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Unit 4 of 4 · MBA Sem 3

Unit 4: Marketing automation and emerging technology

Strategic Digital Marketing notes · PTU syllabus (MBA 971-26)

3 min read7 topics10 exam questions
On this page
  1. Unit summary
  2. Marketing automation systems
  3. The influencer economy
  4. Voice search and voice commerce
  5. AR and VR in digital marketing
  6. Metaverse marketing
  7. Blockchain applications in marketing
  8. Digital transformation case studies
  9. Key terms
  10. Quick revision
  11. Important questions

Unit summary

Automation and emerging technologies are reshaping how brands reach customers. This unit covers marketing automation systems, the influencer economy, voice search and voice commerce, AR and VR in digital marketing, metaverse marketing, blockchain applications, and digital transformation case studies across retail, banking, healthcare, hospitality and education.

After this unit you can

  • Explain marketing automation systems
  • Explain the influencer economy
  • Explain voice, AR, VR, metaverse and blockchain applications in marketing
  • Analyse digital transformation across sectors

PTU syllabus topics

  • Marketing automation systems
  • influencer economy
  • voice search and voice commerce
  • AR/VR in digital marketing
  • metaverse marketing
  • blockchain applications
  • digital transformation case studies across retail
  • banking
  • healthcare
  • hospitality and education
ClassificationEmerging digital marketing tech
New frontiers

  • Marketing automation

    Triggered journeys

  • Influencer economy

    Creators as channels

  • Voice search and commerce

    Smart speakers

  • AR and VR

    Try before you buy

  • Metaverse and blockchain

    Virtual worlds, loyalty tokens

1

Topic 1

Marketing automation systems

Marketing automation uses software to automate repetitive marketing tasks and personalised customer journeys.

ProcessAutomated nurture journey
  1. 1

    Trigger

    Sign-up, download, cart abandonment

  2. 2

    Segment

    Based on profile and behaviour

  3. 3

    Send personalised content

    Email, SMS, WhatsApp, push

  4. 4

    Score leads

    Engagement-based points

  5. 5

    Hand over to sales or offer

    When score crosses a threshold

  6. 6

    Measure and optimise

  • Features: workflows, lead scoring, dynamic content, A/B testing, multichannel campaigns, CRM integration, reporting.
  • Tools: HubSpot, Marketo, Salesforce Marketing Cloud, Zoho, MoEngage, WebEngage, CleverTap (Indian martech firms).
2

Topic 2

The influencer economy

  • Influencer tiers: nano (under 10,000 followers), micro (10,000–1 lakh), macro (1 lakh–10 lakh), mega and celebrity (above 10 lakh).
  • Why it works: authenticity, niche communities, relatable content, high engagement among younger consumers.
  • Campaign process: objectives, influencer discovery and vetting (fake followers, brand fit), briefs and contracts, content approval, disclosure, tracking (codes, links), payment.
  • Regulation: ASCI guidelines (2021) require clear disclosure labels such as #ad or #collab; CCPA's endorsement guidelines (2023) — "Endorsements Know-hows!".
  • Metrics: reach, engagement rate, cost per engagement, conversions from codes, earned media value.
3

Topic 3

Voice search and voice commerce

  • Voice search: queries through assistants (Google Assistant, Alexa, Siri) — longer, conversational, often local ("best biryani near me").
  • Optimisation: natural-language content, FAQ pages, featured snippets, local SEO, structured data, fast mobile pages.
  • Voice commerce: ordering and reordering by voice — groceries, recharges; vernacular voice interfaces expand reach in India.
4

Topic 4

AR and VR in digital marketing

ComparisonAR vs VR
Augmented reality
Virtual reality

Experience

Digital elements overlaid on the real world

Fully immersive virtual environment

Device

Smartphone camera, smart glasses

VR headset

Marketing use

Virtual try-on (glasses, makeup), furniture placement, interactive packaging

Virtual store visits, property tours, brand experiences

Example

Lenskart 3D try-on, IKEA Place

Virtual test drives, hotel previews

5

Topic 5

Metaverse marketing

  • Metaverse: persistent, shared, immersive virtual worlds where people socialise, play and transact through avatars.
  • Marketing uses: virtual stores and events, branded games and spaces (on Roblox, Decentraland), digital products for avatars, virtual concerts and launches.
  • Considerations: audience size and fit, cost, hype vs reality, measurement, safety for younger users.
6

Topic 6

Blockchain applications in marketing

  • Blockchain: a decentralised, tamper-resistant digital ledger.
  • Applications: transparency in ad delivery and fighting ad fraud, supply chain traceability (proving authenticity and origin), loyalty points as tokens across partners, NFTs for digital collectibles and community access, consent and data ownership.
  • Limits: scalability, energy use (for some chains), regulatory uncertainty (India taxes virtual digital assets at 30%), consumer understanding.
7

Topic 7

Digital transformation case studies

SectorDigital transformation examples
RetailOmnichannel and quick commerce (Reliance JioMart, Blinkit), AI recommendations, ONDC adoption
BankingMobile-first banking, UPI, video KYC, account aggregators, AI chatbots (SBI YONO, HDFC EVA)
HealthcareTelemedicine (Practo, eSanjeevani), digital health IDs (ABHA), e-pharmacies
HospitalityOnline booking and dynamic pricing (OYO, Taj), contactless check-in, review management
EducationEd-tech and hybrid learning (SWAYAM, BYJU'S, upGrad), AI tutors, digital credentials (DigiLocker)
  • Lessons: customer-centric design, data and platform integration, leadership commitment, change management and digital skills, cybersecurity.

Key terms

Marketing automation
Software automating personalised marketing workflows
Micro-influencer
Influencer with roughly 10,000 to 1 lakh followers
Voice commerce
Buying through voice assistants
Augmented reality
Digital overlay on the real world
NFT
Unique blockchain-based digital token

Quick revision

  • Automation: triggers, segments, lead scoring, tools.
  • Influencer tiers, process, ASCI disclosure, metrics.
  • Voice search optimisation; voice commerce.
  • AR vs VR; metaverse marketing; blockchain uses and limits.
  • Sector cases: retail, banking, healthcare, hospitality, education.

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

  1. Q1.What is marketing automation?
  2. Q2.Name the tiers of influencers.
  3. Q3.What disclosure do ASCI guidelines require from influencers?
  4. Q4.How does voice search differ from text search?
  5. Q5.Distinguish AR and VR with marketing examples.
  6. Q6.Give two blockchain applications in marketing.

Long-answer questions

  1. Q1.Explain marketing automation systems and their benefits.
  2. Q2.Discuss the influencer economy and its regulation in India.
  3. Q3.Discuss voice commerce, AR, VR, metaverse and blockchain in digital marketing.
  4. Q4.Analyse digital transformation in any two sectors with Indian examples.

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