Module 3: Digital marketing and e-commerce strategy
Test your knowledge: The value of brands for digital marketing
Practice Assignment
1. Which of the following describes a brand?
- The services a business provides its customers
- The people that work for a business or organization
- The things a business sells, like clothing, software, or entertainment
- The perception the public has about a business or organization
Explanation: A brand is not just the products, services, or employees of a company. It’s the public’s overall perception of the business, encompassing its values, identity, and reputation.
2. Which of the following are examples of factors that can influence a brand? Select all that apply.
- Culture
- Values
- Management structure
- Design elements
Explanation: A brand is shaped by its cultural context, core values, and visual design elements. The management structure, while important operationally, does not directly influence the public perception of a brand.
3. Which of the following statements are true about the relationship between branding and marketing? Select all that apply.
- A brand is the foundation of a successful digital marketing strategy, but digital marketing can also affect public perception of a brand.
- A company can have great values and amazing products, but they still need marketing to build brand recognition and drive sales.
- A brand is the only thing needed to drive sales and sell products and services to customers, but many companies use digital marketing when it is unnecessary.
- A company can put many resources into a digital marketing strategy, but without a strong brand identity, they will not be memorable.
Explanation: Branding and marketing are interdependent. Branding is the foundation that gives a company identity, while marketing builds on that foundation to increase recognition, awareness, and sales.
4. Which of the following is the value consumers attribute to one brand’s offerings when compared with similar products from another brand?
- Brand identity
- Brand personality
- Brand equity
- Brand positioning
Explanation: Brand equity refers to the value a brand has in the eyes of consumers, often based on their perceptions, experiences, and the brand’s ability to differentiate itself from competitors.
5. As a digital marketer creating an online ad campaign, you ensure the company’s ads aren’t placed next to inappropriate or inaccurate content. What is this practice called?
- Brand positioning
- Brand equity
- Brand personality
- Brand safety
Explanation: Brand safety involves measures to protect a brand’s reputation by avoiding association with harmful or inappropriate content in digital advertising.
The difference between business and marketing goals
Practice Quiz
6. In this exercise, you will read through the example goals below and decide if they are business goals or marketing goals. Then you will explain your reasoning.
As a marketing and e-commerce professional, it is important to understand the difference between business goals and marketing goals. To recap: Business goals are desired aims, achievements, or outcomes for a business. They are typically big, long-term, and have the potential to affect an entire company. Marketing goals tend to be smaller, more targeted, and related to marketing activities. They are specific objectives in a marketing plan or strategy that should support a business's larger aims.
If you want a refresher on these concepts before you get started, refer to the video on Defining your marketing goals.
Are you ready?
I’m ready!
7. Consider the following goal made by a software company:
“Grow our number of active customers by 15% over the next year by adding three frequently-requested features to our software.”
Is this a business goal or marketing goal? Explain your reasoning in 2–3 sentences.
This is a business goal because it focuses on increasing the overall number of active customers, which is a broad, long-term aim that affects the entire company. The inclusion of adding features supports this overarching objective, but the primary focus remains on achieving a company-wide impact.
8. Consider the following goal made by a software company:
“Increase our lead generation by 35% in the next year by running upper-funnel ads that highlight our new features and increase our mid-funnel budget by 20%.”
Is this a business goal or marketing goal? Explain your reasoning in 2-3 sentences.
- This is a marketing goal because it specifically targets increasing lead generation, which is a direct objective of a marketing strategy. The use of tactics like upper-funnel ads and budget allocation to the mid-funnel indicates that this is part of a marketing plan aimed at supporting broader business objectives.
9. Consider the following goal made by a software company:
“Increase our website traffic by 30% this year by using paid search and social media advertising.”
Is this a business goal or marketing goal? Explain your reasoning in 2–3 sentences.
This is a marketing goal because it is focused on a specific objective within the marketing domain—driving website traffic. The strategies mentioned, such as paid search and social media advertising, are directly tied to marketing efforts rather than overarching business outcomes.
Test your knowledge: Reach customers online
Practice Assignment
10. What is earned media?
- Positive digital exposure generated through personal or public recommendations
- Digital content that a brand fully controls
- Digital promotion that a brand pays to put online
- Promoted links that appear at the top of a search page
Explanation: Earned media is unpaid exposure like reviews, word-of-mouth, or social media shares that enhance a brand’s visibility.
11. Which of the following factors does a search engine use to rank results? Select all that apply.
- Computer type
- Relevance
- Quality
- Website age
Explanation: Search engines rank results based on relevance to the user’s query and the quality of the website content, not on factors like computer type or website age.
12. What search engine optimization (SEO) practice includes identifying common search terms and phrases consumers use to find products or services online?
- Adopting a user-friendly website structure
- Purchasing paid media ads
- Creating quality content
- Conducting keyword research
Explanation: Keyword research is a fundamental SEO practice that helps brands align their content with terms users are searching for.
13. What is search engine marketing (SEM)?
- The process of generating traffic to a website through paid ads that appear in search engine results
- The set of practices designed to increase the quantity and quality of traffic to a website
- The set of practices designed to keep content useful and usable for customers
- The process of generating traffic to a website from results that users receive when they perform a search
Explanation: SEM involves using paid advertising to appear in search engine results, complementing organic SEO strategies.
14. Which paid advertising model charges a business every time someone clicks on their ad?
- Minimum-bid ads
- Third-party ads
- Maximum-bid ads
- Pay-per-click ads
Explanation: Pay-per-click (PPC) is a common advertising model where businesses pay only when users click their ads.
15. Fill in the blank: Remarketing is an important part of digital marketing because it allows a brand to _____.
- drive website traffic to the brand’s social media channels
- recapture the attention of people who are already interested in the brand
- encourage website visitors to make a purchase before they leave the website
- be more visible to potential customers through search engine listings
Explanation: Remarketing targets people who have interacted with the brand before, encouraging them to return and complete a desired action, like making a purchase.
Test your knowledge: Engage customers with social media and email marketing
Practice Assignment
16. Tracking and analyzing social media conversations and mentions related to a brand is an example of which pillar of social media marketing?
- Analytics and reporting
- Social listening and engagement
- Planning and publishing
- Paid social media
Explanation: Social listening and engagement involve monitoring online conversations about a brand to understand customer sentiment, feedback, and trends.
17. Which of the following are advantages of using paid social media ads? Select all that apply.
- Remarketing products
- Expanding a brand’s reach
- Customizing email content for individual subscribers
- Serving ads to highly specific customer groups
Explanation: Paid social media ads help target specific audiences, extend brand visibility, and allow remarketing to users who have already interacted with the brand.
18. What is email marketing?
- Sending messages to a list of existing subscribers to share information, drive sales, or create community
- Making a plan for achieving specific goals through online channels to support and advance business objectives
- Focusing on a company’s brand or reputation to increase credibility and loyalty
- Creating and publishing content for platforms like Instagram or Twitter to drive engagement and promote a brand or product
Explanation: Email marketing focuses on communicating directly with subscribers to nurture relationships, provide updates, and encourage actions like purchases.
19. Fill in the blank: Dividing an email subscriber list into smaller groups based on criteria like interests, location, or purchase history is called _____.
- paid social media
- spam
- email segmentation
- email personalization
Explanation: Email segmentation involves categorizing subscribers into targeted groups to send them relevant content based on their preferences or behavior.
20. Which of the following are examples of email personalization? Select all that apply.
- Following up on previous interactions
- Sending unwanted emails out in bulk to a mass recipient list
- Addressing each recipient directly
- Sending messages that match where customers are in the marketing funnel
Explanation: Email personalization involves tailoring messages based on recipient behavior, preferences, or position in the buyer’s journey, while avoiding spammy bulk emails.
Module 3 challenge
Graded Quiz.
21. Which of the following best describes brand equity?
- How a company communicates its values and culture
- The value customers attribute to a brand’s offerings when compared with similar products from another brand
- How a company is perceived by the public
- The number of customers that purchase a brand’s primary asset, like a product or service
Explanation: Brand equity is the perceived value a customer associates with a brand based on its reputation and differentiation from competitors.
22. Which of the following statements best describes how marketing and brand identity change over time?
- Marketing efforts are permanent; brand identity changes.
- Marketing efforts and brand identity are both permanent.
- Marketing efforts change; brand identity is permanent.
- Marketing efforts and brand identity are both likely to change.
Explanation: Both marketing and brand identity adapt to evolving market trends, consumer preferences, and company goals.
23. Fill in the blank: When setting a digital marketing strategy, it's important to _____ and set meaningful goals before picking your channels.
- run digital ad campaigns
- plan ad campaigns
- Research your audience
- create digital marketing content
Explanation: Understanding your target audience is crucial to developing an effective strategy and aligning goals with their needs.
24. Imagine that a fashion company wants to reach new customers. They write the following goal:
“We want to grow our customer base by 10% in the next 12 months. To do that, we will introduce a new clothing line based on market research about the preferences of our new target customer.”
What type of goal is this?
- Revenue goal
- Customer goal
- Business goal
- Marketing goal
25. A company that makes a software product wants to grow their customer base. Which of the following is a specific marketing goal for this company?
- To make sure that we grow our customer base, we will increase lead generation and highlight our new product features by increasing our ad budget by 25%. We will also increase our budget for mid-funnel activities.
- To support the goal of growing our customer base by 25%, we will increase lead generation by 40% over the next year. To generate leads, we will highlight our new product features through a 15% increase in our ad budget and a 20% increase for mid-funnel activities.
- To support the goal of growing our customer base, we will increase lead generation in the coming months. To generate leads, we will highlight our new product features by increasing our ad budget and increasing our mid-funnel activities.
- To grow our customer base, we will increase lead generation, highlight our new product features, and increase our budget for mid-funnel activities. This will require an overall budget increase of 25% for marketing-related activities.
26. Which of the following are examples of owned media? Select all that apply.
- Paid social media ads
- Whitepapers
- eBooks
- Video ads
27. What are the disadvantages of paid search? Select two.
- Paid search does not work well with organic search.
- Paid search can have higher entry costs to start.
- Paid search results disappear when a business stops paying for them.
- Paid search results take a long time to create an impact.
28. As part of a marketing project, a company reviews its social media performance including likes, shares, and follows. The marketing team communicates these results to leadership. Which one of the five pillars of social media marketing does this represent?
- Planning and publishing
- Listening and engagement
- Strategy
- Analytics and reporting
- Paid social media
Explanation: This involves evaluating metrics like likes and shares to assess the effectiveness of social media efforts.
29. Which of the following best describes email marketing?
- Sending emails to many recipients regardless of their interests
- Sending emails with claims that are too good to be true
- Sending unwanted emails out in bulk to a mass recipient list
- Sending emails to a list of existing subscribers with relevant, helpful content
30. Imagine that a business tailors its email marketing content to deliver an individualized experience for subscribers. What is this process called?
- Brand building
- Social listening
- Segmentation
- Personalization
Explanation: Personalization involves customizing emails based on recipient data, such as preferences or behaviors.
31. To support an email marketing strategy, a business decides to personalize the email content they share with their list of subscribers. Which of the following strategies should they use? Select all that apply.
- Serve ads to highly specific customer groups
- Send messages that match where customers are in the marketing funnel
- Send promotions for special events
- Follow up on previous interactions
- Address each recipient directly
32. What does it mean when a brand has positive equity?
- It means consumers want to pay less for their products or services.
- It means consumers prefer to use their competitors’ products or services.
- It means believe they provide great value and amazing products.
- It means consumers feel good about the brand and might pay more for it.
33. An independent food truck vendor wants to grow its customer base. Which of the following is a specific business goal for this company?
- We want to increase our total number of customers this year. To do that, we will introduce more menu items and make it easier for customers to pay for their orders.
- We want to increase our number of customers by 50% over the next 12 months. To do that, we will add two popular specials as standard menu items and introduce an efficient mobile payment kiosk.
- We want to increase the number of customers that we serve each year to increase our year-over-year revenue. To do that, we will sell more meals and make it easier for customers to pay.
- We want to increase the number of meals we sell.
34. A marketer is considering the pros and cons of paid search. Which of the following is an advantage of paid search ads?
- They don’t disappear when you stop paying for them.
- It produces results slowly.
- It produces results quickly.
- It lasts longer than SEO.
35. Why is social media marketing important?
- It drives engagement and promotes a brand on social media channels.
- It is more valuable than a digital marketing strategy when connecting with customers.
- It sends automatic emails to potential customers about a brand.
- It plans and publishes valuable content for a brand.
36. What helps brands avoid coming across as spammers? Select all that apply.
- Email personalization
- Bulk emails
- Paid ads
- Email segmentation
37. Imagine that a business divides their email subscriber list into smaller groups based on specific criteria. What is this process called?
- Brand building
- Personalization
- Segmentation
- Social listening
38. Which of the following best describes a brand?
- How a company communicates its values and culture
- How a company markets its primary asset, like a product or service
- How much customers are willing to pay for a company’s products
- How a company is perceived by the public
39. How can a marketer use what they learn in the initial planning stage to establish a strong digital marketing strategy? Select all that apply.
- Analyze marketing campaign analytics and reporting
- Review existing media to identify gaps
- Decide how to allocate the budget
- Figure out which channels to focus on and what content to run
40. Which of the following statements refer to marketing goals?
- They are specific objectives in a plan or strategy aren’t connected to a business’s goals.
- They include things like increasing profits and raising productivity.
- They are specific objectives in a plan or strategy that should support a business’s larger aims.
- They are typically big, long-term, and have the potential to affect an entire company.
41. Digital channels fit into three main categories. What are these categories?
- Direct, owned, and earned media
- Paid, owned, and free media
- Paid, owned, and earned media
- Banner, owned, and social media
42. A business owner grows their email lists by linking ads to email sign-up forms. They contact customers directly and inform them about special promotions.
Which one of the five pillars of social media marketing does this represent?
- Listening
- Strategy
- Publishing
- Reporting
- Paid social media
43. What can businesses do to personalize their emails to customers? Select all that apply.
- Follow up on previous interactions
- Send promotions for special events like birthdays and holidays
- Run a different email for every single subscriber
- Avoid asking customers for their opinion
44. A business wants to follow up on a customer’s recent interactions. Which of the following could they include in an email?
- Share information about the business’s history
- Urge them to order soon
- Ask a customer to share their opinion on their recent purchases
- Offer them a discount for a product they didn’t order
45. What term describes the way a company is perceived by the public?
- Company worth
- Brand
- Brand equity
- Financial worth
46. Imagine that a company invests in its marketing strategy but does not have a strong brand identity. What is the likely result?
- Customers will prefer the company to its competitors.
- Customers will remain loyal to the company.
- Customers will not seek out a company’s competitors.
- Customers will not remember who the company is.
47. What does Media Mix refer to?
- The combination of digital channels used to reach your goals and how you divide your budget among them.
- The stages of the marketing funnel and the goals you set for the duration of the campaign.
- The budget you have allocated to a marketing campaign and the goals you set for the duration of the campaign.
- The combination of internal and external marketing efforts and how you divide your budget among them.
48. Fill in the blank: Your business goals and your marketing goals need to be specific and _____.
- simple
- long term
- expensive
- measurable
49. Which of the following are examples of paid media? Select all that apply.
- Blog content
- Shopping ads
- Website content
- Video ads
50. How does paid search compare to search engine optimization (SEO)?
- Paid search produces results more slowly.
- Paid search produces results that last longer.
- Paid search produces results that decrease website traffic.
- Paid search produces results more quickly.
Explanation: Paid search delivers immediate visibility, while SEO typically takes time to improve rankings organically.
51. A social media manager decides when to post content and how often. They would like to regularly engage followers without posting too much.
Which one of the five pillars of social media marketing does this represent?
- Plan of action
- Paid social media
- Analytics and reporting
- Planning and publishing
- Listening to the audience
52. A brand wants to build and maintain relationships with new and existing customers. To do that, they send emails with relevant, helpful content to a list of existing subscribers. What is this strategy called?
- Paid search
- Email marketing
- Keyword research
- Social media marketing
53. Which of the following best describes brand equity?
- How a company is thought of by the public
- The number of customers that purchase a brand’s primary asset, like a product or service
- The value customers give to a brand’s offerings when compared with similar products from another brand
- How a company communicates its values and culture
54. Why is it important to know about brands and their values?
- It guides marketing and sales efforts.
- It improves your products.
- It promotes your services.
- It reduces costs.
55. Which of the following refers to a digital marketing strategy?
- Goals are not important.
- It starts with planning ad campaigns or social media outreach.
- It is usually a broad collaborative effort.
- It is usually done by one person.
56. What is a small, targeted objective that is specific to promotional activities?
- Marketing goal
- Business goal
- Customer goal
- Revenue goalv
57. What can brands do to deliver an experience that feels specific to each individual?
- Address each recipient directly
- Match where the customers are in the marketing funnel
- Don’t follow up with potential customers
- Avoid sending birthday promotions
58. Fill in the blank: When brands _____ their lists, it makes it easier to build relationships with customers.
- spam
- spend less on
- ignore
- segment
59. Which of the following statements best describe how a company’s brand and marketing work together? Select all that apply.
- A company’s marketing strategy can help a business build its brand.
- A company’s marketing strategy defines its brand identity.
- A company’s brand identity changes with its marketing strategy.
- A company’s brand is the foundation for its marketing strategy.
60. Fill in the blank: When setting a digital marketing strategy, it's important to learn about your customers and _____ before picking your channels
- set meaningful goals
- manage customer relationships
- allocate a budget
- create marketing content
61. What is a marketing goal?
- A set of objectives that remain consistent in the long term
- A big, long-term aim that has the potential to affect an entire company
- A small, targeted objective that is specific to marketing activities
- A tactic that results in increased productivity for a business
Explanation: Marketing goals are focused on specific tasks or metrics, such as increasing website traffic or generating leads, to support broader business objectives.
62. A company that makes a software product wants to grow their customer base. Which of the following is a specific business goal for this company?
- We want to increase the number of customers that purchase our software, and we want to create year-over-year growth for our product in new markets.
- We want to increase our number of active customers by 25% over the next year. To do that, we will add three new features that make it easier for customers to access files on the cloud.
- We want to increase our company profits.
- We want to increase year-over-year revenue by selling more units of our software product to more customers in new market segments.
Explanation: This goal is specific, measurable, and actionable, making it suitable as a business objective.
63. What is paid media?
- Positive digital exposure generated through personal or public recommendations.
- Any form of digital promotion a brand pays to put online
- Website content, blogs, and eBooks
- All the digital content a brand fully controls
64. Which of the following best describes how organic exposure from search engine optimization (SEO) compares to paid search?
- Organic exposure from SEO produces results more quickly than paid search.
- Organic exposure from SEO lasts for less time than paid search.
- Organic exposure from SEO lasts longer than paid search.
- Organic exposure from SEO promotes a website at the top of a search results page like paid search does.
65. What is the difference between email segmentation and personalization?
- Segmentation is sending emails to subscribers to share information about a brand; personalization is sending unwanted emails in bulk to a mass recipient list.
- Segmentation is dividing email subscriber groups based on criteria; personalization is customizing email content for individual subscribers.
- Personalization is sending emails to subscribers to share information about a brand; segmentation is sending unwanted emails in bulk to a mass recipient list.
- Personalization is dividing email subscriber groups based on criteria; segmentation is customizing email content for individual subscribers.
66. A brand decides to use email marketing as part of its digital marketing strategy. What will email marketing help this business do? Select all that apply.
- Create community
- Drive sales
- Analyze performance
- Share information
67. Imagine that a company posts new content on its social media channels. Next, they want to find out how customers feel about their business. The company can then decide how to respond. Which one of the five pillars of social media marketing does this represent?
- Paid social media
- Listening and engagement
- Strategy
- Planning and publishing
- Analytics and reporting
68. A customer has recently purchased a new summer dress from a clothing store. The clothing store would like to segment its email lists to address recent customers like this more effectively.
What is an example of a follow-up email to the customer?
- An email about summer sandals
- An email about sportswear
- An email about winter coats
- An email to a blog titled “Why summer dresses are out of fashion this season”
69. A business wants to send emails to its customers on their birthdays. They plan to offer a 50% discount on any item. What is this an example of?
- Branding
- Spamming
- Personalization
- Segmentation
70. To support the goal of growing its customer base by 30%, an electronics business will increase its lead generation by 35% over the next six months. To generate leads, they will highlight new product features with a 10% increase in ad budget.
What type of goal is this?
- Product goal
- Marketing goal
- Customer service goal
- Business goal
71. Which of the following are examples of earned media? Select all that apply.
- Paid search ads
- Social media accounts
- Written reviews
- Positive press coverage
Explanation: Earned media includes free exposure like customer reviews and media mentions, as opposed to paid advertising.
72. Which of the following refers to owned media?
- It can include banner ads, video ads, and social media ads.
- It can be persuasive, but it doesn’t advertise or sell products directly.
- It is generated by customers in response to things like product quality and customer service.
- It is any promotion a brand pays to put online.
73. A business wants to send customers personalized emails at different stages of the marketing funnel. Which of the following is an example of an email they would send during the conversion stage?
- An email promoting the business’s best-selling products
- An email offering a discount for a product the customer didn’t order
- An email about the business’s loyalty program after a purchase
- An email sharing information about how the owner started the business
74. Which of the following describe spam? Select all that apply.
- Emails sent to a list of existing subscribers with relevant, helpful content
- Emails sent to many recipients regardless of their interests
- Unwanted emails sent out in bulk to a mass recipient list
- Emails with claims that are too good to be true
Explanation: Spam refers to unsolicited and irrelevant bulk emails, often with exaggerated claims.
75. Consider the following scenario:
To build better relationships with their email subscribers, a business updates how they send email: They address recipients directly, send event promotions, and follow up on previous interactions. They also decide to send emails to groups of subscribers based on location.
What email marketing techniques is this business using?
- Customization and personalization
- Paid social media and spam
- Personalization and segmentation
- Spam and customization
Explanation: The business is addressing subscribers directly (personalization) and grouping them by location (segmentation).