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Course abstract:

Internet Marketing refers to the application of marketing principles and techniques via electronic media and more specifically the Internet. The purpose of this course is to develop the learner’s understanding of, and skills in, the use of the complex interactive digital media, which comprise the tools of Internet marketing. This area of study is subject to rapid rates of change with an immense array of continually developing technology converging and impacting on how e-business operates.

Internet Marketing encompasses all the activities a business conducts via the worldwide web with the aim of attracting new business, retaining current business and developing its brand identity. Being able to use the Internet for promotion is a core skill and this is covered in detail through search engine marketing. The topic of public relations through the Internet is outlined as is the concept of the Internet as a community.

This course also addresses the utility and importance of the Internet for market research. Data from customer relationship management can be used to support Internet market research. This research can, in turn, lead to improvements in customer relations by enabling the company to supply better products and services. An understanding of these areas is therefore required.

To be able to research and design an Internet marketing plan is an essential skill and learners will explore, the steps involved in drawing up these plans. This activity will bring together the skills covered in this unit.

Learning outcomes:
On successful completion of this course a learner will:

• Understand marketing through the Internet
• Be able to use the Internet for promotion using digital marketing communications
• Be able to produce market research to support customer relationship management
• Be able to design an Internet marketing plan.

1: Understand marketing through the Internet

The elements of Internet marketing: definition of digital marketing; definition of e-commerce and e-business; the internet micro- and macro-environment; benefits of Internet marketing e.g. reach, scope, immediacy, interactivity, targeting; adaptive and closed loop marketing.

The Internet marketing mix: product and branding; place e.g. channels, virtual organisations; price e.g. auctions; promotions; people; processes; physical evidence; digital marketing tools/e-tools; the online marketing matrix including business and consumer markets; the online customer.

Interactive order processing: choosing a supplier; selecting a product; check stock availability; placing order; authorisation of payment; input of data; data transfer; order processing; online confirmation and delivery information; tracking of order; delivery; data integrity and security systems; technology e.g. three-tier architecture (client-server-database); web-forms.

2: Be able to use the Internet for promotion using digital marketing communications

Search engine marketing (SEM): definition of SEM, definition of search engine optimisation (SEO); advantages and disadvantages of SEO; best practice in SEO; paid search engine marketing, pay-per-click advertising (PPC); landing pages; long tail concept; geo-targeting e.g. Google AdWords; opt in email and email marketing.

Online public relations (OPR): definition; advantages and disadvantages; best practice in OPR; online partnerships and affiliation; interactive display advertising; mobile commerce; viral marketing; using offline techniques to support online media.

The Internet as a community: customer ‘ownership’ of sites via interactivity, instant messaging (IM); chat-rooms; discussion groups; blogs; portals e.g. yahoo; social media networks e.g. Facebook; file sharing sites e.g. YouTube; Flickr, Twitter; how businesses can use these media; online reputation management tactics.

3: Be able to produce market research to support customer relationship management

Market research: secondary research data e.g. published surveys and reports, online research communities; Google insights and trends; blogs; government information e.g. census; types of research e.g. researching customer needs; types of information required e.g. quantitative data or qualitative data; primary market research methods e.g. online surveys; open and closed questions; focus groups; listening labs.

Steps in online market research: establish the project goals e.g. secondary research – background to a business problem, primary research – new product for existing customers; determine your sample; choose research methodology e.g. survey sent via email or advertised online; create your questionnaire e.g. www.surveymonkey.com; pre-test the questionnaire; conduct interviews; enter data; analyse data; produce the reports.

Relationship marketing: benefits of relationship marketing e.g. loyalty, lower costs, easier targeting; electronic customer relationship marketing (eCRM); operational CRM; analytical CRM and data mining e.g. Amazon past purchase suggestions – collaborative filtering; web analytics; conversion optimisation; segmenting customers e.g. by value, by loyalty; eCRM technology e.g. Sales-Force software; implementing eCRM eg attracting new and existing customers, incentivising customers, embrace, capturing information; collaborative CRM; maintaining dialogue online and offline; vendor relationship management VRM.

Security and trust issues: ‘permission marketing’; value of orders; lead times; payment authorised in advance; consumer trust; transaction security e.g. data, financial details; UK Data Protection Act.

4: Be able to design an Internet Marketing plan

The Internet Marketing plan: situational analysis, key performance indicators in Internet marketing e.g. click through rates, churn rates, sessions; SWOT e.g. examination of business strengths e.g., customer data, weaknesses, opportunities e.g. opt in email campaigns, threats; environmental analysis; competitors analysis; channel analysis e.g. texting; set objectives; target markets e.g. segmenting by channel; decide media e.g. pay per click; control; feedback.

Creating an online pay-per-click campaign: preplanning e.g. online and offline analysis of the business (as above); customer demographics; the industry and competitors; goal definition e.g. branding campaigns; set budget, Cost Per Action (CPA) and targets; keyword research; copywriting; bidding; measure; analysing; testing; optimising.