Course description
This course will introduce students to digital marketing and how organizations communicate, promote, price, and distribute products online. By examining various components of marketing in a digital context, students will develop the knowledge, comprehension, and techniques to market in the online environment. By the end of the course, students will be able to assess a company’s online presence and how to improve its use of digital marketing.
Course content
- Background and history of digital marketing
- Situation analysis of the digital marketing environment
- Strategic digital marketing planning
- Online market segmentation and positioning
- The online marketing mix
- Online products and services
- Pricing online
- Online promotion and communication
- Email marketing
- Search engine marketing
- Social Media marketing
- Distribution online
- Customer relationship management online
- Market research online
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
- Building and maintaining an online presence
- Business to Consumer (B2C) digital marketing
- Business to Business (B2B) digital marketing
- Analytics and measuring marketing success online
- Evolving Digital Marketing trends
Learning activities
This course will be studied through lectures, videos, case studies, workshops, guest lecturers, group discussions, computer applications, and industry-related projects.
Means of assessment
Evaluation will be carried out in accordance with the Douglas College Evaluation Policy.
| Class participation |
5%-10%
|
| Case studies, homework |
0%-10% |
| Assignments (2 - 5) |
25%-40% |
| Midterm examination |
20%-30% |
| Final examination |
20%-30% |
| Total |
100% |
Students must achieve at least 50% on the combined non-group components in order to obtain credit for the course, with the 50% calculated on a weighted average basis.
Students must complete all projects, assignments and write all examinations in order to be eligible for a passing grade in the course.
Students may conduct research as part of their coursework in this class. Instructors for the course are responsible for ensuring that student research projects comply with College policies on ethical conduct for research involving humans, which can require obtaining Informed Consent from participants and getting the approval of the Douglas College Research Ethics Board prior to conducting the research.
Learning outcomes
At the end of the course, a successful student should be able to:
- Critique web design frameworks for improving conversion rates on a website. Apply these design frameworks to identify areas for website improvement
- Identify and discuss the use of different online business models
- Develop a strategic digital marketing plan
- Explain the opportunities and challenges of conducting market research online
- Assess the legal, ethical, regulatory, and social issues impacting digital marketing initiatives
- Examine the role of digital media in identifying, anticipating and satisfying consumer needs and wants
- Create and evaluate digital marketing programs
- Critique distribution considerations due to the emergence of digital technologies
- Examine how customers find products and services online
- Explain the importance of digital brand management
- Analyze and optimize digital communications and content marketing
- Analyze Digital Marketing fundamentals such as: Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Digital Analytics, Online Advertising and Social Media
Textbook materials
Larson, J., & Draper, S. Digital Marketing Essentials: a comprehensive digital marketing textbook. Stukent Inc. latest edition.
and/or other textbook(s) and/or other material(s) approved by the department.