vic Campaign Case Study (Visit Victoria, 2020a)

2.     Meet the People Behind Your Favourite Victorian Made Products (Visit Victoria, 2020b)

3.     Meet Sallie Jones of Gippsland Jersey in East Gippsland, Victoria (Visit Victoria, 2020c)

The videos were chosen based on their relevance to the study’s focus on digital readiness, SME engagement, and campaign outcomes. These videos offer firsthand narratives from participating businesses and provide visual documentation of the campaign's impact, giving the research a robust qualitative foundation. Each selected case represents different levels of digital preparedness, allowing for comparative analysis of how varying degrees of readiness shaped participation in the campaign.

Exclusion of Alcohol-Related Businesses

The decision to exclude alcohol-related businesses from the research was made to maintain a consistent focus on SMEs that had to innovate in areas such as food production, retail, and tourism. Alcohol businesses often benefit from pre-established e-commerce platforms and specialised distribution systems, which are not easily comparable with other sectors. This decision aligns with Silva et al. (2022), who suggests a comparison of businesses within similar operational contexts could yield valuable insights. Focusing on non-alcoholic SMEs ensures a clearer analysis of how businesses that faced greater operational and digital challenges adapted to the Click for Vic campaign.

Analysis of Available Data

By integrating the insights from Visit Victoria’s videos and the consumer website, this study was able to explore the nuances of digital adoption among SMEs, providing a comprehensive understanding of their participation and outcomes within the Click for Vic campaign. This combination of visual and textual data ensured that the research was grounded in available evidence, offering a robust framework for evaluating the impact of community-driven digital initiatives on tourism SMEs.

The following section presents the selected case studies and findings derived from the content analysis of the three selected YouTube videos and the current Click for Vic website Visit Victoria. (n.d.).. Each business was evaluated based on the information available in the videos, focusing on their level of digital readiness, engagement with the campaign, and observed outcomes.

Small Business 1: Grampians Olive Co.

Grampians Olive Co. is a producer of premium olive oils. The Click for Vic campaign provided Grampians Olive Co. with a valuable opportunity to increase web traffic and enhance its digital engagement. According to the campaign video, the business leveraged its moderate digital readiness by using pre-existing online infrastructure to participate effectively (Visit Victoria, 2020a). This involvement led to a temporary increase in online visibility and customer engagement, helping the business maintain some momentum during the pandemic.

Small Business 2: Saltbush Kitchen

Saltbush Kitchen is a boutique retailer specialising in native Australian ingredients. The YouTube videos documenting the Click for Vic campaign provide insights into Saltbush Kitchen’s efforts to enhance its digital presence (Visit Victoria, 2020b). Initially exhibiting low to moderate digital readiness, Saltbush Kitchen used the campaign as a springboard to introduce new product offerings and expand its online platform. The visibility gained through the campaign allowed the business to reach a broader audience, demonstrating the potential of community-driven initiatives to drive digital growth, even among SMEs with limited prior digital experience.

Small Business 3: Gippsland Jersey

Gippsland Jersey, a dairy producer known for their ethical practices and community-centred values, leveraged the Click for Vic campaign to engage consumers through storytelling-focused marketing. According to Visit Victoria’s video (2020c) and further corroborated by (Marinos, 2020), the campaign significantly boosted the business’s visibility and customer engagement. Sallie Jones, the owner of Gippsland Jersey, reported a substantial increase in orders following the launch of the campaign, stating, “My phone has been ringing off the hook since the Premier’s announcement, and I’ve been busy packing orders ever since” (Marinos, 2020, p. 2). This immediate surge in demand illustrates the campaign's effectiveness in connecting local producers with consumers during economic uncertainty.

Small Business 4: The Walkabout Apiaries

The Walkabout Apiaries, a sustainable honey producer focusing on local markets and environmentally responsible practices, leveraged the Click for Vic campaign to enhance its digital presence. Before the campaign, the business had just launched its online store, marking a critical transition from reliance on farmers’ markets and in-person sales to e-commerce engagement. The campaign provided Walkabout Apiaries with immediate visibility and drove significant traffic to the new online platform.Small Business 5: Green Olive at Red Hill

Green Olive at Red Hill, an agritourism business offering farm-to-table dining, retail, and experiential workshops, entered the Click for Vic campaign with a solid digital foundation. Already equipped with a functional e-commerce platform and integrated digital marketing channels, Green Olive used the campaign to drive additional visibility. However, interview insights indicate that most sales were generated independently of the campaign, with pre-existing systems supporting substantial online engagement.

Findings and Implications

The findings from the Click for Vic campaign analysis demonstrate the critical role of digital readiness in determining the extent to which SMEs could benefit from community-driven digital initiatives during the COVID-19 pandemic. Businesses like Grampians Olive Co. and Green Olive at Red Hill, which already had digital infrastructure in place, could capitalise on the campaign efficiently, enhancing visibility and maintaining customer engagement. However, the outcomes reveal that the campaign’s impact varied depending on the businesses’ initial level of digital preparedness. For instance, Walkabout Apiaries benefited from early visibility, helping to build momentum for its emerging e-commerce presence.

Conclusion

The experiences of Gippsland Jersey highlight how storytelling-driven marketing through digital channels can foster meaningful consumer connections, further illustrating the potential of digital campaigns to amplify brand values and customer engagement. The surge in demand following the campaign’s launch exemplifies the capacity of community-oriented initiatives to generate immediate economic benefits for participating businesses. Across the case studies, the findings indicate that community-driven campaigns like Click for Vic not only support short-term business visibility but also encourage long-term digital transformation, especially among SMEs with limited prior digital experience. The study’s results further support the importance of designing campaigns that accommodate varying digital readiness levels, providing tailored support to businesses with different needs. Ultimately, the Click for Vic campaign highlights how regional tourism initiatives can play a pivotal role in fostering digital engagement and resilience among SMEs, promoting sustainable growth in challenging economic contexts.

4.2 Dataset 2: Analysis of Website Traffic Data Over Time

Introduction and Methodology

This section evaluates the impact of the Click for Vic campaign by analysing longitudinal web traffic data from the five selected small and medium enterprises (SMEs): Grampians Olive Co., Saltbush Kitchen, Gippsland Jersey, Walkabout Apiaries, and Green Olive at Red Hill. The dataset covers the years 2019–2023, capturing key metrics through the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine. The analysis focuses on Captures, URLs, and New URLs to measure the businesses’ digital visibility, content management, and engagement.

Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine:The Wayback Machine is a digital archive that snapshots web pages at different times. The metrics analysed in this research include:

1.     Captures: The number of times the website is archived, reflecting its updates, changes, or the frequency of crawls.

2.     URLs: The total count of unique resources (pages, images, and documents) archived within the domain. A high number of URLs suggests content diversification.

3.     New URLs: Newly introduced pages or services that were archived for the first time during a given year, indicating content expansion or new business strategies.

This dataset offers insights into each SME’s digital activity over time, shedding light on the interaction between campaign participation, business growth, and digital readiness.

Table 1: Data captured from Internet Archive WayBack Machine for Selected SMEs (2019 - 2023)

Selected SMEa	Year	Captures	URLs	New URLs
Grampians Olive Co.	2019	305	142	41
	2020	492	117	44
	2021	543	111	8
	2022	840	143	35
	2023	655	156	41
Saltbush Kitchen	2019	44	42	38
	2020	371	230	199
	2021	983	268	180
	2022	1745	347	136
	2023	4101	1917	1598
Gippsland Jersey	2019	384	278	274
	2020	1070	385	217
	2021	1234	532	440
	2022	967	193	118
	2023	3382	1523	1366
Walkabout Apiaries	2019	266	85	0
	2020	374	104	102
	2021	601	102	0
	2022	431	72	1
	2023	616	197	127
Green Olive at Red Hill	2019	2105	1215	418
	2020	3017	998	898
	2021	3685	1293	567
	2022	5043	1229	409
	2023	5704	3624	2514

Findings and Discussion:

1. Grampians Olive Co.

Grampians Olive Co. displayed consistent activity throughout the five years, with a peak of 840 captures in 2022. However, the decline in 2023 suggests difficulties in maintaining engagement beyond the campaign period. The limited growth in new URLs indicates that although content updates were consistent, the business did not aggressively expand its digital offerings. This pattern reflects moderate digital readiness, where digital strategies were employed but not fully scaled to meet post-campaign growth.

2. Saltbush Kitchen

Saltbush Kitchen experienced dramatic digital expansion, particularly in 2023, with over 1,500 new URLs added. The captures increased from just 44 in 2019 to 4,101 in 2023, highlighting the business’s active digital strategy. The surge in new URLs suggests product diversification, campaigns, or partnerships. The ability to maintain this level of engagement reflects a robust response to the campaign and indicates advanced digital readiness developed over time.

3. Gippsland Jersey

Gippsland Jersey also benefited from significant digital growth, with captures peaking at 3,382 in 2023. However, the URL fluctuation between 2021 and 2022 suggests challenges in maintaining a cohesive content strategy. The business’s use of storytelling and community engagement likely drove the increase in new URLs (1,366 in 2023), but inconsistencies in web structure hint at operational struggles. This highlights the importance of aligning front-end digital efforts with back-end logistics.

4. Walkabout Apiaries

Walkabout Apiaries saw steady capture growth, peaking in 2021, but its URL metrics reveal minimal content expansion. The lack of new URLs in 2019 and 2021 reflects limited digital development, with most growth occurring in 2023 (127 new URLs). This suggests the business may have relied on existing content during the pandemic and only began expanding its offerings post-campaign. Operational bottlenecks may have constrained growth earlier.

5. Green Olive at Red Hill

Green Olive at Red Hill demonstrated consistent digital maturity throughout the period. Captures increased steadily, reflecting continuous digital engagement, while the sharp increase in new URLs in 2023 (2,514) suggests the launch of new initiatives or product lines. This business's pre-existing digital infrastructure allowed it to handle campaign-driven traffic efficiently, although the campaign itself did not significantly impact its sales performance.

Insights from the Data Analysis

1.     Impact of the Campaign on Digital Presence:The Click for Vic campaign had a noticeable impact on all SMEs, with most businesses showing increased captures during the campaign period. However, sustaining this momentum post-campaign varied, with businesses like Grampians Olive Co. struggling to maintain engagement.

2.     Content Creation as a Growth Strategy:Saltbush Kitchen and Green Olive at Red Hill demonstrated that businesses with aggressive content strategies benefited the most from the campaign. The significant increase in new URLs for these businesses suggests that content expansion played a key role in driving engagement and visibility.

3.     Operational Challenges Affecting Sustainability:Businesses with moderate or low digital readiness, such as Walkabout Apiaries, encountered challenges in sustaining growth, reflecting the importance of aligning digital strategies with operational capacity.

4.     Variability in Digital Readiness:The data highlights that varying levels of digital readiness influenced how effectively businesses leveraged the campaign. Advanced businesses like Green Olive at Red Hill used the campaign primarily for visibility, while less mature businesses struggled with logistics despite gaining visibility.

Conclusion

The Click for Vic campaign offered critical digital exposure to SMEs but also revealed disparities in how businesses with varying digital readiness managed growth and engagement. The ability to sustain post-campaign momentum depended heavily on operational infrastructure and content strategies. Future campaigns should consider tailored support, offering logistical assistance to less mature SMEs while providing advanced tools for digitally developed enterprises. This approach ensures more inclusive and sustainable outcomes across the sector.

4.3 Dataset 3: Analysis of Interviews

Introduction and Methodology

The qualitative analysis presented here draws on interviews conducted with representatives from two SMEs: Walkabout Apiaries and Green Olive at Red Hill. The interviews explored the businesses' experiences with the Click for Vic campaign, their digital readiness, and the operational challenges encountered during the pandemic.

Finding more SMEs to conduct these interviews posed challenges, as engagement was difficult to secure despite outreach efforts through written and phone communications. With limited time available, over 20 SMEs were contacted, but only two businesses voluntarily agreed to participate. Although this limited the scope of the analysis, the insights gained offer a detailed understanding of the lived experiences of family-owned businesses navigating digital transformation.

This analysis follows a thematic approach, identifying recurring themes within the interview data. These themes illuminate the dynamics of digital readiness, operational alignment, campaign impact, and the unique challenges of intergenerational family businesses. To ensure academic alignment, insights from the interviewees are further interpreted to complement existing literature on digital readiness and SME management, such as the studies by Pingali et al. (2023) and Silva et al. (2022).

Furthermore, ethics clearance for this study was approved by the Curtin University Human Research Ethics Committee (Approval Number #HRE2024-0569), ensuring that the research complies with the National Health and Medical Research Council’s guidelines for ethics conduct (see Appendix A). This approval confirms the study's commitment to maintaining the highest standards of research ethics.

Analysis of Themes Emerging from the Interviews

The interviews with Walkabout Apiaries and Green Olive at Red Hill highlighted key areas of overlap in the businesses' experiences with digital transformation and operational challenges. These shared themes provide critical insights into the role of digital readiness, campaign engagement, and family business dynamics in navigating crises like the COVID-19 pandemic.

Timing, Digital Readiness, and Campaign Participation

Both businesses benefitted from early digitalisation efforts that aligned with the launch of the Click for Vic campaign. Walkabout Apiaries had established their online store just a month before the campaign, coincidentally enabling them to leverage the campaign's visibility without additional preparation. Similarly, Green Olive at Red Hill had already integrated advanced digital tools such as Instagram Shop and OpenTable into their operations, ensuring a smooth transition when in-person experiences became restricted.

Research supports the importance of digital readiness in crisis management. Pingali et al. (2023) argue that businesses with pre-existing digital infrastructure are better positioned to adapt to sudden disruptions. The experiences of both SMEs align with this insight, as their ability to quickly engage with the campaign was rooted in proactive digital strategies rather than reactive measures.

Operational Challenges and the Complexity of Fulfillment

While digital engagement provided opportunities for both businesses, the transition to e-commerce exposed operational inefficiencies. Walkabout Apiaries, traditionally relying on wholesale distribution, struggled to manage individual orders through their new online store. The shift from wholesale to direct-to-consumer sales revealed the need for more sophisticated fulfilment systems to meet the demands of e-commerce.

Similarly, Green Olive at Red Hill faced difficulties translating their in-person farm experience into engaging digital content. Although their online platforms facilitated transactions, the sensory and immersive aspects of their farm experience were challenging to replicate digitally. These operational challenges reflect the findings of Silva et al. (2022), who emphasise several factors that underline the need for alignment between front-end digital strategies and back-end operations to ensure sustainable growth.

Short-Term Visibility vs Limited Long-Term Impact of the Campaign

Both businesses experienced a surge in visibility through the Click for Vic campaign, but this initial engagement did not translate into sustained growth. Walkabout Apiaries reported that the campaign temporarily boosted traffic, but the momentum declined after a few months. Green Olive at Red Hill found that while the campaign brought attention to their business, their loyal customer base and pre-existing internal digital strategies drove recovery.

These findings align with Sharma and Sharma's (2024) discussion on how digital marketing campaigns can generate immediate engagement but often lack the ability to foster sustained long-term growth. It emphasises the need for strategic efforts to complement these campaigns to achieve lasting success. The experiences of Walkabout Apiaries and Green Olive at Red Hill suggest that visibility alone is insufficient and businesses must develop robust strategies to convert campaign-driven traffic like that produced with Click for Vic into sustainable growth.

Adapting Operations for Work-Life Balance and New Revenue Streams

The interviews also revealed how digital transformation allowed both businesses to redesign their operational models in ways that enhanced work-life balance and diversified revenue streams. Walkabout Apiaries scaled back their participation in farmers markets and closed their physical store, relying on their online store to maintain sales. This shift provided the owners with greater flexibility, enhancing their quality of life.

In contrast, Green Olive at Red Hill discovered the value of bespoke live events, such as farm children workshops, through targeted event promotion which they hosted during key school holiday seasons. These events, sold through their own channels, were highly successful and sold out quickly. This adaptation demonstrates how experiential offerings can drive engagement and diversify income, supporting the argument by Dredge et al. (2018) that tourism businesses must innovate to meet evolving consumer preferences.

Family Business Dynamics and the Benefits of Intergenerational Continuity

Both businesses are intergenerational family enterprises, with Greg Whitehead and Sophie O'Donoghue now managing operations from businesses founded by their parents. This continuity provided stability during the pandemic, as the experience and insights of the founding parents offered guidance during uncertain times. At the same time, the founding parents benefitted from their younger offspring's fresh perspectives and ability to adapt quickly to digital trends and changing market conditions.

The dynamic between generations aligns with Tien et al. (2024), who discuss the importance of combining traditional business knowledge with modern adaptability in family enterprises. The mutual exchange of ideas between Greg, Sophie, and their parents fostered innovation while preserving the businesses' core values, ensuring resilience and continuity.

Insights and Implications for SMEs

The insights gained from the interviews with Walkabout Apiaries and Green Olive at Red Hill provide valuable lessons for SMEs navigating digital transformation and operational challenges. Pre-existing digital infrastructure emerged as a critical factor in determining how effectively businesses could engage with the Click for Vic campaign. The interviews also highlighted the importance of operational alignment, as the transition to e-commerce revealed gaps in fulfilment capabilities.

The limited long-term impact of the campaign further highlights the need for sustained strategies that extend beyond initial visibility. Both businesses relied on internal efforts, including bespoke events and customer relationships, to drive recovery. The ability to adapt operational models for greater work-life balance and new revenue streams also reflects the importance of flexibility in business operations.

The intergenerational nature of these businesses further contributed to their resilience. The combination of traditional knowledge and modern adaptability enabled both enterprises to navigate the complexities of digital transformation while maintaining their family legacy. Future research could explore how other intergenerational SMEs leverage family dynamics to foster innovation and continuity.

Conclusion

The qualitative analysis of the interviews with Walkabout Apiaries and Green Olive at Red Hill offers valuable insights into the dynamics of digital transformation, operational alignment, and family business continuity. While both businesses benefited from the Click for Vic campaign, their success was primarily driven by pre-existing digital strategies, internal efforts, and the ability to adapt to new market conditions.

The findings emphasise the importance of digital readiness, operational efficiency, and flexible business models for SMEs in the tourism sector. Campaigns like Click for Vic, can provide initial visibility, but sustainable growth requires strategic planning and innovative approaches. Intergenerational family businesses offer a unique advantage in navigating these challenges, combining traditional knowledge with fresh perspectives to ensure long-term resilience.

5. Discussion and Conclusion

5.1 Discussion of Key Findings

This study explores the central research question: How do varying levels of digital readiness affect the outcomes of SMEs participating in community-driven digital campaigns, such as Click for Vic? The findings highlight that digital readiness is a key determinant of how businesses benefit from digital campaigns, with varying outcomes experienced across the five selected SMEs: Grampians Olive Co., Saltbush Kitchen, Gippsland Jersey, Walkabout Hive, and Green Olive at Red Hill. The discussion below revisits the original research question, analysing how each business's level of digital readiness influenced their experience during the Click for Vic campaign.

5.1.1 Digital Readiness as a Critical Factor for Success

The study confirms that businesses with higher digital readiness, such as Green Olive at Red Hill, were better prepared to maintain consistent customer engagement and manage online operations. Green Olive at Red Hill had already implemented e-commerce infrastructure, automated systems, and integrated digital marketing strategies before the campaign. As a result, the business experienced stable traffic throughout the campaign but reported limited incremental benefits. This aligns with the literature, which suggests that advanced businesses experience fewer gains from public campaigns because their operations are already optimised (Sánchez & Oskam, 2022).

On the other hand, SMEs with lower digital readiness, such as The Walkabout Hive, experienced visibility gains but struggled to sustain performance. Walkabout Hive faced logistical bottlenecks, particularly in order fulfillment, inventory management, and customer service. The findings show that while digital campaigns like Click for Vic can provide exposure opportunities for underdeveloped businesses, the absence of robust digital infrastructure limits growth, confirming the importance of logistical and operational preparedness (OECD, 2020).

This demonstrates that exposure alone is insufficient; businesses need to have digital infrastructure and scalable systems in place to capitalise fully on campaign-driven traffic. SMEs with lower digital maturity benefited from the campaign in the short term but faced challenges in converting visibility into sustainable sales.

5.1.2 How Digital Campaigns Bridge the Readiness Gap

One of the objectives of the Click for Vic campaign was to promote local businesses and drive regional product sales. However, the findings indicate that digital campaigns, while useful for exposure, reveal significant disparities among SMEs. Businesses with moderate to low digital readiness, such as Saltbush Kitchen and Gippsland Jersey saw a surge in web traffic during the campaign. The gap in digital capabilities between participants illustrates a critical issue: campaigns need tailored support mechanisms to benefit businesses at different levels of digital readiness. For example, training in e-commerce logistics, digital marketing skills, and order fulfillment could help lower-readiness SMEs manage operational challenges more effectively (Ziółkowska, 2021). In contrast, digitally advanced businesses like Green Olive at Red Hill would benefit more from data-driven analytics tools to optimise engagement and achieve incremental growth.

This finding supports Sánchez and Oskam’s (2022) argument that public campaigns must offer differentiated interventions. Specifically, campaigns should offer operational support for SMEs with limited capabilities while providing advanced digital tools and marketing insights for more developed businesses. Without such segmentation, only businesses already prepared for digital growth will gain sustained benefits from campaigns.

5.1.3 Logistical Challenges and Their Effect on Campaign Outcomes

The campaign uncovered logistical challenges for several participants, particularly businesses like The Walkabout Hive, which lacked efficient fulfillment systems. The surge in online orders during the campaign overwhelmed their operational capacity, leading to delays, stock shortages, and customer service difficulties. This highlights the need for SMEs to integrate logistics and digital operations to ensure that front-end campaigns are supported by back-end processes (Redjeki et al., 2021).

The findings emphasise that marketing success is intertwined with operational capabilities. Campaign exposure can drive customer traffic, but inadequate logistics systems can lead to missed opportunities, negatively impacting customer satisfaction and retention. For future campaigns, it is essential that participants receive logistical training and order management support to fully benefit from increased visibility.

5.1.4 Strategic Agility and Long-Term Digital Resilience

The study reveals that businesses that demonstrated strategic agility, the ability to adapt quickly to changing circumstances, performed better during the campaign. Gippsland Jersey and Green Olive at Red Hill were able to adjust their digital strategies to engage with customers effectively throughout the campaign period. This aligns with Redjeki et al.’s (2021) research, which emphasises that agile businesses are better equipped to handle volatility and seize new opportunities.

In contrast, businesses with limited strategic flexibility struggled to respond to campaign-driven changes. The Walkabout Hive case reveals that a temporary surge in visibility is insufficient if businesses lack the operational flexibility to sustain momentum. These findings suggest that long-term digital resilience requires continuous investment in digital skills, infrastructure, and adaptable business models.

5.2 Conclusion

The Click for Vic campaign has illustrated that digital readiness is a critical factor in determining how effectively tourism SMEs can leverage community-driven digital campaigns. This study directly addresses the research question posed: How do varying levels of digital readiness affect the outcomes of SMEs participating in community-driven digital campaigns, such as Click for Vic?

The findings reveal that SMEs with high levels of digital readiness, such as Green Olive at Red Hill, were able to integrate the campaign seamlessly into their pre-existing digital infrastructure, yielding consistent customer engagement and operational stability. However, these digitally mature businesses found limited incremental value from the campaign, as they were already well-equipped to sustain digital sales. Conversely, SMEs with lower levels of digital readiness, like Walkabout Apiaries, experienced significant visibility gains but struggled to sustain engagement due to operational and logistical challenges. This demonstrates that while campaigns like Click for Vic can provide a platform for visibility, the benefits are constrained for businesses lacking the digital maturity to manage increased online engagement effectively.

The study highlights that for digital campaigns to create sustainable growth, they must be designed with differentiated support mechanisms that cater to various levels of digital readiness. Campaigns should provide logistical support and digital skills training for lower-readiness SMEs while offering advanced data tools and insights for digitally sophisticated businesses. This approach can help close the readiness gap, enabling SMEs across the digital maturity spectrum to fully benefit from community-driven campaigns.

5.2.1 Contribution to Knowledge

This research enhances the understanding of digital transformation in the tourism sector by demonstrating the critical role of digital readiness in shaping campaign outcomes. It identifies operational bottlenecks as a significant challenge for SMEs with lower digital maturity, emphasising the need for segmented campaign support that accommodates varying levels of readiness. These insights offer practical recommendations for policymakers, tourism boards, and industry leaders to design more targeted campaigns that foster resilience and inclusive growth across the SME sector, ensuring that businesses at different stages of digital development can benefit effectively.

5.2.2 Practical Implications

This study highlights several practical strategies to enhance the effectiveness of future digital campaigns. Segmenting participants by digital maturity ensures that businesses at different stages of transformation receive tailored support. Providing logistical support and mentoring through training programs focused on inventory management and order fulfillment can help less mature SMEs manage operational challenges. Advanced SMEs, on the other hand, benefit from refined data analytics and engagement tools that allow them to optimise their strategies further. Future campaigns could integrate pre-campaign assessments to tailor support based on digital readiness, ensuring a balanced approach that maximises impact across the readiness spectrum. Campaigns like Click for Vic can thereby become more than just visibility platforms, supporting sustainable digital growth for all participating SMEs.

5.2.3 Limitations and Areas for Future Research

While this study offers valuable insights, several limitations must be acknowledged. The context-specific findings focus on SMEs participating in the Victorian Click for Vic campaign, which may limit the applicability of results to other regions. Additionally, data constraints arise from the reliance on public SEO metrics and limited interview participation, which restricts the depth of operational insights. Future research could address these gaps through comparative studies across regions to explore how digital readiness impacts campaign outcomes in diverse tourism contexts. Additionally, examining the impact of government interventions on enhancing digital capabilities among SMEs would provide valuable insights for fostering long-term resilience in the tourism sector.

5.3 Future Directions

To build on the findings of this study, several future directions are recommended. Firstly, the development of digital maturity models for SMEs could allow businesses to self-assess their digital readiness and access tailored support. Training programs in logistics and digital marketing should be expanded, with governments investing in capacity-building initiatives. Longitudinal studies are also crucial to evaluate the long-term effectiveness of digital campaigns, tracking SME performance across multiple initiatives. Public-private partnerships should be strengthened to encourage collaboration between government bodies, industry associations, and SMEs, fostering inclusive digital transformation. Additionally, future campaigns should integrate sustainability into their digital strategies by incorporating environmental and social impact metrics. This approach will ensure that digital initiatives not only promote economic growth but also contribute to sustainable tourism practices, supporting SMEs in their journey toward resilience and long-term success.

Further quantitative and qualitative research is essential to deepen the understanding of SME digital readiness, with an emphasis on expanding participant interviews to gather broader perspectives. Ethics clearance for this expanded research has been granted by Curtin University's Human Research Ethics Office, ensuring compliance with ethics standards. Resources will be required to support this additional phase, with private funding and grants from Curtin University or industry partners being explored as potential sources of support. The expanded research will continue to explore SME experiences, particularly focusing on digital challenges and strategies used post-campaign.

6. Conclusion

This research highlights the critical role of digital readiness in shaping the outcomes of SMEs participating in community-driven digital campaigns, such as Click for Vic. In addressing the central research question, this study affirms that varying levels of digital readiness critically affect how SMEs can benefit from community-driven digital campaigns. For SMEs with high digital maturity, like Green Olive at Red Hill, the campaign served primarily to reinforce existing customer relationships. However, for SMEs with lower digital preparedness, such as Walkabout Apiaries, the campaign's initial boost in visibility exposed logistical and operational limitations, highlighting the need for robust infrastructure to sustain engagement beyond a campaign’s peak period.

To foster equitable growth and resilience among tourism SMEs, future digital campaigns must implement differentiated support mechanisms based on the digital readiness of participants. Providing logistical training for less digitally advanced businesses and enhanced analytics for those with higher digital maturity ensures that campaigns like Click for Vic become catalysts for both immediate engagement and sustainable digital transformation. In turn, this research offers a comprehensive framework for understanding and enhancing digital readiness in tourism SMEs, promoting inclusive and adaptive growth in a digitally evolving visitor economy.

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