The strategic role of electronic marketing in the Australian museum sector

Abstract

Within the increasing body of literature related to electronic marketing there is little being written on cultural institutions such as museums. Issues such as whether museum websites are used for marketing purposes, and what role they play in a museum’s broader marketing strategy, have relevance for both theory and practice. This paper sets out to explore the strategic role of electronic marketing in the Australian museum sector, taking a qualitative approach and using in depth interviews with strategic and operational level staff from all the Australian state museums as the data source. Findings indicate that, overall, Australian state museums increasingly use their websites to communicate with their audiences in a marketing sense. However, there is an emphasis on a tactical rather than a strategic use. Importantly, the success or otherwise of an electronic marketing strategy appears to rest with the support and acceptance the technology involved has within the museum.