module specification

This module introduces students to the theory and practice of social media management and strategy. The module focuses on digital and social media management best practice, creative approaches to social media strategies; technologies and tools as well as the role of social media management in the creative and digital media industries.
Students will learn how to effectively plan and execute a social media strategy.

• To enable students to appreciate and evaluate social media management and social media strategy issues
• To enable students to plan and organise the a social media campaign

The syllabus explores: introduction to digital and social media management; digital media tools and technologies enabling digital and social media management; social media analytics and related management tools; digital and social media management applications;  social media management strategies; the use of social media for marketing and advertising; creative practice in social media campaigns; application of digital media production and creative skills to the implementation of a social media campaign; career opportunities in social media-related professions.

Teaching methods include lectures and on-line interactive learning material, tutorials, seminar discussions, role-play activities and computer lab sessions. Students will be expected to attend lectures and take part into on-line activities as well as comment on their readings. The teaching and learning strategy will adopt a problem-solving and situated approach to expose students to real-life scenarios and digital media briefs.
A blended learning strategy will be employed to enhance the learning experience. The VLE will be used as a platform to support online discussions, role-play and situated learning experiences and to facilitate formative assessment and related feedback as well as a tool to integrate useful online learning materials provided by professional organisations and other relevant sources.

On successful completion of this module students will be able to:

1. Evaluate and critically assess social media management and social media strategy issues
2. Identify best practice, technologies and tools in social media management
3. Produce a plan for a social media strategy
4. Produce a social media campaign

A social media strategy plan (weighting 40%) - will assess the students’ ability to outline a strategy and a plan for a social media campaign.

A social media campaign (weighting 60%) is designed to test students' ability to organise and produce a social media campaign.

Students may pass on aggregate.

Required reading:

Albarran, A.B. (Ed.) (2013) The Social Media Industries, Media management and economics, Routledge: New York ; London.

Brogan, C. (2010) Social Media 101: Tactics and Tips to Develop Your Business Online, Wiley: Hoboken, N.J.

Fuchs, C. (2014) Social Media: A Critical Introduction, SAGE: Los Angeles ; London.

Kelly, N. (2013) How to Measure Social Media: A Step-by-Step Guide to Developing and Assessing Social Media ROI, Que: Indianapolis, Ind.

Lieb, R. (2012) Content Marketing: Think like a Publisher: How to Use Content to Market Online and in Social Media, Que: Indianapolis.

Noor Al-Deen, H.S., Hendricks, J.A. (Eds.) (2013) Social Media and Strategic Communications, Palgrave Macmillan: Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire.

Ryan, D. (2011) The Best Digital Marketing Campaigns in the World: Mastering the Art of Customer Engagement, Kogan Page: London ; Philadelphia.

Smith, N. (2011) The Social Media Management Handbook: Everything You Need to Know to Get Social Media Working in Your Business, John Wiley & Sons: Chichester.

Stareva, I. (2012) The Impact of Social Media on the PR Industry, GRIN Verlag: Munich.

Suhr, H.C. (2012) Social Media and Music: The Digital Field of Cultural Production, Digital formations, Peter Lang: New York.
Treadaway, C. (2010) Facebook Marketing: An Hour a Day, Wiley: Indianapolis.

Tuten, T.L. (2013b) Social Media Marketing, Pearson Education Limited: Harlow.