Hi Everyone,
Welcome to my Blog about my experience with a module in my second year of University called Digital Marketing and Analytics.
Essentially Digital Marketing and Analytics is a rapidly evolving and disruptive module that uses data and technology to boost a business’s online presence, engage with target consumers, and optimise marketing efforts. It entails promoting items or services through digital channels such as websites, social media, email, search engines, and mobile applications.
This module for me was a very engaging one as as the world becomes more digitally connected, traditional marketing methods are losing ground. Businesses now heavily rely on online platforms to reach their customers, creating a demand for professionals skilled in digital marketing and analytics. In this day and age is imperative that everyone has a full grasp of using the digital connections that are available at our disposal as oppose to those a couple decades ago. This blog largely focuses on the importance of how digital marketing offers a broad range of platforms and tools suitable for any business size, from startups to multinational corporations. It also provides cost-effective alternatives to traditional advertising, making it attractive for organisations with limited budgets.
During another task in this module, I created an infographics powerpoint audit of The North Face situation analysis and different factors that contribute to the business such as their competition, objectives and strategies. I believe finding the necessary and relevant data for this task was a crucial obstacle as I had to really nitpick and find information that was one, credible but also reliable and applicable to my audit analysis.
Social networking, search engines, email marketing, and content development are all examples of digital marketing channels. The study of digital marketing provides professionals with the required abilities to properly exploit these channels, allowing them to reach a larger and more targeted audience (Smith, 2019). Furthermore, understanding analytics is critical for evaluating the effectiveness of digital marketing strategies. Marketers may make data-driven decisions, optimise their tactics, and achieve higher ROI by analysing data and KPIs. My hot take on this module is that by dissecting each element of digital marketing and analytics it enables the integration of technology and data-driven insights not only enhances marketing strategies but also enables businesses and organisations to achieve tangible results in terms of performance and growth.
Moreover, a strategy that I largely focused on during task 2, the audit report for The North Face the SOSTAC approach is a comprehensive marketing planning framework that has shown to be extremely beneficial to firms in today’s fast-paced and competitive industry. SOSTAC is an acronym created by PR Smith that stands for Situation Analysis, Objectives, Strategy, Tactics, Actions, and Control. The SOSTAC Situation Analysis assists firms in developing more informed marketing strategies by providing a greater awareness of their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (Dibb & Simkin, 2013).
The SOSTAC approach begins with a thorough situational analysis that includes an assessment of internal and external elements that may influence the firm. This study provides useful information about the present market position, client behaviour, the competitive landscape, and overall industry trends (Smith, 2011). Setting specific and quantifiable goals is essential for a successful marketing effort. The SOSTAC strategy emphasises the necessity of setting clear, attainable, and time-bound goals that are aligned with overarching corporate objectives. Objectives that are well-defined serve as a guiding force, allowing firms to stay focused and on track (Smith, 2011). The third stage of the SOSTAC model entails developing a strategy based on the findings of the scenario analysis and the goals that have been created. This strategy specifies the approach to be taken in order to achieve the objectives, such as target market selection, positioning, and value proposition (Smith, 2011).
There is a need to understand how digital technology and media modify existing marketing models and whether new models and strategies may be used to effectively use the medium.To effectively sell their products, marketers must have real digital marketing skills. Knowledge of new jargon, such as ‘marketing automation,’ ‘click-through,’ ‘cookies,’ ‘uniques,’ and ‘page impressions,’ as well as effective methods of site design and promotion, such as search engine marketing, will be required, either for direct ‘hands-on’ development of a site or for communication with other staff or agencies that are implementing and maintaining the site. Given the rapidly changing market dynamics and digital marketing best practises, web-based information sources are required to keep knowledge up to date on a regular basis. To do this, this article and the accompanying companion website contain several links to websites.
Overall, this module has enabled me to understand how learning about digital analytics has become indispensable for businesses aiming to thrive in the digital age. The effectiveness of digital analytics lies in its ability to provide businesses with data-driven insights, facilitating a deeper understanding of customer behaviour, optimising marketing efforts. By leveraging the power of digital analytics, businesses can gain a competitive edge, maximise marketing ROI, and make well-informed decisions that drive success in the dynamic and ever-evolving digital landscape.