Digital Marketing
Assessment 2: Digital Marketing Analysis Report
Semester 1, 2026
Course Code: MKTG3004
Course Title: Digital Marketing
Assessment Name: Digital Marketing Analysis Report
Type: Business Report
Due Date: Friday 3 April 2026, 11:59 pm AEST (Week 6)
Word Limit: 3,000 words (±10%) excluding executive summary, tables, charts, graphics, and reference list
Weighting: 40%
Submission: Single Word or PDF document via Turnitin on Canvas
Referencing: APA 7th edition required (minimum 8 sources including at least 3 academic journal articles)
Unit Learning Outcomes
This assessment maps to the following ULOs:
- Analyse macro-environmental factors, competitive landscapes, and digital performance to inform strategic decision-making.
- Apply customer journey mapping and persona analysis to identify digital touchpoint opportunities and pain points.
- Conduct evidence-based digital marketing audits using free analytics tools and benchmarks.
- Evaluate ethical, legal, and societal risks associated with digital marketing activities.
- Integrate theory and data to derive actionable insights for digital marketing planning.
Rationale
Effective digital marketing planning requires rigorous, cyclical analysis of the market environment, competitors, customer behaviour, current digital performance, and potential risks. Without this foundation, strategies risk being misaligned, inefficient, or ethically problematic. This assessment develops and assesses your ability to conduct structured, evidence-based analysis that directly informs the creation of a high-performing digital marketing plan in Assessment 3.
Task Description
Prepare a business report analysing the digital marketing environment and performance of the client provided in the briefing video and materials. Your report must demonstrate integration of relevant digital marketing theory, frameworks, and data to generate actionable insights. Use the client briefing, publicly available information, free analysis tools, and unit concepts to complete the required sections.
Task Instructions
- Market and Competitor Analysis
Conduct a focused macro-environmental analysis of the client’s industry using the PESTLE framework. Concentrate on digital-specific trends and factors (e.g., technology adoption, changing consumer digital behaviours, platform algorithm changes, privacy regulations). Select one key direct competitor and analyse their digital marketing approach, target audience, and performance using publicly available data and free tools (e.g., SimilarWeb, SocialBlade, SEMrush free version). Summarise competitor insights in a concise SWOT table. - Customer Journey Mapping
From the three personas developed in Assessment 1, select the single most commercially attractive persona for the client and provide a brief justification. Create a detailed customer journey map for this persona using one of the provided templates or a reputable free online template. Map the end-to-end experience across key digital and non-digital touchpoints. Clearly identify pain points and missed opportunities where digital interventions could improve satisfaction, conversion, or loyalty. - Digital Marketing Performance Audit
Audit the client’s performance across the major digital touchpoints identified in the journey map (e.g., website, SEO, social media, email, paid search, mobile experience). Use client-provided data (where available), free tools (Google PageSpeed Insights, Mobile-Friendly Test, Ubersuggest, SocialBlade, etc.), and industry benchmarks to evaluate performance. Present findings critically and identify specific areas for improvement. If no weaknesses are found, deepen your analysis until realistic opportunities emerge. - Impact and Risk Analysis
Identify and briefly explain three significant integrity, ethical, or legal risks that could arise from the client’s current or potential digital marketing activities. These may relate to data privacy, misleading claims, algorithmic bias, cultural insensitivity, accessibility, or environmental impact. For each risk, propose one practical mitigation strategy the client could implement. - Recommendations
Synthesise the most critical insights from your analysis. For each major insight, provide one clear, concise recommendation explaining how it should inform the digital marketing plan to be developed in Assessment 3.
Report Structure
- Executive Summary (maximum 1 page)
- Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Market and Competitor Analysis
- Customer Journey Mapping
- Digital Marketing Performance Audit
- Impact and Risk Analysis
- Recommendations
- References (APA 7th)
- Appendix (optional – screenshots, additional data visuals, etc.)
Submission Requirements
- Single file upload (Word or PDF) named: Surname_Initials_MKTG3004_Assessment2
- Use numbered headings matching the structure above
- Incorporate tables, charts, and visuals to support analysis (these are excluded from word count)
- Minimum 8 references (at least 3 from peer-reviewed journals)
- Apply APA 7th in-text citations and reference list
Marking Rubric (40% total)
| Criteria | High Distinction (85–100%) | Distinction (75–84%) | Credit (65–74%) | Pass (50–64%) | Fail (<50%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Market & Competitor Analysis (20%) | Outstanding PESTLE analysis focused on digital factors; incisive competitor SWOT with data-driven insights | Strong, well-supported analysis with clear digital focus | Good analysis with relevant insights but some gaps | Basic analysis with limited depth or evidence | Superficial or inaccurate analysis |
| Customer Journey Mapping (20%) | Perceptive persona selection and justification; detailed, insightful journey map identifying high-impact pain points | Clear selection rationale; strong map with meaningful opportunities | Adequate map with some relevant pain points | Basic map with limited insight | Poorly constructed or descriptive only |
| Digital Marketing Audit (25%) | Outstanding critical audit using multiple tools and benchmarks; clear, evidence-based improvement areas | Very good audit with solid data and realistic opportunities | Good audit with some evidence and opportunities identified | Satisfactory but descriptive or limited critique | Minimal analysis or no meaningful critique |
| Impact & Risk Analysis (15%) | Insightful identification of three relevant risks with sophisticated mitigation strategies | Strong risks and practical mitigations | Reasonable risks with adequate strategies | Basic risks with limited strategies | Irrelevant or superficial risks |
| Recommendations & Integration of Theory (10%) | Outstanding synthesis of insights into actionable, theory-informed recommendations | Strong, clear recommendations linked to analysis | Good recommendations with some theory links | Basic recommendations | Weak or absent recommendations |
| Academic Writing, Structure & Referencing (10%) | Exemplary business report style, flawless APA, excellent visuals and flow | Very good writing, consistent APA, minor issues only | Good structure and writing, some APA errors | Satisfactory but noticeable errors | Poor structure, frequent errors |
The Australian online pet supplies market faces rapid digital channel growth, accelerated by post-pandemic e-commerce adoption and rising pet humanisation trends. PESTLE analysis reveals technological drivers such as mobile-first shopping and AI personalisation, alongside legal pressures from strengthened privacy laws (Privacy Act amendments 2024). Competitor PetCircle demonstrates strong performance through SEO dominance and high Instagram engagement rates, targeting millennial pet parents with educational content. The selected persona, “Millennial Pet Parent Mia”, values convenience and trust, experiencing friction at checkout due to slow site speed and limited payment options. Journey mapping highlights pain points in mobile browsing and post-purchase communication. Audit findings show the client’s website loads 4.2 seconds on mobile (below Google’s recommended 3 seconds) and has a 1.8% conversion rate against industry average 2.5–3%. Three risks include data privacy breaches from inadequate consent mechanisms, greenwashing claims about sustainable products, and accessibility failures excluding vision-impaired customers. Mitigation involves implementing GDPR-aligned consent tools, third-party sustainability verification, and WCAG 2.1 compliance audits. These insights should guide a mobile-optimised, trust-focused digital strategy emphasising speed, transparency, and inclusive design (Chaffey & Ellis-Chadwick, 2019).
References
- Chaffey, D. and Ellis-Chadwick, F. (2019) Digital marketing. 7th edn. Pearson. https://www.pearson.com/uk/educational/digital-marketing-7e.html
- Kannan, P.K. and Li, H. (2017) ‘Digital marketing: A framework, review and research agenda’, International Journal of Research in Marketing, 34(1), pp. 22–45. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijresmar.2016.11.006
- Stone, M., Aravopoulou, E., Gerardi, G., Todeva, E., Weinzierl, S., Laughlin, P. and Stott, R. (2017) ‘How platforms are transforming customer information management’, The Bottom Line, 30(3), pp. 216–235. https://doi.org/10.1108/BL-08-2017-0024
- Wang, Y., Kung, L. and Byrd, T.A. (2018) ‘Big data analytics: Understanding its capabilities and potential benefits for healthcare organizations’, Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 126, pp. 3–13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2017.12.019
- Wedel, M. and Kannan, P.K. (2016) ‘Marketing analytics for data-rich environments’, Journal of Marketing, 80(6), pp. 97–121. https://doi.org/10.1509/jm.15.0413
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