Unit 1: Digital marketing strategy fundamentals
Strategic Digital Marketing notes · PTU syllabus (MBA 971-26)
On this page
- Unit summary
- Evolution from traditional to digital marketing
- Digital economy and online business models
- Omnichannel marketing
- The digital marketing ecosystem
- Digital consumer behaviour and the customer decision journey
- Customer persona development
- Role of data in digital marketing decisions
- Key terms
- Quick revision
- Important questions
Unit summary
Digital marketing strategy starts with understanding how the digital economy and digital consumers behave. This unit covers the evolution from traditional marketing, the digital economy and online business models, omnichannel marketing, the digital marketing ecosystem, digital consumer behaviour and the customer decision journey, customer persona development, and the role of data in digital marketing decisions.
After this unit you can
- Trace the evolution from traditional to digital marketing
- Explain the digital economy, online business models and the digital ecosystem
- Explain omnichannel marketing and the digital customer decision journey
- Develop customer personas and explain the role of data in decisions
PTU syllabus topics
- Evolution from traditional marketing
- digital economy and online business models
- omnichannel marketing
- digital marketing ecosystem
- digital consumer behaviour and customer decision journey
- customer persona development
- role of data in digital marketing decisions
- 1Awareness
Social, search, ads
- 2Consideration
Reviews, comparisons
- 3Purchase
Website, app, marketplace
- 4Retention
Email, loyalty
- 5Advocacy
Reviews, referrals
Topic 1
Evolution from traditional to digital marketing
- 1Marketing 1.0
Product-centric — mass production and mass media
- 2Marketing 2.0
Customer-centric — segmentation and positioning
- 3Marketing 3.0
Human-centric — values and purpose
- 4Marketing 4.0
Traditional to digital — connectivity and advocacy
- 5Marketing 5.0
Technology for humanity — AI, data, immersive tech (Kotler)
Communication
One-way, mass broadcast
Two-way, personalised, real time
Targeting
Demographic, broad
Behavioural, contextual, precise
Measurement
Delayed, estimated
Instant, granular
Cost
High fixed costs
Scalable, pay for results
Customer role
Passive audience
Co-creator and advocate
Topic 2
Digital economy and online business models
- Digital economy: economic activity based on digital technologies, data and online platforms — e-commerce, digital payments, software, digital media, gig work. India's digital public infrastructure (Aadhaar, UPI, ONDC, DigiLocker) is a major enabler.
E-tailer
Sells own inventory online — D2C brands
Marketplace
Connects buyers and sellers for a commission — Amazon, Flipkart
Subscription
Recurring fee — Netflix, Spotify
Freemium
Free basic, paid premium — LinkedIn, Canva
Advertising
Free content funded by ads — YouTube, news sites
Aggregator
Brands many providers under one platform — Zomato, Ola
Affiliate and lead generation
Earns commission for referrals — PolicyBazaar
Topic 3
Omnichannel marketing
Focus
Many channels operating separately
Integrated, seamless experience across channels
Customer data
Siloed by channel
Single customer view
Experience
Inconsistent
Continuous — start online, finish in store
Example
Separate website and store offers
Buy online, pick up in store; app shows store stock
- Enablers: unified commerce platforms, CRM, inventory visibility, consistent pricing and branding, staff incentives that do not penalise online sales.
Topic 4
The digital marketing ecosystem
Owned media
Website, app, email list, social pages
Paid media
Search ads, display, social ads, sponsored content
Earned media
Reviews, shares, mentions, PR, word of mouth
Platforms and intermediaries
Google, Meta, marketplaces, ad networks, agencies
Technology (martech)
Analytics, CRM, automation, CMS, CDP
- POEM framework: paid, owned and earned media work together — paid drives reach, owned converts and retains, earned builds trust.
Topic 5
Digital consumer behaviour and the customer decision journey
- 1. Initial consideration set:
- 2. Active evaluation: Information gathering, reviews, comparison
- 3. Moment of purchase:
- 4. Post-purchase experience:
- 5. Loyalty loop: Repeat purchase, advocacy
- Zero moment of truth (Google): the online research moment before purchase; 5As (Kotler): aware, appeal, ask, act, advocate.
- Digital consumers: mobile-first, research-heavy, review-reliant, short attention spans, expect personalisation and instant service; vernacular content matters in India.
Topic 6
Customer persona development
- Persona: a semi-fictional profile of an ideal customer based on research and data.
- 1Gather data
Analytics, CRM, surveys, interviews
- 2Identify patterns
Demographics, goals, pain points, behaviours
- 3Create the profile
Name, photo, quote, goals, challenges, channels, objections
- 4Map content and channels
What they need at each journey stage
- 5Validate and update
Example
"Priya, 28, Pune, software engineer: buys skincare on Nykaa, trusts dermatologist reels on Instagram, wants clean ingredients, worried about fakes" — guiding content, channels and offers.
Topic 7
Role of data in digital marketing decisions
- Data types: first-party (own website, app, CRM), second-party (partner data), third-party (purchased), zero-party (shared voluntarily — preferences, quizzes).
- Uses: targeting and personalisation, attribution, budget allocation, A/B testing, predictive scores, customer lifetime value.
- Shift to first-party data: cookie restrictions and privacy law (DPDP Act 2023) make owned data and consent management essential; customer data platforms (CDPs) unify profiles.
Key terms
- Digital economy
- Economic activity built on digital technologies and platforms
- Omnichannel
- Seamless integrated experience across all channels
- Earned media
- Exposure gained through shares, reviews and mentions
- Customer persona
- Research-based profile of an ideal customer
- First-party data
- Data a firm collects directly from its customers
Quick revision
- Marketing 1.0 to 5.0; traditional vs digital.
- Digital economy; DPI; online business models.
- Multichannel vs omnichannel; enablers.
- Ecosystem: owned, paid, earned media; martech.
- Decision journey, ZMOT, 5As; personas; first-, second-, third-, zero-party data.
Important exam questions
Practice questions written to the PTU exam pattern for this unit's syllabus: short answers (Section A style) and long answers (Sections B and C style).
Short-answer questions
- Q1.State three differences between traditional and digital marketing.
- Q2.Name four online business models.
- Q3.Distinguish multichannel and omnichannel marketing.
- Q4.What is earned media?
- Q5.What is the zero moment of truth?
- Q6.What is zero-party data?
Long-answer questions
- Q1.Trace the evolution from traditional to digital marketing.
- Q2.Explain the digital economy and online business models.
- Q3.Discuss omnichannel marketing and the digital marketing ecosystem.
- Q4.Explain the digital customer decision journey and persona development.
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