Digital marketing analytics and measurement

Gain the skills to use web and channel analytics to plan, implement and optimise effective digital marketing campaigns with this CPD course from The Open University (OU). Aimed at those who want to build on existing experience in digital marketing, this course will help you develop successful, data-driven strategies that achieve your business objectives.

Standalone study only

You will not be awarded credits for studying this course. It is available for standalone study only and cannot be counted towards an OU qualification.

Short course

Short course code

YG011

Credits

This is a non-credit bearing course.

What you will study

Throughout this Continuing Professional Development (CPD) course, you’ll discover the core principles of digital marketing analytics and learn how to take a data-led approach to planning, improving and iterating your campaigns. Practical exercises will help you apply your new knowledge, and sharing your thoughts and opinions with co-learners will help you further reflect and deepen your understanding.

Delivered over five easy-to-digest sections, you will cover:

1: Web analytics in perspective

Taking a data-centric approach to digital marketing
Channel and web analytics planning
Measuring the right things – from vanity metrics to analytics goals
How web analytics work and the shortcomings of this data
Going beyond last-click attribution

2: Web analytics planning and tactics

Analytics overview/snapshot reports
Home, real-time and audience reports
Acquisition and behaviour reports
Conversion reports
Engagement reports
Monetisation and retention reports
Advertising reports and exploration

3: Advanced web analytics

Analytics insights
Analytics search
Segments and comparisons
Analytics admin and configuration
Changing report views
Setting up events

4: Goals and attribution modelling

The role of goals and going beyond last click
Setting up web analytics goals
Web analytics goals reports
Attribution modelling in perspective
Multi-channel funnel reports
Attribution modelling models: benefits and limitations

5. Reporting dashboards

Reporting dashboards in perspective
Setting up primary goals
Channel key performance indicators
Channel contribution for attribution
Channel interactions
Using reporting dashboards for insights and planning

Please note: the content in this course also features in courses created by The Open University, which are available on FutureLearn.

You will learn

By the end of this CPD course, you’ll have the skills to:

interpret and understand web analytics reports
interpret and understand channel analytics reports
analyse analytics to plan digital marketing activity
analyse analytics to optimise current activity
produce digital marketing objectives.

Vocational relevance

According to HubSpot, 63% of marketers said that generating traffic and leads are their top marketing challenges. The ability to measure website and channel performance in digital marketing is critical to be able to understand performance, identify areas for improvement and optimise campaigns.

This course has been created by the OU in collaboration with industry experts and leaders in digital marketing. It’s hosted by Daniel Rowles, CEO of Target Internet, who has worked in digital marketing and digital transformation for over 20 years, helping a wide range of high-profile brands to use digital effectively. Daniel is also the voice behind the Digital Marketing Podcast and a renowned author in the field.

Learner support

There is no tuition on this course and all study is self-directed. Throughout the course, you will have the opportunity to enhance and reflect on your understanding by sharing your thoughts and opinions with co-learners.

Teaching and assessment

Assessment

This online course includes a mix of video, audio and written materials. You can learn at your own pace with complete flexibility. Throughout the course, you will be asked to respond to questions, reflect on your experiences and learning, and carry out short exercises to help you develop your understanding.

At the end of each section, you will be asked to answer a set of multiple-choice questions to test your knowledge. You can attempt these as often as you need to. It is important to complete them because they count towards your final score.

To receive a Certificate of Completion, you will need to complete every section and achieve at least 70% in all tests.

Regulations

As a student of The Open University, you should be aware of the content of the academic regulations, which are available on our Student Policies and Regulations website.

Entry requirements

This course is ideal for anyone who has some existing experience in digital marketing and would like to develop their ability to measure and analyse their campaigns. Any work experience will enhance and contextualise your learning.

It will be of particular interest to anyone wishing to further their studies and practical knowledge of marketing, communications and business.

If you are looking to gain introductory skills, see our short course Introduction to digital marketing.

The content in this course is suitable for a global audience and the skills you learn can be applied in a wide range of marketing roles, whether in the public or third sector, large corporates, or SMEs.

If you'd like to discuss the suitability of the course, please contact us.

Course length

This course will take around 30 hours to complete and you can learn at your own pace. As a guide, if you set aside five hours per week, it would take six weeks to complete.

You can begin learning at any time. You will have a minimum of six months and up to 18 months to complete the course, depending on your registration date.

Register

Start	End	England fee	Register
At anytime before registration end date	Jan 2026 - see Entry requirements for more detail	£200.00	Registration closes 31/07/2025 Register

Ways to pay

Credit/Debit Card – We accept American Express, Mastercard, Visa and Visa Electron.

Sponsorship – If this course is geared towards your job or developing your career, you could ask your employer to sponsor you by paying some or all of the fees. Your sponsor just needs to complete a simple form to confirm how much they will be paying and we will invoice them.

The fee information provided here is valid for short courses starting in the 2024/25 academic year. Fees typically increase annually. For further information about the University's fee policy, visit our Fee Rules.

Can you study an Access module for free?

Depending on eligibility and availability of places, you could apply to study your Access module for free.

To qualify, you must:

be resident in England
have a household income of not more than £25,000 (or be in receipt of a qualifying benefit)
have not completed one year or more on any full-time undergraduate programme at FHEQ level 4 or above or successfully completed 30 credits or more of OU study within the last 10 years

How to apply to study an Access module for free

Once you've started the registration process, either online or over the phone, we'll contact you about your payment options. This will include instructions on how you can apply to study for free if you are eligible and funded places are still available.

If you're unsure if you meet the criteria to study for free, you can check with one of our friendly advisers on +44 (0)300 303 0069, or you can request a call back.

Not eligible to study for free?

Don't worry! We offer a choice of flexible ways to help spread the cost of your Access module. The most popular options include:

monthly payments through OUSBA
part-time tuition fee loan (you'll need to be registered on a qualification for this option)

To explore all the options available to you, visit Fees and Funding.

What's included

All learning materials, exercises and activities are delivered entirely online.

Computing requirements

You can learn from your desktop computer or laptop or take your learning with you on a phone or tablet. You’ll need broadband internet access and a desktop/laptop computer with an up-to-date version of Windows (10 or 11) or macOS Ventura or higher. Our OU Study mobile app will operate on all currently supported Android and iOS versions.

If you have a disability

The course is delivered online and makes use of a variety of online resources. If you use specialist hardware or software to assist you in using a computer or the internet, you can contact us about the support which can be given to meet your needs.