WORKSHOP

Empowering Heriot Watt Students through Data Driven Marketing

Educator Cards
Ali Owji
Ali Owji, M.Sc.
Founder of Trustline
Deena Abdel-Hafiz
Deena Abdel-Hafiz
Digital Marketing Specialist

Bringing Practical Analytics to Campus

Heriot-Watt University chose us to deliver their first Digital Marketing Analytics workshops in Dubai, empowering students to analyze and interpret real website data for impactful, performance-driven decisions.

Key Learning Points

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Here's everything we did throughout the workshop

Week 1: Traffic Sources & Top-of-Funnel Analysis

We kicked things off at the start of the customer journey: how do users actually arrive on a website? After a quick walkthrough of the key theory, we guided students through the traffic acquisition reports in Google Analytics. They learned how to identify key metrics, apply comparisons and filters to make data more meaningful, and understand how those insights could shape decisions like marketing budget allocations across different channels. The session blended guided instruction with hands-on exploration, giving students time for both open discussions and independent problem-solving.

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Week 2: Website Engagement & Middle of the Funnel Performance 

In the second week, we moved further down the customer funnel and focused on user engagement in the middle stages. We explored how users interact with the website and, building on what we covered last week, how the source of traffic can impact engagement levels. Together, we examined why different channels might lead to different behaviours. Students also got hands-on experience building their own custom reports in Google Analytics. They created visual summaries that highlighted which pages were leading to the most exits, as well as the typical paths users take once they arrive on the site.

Week 3: User Demographics

This week, students learned how to uncover more about the people behind the numbers we've been analyzing. Instead of just focusing on metrics like total users, we looked into who those users are, exploring demographics such as age, gender, location, and language, as well as technical details like device type and browser. Students created their own audience segments and custom reports to combine and compare these data points. They gained hands-on experience identifying which groups are most likely to engage with the site based on how they arrived there. We also explored how this kind of insight can inform real recommendations, like adding bilingual support if a significant portion of users access the site in a different language setting.

Week 4: Website Design & Improvements

This week’s workshop was all about looking beyond the numbers and understanding the context of the website itself. We tackled questions like “why are users leaving this page so quickly?” and “is that necessarily a bad thing for this specific page?” To help students make sense of these scenarios, we emphasized the role of website design in influencing user engagement. We started by reviewing landing page data in Google Analytics, then shifted focus to key web design principles and frameworks that define what makes a website effective. From UI and UX features to layout and clarity, students explored how to evaluate a site’s design and use technical language to explain their findings, which is a valuable professional skill for future collaboration with designers and marketing teams.

Week 5: Understanding Conversions & Bottom of the Funnel Performance

To equip students with skills that are valuable both academically and professionally, we dedicated this week to conversions, one of the most essential metrics for any company. We walked through all of the conversion reports in GA4, covering insights relevant to both service-based and e-commerce websites. We also explored the monetization reports, which are especially critical for tracking revenue on online stores. To round out the session, we introduced attribution models to help students understand how different marketing channels contribute to conversions. This knowledge is key when shaping marketing strategies and making informed budget decisions in real-world scenarios.

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By the end of the semester, the students had developed more than just a working knowledge of Google Analytics. They gained the confidence to approach digital marketing with a data-first mindset and the practical skills to back it up. From interpreting user behaviour to making informed, strategic recommendations, they left the workshop series with tools they can carry forward into both their studies and future careers. 

We truly enjoyed working with such a bright and engaged group of students. Watching their progress week by week was incredibly rewarding. We’re proud to have played a part in their learning journey and look forward to our next collaboration with Heriot-Watt University. 

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