Social Media Strategy
Module code:
Module description
This module examines the nature and evolution of the social media landscape as well as the implications of emerging and convergent social and mobile technologies for marketing strategy. Importantly the curriculum reflects a broader shift in marketing thinking and practice away from the centrality of the marketing exchange towards an emphasis on experience.
Students will be guided to critically evaluate a range of theoretical frameworks that can be used to explain and utilise social media and encouraged to question the extent to which contemporary developments require new modes of thinking about human networks and communications and how existing conceptual models may still be applied.
The principles and practices of social media marketing will be explored and students encouraged to distinguish the characteristics and qualities of a range of social media platforms and their potential application to a range of marketing challenges including (but not limited to) the development and management of effective promotional campaigns. Topics will include web 2.0 characteristics, digital consumer behaviour, online identity, network structure and group influence, co-creation, brand loyalty, customer and employee engagement, the gamification of innovation and legal and ethical considerations associated with social media use in organisations.
Throughout the module students will be encouraged to develop familiarity and competence with a range of proprietary social media management techniques and tools employed in intelligence gathering, managing engagement across multiple platforms and in the analysis and measurement of campaign performance.
Learning outcomes
Appreciate how the social media landscape has evolved and identify the implications of ubiquitous social and mobile technologies for marketing strategy
Apply theoretical frameworks to explain the popularity and use of social media and to distinguish between social media applications and solutions appropriate to a range of marketing challenges
Derive actionable strategic insight from social media research and data analysis
Demonstrate professional standards of competency in the use of relevant proprietary social media management tools
Contact hours per student per year
Lectures/Exercises:
Assessments
Individual Report: 90%
Online test: 10%