I. Course Objectives and Textbooks:
Provide an effective combination of “strategy” and “hands-on platform experience” with various Social Media (SM) and Search Engine Marketing (SEM) platforms and applications. Provide a broad foundation of concepts, terminology and real-world application using in-class case studies. Provide numerous examples from small, start-up entrepreneurs to large established companies along with various ROI metrics. Textbooks: “Groundswell” and “The Facebook Era” and numerous online articles/blogs.
II. Weekly, Graded Real-World Application Assignments
Each week students will be assigned topic-specific mini-cases that are designed to apply course content to real-world applications; provide actual platform experience; and enhance student problem-solving skills to be more creative, strategic and resourceful including the following:
- Create and post content and images to their WordPress Blog Website on subject student determines. Blog will be used late for optimization, keyword research and plug-ins to other platforms: LinkedIn, Facebook, etc. Learn WordPress functions including: widgets, plug-ins, basic HTML, linking, themes.
- Search Engine Organic and Sponsored/Paid CPC applications. Promote their Blog Website using Google Adwords advertising with free promotional $100 Google offers using hierarchical ad copy strategies.
- Apply SEO strategies to their Website/others using Google Analytics, Market Samurai , KeywordSpy, etc.
- Create Facebook Page, actual Facebook Advertising to promote Blog Website traffic. Evaluate major brand Facebook Pages effectiveness based on in-class case study examples and evaluation matrix.
- Create LinkedIn Profile and Group. Use advanced search and apply LinkedIn to direct sales applications.
- Email platform using Constant Contact professional template with merging function and manage/integrated email lists.
- YouTube: Video creation using (i) PC Webcam and (ii) animation using Goantimate.com. Upload to YouTube.
- Create a Private Community platform, create discussion forums and survey content on Ning.
- Throughout semester contribute to a class Wiki/collaborate site in building a course Glossary of Terms.
- Understand daily monitoring of Twitter, Facebook,etc. using Hootsuite and Facebook Insights.
- Apply Groundswell textbook strategic elements to well-known products in the marketplace:
– Evaluation Criteria for Sustainability of New Social Media Technology
– Social Technological Profile tool (assessing Technology Behaviors of target market) - Psychological Design of Websites and SM Platforms based on Stephen Anderson’s Seductive Interactions Consulting models.
- Integrated Social Media Strategies evaluation of major consumer goods and service companies.
III. Engaging Classroom Environment:
Focus on application with effective combination of lecture, case studies, video segments, on-line demonstrations of analysis tools, active discussion, review of real-world assignment requirements, and reviewing mini-case assignment submissions.
