Syllabus

Digital Marketing - MGT 4311

Subject to Change
Instructor:
Phone:
E-mail:
Office hours:
Office:
Class time
Class location:

Michael Buchanan
404.983.5039 (mobile)
michael.buchanan@scheller.gatech.edu
Mondays/Wednesdays: 11:00 a.m. 12:00 p.m. and by appointment
4208 Scheller College of Business
Mondays/Wednesdays, 1:35 p.m. 2:55 p.m.
SCOB Room 101

Textbook: eMarketing: The Essential Guide to Digital Marketing, Rob Stokes (5th Ed.)
(http://www.redandyellow.co.za/product/textbook-digital/)
Overview
Digital Marketing has evolved from radio, print and television to include the online/Internet channel and
has grown significantly over the past 10 years. The pace of new technology development and the ways
consumers are interacting with various technologies has also been growing rapidly. Marketing executives
are faced with new challenges to determine creative, cost effective ways to create brand awareness,
engage their audience, and establish strong brand reputations. Social media and mobile have established
new positions in the marketing arsenal alongside more mature online components such as email and
search advertising. Assembling the right mix of tactics to support an organizations overarching marketing
strategy while also maximizing efforts through integrated marketing communications poses great
opportunities and challenges for large and small businesses alike. Additionally, the evolution of marketing
analytics provides the potential for powerful changes in the way an organization manages its marketing
efforts.
Understanding the various components of the online marketing channel at a high level is a necessary
prerequisite for leveraging these tactics effectively in an applied environment. This course will explore
elements including:

Digital marketing strategy

Social media marketing

Mobile marketing

Search engine optimization (SEO)

Conversion rate optimization (CRO)

Pay-Per-Click advertising (PPC)

In addition to providing exposure to the tactical components of the online marketing channel, this course
will also impart practical knowledge through real-world case examples and presentations from industry
practitioners. Much like the field of online marketing, this course is intended to be interactive with a
healthy level of class participation and Q&A.
General Objectives
The primary objective of this course is to provide awareness of the various marketing tactics available
within the digital channel and an understanding of how these tactics can be applied to achieve business
goals. This course has been designed to be an active learning experience that strikes a balance between
providing established frameworks and methodologies while also exploring innovative, creative solutions

that do not necessarily have a right answer or method. The purpose of this approach is to engage you in
a way that builds upon your learning in a practical manner that can be applied in real world business
situations.
Learning Objectives
The following learning objectives will be realized through this course:
1. Students will be able to explain the major components of a digital marketing strategy
2. Students will understand the implications of using digital tactics to accomplish various business
goals and objectives for both B2B and B2C organizations
3. Students will become familiar with the components of each digital marketing tactic and be able to
explain how they function within the broader context of marketing
4. Students will become aware of various digital marketing organizations, news sources, industry
thought leaders, and networking channels
5. Students will gain exposure to the many disciplines/roles within the digital marketing field, both
within the agency model and the traditional organization model
Structure of Individual Class Sessions
Learning will be student-centric and highly interactive, with a mix of lecture, discussions, case study
assignments, videos, and applied problem-solving. Your attendance and active participation in class
discussion will be critical to your and your fellow students learning.
Class Attendance and Participation
Attendance and participation are critically important elements of this course, accounting for a cumulative
15% of the final grade. 10% of the grade will be based upon attendance (see Input #1 below) and 5%
based upon participation (see Input #2 below).
This grade will be based on two inputs:

Input #1 (10%) - Your attendance, determined by the sign-in sheets.

You are expected to be on time for each class. If you are coming from a location across campus or
have another conflict that will prohibit you from being on time consistently, notify me within the first
week of classes. If you are aware you need to be late for a specific class during the semester you can
email me to let me know.
Unexcused Absences
0-2
3
4
5
6
7 or more

Attendance Grade
100
90
80
70
60
50 (or lower, at the instructor's discretion)

Note: Unexcused absences on all Group Project days count as two (2) absences.

Input #2 (5%) - The quality of your participation in class.

This will be gauged via cold-call questioning and you proactively asking questions/making comments.

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To maximize this portion of your grade, you should arrive on time, be fully prepared (by reading the
assigned chapter and reviewing the PowerPoint slides), have your tent card prominently displayed, sign
the sign-in sheet, and be fully engaged during class discussion. Consistent failure in any of these areas
will result in deductions from your grade. Participation will be tracked in each class by my notations on the
attendance sheet. A score of 0-5 will be assigned for the participation score. Questions and comments will
be tallied over the semester. A minimum of 5 questions/comments will result in a perfect score for this
portion of the grade. Fewer comments/questions will be scaled accordingly (i.e. less than 100%).
Quizzes
Quizzes will be administered throughout the semester to prepare you for one of the most common,
frequently obtained certifications in the field of digital marketing: Google AdWords Fundamentals. I spend
considerable time talking with hiring managers and team directors to determine the content and areas of
focus for this course. Exposure to the AdWords platform is commonly referenced and some employers
even base their compensation upon obtaining certifications. Thus, you are being asked to prepare for
something that will directly benefit your resume and potential compensation. These quizzes will be
distributed as "take home" assignments roughly 1 week before they are due. They should be submitted in
class (per the course schedule) preferably double sided if needed; otherwise stapled. I do not return the
quizzes, but you are encouraged to schedule time to review them as desired.
Quizzes account for 15% of your overall grade.
Group Project Assignment - Digital Marketing Plan
To facilitate practical application of the material covered in this course, we will work through assignments
in class where you will be segmented into groups of 4-5 people. I will provide a structure that defines the
business goals/objectives and you will collaborate with your group to build out the strategies, tactics, and
implementation. An outline will be provided as structure for the plan, which will contain sections
associated with strategy, tactics, marketing technology, and marketing campaigns that can be activated to
support the stated business goals.
Unless you have an excused absence, you are not permitted to miss class on the days noted in the class
schedule as group project assignment days (i.e. the two non-excused absences do not apply to these
days).
The group project assignment accounts for 25% of your overall grade.
At the end of the semester, an anonymous survey will be sent to each student asking them to rate their
peers on a scale of 0 - 100. This score will be multiplied by your project grade to determine your net grade
(e.g. if you receive a 95 on the project and a peer score of 95, your net grade will be 90 (95*.95)).
Exceptions may be made for a single low peer score, but the purpose of this approach is to model the
workplace where you are required to earn and maintain peer respect, ensure equanimity of effort, attend
meetings, etc.
Exams
There will be three exams during the semester to ensure the material assigned from the book and
covered from the lectures is assessed. The exams are not cumulative, i.e. exam #2 will cover only the
material presented after exam #1, and exam #3 will cover only the material presented after exam #2.
Exam questions will be derived from the assigned text, PowerPoint presentations, and in-class
discussions. Each exam accounts for 15% of your overall grade.

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Grading
The following grading scale, with scores rounded to the nearest whole number, will be used in the course:
90-100%:
80-89%:
70-79%:
60-69%:
below 60%:

A
B
C
D
F

Final grades will be determined as follows:

Class attendance & participation:

Quizzes:
Group Project:
Exam #1:
Exam #2:
Exam #3:

15%
15%
25%
15%
15%
15%

T-Square
The following items will be posted on T-Square:

The course syllabus

The course schedule

PowerPoint presentation slides (day of the relevant lecture)

Grades (Exams, Quizzes, Group Project)

Feedback
As we move through the semester, I invite constructive suggestions on any aspect of the course:
curriculum, content, teaching methodology, etc. If you have suggestions, you may e-mail them to me,
leave a phone message, or if you prefer anonymity, use the suggestion box on the counter in the
undergraduate office.
Tent Cards
Paper stock will be provided for you to prepare a tent card, with your first and last name in block letters.
You should bring the tent card to every class session and display it prominently. Failure to do so can
result in you being asked to leave class.
Open Door Policy
If you have any issues or problems that are getting in the way of your success in the course, let me know.
I will be happy to meet with you to discuss possible solutions. To arrange a meeting, send me an e-mail
informing me that you would like to meet, stating the objective of the meeting, and suggesting 2-3 times to
meet that fit your schedule. I can usually make one of the times work and will confirm one of the times via
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return email. This open door policy, rather than my having fixed office hours, should be a more efficient
use of your time, in that you will be able to have the meeting without having to wait in a long line behind
other students.
Laptop & Other Device Usage
As a general rule, laptops, tablets and mobile/smartphones are not permitted during class. I typically
receive complaints from other students and observe a lack of participation and focus when I allow usage
of laptops/tablets (the empirical research justification for this approach can be found at:
http://www.journals.elsevier.com/computers-and-education). Please silence your cell/smart phone prior to
class beginning and put it away (i.e. not on the desk or in your lap). If you need to leave the room, please
do so as quietly as possible.
Classroom Etiquette
With the large number of students in the class, it is important to have a classroom environment that
supports learning for everyone. This requires that some basic rules of respectful behavior be followed.
The following are NOT acceptable: (1) talking among students except when we are working on
cooperative class exercises, (2) reading or working on anything except the material in this class, (3)
putting your head down on your desk (sleeping), (4) using digital devices except when specifically allowed
to do so, or (5) allowing your cell phone to ring during class. Anyone who participates in any of these
unacceptable behaviors will be required to leave the classroom -- NO EXCEPTIONS.
Class Schedule See post on T-Square
Facebook Group
A Facebook group has been created for our class. It is titled 'Georgia Tech Digital Marketing' and can
be found at http://www.facebook.com/groups/433183346723548/. It is established as a Closed group. This
means anyone can see the group and who is in it, but only members can see posts. Participation in this
group is completely voluntary. You are encouraged to join if you are interested in having greater access to
links I find to be relevant, want to see internship/full-time positions that I come across via my professional
network, as well as add or consume content related to the class. Remember that any content you post
can be read by other members of the group and is not anonymous. Please remember when creating and
responding to posts to stick to material that is relevant to the course. This could include follow up
questions to a day's material, links to articles related to digital marketing topics, creating awareness of
internships and full-time positions, etc. Essentially, this group should support the topic of digital marketing
and the education/prosperity of the group.
Other Comments
To maintain a professional environment, please limit personal social media requests to LinkedIn. I am
happy to connect on LinkedIn and support your networking and career-related goals. My LinkedIn profile
can be found at: http://www.linkedin.com/in/michaeltbuchanan
Most students have a goal of finding a job in the open market after graduation. Some of you, however, will
move on to be entrepreneurs or work for a family business. I am happy to help in your career pursuits
presuming your class attendance, participation, and effort is in line with the request.

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Academic Honor Code

Georgia Tech has an Honor Code that engages both faculty and students in a pact that they will maintain
and uphold the integrity of the academic process. Students in this class are expected to adhere to the
Georgia Tech Honor Code.
Georgia Tech Honor Code requires that every instance of academic misconduct be reported to the Office
of Student Integrity (OSI). This reporting is required even if a resolution or sanction has been agreed upon
by the professor and student without a hearing with OSI. Please keep this reporting requirement in mind
at all times.

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