Digital Marketing (MN229) Study

What is a digital marketing strategy?

A structured plan that uses digital channels and tools to achieve business objectives through data-driven decisions

what are the steps in the strategy development process?

situation analysis, goal setting, strategy, implementation, control (measurement)

what is the RACE framework?

a lifecycle model: Reach (awareness), Act (engagement), Convert (sales), Engage (loyalty)

why is RACE important?

it ensures all stages of the customer journey are covered and aligns marketing with business goals

what is SMART goal setting?

goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound

what is the macro environment?

external factors that influence a business but cannot be controlled

what does PESTEL stand for?

Political, Economic, Socio-cultural, Technological, Environmental, Legal

give an example of a legal factor in digital marketing

GDPR affecting how companies collect and use customer data

why is the technological factor important?

it drives innovation (AI, mobile, platforms) and shapes digital strategies

what is strategic agility?

the ability of a business to quickly adapt to environmental changes

what is the first step in campaign planning?

situation analysis (understanding current performance and market)

what are KPIs?

Key Performance Indicators used to measure campaign success

name key digital marketing metrics

Conversion rate, click-through rate (CTR), traffic, bounce rate, session duration

what is conversion rate?

the percentage of users who complete a desired action (e.g., purchase)

why is analytics important?

it allows businesses to measure performance and improve decisions

what is the analytics process?

goals, setup, monitor, analyse, action

what is paid media?

advertising that a company pays for (e.g., PPC, display ads)

what is owned media?

channels controlled by the business (website, email list)

what is earned media?

exposure gained through customers (reviews, shares, word-of-mouth)

advantage of paid media?

immediate results and precise targeting

disadvantages of paid media?

expensive and stops when spending stops

advantage of owned media?

long term control and cost-effective

advantage of earned media?

high trust and credibility

key weakness of earned media?

lack of control and risk of negative feedback

what is email marketing?

sending targeted messages to customers to promote products or build relationships

why is email marketing effective?

high ROI, direct communication, personalised content

what is email automation

emails triggered by user behaviour (e.g., welcome email, abandoned cart)

what is double opt-in?

a process where users confirm their subscription, improving quality of contacts

disadvantage of email marketing?

spam filters and declining engagement

describe the Reach stage of the RACE framework

involves creating awareness and attracting potential customers to a companys online platform

what channels do businesses use during the Reach stage in the RACE framework

SEO, PPC, advertising, display ads, and social media

what is the goal of the Reach stage channels

to reach the target audience and encourage them to interact with the brand

describe the Act stage of the RACE framework

encouraging users to interact with the company’s website or digital content

what does interaction include?

reading blog posts, watching videos, signing up for newsletters, or adding products to basket

how do businesses improve the Act stage

strong CTA, engaging content, and user-friendly website design

describe the Convert stage of the RACE framework

converting website visitors into paying customers

what strategies are used in the Convert stage

personalised offers, simplified checkout systems, retargeting ads, and email reminders for abandoned carts.

describe the Engage stage of the RACE framework

focuses on building long term customer relationships and encouraging repeat customers.

what strategies are used to retain customers in the Engage stage

email marketing, loyalty programmes, social media engagement, and personalised communication

how does the RACE framework help organisations measure performance at each stage?

website traffic, CTR, conversion rates, customer retention rates

what are the limitations of the RACE framework

requires continuous monitoring and data analysis

how do Political factors (PESTEL) affect digital marketing strategies?

governments may impose restrictions on online advertising or data collection practices

how do Economic factors (PESTEL) affect digital marketing strategies?

during economic downturns consumers may reduce spending, forcing businesses to adjust their pricing strategies and promotional activities.

how do Social factors (PESTEL) affect digital marketing strategies?

changes in consumer lifestyles, demographics, and cultural trends

how do Technology factors (PESTEL) affect digital marketing strategies?

rapid technological change means businesses must continuously update skills and systems

how do Environmental factors (PESTEL) affect digital marketing strategies?

company’s that fail to address environmental concerns may lose customer trust

what is a digital marketing campaign?

a structured process that align marketing activities with business objectives while ensuring measurable results

what is the first step in planning a digital marketing campaign?

situation analysis

what is situation analysis? (def)

where a company evaluates its current performance and market position.

what does situation analysis include?

analysing internal data such as website traffic, sales, conversion rates. analysing external data such as competitors and market trends.

what is the second step in planning a digital marketing campaign?

establishing clear objectives

what are the clear objectives?

Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound (SMART)

what is the third step in planning a digital marketing campaign?

identifying the target audience

what is ‘identifying the target market’?

understanding the demographics and needs of the audience. the consumer decision making process is also considered in this stage.

what is the fourth step in planning a digital marketing campaign?

develop strategy

what is ‘develop strategy’?

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), Pay Per Click (PPC), Social media, Email marketing. the RACE framework is used to structure this process.

what is the fifth step in planning a digital marketing campaign?

implementation

what is implementation?

creating content, launching ads, sending emails, optimising the website.

what can happen for users during the implementation stage?

issues such as slow loading times, confusing navigation, complicated checkout processes (known as friction points)

what is the sixth step in planning a digital marketing campaign?

effectiveness

what is the ‘effectiveness’ stage?

campaign is measured and evaluated using digital analytics.

what are KPIs?

Key Performance Indicators: Conversion rate, Click Through Rate (CTR), website traffic, engagement metrics

how is effectiveness determined?

comparing KPI results with original objectives.

Example of how effectiveness is determined

if goal was to increase sales, conversion rates would be the primary measure.