DIGITAL MARKETING

Module Code: MGT3006

Coursework Code: MGT3006-1 (Individual)

Module Title: Digital Marketing

Date Available: October 2024

You can submit your assignment multiple times to the submission link on the module Blackboard site. Each time you submit you will receive a Similarity Report. You can check this and improve your referencing before the final deadline. After 3 submissions you will need to wait 24hrs before you receive a new report.

Please note: each new submission replaces any previous submission. It is not possible to retrieve a previous submission.

Your final submission must be made before the deadline to avoid late penalties.

You should note that the time of submission is taken from once the document has been successfully uploaded and confirmed – this may take more than five minutes during busy periods. Late penalties will be applied to any work submitted from 12.01pm on 28th January 2025 onwards. Technical issues, such as a loss of Wifi or a corrupt file, are not acceptable reasons for being late/requiring an extension. Details of how to calculate a late penalty can be found in your programme Handbook. It is your responsibility to ensure the correct document/file has uploaded successfully.

When submitting students must:

1. Include a completed cover sheet.

2. Use ‘Student Number, MGT3006-1’ as the document’s file name and also as the Assignment Title in Turnitin.

If you do not comply with the above requirements, you will receive a penalty deduction of 5 marks.

Contribution to Final Mark for Module: 100%

Maximum Word Length: 3,000 words.

The submission must be in a business report format, e.g., using headings, subheadings, diagrams, graphs, tables, narrative, bullet-points, references, etc. The word count ONLY EXCLUDES the cover sheet, title page, executive summary, contents page, bibliography/reference list and appendices. EVERYTHING else including tables, graphs, diagrams, and …, is included in the word count.

Please note that SUMS does not have a word count tolerance - it is a stated maximum as outlined above. If you exceed the word length you will be penalised. For details see the Management School Handbooks.

Part 1: Requirements:

Students should develop a digital marketing strategy plan for a real-life micro business or SME (small and medium-sized enterprise with fewer than 250 employees) based in Sheffield. To verify the number of employees, you can visit the selected company’s website or search for them on the Companies House website (https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/companies-house).

Examples of micro businesses or SMEs:

• Bakery/Delicatessen

• Green Grocers

• Independent Car Dealership

• Independent Fast Food Restaurant

• Laundrette

• Independent Health Food Store

• Café/Coffee Shop

• Health Spa

• Independent Gym

• Accountancy Firm

• Tattoo Parlour

• Newsagents

• Florist

• Independent Restaurant

• Hairdressers/Barbers

• Local Convenience Store

• Independent Tech/Computer Company

• …

The selected company must have at least some existing social media presence or another form. of digital marketing (e.g., a website) to be eligible for this assignment. Completion of this assessment will require desk research into the rationale for the choice of the selected company and the covered digital marketing topics.

There are plenty of sources provided in the “Reading list” on Blackboard, and students are expected to engage in independent reading, utilising library and secondary sources. There is no expectation or requirement to contact the selected company or conduct primary research. The formal briefing for this assessment will take place during the final lecture.

Part 2. Assessment Rationale

The individual assessment builds upon the knowledge and skills gained in this module by asking students to develop a digital marketing plan for a Sheffield-based micro business or SME. The assessment will require creativity, a sound understanding of the organisation, and the application of digital marketing theory.

SMEs are regularly considered the ‘lifeblood of the UK’s economy,’ with recent statistics showing that at the start of 2014, 5.2 million small businesses accounted for 47% of the UK private sector (Department for Business Innovation and Skills, 2014). However, the marketing strategies for small and medium-sized businesses are often overlooked due to financial constraints. Both in terms of cost and reach, digital platforms provide an ideal venue to advertise and promote the product offerings and services of an SME.

Part 3. Main Assignment Tasks (Detailed guidelines for the assignment tasks will be provided during the lectures and will also be made available on Blackboard):

1. Task 1: Introduction: Introduce the topic and provide a brief background of the selected company (critical; justify your choice). Propose SMART digital marketing objectives for the chosen company.

2. Task 2: Critique of Current Digital Marketing Strategy: Analyse the current digital marketing strategy employed by the company (i.e., social media marketing and the company’s website) using the theories and analytical tools learned in the module.

3. Task 3: Details of the Proposed Digital Marketing Strategy: Demonstrate the application of digital marketing theory to the selected company and provide recommendations for the most appropriate use of digital marketing.

o Recommendation 1

o Recommendation 2

o Recommendation 3

4. Task 4: Reflection on Using Generative AI for Social Media Marketing (note: detailed guidelines for this task will be made available on Blackboard): Explore the practical applications and implications of using Generative AI, specifically ChatGPT, in social media marketing for the chosen company. This task involves creating social media content, using both ChatGPT and your own creativity. Focus on only one of the following options to complete this task:

o Option 1: Social Media Post. Objective: To compare different approaches to creating a social media post for a chosen company, focusing on the same marketing communication objective.

o Option 2: Managerial Response to an Online Negative Review. Objective: To compare different methods of crafting a managerial response to an online negative review for a chosen company, while maintaining a consistent approach to customer service and reputation management.

Part 4. Assignment Structure: Your submission should be in a business report format, which means it must include the following sections:

1. Title Page: This should include the assessment title and your student number only.

2. Executive Summary: A brief overview of the report (maximum 300 words, excluded from the main word count).

3. Contents Page

4. Introduction (200 words)

5. Critique of Current Digital Marketing Strategy (900 words)

6. Details of the Proposed Digital Marketing Strategy (1000 words):

o Recommendation 1

o Recommendation 2

o Recommendation 3

7. Reflection on Using Generative AI for Social Media Marketing (900 words)

Part 5: Assessment formatting:

• Font: Times New Roman,

• size: 12 pt,

• colour: black.

• 1.5 line spacing.

• Margins not less than 2.54 cm on left and 3 cm on the right.

• All pages should be numbered.

Part 6. Important Considerations:

• DO NOT contact your chosen company, including interviewing the owners, any associated individuals, or customers/consumers, as this requires ethical approval.

• The word count ONLY EXCLUDES the cover sheet, title page, executive summary, contents page, bibliography/reference list and appendices. EVERYTHING else including tables, graphs and diagrams, is included in the word count.

• No more than a maximum of 5 appendices.