Improving Internet Marketing Systems in Small Business Entities of Uzbekistan: An Integrated Framework and Maturity- Based Implementation Model

Small business entities generate more than half of Uzbekistan's gross domestic product, yet many of them use internet marketing in a fragmented, tool-by-tool manner without clearly defined and measurable objectives. This article develops and substantiates an integrated internet marketing system for small business entities and a three-stage maturity model for its step-by-step implementation. The study combines official statistics from the National Statistics Committee, market reports, and recent scientific publications on the country's digital economy with a structured analytical assessment of nine online channels based on four criteria. The results indicate that the small business sector comprised 1.21 million active entities in October 2025 and contributed 51.5% of GDP in January–September 2025; e-commerce turnover increased from 13.26 trillion soums in 2023 to 15.21 trillion soums in 2024; and 94.2% of the population used the internet in January–August 2025, while e-commerce accounted for only 3.71% of retail trade in 2024. Against this background, the article identifies six key areas for further development in small-business internet marketing and proposes a seven-layer system architecture, a KPI framework, a maturity diagnostic tool, and a twelve-month implementation roadmap. A worked hypothetical example illustrates how improvements in conversion and retention can affect lifetime return on marketing investment. The findings can be used by entrepreneurs, business support agencies, and policymakers in developing digital marketing support programmes.