About this course

Step into the role of a digital marketing professional with this capstone project that challenges you to design, execute, and present a full online marketing campaign for a realistic brand. Combining creativity, strategy, and analytics, this hands-on course transforms your learning into measurable results.

After completing this course, you will be able to:

Design and execute a complete digital marketing campaign for a brand using data-driven, AI-enhanced strategies.
Create a campaign brief with defined goals, audience personas, and channel selection.
Develop SEO, content, paid advertising, and social media plans aligned with campaign objectives.
Build conversion-optimized product pages and email sequences to drive engagement and sales.
Analyze marketing data from SEO, social, and ad campaigns to improve ROI and growth outcomes.
Present and compile deliverables into a professional, portfolio-ready marketing presentation.

You’ll begin by developing a comprehensive campaign strategy, defining goals, and identifying target audiences through demographic and psychographic insights. Next, you’ll design an SEO and content marketing plan that includes keyword research, blog strategies, and content calendars to drive organic growth.

Then, you’ll move into paid advertising, where you’ll plan and execute targeted ad campaigns for platforms like Google and Meta, estimate budgets, and forecast KPIs. In the social media module, you’ll create an organic social media content plan featuring high-impact visuals, storytelling, and scheduling with tools like Canva.

Building on these foundations, you’ll develop an e-commerce product page and personalized email marketing sequence to drive conversions, followed by data analysis for growth, where you’ll optimize campaign performance using SEO, ad, and social media data.

Finally, you’ll compile all deliverables into a portfolio-ready presentation that demonstrates your analytical, creative, and technical marketing skills, plus you can receive career guidance on showcasing your portfolio, refining your LinkedIn profile, and navigating freelancing or job interviews.

By the end, you’ll have the confidence, toolkit, and campaign portfolio to prove you’re ready for the next step in your digital marketing career.

General Information:

This course is self paced.
This platform works best with current versions of Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Internet Explorer, or Safari.

Recommended Skills Prior to Taking this Course

The following skills are required to be successful with this course:

We recommend completing all previous courses in the IBM Digital Marketing and Growth Hacking Professional Certificate before starting this capstone.

Course Syllabus:

Welcome to the Course

Course Introduction
Course Overview
Reading: Project Overview
Setting Campaign Goals and Objectives

Module 1: Campaign Strategy and Audience Targeting

Module Summary and Learning Objectives
Module Overview: Campaign Strategy and Audience Targeting
Recap: SMART Marketing Goals
Reading: Campaign Strategy and Related Template
Lab: Define Business Goals and Write SMART Objectives
Assignment: Checklist – Setting Campaign Goals and Objectives

Defining Target Audience and Channels

Recap: Audience Segmentation
Reading: Choosing Channels Based on Campaign Objectives
Lab: Define Target Audience and Channel Justification
Assignment: Checklist – Defining Target Audience and Channels
Quiz: Campaign Strategy and Audience Targeting

Module 2: SEO and Content Marketing Plan

SEO Research and Planning

Module Summary and Learning Objectives
Module 2 Overview: SEO and Content Marketing
Recap: SEO Basics and Tools
Reading: Guide to Using Keyword Research Tools
Lab: Perform Keyword Research and Write Meta Titles
Assignment: Checklist – SEO Research and Planning

Content Calendar and Blog Outline

Recap: Writing Content for SEO
Reading: Content Calendar Template
Lab: Plan a Content Calendar and Write a Blog
Assignment: Checklist – Content Calendar and Blog Outline
Quiz: SEO and Content Marketing Plan

Module 3: Digital Advertising

Campaign Setup and Ad Creation

Module Summary and Learning Objectives
Module 3 Overview: Digital Advertising
Recap: SEM and Meta Ads
Reading: Sample Ad Briefs and Templates
Lab: Create Ad Copies for Google and Facebook
Assignment: Checklist – Campaign Setup and Ad Creation

Targeting and Budgeting

Recap: Targeting Audiences in Paid Ads
Reading: Budget Planning and KPI Forecasting
Lab: Create an Ad Targeting Plan and Estimate Budget
Assignment: Checklist – Targeting and Budgeting
Quiz: Digital Advertising

Module 4: Social Media Content Plan

Platform Selection and Content Planning

Module Summary and Learning Objectives
Module 4 Overview: Social Media Content Plan
Recap: Social Media Strategy
Reading: Social Media Calendar Guide
Lab: Select Platform and Draft Post Ideas
Assignment: Checklist – Platform Selection and Content Planning

Post Creation and Optimization

Recap: Visual Design and Caption Tips
Reading: Post Template Library
Lab: Create Sample Posts
Assignment: Checklist – Post Creation and Optimization
Quiz: Social Media Content Plan

Module 5: E-Commerce and Email Marketing

Product Page Design

Module 5 Overview: E-Commerce and Email Marketing
Recap: Optimizing Product Listings
Reading: Product Page Template
Lab: Create a Mock Product Page
Assignment: Checklist – Product Page Design

Email Campaign

Recap: Writing Engaging Email Copy
Reading: Email Sequence Ideas
Lab: Write Welcome and Promotion Emails
Assignment: Checklist – Email Campaign
Quiz: E-Commerce and Email Marketing

Module 6: Data Analysis for Growth

SEO Optimization

Module 6 Overview: Data Analysis for Growth
Recap: SEO Optimization Techniques
Reading: SEO Optimization Best Practices
Lab: Optimize SEO Data and Provide Recommendations
Assignment: Checklist – SEO Optimization

Campaign Optimization

Recap: Campaign Optimization
Reading: Campaign Optimization Best Practices
Lab: Optimize Campaign Data and Provide Recommendations
Assignment: Checklist – Campaign Optimization

Social Media Optimization

Recap: Social Media Optimization
Reading: Best Practices for Social Media Optimization
Lab: Optimize Social Data and Provide Recommendations
Assignment: Checklist – Social Media Optimization
Quiz: Data Analysis for Growth

Module 7: Final Project, Course Wrap-Up, and Job Tips

Final Presentation

Structure of a Presentation
Best Practices for Presenting Your Findings
Lab: Preparing the Final Presentation

Project Compilation and Submission

Reading: Final Submission Guidelines and Deliverables
Assignment: Final Project Submission and Evaluation (AI or Peer Graded Options)

Bonus: Job Hunting Tips for Digital Marketing

Job Search Tips
Resume Writing and Updating Your LinkedIn Tips
Mock Interview Prep and Tips
Getting Successful as a Freelancer
Building Your Digital Portfolio

Course Wrap-Up

Course Wrap-Up
Congratulations and Next Steps
Thanks from the Course Team

Digital Marketing: Capstone Project

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