Foundations of Digital Marketing and E-commerce
Domain 1, Foundations of Digital Marketing and E-commerce, tests whether you can connect business goals to digital channels, funnel stages, e-commerce models, and measurable KPIs. Expect scenario questions rather than definitions alone.
Core rules and concepts
- Owned media is controlled by the brand, such as a website, app, blog, or email list. Paid media is bought, such as search ads, display, or sponsored social. Earned media is earned attention, such as reviews, shares, and press coverage.
- The marketing funnel runs from awareness to consideration, conversion, and loyalty. A goal is the result you want, such as 50 online orders; a tactic is how you get it, such as a paid search campaign. Do not confuse the two.
- E-commerce includes physical goods, digital products, services, subscriptions, and marketplaces. B2C, B2B, and DTC describe who sells to whom and through which route.
- Useful KPIs include impressions, click-through rate, conversion rate, average order value, customer acquisition cost, and return on ad spend. Choose KPIs that match the funnel stage and business model.
- The customer journey is rarely linear. A buyer may see a social post, read reviews, search, then purchase. Attribution assigns credit across those touchpoints.
Worked example
A bakery wants 50 online cake orders per month. Local SEO and a complete Google Business Profile create awareness among nearby searchers. Instagram photos of cakes and customer reviews support consideration. A mobile order form with pickup slots and card payment supports conversion. A follow-up email with a birthday reminder supports loyalty. The primary KPI is completed orders, supported by landing-page conversion rate and average order value. Likes alone cannot prove the goal was met.
Traps that cost marks
Treating e-commerce as only physical products; naming a tactic when asked for a goal; using vanity metrics as proof of revenue; assuming last-click attribution is complete; and ignoring mobile checkout friction or trust signals such as returns and secure payment.