MKT 4610, Digital Marketing & E-Commerce

Purpose: to help other instructors teaching the same course

Common Course ID:  MKT 4610
CSU Instructor Open Textbook Adoption Portrait
Abstract:  This open textbook is being utilized in a Digital Marketing & E-Commerce course for undergraduate or graduate students by Dr. Kelly Eunjung Yoon at California State University, Los Angeles. The open textbook provides comprehensive coverage of core digital marketing concepts, including SEO, social media strategy, email marketing, and e-commerce platforms. It also includes interactive examples, up-to-date case studies, and instructor resources such as slide decks and quiz banks. The main motivation to adopt an open textbook was to reduce the financial burden on students and to offer flexible, accessible learning materials that reflect current industry practices. Most students access the open textbook in PDF format on the website.

Course Title and Number: MKT 4610, Digital Marketing & E-Commerce
Brief Description of course highlights:  Covers core digital marketing tools and strategies including SEO, social media, email marketing, and e-commerce platforms. Students apply concepts through hands-on projects using real-world tools like Google Analytics and develop integrated digital marketing plans.

Student population: MKT 3100 (Principles of Marketing)

Learning or student outcomes: 
SLO1: (Web Design) Understand multiple web design frameworks for improving conversion rates on a website of any kind. Apply these design frameworks to identify areas for website improvement and to properly design a website from scratch.
SLO2: (Analytics) Determine the appropriate KPIs for any type of website. Make appropriate recommendations to an ecommerce website based on the conversion funnel. Understand the pitfalls surrounding attribution analysis and make recommendations to identify the highest ROI digital marketing channels.
SLO3: (Search Engine Optimizations) Understand how search engines work. Use this knowledge to make recommendations to a website on how it can improve its organic search rankings – in other words, perform search engine optimization on a website.
SLO4: (Search Engine Marketing) Understand the mechanics of paid search ranking. Create a search engine marketing campaign and evaluate its effectiveness. Recommend changes that will improve the campaign’s conversion rates.
SLO5: (Online Marketing) Understand the various methods of online display advertising. Create an online display ad campaign and measure its return on ad spend (ROAS).
SLO6: (Email Marketing) Understand best practices in marketing and implement them with a database of current and potential customers via email.
SO7: (Social Media) Utilize knowledge of social media tactics to design an effective social media campaign.
SO8: (Reputation Management) Implement online reputation management tactics to improve the online reputation of a brand.

Key challenges faced and how resolved:  One key challenge was ensuring students could navigate and apply multiple digital tools with varying interfaces and learning curves. This was addressed by providing step-by-step tutorials, in-class walkthroughs, and optional open lab sessions for extra support.

Syllabus and Sample assignments:  The open textbook was closely integrated into the weekly course structure, with assigned readings aligned with lecture topics such as SEO, email marketing, and analytics. Sample assignments included website audits, Google Ads simulations, and creating a content calendar—each directly linked to textbook chapters for guidance and context.

Textbook or OER/Low cost Title: eMarketing: The Essential Guide to Marketing in a Digital World

https://open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/textbooks/14

Brief Description: The adopted textbook, eMarketing: The Essential Guide to Marketing in a Digital World (7th Edition), is a comprehensive Open Educational Resource (OER) that offers students a global, up-to-date perspective on digital marketing. Aligned with the latest trends and marketing structures post-pandemic, the textbook emphasizes the accelerating role of digital transformation, consumer behavior, and data-driven strategy in modern marketing. The text is structured around key digital marketing concepts—including SEO, email marketing, paid search, UX, analytics, and social media—and integrates practical case studies, problem sets, and reflection questions to reinforce learning. Its pedagogical approach is student-centered and experiential, encouraging real-world application of concepts through projects and campaigns. The textbook is hosted on an accessible online platform, available in PDF and HTML formats, allowing students to engage with the material at no cost and with flexible access across devices.

Please provide a link to the resource  eMarketing: The Essential Guide to Marketing in a Digital World - 7th Edition - Open Textbook Library

Authors:  Rob Stokes, University of Cape Town

Student access:  MERLOT

Supplemental resources: Reading List on Canvas
Diamond, S. (2023). Digital marketing all-in-one for dummies. John Wiley & Sons.

McGruer, D. (2020). Dynamic digital marketing: achieve your digital marketing goals and maximise your profits to grow your business. Wiley.

Provide the cost savings from that of a traditional textbook.  $150

License: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike.  CC BY-NC-SA 

OER/Low Cost Adoption Process

Provide an explanation or what motivated you to use this textbook or OER/Low Cost option. FMy primary motivation was to reduce the financial burden on students while still maintaining high-quality learning experiences. Many of my students are first-generation college students or come from economically diverse backgrounds. Adopting low-cost or OER materials allows for greater accessibility and equity in the classroom. In addition, OER materials allow me to customize and curate content to better align with the specific learning objectives and real-world applications I want to emphasize in my courses.

How did you find and select the open textbook for this course? I began by browsing well-established OER repositories, such as OpenStax and the MERLOT collection, and I also consulted with campus librarians and colleagues in the marketing discipline. I evaluated multiple sources based on relevance, accuracy, visual quality, and student engagement potential. I also prioritized materials with reviewer feedback or peer evaluations, and looked for platforms that provided supplemental resources such as quizzes or case studies.

Sharing Best Practices: Start small by integrating just a few OER resources or modules before fully transitioning to open materials. Collaborate with your library—librarians are invaluable in helping identify high-quality, peer-reviewed OER content. It’s also important to check whether the materials include helpful supplements like instructor manuals, PowerPoint slides, or quizzes. Joining OER communities can provide support and allow you to learn from others’ experiences. Additionally, embedding materials into your LMS early ensures they are compatible and accessible for students. One thing I wish I had known earlier is how time-consuming it can be to thoroughly vet and adapt OER. While the effort is worthwhile, faculty should begin the process early and allow ample time for review and customization.

Describe any key challenges you experienced, how they were resolved  and lessons learned. One major challenge was the lack of comprehensive ancillary materials—especially test banks or updated case examples. I also found that some students still preferred printed versions, which required extra coordination with the bookstore or third-party printers. Occasionally, OER content was outdated, especially when referring to current digital marketing practices. I learned to supplement with current articles, industry reports, or instructor-created content to keep the course materials fresh and relevant. 

Instructor Name - Kelly Eunjung Yoon 
I am an Assistant Professor of Marketing at the California State University. 

Please provide a link to your university page.
https://www.calstatela.edu/business/facultyprofiles/kelly-yoon

Please describe the courses you teach: 
Digital Marketing: This course explores the tools, strategies, and metrics used in digital environments. Topics include SEO, content marketing, email marketing, paid search, influencer marketing, and data analytics. Students work on hands-on projects such as Google Ads campaigns and website audits to apply digital strategies in real-time.

Principles of Marketing: An introductory course that covers the core concepts of marketing such as segmentation, targeting, positioning (STP), the marketing mix (4Ps), and consumer behavior. Students learn to think like marketers through case studies, simulations, and marketing plan development.

Describe your teaching philosophy and any research interests related to your discipline or teaching.  My teaching emphasizes hands-on learning, real-world relevance, and critical thinking. I integrate tools like simulations, live case studies, and digital platforms to prepare students for the evolving marketing landscape.   My research focuses on digital consumer behavior, social media marketing, and AI-human interaction in marketing, and I actively bring research insights into the classroom to bridge theory with practice.