MM391-Digital Marketing

Module Provider: Marketing and Reputation
Number of credits: 20 [10 ECTS credits]
Level:6
Terms in which taught: Spring term module
Pre-requisites: MM218 Marketing Essentials or MM255 Marketing Management
Non-modular pre-requisites:
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Current from: 2023/4

Module Convenor: Dr Rodrigo Perez Vega
Email: r.perezvega@henley.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:

The growth of the internet has created new opportunities for organisations to reach and build relationships with their customers. At the same time, many firms struggle with making a successful transition from offline to online marketing. This module provides students with the key tools required to implement a successful digital marketing strategy. This includes understanding search engines, social media, content marketing and the analysis of web analytics data. Students will also build an understanding of the wider social and public policy issues that use of internet technology, including questions of regulation, privacy and use of customer data.

This module is delivered at University of Reading Malaysia ONLY.

Aims:

This module aims to introduce students to digital marketing and the increasingly important role of technology in both marketing practice and society. By the end of the module, students should be able to apply a range of skills to implement digital marketing approaches and understand the key strategic drivers behind the growth of the digital economy. Students will also gain practical experience of digital platforms used to implement marketing strategies in this context.

Assessable learning outcomes:

By the end of the module it is expected that the student will be able to: 

1. Identify key approaches to digital marketing. 


2. Explain the technological and social changes underlying the growth of the digital economy. 


3. Plan a digital marketing campaign using content marketing strategies, SEO, PPC, email and social media advertising, embracing the latest developments in digital marketing. 


4. Apply a data-driven approach to optimising marketing effectiveness through web analytics. 


5. Understand the implications from digital marketing for marketing strategy, multi-channel management and the creation of integrated marketing communications programmes. 


6. Assess the ethical and legal issues in collecting, storing and analysing customer data. 

Additional outcomes:

Whilst students may already have some knowledge of digital platforms such as Facebook or Twitter, this module provides students with the ability to understand and explain digital marketing in its business context. This module also gives students considering a career in marketing an understanding of the increasingly important role of digital marketing in organisations.

Outline content:

This module is built around two themes. The first centres on the commercial and social context in which digital marketing takes place. This includes the practical issues faced by marketers incorporating the digital environment within their target market strategies, the management of trust/mistrust amongst consumers, along with the pervasive nature of negative communication now enabled online. The second theme gives students knowledge of the key techniques and processes required to implement digital marketing strategy. This includes search engine marketing, analytics, mobile marketing and the use of social media for marketing purposes. 

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:
Lectures including discussion of cases and scenarios.

Contact hours:

	Autumn	Spring	Summer
Lectures		20
Tutorials		3
Guided independent study:
Wider reading (independent)		40
Wider reading (directed)		40
Other		31
Preparation for tutorials		6
Preparation of practical report		50
Reflection		10
Total hours by term	0	200	0
Total hours for module	200

Summative Assessment Methods:

Method	Percentage
Report	50
Project output other than dissertation	50

Summative assessment- Examinations:

Summative assessment- Coursework and in-class tests:

The report is piece of group coursework that involves the development of a digital marketing plan of up to 3000 words on a project relating to the implementation of digital strategies. The coursework also requires the production of digital assets to support elements of the implementation of the plan. To be submitted week 1 of Summer Term.

The individual project output is an individual project that involves the development of a video podcast on a topic relevant to digital marketing. To be submitted on week 11 of Spring Term.

Formative assessment methods:
Verbal feedback will be given during the lectures and seminars to help students progress with presentations and written work.

Penalties for late submission:

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of five working days;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than five working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/cqsd-old-site-documents/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf
You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Assessment requirements for a pass:
A minimum mark of 40%.

Reassessment arrangements:

A single 3,000 word individual essay for submission in September and the mark is capped at 40.

Additional Costs (specified where applicable):

Required text books £40 - Waite, K., & Perez Vega, R. (2018). Essentials of digital marketing. Goodfellow Publishers.

Laptop with access to Internet is needed during the workshops.

Last updated: 11 May 2023