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MKT 9738 48365 PMA-LEC Regular –Marketing Web
Analytics, Web Audience Intelligence, Ad-Tech/Programmatic
Trading
Syllabus
Instructor Marshall Sponder
Baruch College
Zicklin School of Business
Fall 2014
Course Description:
This course explores the impending revolution in digital analytics, one that has the potential to change
both the Web analytics and business intelligence fields. Students will study Classical Web Analytics
(Adobe Analytics and Google Analytics), Audience Intelligence (ComScore MyMetrix, PlanMetrix and
AdMetrix) and additional platforms and subject areas that explore customer intelligence. The class will
also examine newer Ad-Tech such as Programmatic Trading, The Internet of Things, Various Social
Medias, Viral Marketing, Geolocation tracking, iBeacons and Convergence Analytics.
Students will investigate how digital analytics can take a greater role in business decision-making in the
future. Specifically students will gain an understanding of the strategic and operational aspects of Web
analytics tools and technologies, of how Web analytics can influence and create new marketing levers,
and of how new marketing levers impact customer relationships, brand response, and potentially, sales.
Prerequisite or Co-requisite: MKT 9703
Learning Objectives
Course Description:
At the end of this course students will be expected to demonstrate the following 5 objectives/skills:
1. Learn how to use and deploy web/social/mobile analytics platforms such as Adobe Analytics,
ComScore and Brandwatch (to name a few).
2. A grounded understanding of web intelligence and business analytics terminology
3. How to deploy web intelligence to improve the outcomes of your marketing or business plan
4. How Analysts impact the bottom line (their role) within various businesses and lines of business
5. Growth potentials for Web Analysts and big data professionals
Please note this course is not intended to provide an in-depth review of marketing principles and
concepts, nor is it intended to provide an in depth explanation or review of statistical analysis principles.
Rather, this course will give you the mastery of analytics to a sufficient degree to deploy Web Analytics
platforms within your own organizations and gain meaningful insights from them that can drive the
bottom line.
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Learning Goals Addressed
1. Written and Oral Communications Skills: Individual presentations of current articles and concise
written assignments are required to hone student business communications skills.
2. Ethical Awareness: Examining ethical issues around data privacy are part of this course,
including internet privacy.
3. Communications, Teamwork and Leadership Skills: This course requires of the student a fair
amount of classroom participation and discussion that lead to team building and collaboration
skills though effective communications. Having said this, the course does not require team
projects, though it does encourage them.
4. Quantitative and qualitative analysis: How to use quantitative and qualitative measurement to
evaluate digital marketing efforts.
5. Knowledge Integration: Learn how to examine information from multiple data sources and draw
meaningful strategic insights and conclusions from this process.
Reading Material:
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Adobe Analytics Quick-Reference Guide: Market Reports and Analytics (formerly
SiteCatalyst) [Paperback] by Shane Closser Publisher: Adobe Press; 1 edition (August 8, 2013)
ISBN-10: 0321926943 ISBN-13: 978-0321926944 http://www.amazon.com/Adobe-AnalyticsQuick-Reference-Guide-SiteCatalyst-ebook/dp/B00E3BGRZE/ref=dp_kinw_strp_1
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Practical Web Analytics for User Experience: How Analytics Can Help You Understand
Your Users [Paperback] by Michael Beasley - Morgan Kaufmann; 1 edition (August 27, 2013)
ISBN-10: 0124046193 ISBN-13: 978-0124046191
http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0124046193/ref=sr_1_33?p=random&ie=UTF8&qid=140126
1778
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Optional: The Retargeting Playbook: How to Turn Web-Window Shoppers into Customers
Hardcover - Wiley; 1 edition (March 24, 2014) by Adam Berke (Author), Gregory Fulton
(Author), ISBN-10: 1118832647 ISBN-13: 978-1118832646 http://www.amazon.com/TheRetargeting-Playbook-Web-Window-Customers/dp/1118832647/ref=tmm_hrd_title_0
Blogs and other sources:
http://semphonic.blogs.com/semangel/
http://www.business2community.com/
http://cutroni.com/blog/
http://www.searchenginejournal.com/
http://www.clickz.com
http://www.cmswire.com
http://www.businessinsider.com
http://www.neoformix.com
Tools and Research:
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Adobe Analytics
Google Analytics
ComScore
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Brandwatch
Followerwonk
Various other 3rd party tools for social and web analytics research
I. Course Overview:
The content of the class is almost entirely a mix of online readings and discussions, textbook readings, in
class demonstrations and guest lecturers, two online tests and various assignments related to the materials
we are studying during the semester.
Grading:
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2.
3.
4.
Analytics Discussions
Analytics Assignments
Final Project
Personal Journal
Measured By:
37%
49%
20%
4%
14 Discussions taking place in BB LMS
14 Assignments
The Final Exam will be taken bet Aug 15-20th
Students learnings in the course
Class Participation will be derived from the contributions above.
Note: Total percentage is 105 % and class may be graded on a curve
 Weekly Discussions - 37%
Every subject we study during the semester will have a discussion associated with it in Blackboard
 Weekly Assignments - 49%
As this is a “hands on” class it is appropriate to put the highest weight on weekly assignments that are
related to the material we study.
 Final Project – 20%
A final project template is placed in the shell that students can reference in building out their own
projects. Projects that are presented to the class on our last session in December are also edible for
extra credit.
 Journal: 4%
I expect each student to write a journal entry or additional entries (that only your instructor will see)
where you can discuss your impressions of this course and any issues you may be having with the
materials, procedures or techniques we study in class, or our reading assignments.
Extra credit will be assigned to submitted work, up to 5%, per the instructor’s discretion.
II. Course Overview:
The course is a combination of lecture, in class demonstrations and question/answers, hands on
assignments and discussion and students active and thoughtful participation is vitally important in get the
best results from taking this class.
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As a result, it is important for students to do the following things:
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Keep up with the assigned readings and reflecting on the material; it’s best to study the material
before the class where they will be covered for optimal learning results.
Asynchronous learnings using a combination of in class interactions and online e-learning
systems such as Blackboard and Email. During the semester one of the two sessions per week
will be conducted in person, the other and online.
Virtual classes (online) focus on individual assignments, group projects and virtual learning
exercises. Participation in virtual classes is mandatory despite there being no formal in-class
meeting during a virtual class.
Students should prepare all of their assignments in PowerPoint, Keynote or Acrobat.
Additional materials will be added to the course syllabus on an ad-hoc basis and it’s vital to check
Blackboard accounts a few times a day for updates and additional assignments.
III. Logistics:
The class will meet every Monday from 5:50-7:05PM and virtually for the rest of the week in
Room B - Vert 12-135
Official email: marshall.sponder@baruch.cuny.edu.
My Office Hours: Monday 4:45PM – 5:30PM at room 12-220 in the Vertical Campus
Best number to reach me is my mobile – 917-214-6573
Note: Reading assignments will be referred to by pages rather than chapters as I expect students to buy
hardcopies of all reading materials.
IV. Code of Conduct:
You get from this course what you put into it – we expect academic honesty (meaning that you come to
this class to learn and not to game the system). Academic Dishonesty, on the other hand, includes (but is
not limited to) cheating, plagiarism, collusion, sabotage and falsification of records.
I don’t expect any of my students to be Academically Dishonest, but it’s possible to un-intentionally cross
the lines – so for those of you who want to know how Academic Honesty is defined consult this College’s
Academic Honesty Website at www.baruch.cuny.edu/academic_honesty.html.
In terms of penalties, if I detect “dishonesty” in the work related to this course I will take action, which
may include failing the student. Generally I reserve judgment until I have enough information to get a
fuller view of the situation. Hopefully, we never have cause to discuss Academic Dishonesty.
Section 1 - Week Beginning 9/1/14 (Labor Day Holiday)
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Assigned Readings
Class Presentation - Web Analytics Overview
INTRODUCTION TO ADOBE ANALYTICS
Case Studies of Adobe and Google Analytics
Discussion 1
Assignment 1
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Section 2 - Week Beginning 9/8/14
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Assigned Readings
Lecture 2
Introduction to Google Analytics Fundamentals
Section 2 Discussion - Is Web Analytics Dying?
Assignment 2
Practical Web Analytics for UX, an Introduction
Review and Demo of Adobe Analytics Pages 3 to 21
Section 3 - Week Beginning 9/15/14
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Class Lecture - Performance Metrics for Analytics and Insights
Adobe Analytics Part 2
Videos related to Section 3 of Adobe Analytics
Discussion 3 - Why does your business exist?
Assignment 3
Review of the Retargeting Handbook Pages 1 to 9
Section 4 - Week Beginning 9/22/14
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Assigned Readings
GOOGLE ANALYTICS FUNDAMENTALS - PART 2
Discussion: Is Google Analytics hurting your business?
Assignment 4
Section 5 - Week Beginning 9/29/14
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Assigned Readings
Class Presentation - Programmatic Web Analytics Overview
ComScore Analytics Suite (MyMetrix, PlanMetrix, AdMetrix)
High End ComScore Analysis (example report)
Discussion: The Art and Science of ComScore
Assignment 5
Re-Targeting Playbook - Marketing Automation, Customization and Liquid Ads
Re-Targeting Playbook - Re-Targeting Effectiveness
Section 6 - Week Beginning 10/06/14
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Assigned Readings
Class Lecture - Performance Metrics for Analytics and Insights
Adobe Analytics Visitor Acquisition and Dashboarding
Discussion: Discuss your KPI's
Assignment 6
Retargeting Playbook - Evolution of Re-targeting - the Three Pillars of Online Marketing
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Section 7 - Week Beginning 10/13/14 – Note: We do not meet on Monday, October 13th,
2014, but you are still responsible for the material in this Section and will present it on 10/20/14
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Assigned Readings
Class Presentation - Programmatic Web Analytics Overview
FINISHING UP GOOGLE ANALYTICS FUNDAMENTALS
ComScore Fundamentals Course Part 1
How could your business use Programmatic?
Section 8 - Week Beginning 10/20/14
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Assigned Readings
Class Presentation - Programmatic Web Analytics Overview
FINISHING UP GOOGLE ANALYTICS FUNDAMENTALS
ComScore Fundamentals Course Part 1
How could your business use Programmatic?
Assignment 7 and 8 (combined)
Section 9 - Week Beginning 10/27/14
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Assigned Readings
INTRO Google Analytics Platform Principles
ComScore Fundamentals Course Part 2
Discussion: Discuss which types of reports to use
Assignment 9
Section 10 - Week Beginning 11/3/14
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Assigned Readings
Visitor Activity, Mobile Analytics, Pathing, Product Menus, etc.
CONCLUSION - Google Analytics Platform Principles
Discussion: Define a Hypothesis - Define Yours
Assignment 10
Section 11 - Week Beginning 11/10/14
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Assigned Readings
Mobile Analytics Overview (beyond Web Analytics)
Class Lecture - Mobile Analytics
Discussion: Ready to develop/market a Mobile App?
Assignment 11
Section 12 - Week Beginning 11/17/14
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Assigned Readings
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Using Free and Paid Data Sources to do UX-Competitive Analysis - An in-depth case study
SEO and Analytics Lecture
SEO Discussion
Assignment 12
Section 13 - Week Beginning 11/24/14
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Assigned Readings
Class Lecture - LinkedIn Analytics and Viral Analytics
Tips and Tricks with Adobe Analytics - Where you can go from here
Discussion - Viral Marketing vs. WOM
Assignment 13
Section 14 - Week Beginning 12/01/14 (contains Final Project)
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Assigned Readings
Class Lecture - Earned, Owned, Paid and Converged Media
Discussion - who owns online content?
FINAL PROJECT - Due by 12/19 Midnight
Section 15 - Week Beginning 12/08/14 (contains JOURNAL)
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Course Review
Journal - What did you learn from this course?
Section 16 - Final Meeting 12/15/14 (PROJECT PRESENTATIONS)
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Final Project Presentations
Extra Credit for In Class Presentations