Digital Marketing (with optional Placement/Project year) MSc/PGDip/PGCert

This module guides students in the design and completion of a research proposal in preparation for the research project in marketing. It will cover how to develop the skills to critically analyse and report findings, aligning with academic and industry standards.

Key topics include research paradigms, research methods, data collection and analysis.

The module equips students with the skills to plan, execute, and interpret research effectively, preparing them for advanced academic work or professional marketing projects.

This module covers some of the key skills needed by a marketing practitioner operating in a digital environment and specifically relate to understanding the latest digital disrupters.

Key Themes:

• History of Marketing
• Digital Disruption – what is it and what data sources help to define it
  • Gartner magic quadrant v Forrester wave
  • Alternatives to the above

• Trends in digital disruption driven by the above
  • AR
  • VR
  • AI
  • Blockchain
  • Automation
  • Personalisation
  • CRO
  • Consent and preference management
  • Visual search
• Assessment of the digital capabilities and readiness for change
  • Internal analysis using Martech stack and T shaped marketer
  • Martech stack
  • Mckinsey 7S
  • Change models
• Teasing out high-level recommendations for the go-forward plan
  • 7S
  • Change plans

This module examines the preparation of a Digital Marketing Communications Plan that enhances customer engagement and drive marketing success.

Integrating digital marketing communications theory and practice, this module explores marketing frameworks, the role of data analytics in marketing communications, the influence of customer-focused digital technology on marketing communications, customer journey with the decision-making process, the role of search marketing, digital marketing communications methods and media, and performance metrics.

This module offers a comprehensive exploration of the theoretical, historical, and cultural contexts surrounding social media and its impact on contemporary society. Students will evaluate, project, and apply the practical aspects of social media across various contexts.

Throughout the course, students will develop and employ advanced practical and technical skills in different applications, enabling them to formulate and implement effective social media strategies. The module will examine both dominant and emerging forms of social media, as well as influential digital media technologies, through a variety of themes.

Topics that may be covered in the module (subject to ongoing developments in the field) include:

• - Data-driven insights in a social media marketing context
• - The use of social media in corporate and political media relations
• - Social media marketing strategies
• - Social media platform strategies
• - Social media messaging strategies
• - Influencer marketing
• - Development and curation of user-generated content
• - Professional practices in social media, including reputation management
• - The application of social and digital media technologies to marketing and communications projects.

This module covers some of the key skills needed by a marketing practitioner operating in a digital environment to understand the online behaviour of a typical digital customer.

In the first part of the module, key theories relating to understanding online behaviour, including the latest thinking from Google, will be presented and compared to existing theories such as McKinsey Loop.

Students will then learn about the importance of data-driven personas in understanding the online customer and driving digital marketing strategy. The structure of the persona will be covered in detail as well as the importance of both primary and secondary sources to help support and underpin the persona. 

Key Themes:

The following is illustrative of what the module will cover (subject to the constant ongoing developments in this field):

• Traditional Consumer Buyer Behaviour theory
• Online buyer behaviour theory - McKinsey, ZMOT etc.
• Segmentation theory
• Customer analysis 
• Customer Personas
• Data driven customer insights
• • Primary – qual and quant
  • Secondary – GA, FB Insights, SEMrush, GWI, Fanpage Karma

This module equips students with the skills to identify and solve marketing problems through research-driven projects. It enhances their ability to collect, analyse, and interpret data while applying existing knowledge to real-world scenarios. Students will develop critical research and communication skills, learning to design, implement, and evaluate marketing studies. Key topics include literature reviews, research methods, research data analysis and presentation techniques. By completing a comprehensive marketing management project, students will refine their ability to justify decisions, draw conclusions, and provide clear outcomes based on their research findings.