Aiman Abbasi

 Chosen Industry: McDonald’s Table of Contents Introduction3 Objectives3 Objective 13 Objective 23 Strategy4 Target Market4 Objectives5 Positioning6 Process7 Partnership8 Sequence8 Integration9 Tactical Tools9 Engagement strategy10 Tactics10 Actions12 Men (Human Resource)12 Money13 Minutes14 Control15 Contingency Plan15 References16 Appendices16 1. Introduction McDonalds is well recognized multinational fast food giant in food industry serving millions of customers the brand has presence in more than 117 countries and distinguished for its pioneering services, operational efficiency and ensuring satisfaction of customers (Waller, 2025). Following audit conducted in assessment one with focus on digital marketing strategies used by McDonald’s it is identified that there is need to optimize digital presence of McDonald’s and expand its customer outreach and increase user engagement. In the current report digital marketing plan will be launched that provide opportunity to McDonald’s to make necessary adjustments while fostering user engagement, drive sales and maintain strong position in digitally-powered market place. 2. Objectives For McDonald’s digital marketing plan based on three month it is suggested to set SMART objectives, make sure each objective is aligned with RACE model and integrate 5S framework. Objective 1: Boost user engagement and reduce bounce rate The key objective is to target bounce rate to decrease website bounce rate from 51.02% (similar web, 2025) to below 40 % and increase duration of visit by 30 % from 1:11 to 1:35 by end of august. This objective align with “sizzle” of 5 S to optimize user experience and their interaction with website through customized accessible design , with “speak” to leverage personalized content and interactive features to encourage active engagement and also linked to “Act” of RACE model (Sestino et al., 2023), to drive meaningful engagement. Relevant KPI are Bounce rate, time on site, click rate for personalized content, bounce rate per landing page. Objective 2: Increase number of pages viewed per visit Another objective is to raise pages view per visit from 2.58 (similar web, 2025), to 3.5 on website as well as app to stimulate product browsing and boost user engagement. This resonate with “Sell” of 5S to elevate visibility of product via recommendations and “Save” to encourage usage of app to minimize cost of customer acquisition and foster loyalty this goal is connected to “Engage” to strengthen customer retention and “Convert” to promote purchases. KPI’s include Pages accessed per visit, click through rates with app based recommendations, duration of user session, repeat users’ rate. 3. Strategy TOPPP model will be implemented to make sure structured and all-encompassing approach to marketing plan that connect key objectives, target segments and channels of engagement to enhance user acquisition and drive retention (Mary, 2023). i. Target Market The main focus of this plan is to target existing customers such as millennial aged 24-40 and Gen Z who are tech savvy consumers as they value convenience rapid service , personalization moreover they are more conscious consumers in comparison to others consumers. This plan seeks to engage existing consumers who frequently use app by presenting new features such as order tracking, earning points for social media activity and try to reconnect inactive customers through targeted online ads and special promotions to encourage reactivation (Kashyap et al., 2025). . ii. Objectives: Objective Relation to RACE and 5S Proposed strategy Decrease bounce rate by 40 % by end of 31 august 2025 Boost engagement by raising duration of average time spent by 1: 35 by end of august Act: It aim to drive meaningful interaction through customized and easily navigable online experiences. Sizzle: McDonald’s improve site appeal and engagement with website by using personalized, user friendly and interactive elements. Speak: by using personalized messaging and interactive tools to foster conversations and user engagement. Speed up page loading time, enhance mobile responsiveness and refine content to ensure relevance with interest of users. Implement engaging content, app-based tutorials and customized experiences of navigation. Increase page views on website to 3.5 from 2.58 by end of august 2025. Engage: It aim to improve retention of consumers by keep interests of users, encourage app use by providing customized experiences. Convert: to increase sales by in depth exploration of product offerings Sell: McDonald’s can raise visibility of product via suggestions that stimulate purchase and Save: By encouraging app usage to minimize the cost of acquiring new customers and build loyalty. Utilize internal in-site links, suggest content and allow content loading (updates). On CTA Implement A/B testing to streamlined process of checkout. iii. Positioning: It is crucial to understand online value proposition that highlight how McDonald’s cam implement digital technologies to optimize customer satisfaction and drive loyalty by applying 6C (Chaffey and smith, 2022), principles of consumer motivation. Through Content McDonald’s offers evolving and interactive content like seasonal promotions and behind the scene kitchen sneak peeks that help to engage more customers and keep them informed. Customization presents customized products by leveraging AI powered personalization which allow McDonald’s to suggest products considering past orders, targeting promotions that effectively resonate with interests and needs of customers which help to establish satisfying customer experience. Community is where McDonald’s deal with customers through social engagement by running campaigns like #FriesFirst and #MyMcDMoment, posting user created posts on platforms of social media and foster community through app based activities and challenges. Convenience and choice also comprises vital part McDonalds strategy that prioritize convenience by enabling instant one click reordering, show live status of order, tracking delivery and seamless digital payment methods for user friendly order journey. Choice is broad range of products that McDonald’s offer wide menu choices like vegetarian, gluten free and local specializes that address customers different nutritional needs and tastes. Cost reduction is where McDonalds amplify value perception by offering special discounts, app only deals, and extra points for loyalty, referral incentives for encouraging users to return to app. Strategies included in process To address issues like high bounce rate, low user engagement and minimal website traffic which impact customers’ experiences following strategies can be embraced to achieve mentioned objectives. iv. Process: A comprehensive strategy will be adopted to improve performance of website and ensure app optimization. By using AI-powered personalization the company will offer deals and customized recommendation of products analyzing past browsing behavior of customers. Predictive analytics will help to suggest items, combinations of meals to boost consumer interaction time. Automated marketing tools will be utilized to optimize user engagement, and send emails considering actions of users like cart abandonment and prolonged inactivity to enhance engagement and drive sales. Internet of things incorporation will also ensure user convenience and compatibility of platform as smart kiosks will be connected with profile of users to speed up orders and deliver convenient access to personalized deals and discounts. To prompt quick engagement (Li et al., 2024), Mobile App will also send real time alerts featuring customized offers when customers are close to restaurants. To constantly optimize customer experience A/B testing will be carried out to analyze aspects like call to action, page design, navigation structures, and banners for visual promotion and flash offers. These strategies attempt to lower bounce rates, boost prolong visits and encourage user interaction aligning with digital outreach objectives of McDonald’s. v. Partnership: McDonalds’ can grab the attention of consumers by introducing features of augmented reality or unique digital NFTs these digital items can be assessed through online games, social media would provide exclusive discounts and points to users to unlock deals that can be redeemed if they place order through official site, entertainment filled efforts, drive engagement among Gen Z. Brand can also collaborate with payment gateways such as Apple pay (Odeh et al., 2024), as well as Google pay integrate them on McDonald’s website to make payment method easy, frictionless moreover encourage purchases directly via website directly this initiative will boost millennial interaction . Instead of relying on third party platforms (Mai et al., 2025),McDonalds’ should make investment to establish its own delivery infrastructure such as “McServe” offering reliable delivery services to encourage customers place orders through website of company to maintain control over customer data and deliver smooth experience to customers. vi. Sequence vii. Integration viii. Tactical Tools: To ensure effective engagement of Gen Z and millennials and improve page views few tools will be utilized with multi-channel marketing strategy ix. Engagement strategy Figure 1 Engagement ladder McDonalds will encourage user engagement by providing discounts for signing up, Gamification like rolling out badges in app to offer rewards to subscribers for menu searching and ordering. Launch referral programs for subscribers to gain extra discount or points by referring to others convert customers into advocate. Enable users to leave feedback, share their personal experiences, and engage with other customers via app. 4. Tactics Objective RACE & 5S Tool Tactic Lower bounce rate from 51.02% to 40% (similar web, 2025) Boost average visit time from 1 minute 11 seconds to 1: 35 seconds Resonate with Act stage Sizzle, speak and serves of 5S SEO, Dynamic content personalization, Optimization of Landing pages Customized landing pages Will utilize AI powered tools for content delivery like relocation tracking (Kotwal, 2025), to amplify user engagement through integration of traffic sources PPC and SEO Act, sizzle UX redesign and improvement in usability To support longer engagement on website UX redesign integrating features of voice enabled navigation will be implemented. Act Speak, sizzle Gamification, AR filters, Social posts To attract Gen Z and millennials Interactive content like AR effects, games will be added to top visited pages and pushed through social media Act Serve, speak AI chatbots E-contact widgets AI chatbots will be employed to reply to FAQs to ensure users engagement, beginning with installation, teaching it then tracking its performance Act Sell, sizzle SEMrush, Site link mapping strategy SEO content clustering by leveraging SEMrush and link pages will guide users, boost their time on website and dive more sales. (Kusuma et al., 2024) Figure 2 Similar web Objective RACE & 5S Tools Tactics Boost user interaction by raising pages viewed to 3.5 per visit (similar web, 2025) Align with Engage, convert Sell, save Email campaigns, Ads on social media, optimization of app store Cross platform promotion will encourage users to switch from browser to app, offering rewards for app download via email, social media ads. Convert sell Embed CRM, customization engine AI-driven recommendation system linked to customer profile will suggest customized product ideas results in more browsing and longer visits. Engage Sizzle, save App alerts, email campaign To encourage repeat visits, and exclusive offers available in app only will be promoted through notifications, emails Engage Speak, sizzle Microsites, social media channels, Users will be invited to take part in campaign like “Rate your burger” by posting content via social media posts and sites. 5. Actions (Execution of tactics) 3M’s I. Men (Human Resource) The tactics implementation need clear roles comprising internal team and external collaborators. II. Money The budget will be assigned considering strategic significance of tactics. Cost breakdown: Tactic Month 1 Month 2 Month 3 Total Customized landing pages £4,000 £4,000 £2,000 £10,000 Voice enabled navigation £2,500 £15,00 £1,000 £5,000 Engaging content £3,000 £2,000 £2,000 £7,000 AI chatbots £1,000 £1,000 £1,000 £3,000 Clustering SEO £15,00 £15,00 £1,000 £4,000 App promotion £25,00 £2,000 £15,00 £6,000 Product suggested powered by AI £2,000 £2,000 £1,000 £5,000 App specific initiatives £1,000 £1,000 £1,000 £3,000 UGC led marketing campaign £15,00 £15,00 £1,000 £4,000 Total £19,000 £16,500 £11,500 £47,000 Distribution of budget by activity III. Minutes To meet deadline tactical plan of 30 week timeline is organized into 12 weeks this is achieved by handling various tasks. The project is split into three primary phases. Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3 Initial planning and set up (week 1-2) Execution and launch ( week 3-8) Optimization and evaluation of performance (week 9-12) Timeline: 1 June- 15 June 2025 Timeline 16 June- 27 July Timeline 28 july-31 August Figure 3 Gantt chart (Maravas and Pantouvakis, 2025) 6. Control Objective KPI Baseline Target Reporting frequency Lower bounce rate Bounce rate 51.02% Below 40% Monthly Boost session duration Avg. duration 1:11 minutes +30% Monthly Improve page views Per visit view 2.58 (similar, web, 2025) 3.5 Monthly Achieve adoption of voice features Adoption rate of feature N/A ≥30% Monthly Enhance CTR on tailored content CTR Baseline TBD +25% Monthly Raise app engagement Active users Baseline TBD Steady growth Monthly Contingency Plan References Chaffey, D., and Smith, P. R. (2022). Digital marketing excellence: planning, optimizing and integrating online marketing. Routledge. https://www.similarweb.com KASHYAP, R., Laghate, K., Shah, R., and Manai, K. (2025). A study on Comprehending Trends and Patterns of Consumer Behaviour Towards Fast Food Consumption: A Bibliometric Approach. Available at SSRN-. Kotwal, R. (2025). Unleashing Social Media Marketing Strategies. Educohack Press. Kusuma, A. C., Mukhlis, A., and Fatari, F. (2024). The Strategy of Online Marketing at Mc. Donald's Restaurant to Increasing Sales in The Digital Era. International Journal of Economy, Education and Entrepreneurship (IJE3), 4(1), 148-157. Mary, M. (2023). Developing a Marketing Communications Plan to Attract Target Customers. Odeh, A., Al-Haija, Q. S. A., Taleb, A. A., Salameh, W., and Alhajahjeh, T. (2024, December). Enhancing security and efficiency in mobile payment systems: an integrated approach utilizing advanced technologies. In 8th IET Smart Cities Symposium (SCS 2024) (Vol. 2024, pp. 723-727). IET. Sestino, A., Prete, M. I., Piper, L., and Guido, G. (2023). 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