• University of Exeter Business School
• Module

Strategic Digital Marketing Practice

Module description

Digital technologies and so-called’ big data’ are now a key feature of marketing, infiltrating many aspects of our lives and changing the way in which we live and interact with others, including brands. This module will focus on helping you to develop the skills, knowledge and confidence to respond proactively in this marketing environment characterised by complexity and change.

Working closely with local organisations, this module takes a strategic approach to utilising digital channels to address marketing challenges. By responding to the brief set by a live case study, this module offers you the opportunity to develop creative solutions that deliver real-world benefits. We start by exploring the dynamic and disruptive nature of digital marketing before progressing to consider the role of metrics and online tools. You will then be challenged to apply this learning to better understand how your case study organisation can utilise the digital environment to generate greater awareness, loyalty and customer satisfaction.

Module aims - intentions of the module

This module aims to provide you with an understanding of digital marketing and how both marketing theory and modern practice can be applied to real-world challenges. Students will be given the opportunity to work with a live case study to develop their ideas and identify practical solutions that can add value to an organisation in our wider community.

This fast-paced and applied module will be particularly suited to students who wish to develop skills that will help prepare them for the workplace.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 1. Create an effective digital marketing plan in response to a customer brief;
• 2. Utilise digital marketing tools to understand and benchmark performance;
• 3. Develop detailed, well-evidenced and co-ordinated proposals for marketing actions;

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 4. Critically reflect on digital marketing practices and performance;
• 5. Identify and evaluate relevant data to build a detailed understanding of customer needs and behaviour;

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 6. Communicate detailed, evidence-led and compelling recommendations;
• 7. Apply advanced analytical and evaluative skills.

Syllabus plan

• Marketing in a digital culture
• Understanding a digital marketing audit
• Understanding the digital ‘consumer’
• Digital marketing strategy
• Digital marketing tools and techniques
• Developing a creative concept
• Measuring and monitoring campaign performance

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

Core Text:

Chaffey, D. & Ellis-Chadwick, F. (2022) Digital Marketing: Strategy, Implementation and Practice. 8th Edition. Pearson

Supplementary Text:

Sponder, M. and Khan, G.F. (2017) Digital analytics for marketing. Abingdon, Routledge

Chaffey, D. and Smith, P.R. (2023) Digital marketing excellence: planning, optimizing and integrating online marketing. 6th edition. Routledge.

Indicative learning resources - web based and electronic resources:

A reading list of up to date peer reviewed journal articles and web resources to accompany the lectures will be made available on ELE.

Key words search

Digital marketing, social media marketing, marketing planning, online marketing.