Digital Marketing Practice

This practical CPD course is designed for marketing professionals, business owners, entrepreneurs, and individuals seeking to enhance their digital marketing capabilities in an increasingly AI-driven environment. It provides a comprehensive understanding of contemporary digital marketing strategies, combining core marketing principles with the latest AI-enhanced tools and techniques across social media, SEO, PPC, content marketing, and analytics.

Participants will develop the skills to evaluate, implement, and optimise digital marketing activities using data-driven insights and AI-supported technologies. Through practical application and real-world scenarios, learners will gain the confidence to strengthen organisational marketing performance and contribute more effectively to digital growth strategies.

To view the module descriptor (MARK11020), please visit Programme Specifications and Module Descriptors 

 

Who is this course for?

This course is suitable for:

• Marketing professionals looking to enhance their digital marketing knowledge and practical skills
• Business owners and entrepreneurs seeking to strengthen their organisation's online presence and customer engagement
• Communications, brand, and social media practitioners responsible for planning and delivering digital campaigns
• Professionals who want to understand how AI can be applied across digital marketing activities and decision-making
• Individuals involved in content creation, search marketing, customer acquisition, or digital performance analysis
• Career changers or aspiring marketers seeking practical, industry-relevant digital marketing experience

 

Why take this course?

Digital marketing continues to evolve at pace, with AI transforming how organisations attract, engage, and retain customers. To remain effective, professionals need more than an understanding of digital channels, they need the ability to apply new tools, technologies, and insights in a practical business context.

This course provides the opportunity to explore contemporary digital marketing approaches while developing hands-on experience with AI-enhanced techniques. You will learn how to make more informed marketing decisions, improve campaign performance, analyse digital data effectively, and create engaging customer experiences across multiple channels.

Whether you are looking to enhance your current role, support business growth, or expand your digital marketing expertise, this course will help you build practical skills that can be applied immediately in the workplace.

 

What you will learn

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Evaluate and apply both traditional and AI-enhanced digital marketing practices across a range of business environments
• Assess advanced digital marketing models, techniques, and approaches within national and international contexts
• Analyse the effectiveness of contemporary digital marketing strategies and identify opportunities for improvement using data and performance insights
• Examine how emerging digital technologies and AI are influencing marketing management, customer engagement, and business decision-making
• Apply digital marketing tools and techniques to support content creation, social media management, search marketing, campaign optimisation, and performance measurement
• Use digital data and analytics to inform marketing activity and support evidence-based decision-making

 

How you will learn

This course combines expert-led teaching with practical, hands-on activities designed to help you apply digital marketing concepts in real-world contexts.

Learning is delivered through a blend of lectures, workshops, discussions, guest speaker sessions, and practical exercises. You will explore current digital marketing challenges, examine industry examples, and engage in activities that encourage critical thinking and problem-solving.

Throughout the course, you will have opportunities to:

• Participate in interactive discussions and debates on current digital marketing trends and challenges
• Learn from industry practitioners and guest speakers who bring real-world experience and insights
• Develop practical digital marketing skills through workshop-based activities
• Create and optimise digital content for a range of online channels
• Explore the use of AI-enhanced tools to support marketing planning, content creation, campaign delivery, and performance analysis
• Apply learning through independent research, reflection, and practical exercises

Participants should be prepared to engage actively with course materials and apply their learning throughout the programme.

 

Course content

• Foundations of Digital Marketing
• AI in Digital Marketing
• Social Media Management and Content Strategy
• Search Engine Marketing and Campaign Optimisation
• Data, Analytics and Insight Generation
• Developing Integrated Digital Marketing Strategies

 

Assessment

The assessments are designed to help you apply your learning to realistic digital marketing challenges, demonstrating both strategic thinking and practical digital marketing skills.

Assessment 1: Social Media Strategy and Performance Analysis

You will develop and deliver a social media activity and strategic plan using AI-enabled marketing tools. You will then analyse campaign performance and present your findings, demonstrating your ability to use data and insights to evaluate marketing effectiveness.

Assessment 2: Digital Marketing Strategy Project

You will either work with a live business scenario or develop a new product or service concept. Drawing on course learning, you will create a comprehensive digital marketing strategy that incorporates contemporary digital marketing approaches and AI-enhanced techniques. This assessment develops your ability to analyse business needs, formulate strategic recommendations, and justify decisions using evidence and insight.

 

Applying your learning

Given the practical nature of this course, you will be better equipped to evaluate marketing performance, make evidence-based decisions, and develop effective digital marketing strategies that support organisational goals. The course will provide you with valuable skills, tools, and insights that can be applied immediately to support business growth, customer engagement, and marketing effectiveness.

  

Entry requirements

There are no formal entry requirements for this course; however, it is designed for learners with an interest in marketing, communications, business development, or digital technologies.

Participants may already be working in a marketing-related role, managing business growth activities, or looking to enhance their digital marketing capabilities. An interest in exploring how AI is shaping modern marketing practice will be beneficial.

As this course involves critical analysis, discussion, and the application of concepts to real-world scenarios, learners should be prepared to engage with course materials and reflect on their own professional experiences where relevant.

Participants should be prepared to undertake independent study at SCQF Level 11.

 

Certification

Upon successful completion, participants will be awarded 20 credits at SCQF Level 11.

These credits may contribute towards further postgraduate study, where applicable. This module is part of our MSc in Digital Marketing. 

This course is accredited by the Digital Marketing Institute and delegates successfully completing the course will be awarded status of Digital Marketing Institute Associate. 

 

Meet the course presenter

This course is delivered by Theo Tzanidis, Senior Lecturer in Digital & 3D Web Communications at University of the West of Scotland. With over 20 years of industry experience in digital communications, Theo has worked extensively with digital transformation consulting projects providing digital marketing automation, digital communications, digital enterprise & corporate transformation using Digital Social and Transformational Technologies. Theo is also a Member of the Industry Advisory Board of the Digital Marketing Institute.

 

Sector and workforce relevance 

This course has been designed in collaboration with industry experts to reflect the rapidly evolving nature of digital marketing and the growing influence of AI across marketing functions. Content is informed by current industry practice, emerging technologies, and contemporary approaches used by organisations to enhance customer engagement, campaign performance, and business growth. The course emphasises the skills, tools, and techniques that marketing professionals are increasingly expected to use in today's digital environment, helping ensure learning remains relevant to current workplace needs. 

 

NOTE: This is a university module and upon approval of your application, you will be invited to register and then supported to complete enrolment. To enrol on the university system, the first step involves security set-up using the Microsoft Authenticator app; you will need to ensure that you have a compatible smartphone.

Further enrolment information is available at the Student Information Portal.

To access this module via the CPD route, individuals should be ordinarily resident in Scotland.