Applications of digital marketing in museums: a systematic literature review with an emphasis on Information Science

ABSTRACT

Introduction:  This article looks into the current state of scientific production on the use of digital marketing in museums, considering technological advancements and digital information, along with its interdisciplinary nature with marketing in the field of Information Science.

Objective:  To conduct a systematic review of national and international scientific productions related to digital marketing in museums from an Information Science perspective. Methodology: This is a qualitative-quantitative approach, where the methodological path will be developed through a systematic review using simple descriptive statistics of the scientific productions. Nationally, research was carried out in the Information Science Database (BRAPCI) and the Brazilian Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (BDTD). Additionally, international databases such as Library, Information Science and Technology Abstracts (LISTA) and Taylor & Francis were consulted.

Results:  A total of 3,678 studies were retrieved, out of which only 33 were selected and presented in summary tables after applying inclusion and exclusion criteria. Despite the considerable volume, less than 1% of the studies were used overall.

Conclusion:  The selected studies reflect on different aspects of digital marketing in museums, such as the strategic use of social media to promote exhibitions and cultural events, and issues of accessibility and inclusion. Although there are few studies available, they present important discussions on digital marketing in museums, highlighting a vast field for future research on the topic.

KEYWORDS
Marketing; Museums; Information Science.

RESUMO

Introdução:  Este artigo investiga a situação atual da produção científica sobre o uso do marketing digital em museus, considerando os avanços tecnológicos e a informação digital, além de sua interdisciplinaridade com o marketing no âmbito da Ciência da Informação.

Objetivo:  Realizar uma revisão sistemática da literatura sobre as produções científicas nacionais e internacionais referentes ao marketing digital em museus, sob a perspectiva da Ciência da Informação. Metodologia: Trata-se de uma abordagem quali-quantitativa, onde o percurso metodológico foi desenvolvido através de uma revisão sistemática utilizando estatística descritiva simples das produções científicas. Em âmbito nacional, foram realizadas pesquisas na Base de Dados em Ciência da Informação (BRAPCI) e na Biblioteca Digital Brasileira de Teses e Dissertações (BDTD). Além disso, foram consultadas as bases internacionais Library, Information Science and Technology Abstracts (LISTA) e Taylor & Francis.

Resultados:  Foram recuperados 3.678 estudos, dos quais apenas 33 foram selecionados e apresentados em quadros demonstrativos após a aplicação de critérios de inclusão e exclusão. Apesar do volume considerável, menos de 1% dos estudos foram aproveitados no geral.

Conclusão:  Os estudos selecionados refletem sobre diferentes aspectos do marketing digital em museus, como o uso estratégico de mídias sociais para promover exposições e eventos culturais, e questões de acessibilidade e inclusão. Embora haja poucos estudos disponíveis, eles apresentam discussões importantes sobre o marketing digital em museus, destacando um campo vasto para futuras pesquisas sobre a temática.

PALAVRAS-CHAVE
Marketing; Museus; Ciência da Informação.

1 INTRODUCTION

Through digital marketing, strategies and electronic devices have become important partners for the effective promotion of products, services or brands, reaching a large and diverse audience (Ferreira, 2023). By implementing strategies such as search engine optimization, content and relationship marketing, digital social media engagement, email marketing and paid advertising, companies can reach their strategic audiences more precisely and effectively, adapting their messages to increase engagement (Antunes, 2017).

In addition, digital marketing offers the advantage of real-time analysis of the performance of planned and developed actions, allowing for quick and efficient adjustments to improve results. The ability to measure and analyze consumer/user behavior online provides useful information that allows companies, public institutions and/or the third sector to adapt their strategies quickly and effectively, ultimately resulting in a higher return on investment compared to traditional marketing approaches, such as advertising in mass media.

As far as the museum context is concerned, the digital age has revolutionized the way society (researchers and visitors) relate to collections, breaking down the geographical barriers that made it impossible to have more plural and democratic access to the collections of traditional, physical museums. In this new reality, digital social networks and online platforms provide unprecedented access to these collections, promoting global collaboration between institutions and enabling the creation of virtual exhibitions that can captivate audiences around the world (Chaves, 2023).

The integration of digital information and communication technologies (DICT) into museum strategies has led to changes in the way these information units present their content (Bauer et al., 2020). Augmented reality and virtual reality are examples of technologies that allow visitors to participate in immersive and interactive encounters that enhance understanding and engagement with exhibitions. Mobile apps and QR codes¹provide complementary details about the artworks, allowing visitors to take self-guided tours tailored to their individual interests. In addition, big data analytics² help museums understand visitor patterns and optimize the organization of exhibitions and services.

Against this backdrop of digital culture mediated by DICTs and digital marketing strategies, this article seeks to answer the following question: what is the current state of scientific production on the use of digital marketing in museum environments, according to information science researchers?

To this end, the general objective was to carry out a study of national and international scientific production on the subject of digital marketing in museums, with a focus on information science.

The choice of this topic is justified by the need to establish a theoretical and empirical basis to support the preparation of the professional Master's thesis, carried out in the Postgraduate Program in Information Science at the Federal University of Sergipe (UFS), with the aim of proposing a digital marketing plan for museums, through a case study of the Xingó Archaeological Museum, maintained by the UFS.

2 METHODOLOGY

This study - carried out on the following national and international databases: the Reference Database of Journal Articles in Information Science (BRAPCI), the Brazilian Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (BDTD), Library, Information Science and Technology Abstracts (LISTA) and Taylor & Francis (an international company from England that publishes books and academic journals, relevant for the retrieval of international articles) - will serve to identify trends related to theoretical and empirical studies on the subject in question by the scientific community of Information Science.

These databases offer access to academic productions that make it possible to understand the context and national and international contributions in the field, as well as being frequently updated, guaranteeing current and relevant information.

Brapci is specialized in Information Science and offers a large collection of relevant articles, theses, and dissertations. It provides access to Brazilian academic productions. BDTD brings together theses and dissertations from Brazilian universities, providing a rich source of original and in-depth research. Covering a wide range of topics, including digital marketing in museums, BDTD is a robust research space for students and professionals.

LISTA provides comprehensive coverage of a wide range of information science topics, including library science, archives, and information management. This is key to developing a deeper and more internationalized understanding of the field.

Finally, Taylor & Francis publishes a wide range of high quality academic journals, many of which are highly regarded in the field of information science and digital marketing. By providing access to research from around the world, it enables a global understanding of trends and innovations in the field, making it possible to identify, within a field of study, the dialogues, and connections between works produced on the same topic. This is done by examining the theories, applications, similarities, and differences that contribute to the formulation of a new scientific paradigm (Almeida; Dias, 2019).

Through a systematic literature review, it was possible to examine the production and dissemination of certain scientific knowledge, which is considered a qualitative-quantitative data collection method. This type of study focuses on the analysis of existing scientific production on a given topic (Quevedo-Silva et al., 2016).

The study made it possible to identify the main lines of research, researchers, concepts, and debates on the proposed topic, as well as to conduct a precise search for keywords to help build and develop the bibliographic survey on the topic.

Thus, the purpose of this study is that, through a systematic review of the literature, we can deepen our knowledge of the interdisciplinary relationships between digital marketing and museums, from the perspective of information science. The selection of the works included in this study was based on the adoption of specific search strategies, such as the use of Boolean operators and "wildcard" characters, such as quotation marks and asterisks, which have a great influence on the retrieval of information in databases (Araújo, 2020).

Regarding information retrieval, we used the theoretical framework of the study by Araújo (2020), which sought to analyze search strategies that could be used in digital databases to expand and specify the number of studies on a given topic. These strategies are based on five steps. The first is the extraction of the main terms that make up the research objectives and problems. The second is the conversion of these terms to define the operators, following a controlled vocabulary and based on the use of thesauruses in the field of knowledge. This helps to combine descriptors with natural language terms, synonyms, and semantic and spelling variants. Search strings can be constructed using Boolean operators and wildcard characters. Finally, a selection is made and tested on the selected database (Araújo, 2020).

The strategy adopted for this study was PCC, which corresponds to the acronym Population, Concept, and Context, which aims to build the strategy based on the research problem, which does not necessarily include specific terms that are present in this problem, and the interpretation and suitability of the descriptors can be considered (Araujo, 2020).

Still according to the author

This strategy can be interesting as a lever for the development of more robust research such as systematic reviews or integrative reviews, given that it makes it possible to create an overview of the subject to be researched, which can be useful for drawing up research questions, search strategies and even listing inclusion and exclusion criteria for the research (Araujo, 2020, p. 124-125).

The modus operandi of this systematic literature review followed the study by Quevedo-Silva et al. (2016), in which the authors provide 7 steps for its implementation. They are: 1 - the definition of keywords, which includes all the steps already defined in the study by Araujo (2020); 2 - the search for terms in the database; 3 - the insertion of search filters; 4 - the export of data; 5 - the preparation of the matrix; 6 - the exploratory factor analysis; and 7 - the analysis of the results (Quevedo-Silva et al., 2016).

It is worth noting that stage 6, described as "exploratory factor analysis", was not necessary currently, since the number of variables in this study was small, using only simple descriptive statistics and analyzed qualitatively. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were used to narrow the scope of the study (Figure 1).

Figure 1
Word cloud based on the mapping of the main terms and concepts identified in the selected studies

The quantitative mapping was used to visualize academic productions on the subject, through which it was possible to verify some aspects of national and international scientific production on the subject.

4 RESULTS

The construction of this section started with a mapping of the research aimed at studying digital marketing in museums within the framework of information science, with the object of analysis being the research problem proposed in the introduction to this study, namely digital marketing in museum environments.

In Figure 2, we present the fields of the PCC strategy of this research, adapted according to each database used in the search strategies.

In addition to using the strategy outlined, the filters available in each database were applied, limiting the searches to the established time frame, as well as the typology and language of the studies, as shown in chart 2.

Chart 1
Criteria for unenforceability

Inclusion

Exclusion

Research conducted in the field of information science, especially those focused on digital marketing in museums. In addition, the concept of "information units" was explored, as many studies, even when dealing with museums, use the term "information units" to describe these spaces and their dynamics with digital media. To provide a theoretical basis for this research, academic studies from reliable sources were used, covering the period from 2014 to 2024.

Research that was outside the defined scope, as well as those whose abstracts and keywords were unrelated to the topic or deviated from the proposal. In addition, we discarded duplicate studies, incomplete studies without reliable sources, and studies that were not available on search platforms or could not be viewed.

Chart 2
PCC strategy

Objective/ Problem	What is the current state of scientific production on the use of digital marketing in museum environments according to Information Science?
	P	C	C
Extraction	Museums	Digital Marketing	Information Science
Conversion	museum	digital marketing	information Science
Combination	museum; information unit; museum environment; social media; unidad de información; entorno de museo; museo; redes sociales; museology.	marketing; digital marketing; marketing virtual; mercadeo; telemarketing; mercadeo de la información.	information Science; information management; ciencia de la información; dissemination of information.
Construction	(“museums” OR “unidade de informação” OR “ambiente museológico” OR “museu” OR “information unit” OR “museologia” OR “museum environment” OR “mídias sociais” OR “social media” OR “unidad de información” OR “entorno de museo” OR “museo” OR “redes sociales” OR “museology”)	(“marketing” OR “digital marketing;” OR “marketing virtual” OR “mercadização” OR “mercadeo” OR “telemarketing” OR “mercadeo de la información”)	(“information Science” OR “gestão da informação” OR “information management” OR “ciencia de la información” OR “disseminação da informação” OR “dissemination of information”)
Use	(“museums” OR “unidade de informação” OR “ambiente museológico” OR “museu” OR “information unit” OR “museologia” OR “museum environment” OR “mídias sociais” OR “social media” OR “unidad de información” OR “entorno de museo” OR “museo” OR “redes sociales” OR “museology”) AND (“marketing” OR “digital marketing;” OR “marketing virtual” OR “mercadização” OR “mercadeo” OR “telemarketing” OR “mercadeo de la información”) OR (“information Science” OR “gestão da informação” OR “information management” OR “ciencia de la información” OR “disseminação da informação” OR “dissemination of information”)

With this in mind, Table 1 shows the databases, the quantitative results of the general search and the typology of the studies, using the four databases described in chart 3.

Chart 3
Database retrieval

Database	Strategy used	Quantitative	Studies contemplated	Percentage usable
BRAPCI	“museus” AND “marketing”	21	11	52.38%
	"unidade de informação" AND "marketing"
LISTA	"museum" OR "information unit" OR "museology" AND "marketing" OR "marketing strategy" AND "information science"	1.590	5	0,31%
BDTD	"museum" OR "information unit" OR "museology" AND "marketing" OR "marketing strategy"	66	7	10,1%
Taylor & Francys	(“museums” OR “unidade de informação” OR “ambiente museológico” OR “museu” OR “information unit” OR “museologia” OR “museum environment” OR “mídias sociais” OR “social media” OR “unidad de información” OR “entorno de museo” OR “museo” OR “redes sociales” OR “museology”) AND (“marketing” OR “digital marketing;” OR “marketing virtual” OR “mercadização” OR “mercadeo” OR “telemarketing” OR “mercadeo de la información”) OR (“information Science” OR “gestão da informação” OR “information management” OR “ciencia de la información” OR “disseminação da informação” OR “dissemination of information”)	2001	10	0,50%

Chart 4
Studies included in BDTD

Author	Guidance	Title	Year	Institution	Type
Monte, Ana Luiza Almeida Do	Pompeu, Randal Martins	The corporate museum as a tool for local development and corporate social responsibility.	22022	Universidade de Fortaleza	PhD thesis
Silveira, Giulia Drumond Imazio	Zago, Renata Cristina de Oliveira Maia	Art exhibitions: strategies of museum institutions in contemporary exhibition spaces.	22021	Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora	Master's dissertation
Santos, Denise Betânia Marques dos	Guerra, José Roberto Ferreira	The countryside turned into the sea: public management, cultural facilities and city marketing at the Cais do Sertão Cultural Center in Recife/PE.	22020	Universidade Federal de Pernambuco	Master's dissertation
Mendonça, Edvaldo Xavier de	Silveira, Carla Borba de Mota	The best museum? An analysis of the Ricardo Brennand Institute in the marketing of the city of Recife.	22020	Universidade Federal de Pernambuco	Master's dissertation
Grezele, Mariana Gonzaga	Sanábio, Marcos Tanure	Museum plan from a marketing perspective: a case study at the Murilo Mendes Art Museum (MAMM) of the Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora (UFJF).	22019	Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora	Master's dissertation
Belizio, Luciana de Aguilar	Borin, Marta Rosa	Dissemination strategies implemented at the Museum of Sacred Art in Santa Maria/RS.	22016	Universidade Federal de Santa Maria	Master's dissertation
Portela, Evaldo Pereira	Brito, Cristiane Miryam Drumond de	Museum institutions and leisure practices: a literature review from 2011 to 2015.	22015	Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais	Master's dissertation

Chart 5
BRAPCI studies considered

Author	Title	Year	Journal/Event
FAUSTINO, JP	Selling the past with the future: trends in communication, marketing, management, and financing of art museums.	22023	A&B Pages, Archives and Libraries (Portugal)
LIMA, ALF; BRASIL, MVO; CANDIDO, LFS	Digital marketing in information centers: new strategies for disseminating information.	22023	P2P and INNOVATION Magazine
SERRA, RRB; FERREIRA, RS	Marketing and social media: the case of the National Library Foundation, Brazil.	22023	Brazilian Journal of Library Science and Documentation
SILVA, CHPS; BARROSO, CAVC; PAIXAO, PBS	Marketing 4.0 and social networks in a cultural heritage information unit - a case study of Irish lace in the municipality of Divina Pastora/se.	22023	National Meeting of Research and Postgraduate Studies in Information Science
MOUSINHO, RSS	Online marketing tools used at Sebrae/PB's digital information unit.	2019	Biblionline
AMARAL, FV; PINTO, MDS	Marketing in public information units: reflections in times of crisis.	2019	National Meeting of Research and Postgraduate Studies in Information Science
ARAÚJO, RF; ARAÚJO, JO; ARAUJO, RF	The use of social networks as a marketing strategy in information units: a case study of the Graciliano Ramos State Public Library.	2018	Brazilian Journal of Library Science and Documentation
FERREIRA, JGS; GUERRA, MAMA	Management and marketing in information units: competencies for information professionals.	22018	Information on the agenda
BRAGANÇA, FFC; ZACCARIA, RB	Marketing management in information units: case study of the Documentation and Archive Center of the City Council of Piracicaba (SP).	22016	Analyzing Information Science Journal
MELLO, JC; MELLO, JC	Intellectual property, traditional communities and intangible heritage in science and technology museums │ Intellectual property, traditional communities and intangible heritage in science and technology museums.	22014	Liinc in magazine

Chart 6
Studies covered by LISA and Taylor and Francys

Database	Author	Title	Country	Year	magazine
LISA	Silva, Patricia Isabel; Terra, Ana Lucia	The role of users in the organization of digital information: A Portuguese experience in an academic museum and archive setting.	Portugal	22024	IFLA Journal
	Stubbs, Ben	Augmented Reality [AR] Storytelling for the Galleries, Libraries, Archives, and Museums [GLAM] Sector: A Case Study with the South Australian Museum Fire Exhibit and Megafauna Displays.	Australia	22024	Advances in Librarianship
	Özri̇li̇, Yaşar	Selçuklu Sanatının Yurt Dışındaki Müze Ortamlarında Görsel ve Kavramsal İfade Biçimleri.	Turkey	22024	Kütüphane Arşiv ve Müze Araştırmaları Dergisi
	Avgousti, Avgoustinos;Papaioannou, Georgios	The Current State and Challenges in Democratizing Small Museums' Collections Online	United Stetes	2023	Information Technology & Libraries
	Gerrard, David; Sykora, Martin; Jackson, Thomas	Social media analytics in museums: extracting expressions of inspiration	Italy	22016	Museum management and curatorship
Taylor Francys	Booth, Peter; Ogundipe, Anne; Royseng, Sigrid	Museum leaders’ perspectives on social media	Italy	22019	Museum management and curatorship
	Arias, Maria Paula	Framing digital identities through social media in museums	Denmark	22023	Internet Histories
	Kyprianos, Konstantinos; Montou, Panagiota	The use of social media in Greek museums during the COVID-19 pandemic	Italy	22023	Museum management and curatorship
	McMillen, Rebecca; Alter, Frances	Social media, social inclusion, and museum disability access	United Kingdom	22017	Museums & Social Issues
	March, Laura	COVID-19 and museum social media content	United States	22023	Arts Education Policy Review
	Manca, Stefania	Digital Holocaust memory on social media: how Italian Holocaust museums and memorials use digital ecosystems for educational and remembrance practice	Australia	22022	International Journal of Heritage Studies
	Zollo, Lamberto et al.	How do museums foster loyalty in tech-savvy visitors? The role of social media and digital experience	New Zealand	22022	Current Issues in Tourism
	Bonacchi, Chiara	Museum websites & social media. Issues of participation, sustainability, trust and diversity	Australia	22016	International Journal of Heritage Studies
	Lotina, Linda	Reviewing museum participation in online channels in Latvia	Italy	22014	Museum Management and Curatorship
	Mas, José. M; Arrila, Ramón; Gómez, Andrés	Facebook as a Promotional Tool for Spanish Museums 2016-2020 and COVID Influence	United States	22021	Journal of Promotion Management

The national databases, such as Brapci and BDTD, identified the highest percentage of productions relevant to the research. Brapci led the way with a usable proportion of 52.38%, showing that a significant proportion of the results found were considered relevant. BDTD came next with a usable percentage of 10.10%.

Although Brapci presented a significant number of results - 21 comprehensive productions, several articles pertinent to the research topic - of this total, however, only 12 studies that met the desired requirements were included.

On the other hand, although BDTD had a higher number (66) than Brapci, its percentage of use was lower when compared, suggesting a relatively lower proportion of theses and dissertations on the subject in question. Seven (7) studies were included, corresponding to 10.10% that were considered relevant, indicating a moderate proportion of useful results for the research.

In the international databases, such as LISTA and Taylor & Francis, the percentages that could be used were very low (0.31% and 0.50%), totaling 10 articles. Although both databases generated a considerable volume of results, when analyzing the titles, themes, keywords and applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, it was found that the number of studies included was not very significant, with less than 1% of the studies used.

About the Brazilian academic productions, the parameters presented in chart 3 were used, indicating respectively the information regarding authorship, orientation, title, year of publication, institution, and typology. The productions were chosen because they addressed the proposed research problem and were related to the fields of Information Science and Museology.

In the BDTD database, as described, (07) papers were selected using the search criteria of the Boolean operators "museum" OR "information unit" OR "museology" AND "marketing" OR "marketing strategy".

The papers by Monte (2022), Silveira (2021), Belizio (2016) and Portela (2015) explore closely related ideas and concepts, such as how museums can be used as marketing tools to promote local development and social responsibility. They also address issues such as the role of museums in building a positive corporate image and their impact on the local community. The papers analyze the use of marketing strategies in museums to organize art exhibitions. These methods help to attract audiences, promote exhibitions, and create meaningful experiences for visitors.

The work of Santos (2020) and Mendonça (2020) analyzes how public management in Recife/PE has used marketing strategies to attract visitors, promote cultural events, and contribute to the image of the city as a tourist destination and cultural tourism to change the public's perception of the region.

Particularly noteworthy is the work of Grezele (2019), who analyzes how a museum plan is developed considering marketing aspects such as attracting visitors, generating revenue, and promoting the institution. The research addresses how marketing is integrated into the strategic planning of the Murilo Mendes Museum of Art, to achieve its institutional goals.

The qualitative analysis of the papers retrieved from BDTD shows that there is still little research that clearly addresses the relationship between digital marketing and museums, covering different approaches and perspectives, from the role of corporate museums in corporate social responsibility to the dissemination strategies implemented by specific museum institutions, as it is always taken in a very comprehensive way.

The Brazilian scholarly productions retrieved from BRAPCI are presented in Figure 4, with information on their authorship, title, year of publication and journal or event, respectively.

In the Brapci database, 12 papers were selected using the Boolean operators "museums" AND "marketing" and "information unit" AND "marketing".

The article by Serra and Ferreira (2023) analyzes marketing trends in museums and cultural organizations. It also focuses specifically on the use of digital social media by the National Library Foundation. The work by Faustino (2023) is more general in its approach to the topic specifically for museums, although it deals with art museums.

The article by Silva, Barroso and Paixão (2023), presented at the National Meeting of Research and Postgraduate Studies in Information Science, explores how the concept of Marketing 4.0 and the use of digital social networks are applied in a cultural heritage information unit, addressing the relevance of these networks for information units and museums, with a specific case study.

The works by Lima, Brasil and Candido (2023), Silva, Barroso and Paixão (2023) and Mousinho (2019) deal with digital marketing strategies and the use of digital social networks in museums and information units, where they explore the personalization of content for specific audiences and the use of SEO (search engine optimization) to increase the digital visibility of museums, in addition to highlighting the role of social media in engaging with the public.

The work presented by Silva, Barroso and Paixão (2023) analyzes the application of Marketing 4.0 through digital social networks, emphasizing how an integrated and consistent experience between the physical and digital environments can have a positive impact on the user. They also highlight the importance of solid data analysis to understand and adjust strategies according to user behavior.

Mousinho (2019) focuses on specific online marketing tools employed in an information unit, particularly about large-scale personalization, metrics analysis to evaluate the performance of online campaigns, and inbound strategies³ marketing to attract and convert leads organically⁴.

On the other hand, studies by Amaral and Pinto (2019), Araujo and Araujo (2018), Ferreira, Guerra, and Mama (2018), and Bragança and Zaccarias (2016) analyze marketing in information units, including museums, and discuss the essential skills for effective management and marketing. Amaral and Pinto address marketing strategies in public information units, while Araújo and Araujo explore the strategic use of digital social networks in a specific library. Ferreira, Guerra and Mama therefore focus on the skills needed by information professionals in the context of marketing.

Mello (2014) highlights the importance of cultural aspects, intellectual property and intangible heritage in science and technology museums, which may include consideration of how these aspects relate to the marketing strategies adopted by these museums, including issues of intellectual property rights and the need for collaboration and dialogue between communities and museum curators.

It can be seen that in Brapci, similar to the BDTD database, there is a beginning number of articles that discuss digital marketing and museums in depth. Most of the articles focus on libraries and documentation centers, with little emphasis on the use of digital marketing strategies specifically for museums.

The international scholarly productions retrieved from the LISTA and Taylor & Francys databases are presented below, with information on authorship, title, country, year of publication, and journal (Chart 6).

In LISA, the articles by Silva and Terra (2024) and Avgousti and Papaioannou (2023) address similar themes about the role of users in organizing digital information in an academic museum and archive context in Portugal, offering insights into how user participation can influence the organization and accessibility of digital information. They also discuss the challenges and opportunities faced by small museums in making their collections available online to democratize access to culture and heritage.

The articles by Ozrili (2024) and Stubb (2024) take a broader approach to the intersection between marketing and museums, focusing on online collections as a means of enhancing the visitor experience. They emphasize the relevance of digital media to cultural institutions. They explore visual and conceptual ways of expressing works of art to attract and engage audiences. Digital social networks are essential tools for extending the reach of museums and engaging diverse audiences.

Authors Gerrad, Sykora, and Jackson (2017) reinforce the importance of digital social media and its metrics for the relationship between museums and their audiences, focusing on how museums can use digital social media analytics to better understand audience response and engagement.

The findings from the Taylor & Francy database cover a wide range of topics related to the use of digital social media in museums, from perspectives on leadership and social inclusion to specific analyses of use during the COVID-19 pandemic and the role in promoting and retaining visitors.

Articles by Booth, Ogundipe, and Royseng (2019) and Kyprianos and Montou (2023) discuss the opinions of museum administrators on the use of digital social media, highlighting its strategic relevance in promoting museums, the barriers to implementing effective tactics, and the opportunities to increase public participation. By analyzing these articles, it is possible to identify patterns and strategies of digital social media in museums adopted by museum management, as well as to understand the main trends and concerns in the field of cultural management.

The study by McMillen and Alter (2017) highlights the relevance of community engagement and accessibility in museums, especially for people with disabilities. By exploring the role of digital social media in promoting inclusion and facilitating access to museums, the article discusses how cultural institutions can promote a more inclusive experience for all visitors. The analysis of this article allows us to understand the specific strategies used by museums to ensure digital accessibility and promote equal access to culture, in this case addressing the importance of social inclusion and accessibility in museums.

Articles by Kyprianos and Montou (2023) and March (2023) examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on digital social media strategies in museums. Cultural institutions have responded to the challenges posed by the global health crisis by adapting their engagement strategies with their audiences. By analyzing these studies, it is possible to identify key changes in museums' communication and marketing practices during the pandemic, as well as lessons learned and emerging opportunities for the future.

Manca's (2022) article explores the use of digital memory in Holocaust-related museums, while Bonacchi's (2016) article discusses issues of participation, sustainability, and diversity in museum social media. Both studies provide important information about how cultural institutions use digital social media to promote education, preserve memory, and engage audiences. By analyzing these articles, it is possible to understand the different approaches museums are taking to tell stories, promote intercultural dialogue, and encourage critical thinking among visitors.

The study by Zollo et al. (2022) examines how museums can foster visitor loyalty through social media and the digital experience. By examining the engagement and loyalty strategies adopted by museums in different countries, the text presents reflections on best practices and challenges faced by the cultural sector. The analysis of this study allows us to identify the most effective strategies for attracting and retaining visitors through social media, as well as to understand the role of digital experiences in building lasting relationships with the public.

The articles retrieved provide a comprehensive overview of the different perspectives and approaches related to the use of digital marketing and social media in museums, allowing for a deeper understanding of the trends, challenges, and opportunities in this constantly evolving field.

Based on the analysis of national and international data sources on marketing in museums and information centers, it is possible to observe significant differences in the results obtained. Brapci stood out as having the highest percentage of significant findings, with a moderate breadth but a high rate of studies considered relevant. In contrast, BDTD had a higher volume of results but a lower percentage of use, suggesting a lower proportion of relevant theses and dissertations on the topic. In the national databases it is possible to see a convergence and proximity between the subject of digital marketing and museums.

The international databases LISTA and Taylor & Francis had even lower percentages of usable results, indicating a lack of topics found for specific research on digital marketing in museums. These databases provided a broad overview of global practices and challenges, highlighting the use of social media.

Therefore, the results indicate that there is a gap in specific scientific production on digital marketing in museums, with a predominance of studies focused on libraries and information units in general. The qualitative analysis of the retrieved studies highlights the growing importance of digital social media. It also highlights the role of marketing in cultural management and the need for further research. This research should explore these dynamics in more depth and integrate them into the museological context.

Regarding the publications found in national and international databases, some concepts and terminologies that recur in the selection, in their titles and abstracts, are highlighted for this study; the word cloud in Figure 1 shows which were the most used terms in this collection.

The following is a word cloud manually created in Microsoft Word from the keywords of the papers analyzed in this article. The word cloud helps to visualize patterns of association between terms, highlighting semantic connections and areas of focus within the field of study, such as museum marketing.

In addition to the term "museums", the use of "information", "pandemic" and "social media" or "media" stand out. This is mainly due to the post-pandemic rise of studies on digital application in processes, which expanded the ways in which information units in general have used TDIC in order not to interrupt their operations during the pandemic caused by COVID-19. This period was a turning point in the way people consumed information and knowledge, especially in the digital context.

6 CONCLUSION

Based on the mapping of concepts within the relevant research found, the predominance of studies in Brazilian databases, such as Brapci and BDTD, stands out, highlighting the national scientific production in this area. However, international databases also offer a deeper perspective on the intersection between digital marketing and museums, especially considering the growing role of digital media in the promotion of culture and heritage. Research on this topic, as well as the use of marketing strategies for museums and information units, needs to be further discussed by researchers in the fields of information science and museology.

The intersection between digital marketing and museums is a field of study that has received increasing attention following the post-pandemic scenario, but as the analysis of national and international databases shows, there is still a significant lack of in-depth research in this area. Despite the recognition of the importance of digital marketing for cultural institutions such as museums and information centers, the number of specific studies on the subject is still limited.

The few studies that are available present important discussions on different aspects of digital marketing in museums, from the strategic use of social media to promote exhibitions and cultural events to issues of accessibility and inclusion, these studies highlight the growing relevance of the digital environment for the promotion of culture and cultural heritage.

However, the lack of a significant number of in-depth studies reflects a gap in understanding the practices and challenges these institutions face in the digital environment. With the growing role of digital media in contemporary society, it is essential that museum professionals and cultural managers are equipped with the knowledge needed to fully exploit the potential of digital marketing in their promotion and audience engagement strategies.

Therefore, the need for more research in this area is evident. Future studies could explore topics such as the effectiveness of digital marketing strategies for museums, the challenges faced in implementing these strategies, and best practices for engaging audiences meaningfully in the digital environment. By filling this knowledge gap, researchers can contribute to the development of more innovative and effective practices in the field, enabling these institutions to reach a wider and more diverse audience in the ever-evolving digital world.

Acknowledgments: Not applicable.

• 1
  The QR (Quick Response) code is a type of two-dimensional barcode that can be read by camera-equipped devices such as smartphones.
• 2
  Big Data is a term that refers to the collection of large volumes of data, both structured and unstructured, which are generated at high speed and in great variety.
• 3
  A term used in marketing, being a form of online advertising focused on attracting customers in the digital environment.
• 4
  A term used in marketing to describe the start of a potential customer's interest in a particular product or service from a company.
• Ethical approval:
  Not applicable.
• Availability of data and material:
  Not applicable.
• Image:
  Photo extracted from the Lattes Curriculum.
• Translation:
  S. Iacovacci Translation Service
• JITA:
  FB. Marketing.
• ODS:
  8. Growing work and economic growth.
• Funding:
  Not applicable.

References

• ALMEIDA, J. F. V. R.; DIAS, G. A. Estado da arte sobre análise de domínio no campo da Ciência da Informação brasileira. Brazilian Journal of Information Science, São Paulo, SP, v. 13, n. 3, p. 26-45, 2019. Disponível em: https://encurtador.com.br/30QqT Acesso em: 20 jun. 2024.
  » https://encurtador.com.br/30QqT
• ANTUNES, J. L. Marketing de conteúdo: estratégias para entregar o que seu público quer consumir. Editora Casa do Código, 2017.
• ARAUJO, R. F.; ARAÚJO, J. O. O uso de redes sociais como estratégia de marketing em unidades de informação: estudo de caso da Biblioteca Pública Estadual Graciliano Ramos. Revista Brasileira de Biblioteconomia e Documentação, Boa Vista, SP, v. 14, n. 2, p. 176-196, 2018. Disponível em: https://rbbd.febab.org.br/rbbd/article/view/738 Acesso em: 14 jun. 2024.
  » https://rbbd.febab.org.br/rbbd/article/view/738
• ARAUJO, W. C. O. Recuperação da informação em saúde: construção, modelos e estratégias. ConCI: Conv. Cienc. Inform., São Cristóvão (SE) v. 3, n. 2, p. 100-134, maio/ago. 2020. Disponível em: https://periodicos.ufs.br/conci/article/view/13447
  » https://periodicos.ufs.br/conci/article/view/13447
• ARIAS, M. P. Framing digital identities through social media in museums. Internet Histories, [S.L.] v. 8, n. 1-2, p. 169-187, 2024. Disponível em: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/24701475.2023.2290939
  » https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/24701475.2023.2290939
• AVGOUSTI, A.; PAPAIOANNOU, G. The Current State and Challenges in Democratizing Small Museums’ Collections Online. Information Technology and Libraries, University of Michigan, [S.L.], v. 42, n. 1, 2023. Disponível em: https://ital.corejournals.org/index.php/ital/article/view/14099 Acesso em: 20 jun. 2024.
  » https://ital.corejournals.org/index.php/ital/article/view/14099
• BAUER, J. E. et al Museus e Tecnologias da Informação e Comunicação: uma revisão sistemática da literatura na EBSCOhost. Revista Acadêmica Observatório De Inovação Do Turismo, Rio de Janeiro, v. 14, n. 3, p. 24-42, 2020. Disponível em: https://publicacoes.unigranrio.edu.br/raoit/article/view/5716 Acesso em: 14 jun. 2024.
  » https://publicacoes.unigranrio.edu.br/raoit/article/view/5716
• BELIZIO, L. A. Estratégias de difusão implementadas no Museu de Arte Sacra de Santa Maria/RS. 2016. Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Centro de Ciências Sociais e Humanas, Rio Grande do Sul, RS, 2016. Disponível em: https://repositorio.ufsm.br/handle/1/14506 Acesso em: 13 jun. 2024.
  » https://repositorio.ufsm.br/handle/1/14506
• BOOTH, P.; OGUNDIPE, A.; RØYSENG, S. Museum leaders’ perspectives on social media. Museum Management and Curatorship, [S.L.], v. 35, n. 4, p. 373-391, 2020. Disponível em: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09647775.2019.1638819 Acesso em: 20 jun. 2024.
  » https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09647775.2019.1638819
• BONACCHI, C. Museum websites and social media. Issues of participation, sustainability, trust and diversity. International Journal of Heritage Studies, [S.L.], v. 23, n. 3, p. 291-292. Disponível em: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13527258.2016.1232301 Acesso em: 13 jun. 2024.
  » https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13527258.2016.1232301
• CHAVES, R. T. O fato museal na virtualidade: reinvenção a partir da pandemia de COVID-19. 2023. Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Instituto de Ciências Humanas, Rio Grande do Sul, RS. 2023. https://repositorio.ufpel.edu.br/handle/prefix/10810 Acesso em: 13 jun. 2024.
  » https://repositorio.ufpel.edu.br/handle/prefix/10810
• FERREIRA, J. G.; GUERRA, M. A. M. A. Gestão e marketing em unidade de informação: competências do profissional da informação. Informação em Pauta, Fortaleza, CE, v. 3, n. 1, p. 81-96, 2018. Disponível em: http://www.periodicos.ufc.br/informacaoempauta/article/view/32436 Acesso em: 11 jun. 2024.
  » http://www.periodicos.ufc.br/informacaoempauta/article/view/32436
• FERREIRA, R. M. As redes sociais e o crescimento do e-commerce: estudo de casos múltiplos: MusaMakeup e CRU Ecoliving. 2023. Dissertação (mestrado) - Instituto Superior de Contabilidade e Administração do Porto, Portugal. 2023. Disponível em: https://recipp.ipp.pt/handle/10400.22/23584 Acesso em: 18 jul. 2024.
  » https://recipp.ipp.pt/handle/10400.22/23584
• GREZELE, M. G. Plano museológico na perspectiva mercadológica: um estudo de caso no Museu de Arte Murilo Mendes (MAMM) da Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora (UFJF). 2019. Dissertação (mestrado profissional em Administração Pública (Andifes)) - Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora (UFJF), Faculdade de Administração e Ciências Contábeis, Juiz de Fora, MG. 2019. Disponível em: https://bdtd.ibict.br/vufind/Record/UFJF_d9b675533ce2451e0b8b416a4d6aece5 Acesso em: 13 jun. 2024.
  » https://bdtd.ibict.br/vufind/Record/UFJF_d9b675533ce2451e0b8b416a4d6aece5
• LIMA, A. L. F.; BRASIL, M. V.; CANDIDO, L. F. O marketing digital em unidades de informação: novas estratégias de disseminação da informação. P2P & INOVAÇÃO, Rio de Janeiro, v. 10, n.1, p. 463-474, set. 2023. Disponível em: https://revista.ibict.br/p2p/article/view/6470 Acesso em: 14 jun. 2024.
  » https://revista.ibict.br/p2p/article/view/6470
• KYPRIANOS, K.; KONTOU, P. The use of social media in Greek museums during the COVID-19 pandemic. Museum Management and Curatorship, [S.L] v. 38, n. 5, p. 571-592, 2023. Disponível em: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09647775.2022.2158915 Acesso em: 4 maio 2024.
  » https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09647775.2022.2158915
• MANCA, S. Digital Holocaust memory on social media: how Italian Holocaust museums and memorials use digital ecosystems for educational and remembrance practice. International Journal of Heritage Studies, [S.L], v. 28, n. 10, p. 1152-1179, 2022. Disponível em: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13527258.2022.2131879 Acesso em: 4 maio 2024.
  » https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13527258.2022.2131879
• MARCH, L. COVID-19 and museum social media content. Arts Education Policy Review, [S.l.], p. 1-9, 2023. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10632913.2023.2240930 Acesso em: 6 jun. 2024.
  » https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10632913.2023.2240930
• MCMILLEN, R.; ALTER, F. Social media, social inclusion, and museum disability access. Museums & Social Issues, [S.L], v. 12, n. 2, p. 115-125, 2017. Disponível em: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15596893.2017.1361689 Acesso em: 18 jul. 2024.
  » https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15596893.2017.1361689
• MENDONÇA, E. X. de. O melhor museu? Uma análise do Instituto Ricardo Brennand no marketing da cidade do Recife. 2020. Dissertação (mestrado em Hotelaria e Turismo) - Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, 2020. Disponível em: https://repositorio.ufpe.br/handle/123456789/39300 Acesso em:18 jul. 2024.
  » https://repositorio.ufpe.br/handle/123456789/39300
• PINHEIRO, L. V. R.; FERREZ, H. D. Tesauro Brasileiro de Ciência da Informação Rio de Janeiro: IBICT, 2014.
• QUEVEDO-SILVA, F. et al Estudo bibliométrico: orientações sobre sua aplicação. Revista Brasileira de Marketing, [S.L], v. 15, n. 2, p. 246-262, 2016. Disponível em: https://periodicos.uninove.br/remark/article/view/12129 Acesso em: 25 jul. 2024.
  » https://periodicos.uninove.br/remark/article/view/12129
• SANTOS, D. B. M. dos. O Sertão virou mar: gestão pública, equipamentos culturais e city marketing no Centro Cultural Cais do Sertão em Recife/PE. 2020. Dissertação (mestrado em Hotelaria e Turismo) - Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, 2020. Disponível em: https://repositorio.ufpe.br/handle/123456789/37979 Acesso em: 24 jul. 2024.
  » https://repositorio.ufpe.br/handle/123456789/37979
• SERRA, R. R. B.; FERREIRA, R. S. Marketing e mídias sociais: o caso da Fundação Biblioteca Nacional, Brasil. Revista Brasileira de Biblioteconomia e Documentação, [S.L], v. 19, p. 1-23, 2023. Disponível em: https://rbbd.febab.org.br/rbbd/article/view/1861 Acesso em: 17 jun. 2024.
  » https://rbbd.febab.org.br/rbbd/article/view/1861
• SILVA, P. I.; TERRA, A. L. The role of users in the organization of digital information: A Portuguese experience in an academic museum and archive setting. IFLA Journal, [S.L], v. 50, n. 1, 64-74, 2024. Disponível em: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/03400352231219667
  » https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/03400352231219667
• SILVEIRA, G. D. I. Exposições artísticas: estratégias de instituições museológicas em espaços expositivos contemporâneos. 2021. Dissertação (mestrado acadêmico) - Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Instituto de Artes e Design. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Artes, Cultura e Linguagens, 2021. Disponível em: https://repositorio.ufjf.br/jspui/bitstream/ufjf/12870/1/giuliadrumondimaziosilveira.pdf Acesso em: 4 maio 2024.
  » https://repositorio.ufjf.br/jspui/bitstream/ufjf/12870/1/giuliadrumondimaziosilveira.pdf
• ZOLLO, L. et al How do museums foster loyalty in tech-savvy visitors? The role of social media and digital experience. Current Issues in Tourism, [S.L], v. 25, n. 18, p. 2991-3008, 2022. Disponível em: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13683500.2021.1896487 Acesso em: 6 jun. 2024.
  » https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13683500.2021.1896487

Edited by

• Editor: Gildenir Carolino Santos

Data availability

Not applicable.

Publication Dates

• Publication in this collection
  13 Dec 2024
• Date of issue
  2024

History

• Received
  11 Sept 2024
• Accepted
  24 Oct 2024
• Published
  13 Nov 2024