Project Pointers And FAQs
The ProjectA Digital Marketing/Advertising Strategy For A Website/Web Portal
– What is the project about?
You need to create a website and then plan a marketing/advertising strategy for your chosen topic– Can I take an existing website and do the project on it?
Mumbai University runs a lot of other courses. No. The idea is to learn how to make strategies for a new one.– But I like the website www.xyz.com, it is my favorite?
Answer is same as aboveCore
– What are the basic steps?
1. Choose a website/web portal topic (Get Email Approval)
2. Research on what it will be like
3. Decide on content and structure of the website
4. Look and feel of the website (UI) and inner pages
5. Digital Marketing/Advertising Strategy
6. Tools you will use (5Ws and 1H) – Like SEM, SEO, SMS Marketing, and so on.
7. Creatives– So what is that you will actually be looking at?
Good question! I will be looking at…err…your submissions– Is the project more about digital advertising strategy or the website?
Its about the digital strategy but in order to get to it you will need a firm structure in your mind about what your website is about. There must be a balance.– By digital advertising/marketing, do you mean Internet marketing/advertising?
Internet is just one of the tools of digital marketing. SMS, Mobiles, MMS, Emails are a couple of others. Within Internet too there are multiple marketing options like SEO, SEM, Affiliate Marketing, and so on that you may use according to your product/service/idea requirementsTopic Approval
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– Do we need to get our topics approved?
Yes– What is the deadline for topic approval?
Per my email– But I am not on the Google Group and didn’t receive your email?
You are losing out. Join the Google Group ASAP. You should have been in it already.– But I have not yet got my topic approved?
Send it to me now!– May I start working without topic approval?
You may. But submissions will be accepted only if the topic is approved. You will have to attach the approval email/screenshot in the project at submission time– How many topics/ideas/suggetions do I need to send you for approval?
As many as you can. However, do not just send one idea/topic and hope it will be approved. A good number will be 5-7 potential topics– But you haven’t approved the first topic I sent you, it is my favorite topic?
We don’t have favorites here! Refer answers to similar questions below– What is wrong with my topic?
No topic is wrong. The topics need to fit the advertising and digital marketing criteria. The better the fit, more chances of that topic being approved.– On what basis are the topics evaluated for approval?
Doable in limited time. Scope for original work. Content generation possible. Scope for digital marketing/advertising.– Which email ID should I send you the topics?
z@zaeemmirza.com– What should be the subject line of the email?
CollegeCode11 Firstname Lastname eg: XX11 Zaeem MirzaXX being your college code, if you don’t know, ask someone who does!
– Can I send my suggestions/ideas/topics for approval to the Google Group?
The group doesn’t approve, I do. So spare your classmates (of spam and opportunity to LOL) and send me an email!Website
– Do I have to make a website?
Yes. If not professional (and I am not expecting that), atleast a basic understanding of the look and feel of the website– Do I have to actually make a website? Like actually online?
Not necessary. If you can do, great! If not, an offline one or a pictorial representation should be fine.– What do I have to make in a website?
Everything that your marketing/product/service/idea strategy will require– Do you need the entire website?
If you can show it, amazing. However I need the homepage and atleast the pages that the homepage is linked to.– I have no idea how to make a website?
Very few do. The idea is to learn. 🙂– Why am I making a website?
Because others aren’t.– How is it related to our subject?
In terms of ACS and Brand Building, you have two modules (one in each) that specifically talk about building brands and communicating/advertising online. This is a good platform to understand and absorb the concepts.Validations
– Do I need validations for this project?
No. You don’t need to have/get/submit any validations.– But what if I want to provide some/all validations?
It will be great if you do so, but there is no compulsion. Voluntarily you can– Do we have to give you a database?
If your marketing/product/service/idea strategy requires it. eg: School Comparison Website will need to have the database of schools and so on– How many minimum number of designed webpages do I have to submit?
If you can design the entire website, amazing. However, I need the homepage and atleast the pages that the homepage is linked to.Budget/Income/Expense/Profits/Finance
– Do I have to give you the budget plan?
No. No budget planning needs to be included in the project– But what if I want to provide the budget plan?
It will be great if you do so, but there is no compulsion. Voluntarily you can– Do I need to show the expenses too?
It is preferable. No compulsion.– Do I show the income sources?
Yes. You have to. Check here and here for some suggestions on how to generate income. It is important, as your marketing strategy is based to get your ROI.– What’s ROI?
Good question 🙂Creatives
– Do I need to submit the creatives?
Yes.– How many creatives need to be submitted?
As many as your marketing/product/service/idea strategy will require– Do I have to make the layout of the website in MS Frontpage, Macromedia Dreamweaver, Adobe Photoshop and/or CorelDraw, or any other software?
Your choice– Do you need creatives of the ads from our sponsors/advertisers?
No. However. it will be good if you do so, but there is no compulsion. Voluntarily you can– What are the creatives that need to be submitted?
All that your marketing/product/service/idea strategy will require– On what size paper do I print the creatives?
A4 or A3. Per your design requirements.Project Flow
– What is the project flow?
Title Page
Acknowledgement
Contents
Introduction/Summary
Approval Email Print Out
Product/Service
Market segmentation and targeting
Why the need for website? Justify
Website Structure
Website Content
Database and Database Management, If Applicable
Digital Promotion Tools And Reasons, All Applicable
Creatives
Budgeting/costing, If Applicable
Validations, If Applicable
Conclusion
Bibiliography/References– Can I change the order/flow?
Yes. Only if you need to add some more flesh to the project flow structure given above– What/where if I have some more things to add?
Add them where applicable– What if some of the things don’t apply to my topic?
Good question 🙂Project Submission
– When is the submission?
Two (2) weeks from the project roll out. Exact date will be emailed and will be available on the Google Group– But I am not on the Google Group?
Good morning 🙂– How much can I delay the submission?
You have guts 🙂– Can I make any excuses?
Yes.– Which excuses will be valid?
Depends on your creativity. It needs to be really wild and crazy to join the hall of fame of excuses!One of my students (Shubinoy Kapoor) has written in his submission, “Either come up with better, smarter excuses or do what you’re supposed to do.”
Hardcopy
– Do I have to submit the hardcopy?
Yes– How do I submit the hardcopy?
Like you have been always doing– How do I submit the creatives?
In a folder – A3 and/or A4 per your requirement– What do I write/print/emboss/engrave on the folder?
Nothing. Don’t write anything on the folder. Drop a chit with your CollegeCodeYearCode Roll Number Firstname Lastname (eg: XX11 01 Zaeem Mirza) in the first sheet of the folder– What do I write/print on the folder sheets?
Nothing. Don’t write anything on the sheets. Drop a chit with the creative name eg: Internet Banner, Web Homepage, and so on in the respective sheet of the folder– What color should the folder be?
Good question 🙂Softcopy
– Do I have to submit the softcopy?
Yes– How do I submit the softcopy?
In a CD or a DVD– For the softcopy, do I have to burn/write the CD/DVD?
🙂– What all needs to be included in the CD/DVD?
Everything possible including the research you have done for the project– Is there an order in which the CD/DVD is organized?
Yes. It should have everything arranged in specific folders.eg. CorelDraw files in a folder called ‘CorelDraw Files,’ Logo in a folder called ‘Logo,’ X in a folder ‘X.’
In short, none of the files should be outside any folder. It should be organized in a way that makes it easy to access, view, and assess (so that you get marks!).
– What do I write on the CD/DVD?
CollegeCodeYearCode Roll Number Firstname Lastname eg: XX11 01 Zaeem Mirza– But I have only hardcopy, from where do I get the softcopy and how do I submit?
I am your fan 🙂Submission Criteria
– What is the criteria by which my individual project will be considered for submission?All that are applicable
Should be a member of the Google Group
Should have updated Individual Project Snapshot Spreadsheet (shared on Google Group)
Should have accepted my Linkedin.com invite and must be a connection (email sent on Google Group)
Should have sent me an SMS from your mobile phone (CollegeCodeYearCode Firstname Lastname eg: XX11 Zaeem Mirza)
Individual hardcopy complete per rules mentioned elsewhere on this document
Individual softcopy complete per rules mentioned elsewhere on this document
Group project CD/DVD should have been submitted
Class notes complete to date
Photocopies of notes, if any given before, must be on you
More Questions?
– My question/doubt hasn’t been answered here?
Send me an email at z@zaeemmirza.com with all possible questions/doubts one after the other. No essays or paragraphs, only questions.– What is an FAQ?
Click here [after knowing, read this entire document once again :)]– I like/dislike this FAQ, how do I communicate it to you?
z@zaeemmirza.com (for all love/hate mail, ‘Hi’s)