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 learn how to evaluate, implement and optimise digital marketing activities using data-driven insights and AI-supported technologies. Through practical application and real-world scenarios, they will gain the confidence to strengthen marketing performance, enhance customer engagement and contribute more effectively to organisational growth.

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
• Professionals looking to transition into digital marketing or build practical, industry-relevant marketing expertise 

 

Why take this course?

Digital marketing is evolving rapidly, with Artificial Intelligence 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
• Select and apply digital marketing tools and AI-enhanced 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 learning activities that enable you to apply digital marketing concepts in real-world contexts.

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.

The course comprises approximately 200 hours of learning, including scheduled teaching or guided online learning, independent study and assessment. This flexible approach enables participants to balance postgraduate study with professional commitments while applying learning directly to their own professional practice.

 

Course content

• Foundations of Digital Marketing
• AI Enhanced Digital Marketing
• Social Media Management and Content Strategy
• Search Engine Marketing and Campaign Optimisation
• Marketing Data, Analytics and Performance Insights
• Integrated Digital Marketing Strategy 

 

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

Working with either a live business or a new product or service concept, 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

Throughout this course, you will apply contemporary digital marketing approaches to realistic business scenarios, using AI-enhanced tools and data-driven insights to inform marketing decisions. By the end of the course, you will have the confidence to develop and evaluate digital marketing strategies that strengthen customer engagement, support business growth and deliver measurable organisational impact.

  

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.

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 at the University of the West of Scotland, where appropriate and in accordance with University regulations. This module is part of our MSc Digital Marketing.

This course is accredited by the Digital Marketing Institute. Participants who successfully complete the course will be awarded Digital Marketing Institute Associate status.

 

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 develops the practical skills, tools and strategic capabilities that marketing professionals increasingly need to succeed in today's digital economy.

 

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.