First Class

Hey guys! Welcome to the class! I’m hoping to make this as useful for you both personally and professionally.

During class, I’ll be providing updates, but feel free to check in here from time to time to see if there’s anything new.

And, feel free to comment as you like!

First up, the class syllabus. Here’s how it stands now.


Insights and Opportunities in Social Media
Jason Parker
jparker43@hotmail.com
Twitter: ParkSocClass

Overall Course Objective
With the ever evolving social media space and expanding arsenal of technologies therein, the course will help students learn strategic approaches to implementing, maintaining, and evolving social media strategies from campaigns to enterprise level solutions regardless of specific technologies.

Books and Course Material
- Here Comes Everybody by Clay Shirky
- Groundswell by Charlene Li and Josh Bernoff
- Additional references
o A Literature Review: Role of Social Media in Contemporary Marketing by Isman Tanuri (to be distributed by instructor).

Grading System
There will be several opportunities for evaluation throughout the course, with each representing a percentage of the total grade.
- Case study 20%
- Research report 20%
- Practice campaign 20%
- Exam (essay) 40%
Written assignments are expected to be completed and turned in on time. For each class period that an assignment is late, students’ grades on that assignment will drop a letter grade. Consideration will be given to any extenuating circumstances which will be discussed and assessed on an individual level.

The exam will cover material discussed in class and in reading assignments.

For all grades resulting from assignments, tests, and presentations, students will have an opportunity to discuss with the instructor.


Course Outline
Week 1
Objective: Overview of social media and its impact on culture and companies.
Reading: Here Comes Everybody. Chapters 1, 2, 3 and 8
Groundswell. Chapter 2

Class 1: Introduction
- Individual introductions.
- Course objective
- Topics the course will cover.
- Overview of books and chapters.
- Overview of grading system: Assignments, cases, end of semester exam
- Discussion of basics of social media
- Implications of Social Media on society, companies, and marketing
- Discuss first assignment: Case study on a company that has been effective in using social media.

Class 2: Trends in the social graph
- Overview of prevalent trends impacting and impacted by social media
- Types of collaboration in the social graph
- Work on case studies
- Distribute Role of Social Media in Contemporary Marketing

Week 2
Objective: Understand how to tap into the social graph as a source of learning
Reading: Here Comes Everybody. Chapter 7
Groundswell. Chapters 3 and 5

Class 3: Outlets in the social graph
- Overview of prevailing social media technologies and their evolution
- Applications
- Group behavior dynamics

Class 4: Approaches and tools for monitoring the social graph
- Monitoring vs. moderating
- Paid vs. free tools
- Demonstrations
- Discuss second assignment: Mine the social graph to better understand a target and company and develop a report.


Week 3
Objective: Understanding how best to activate in the social graph
Reading: Groundswell. Chapters 6, 7, 8, and 9

Class 5: Joining the social graph
- Identifying whether a company should participate
- Determining best approach for participating
- Rules for participation

Class 6: Harnessing the social graph
- Approaches to transforming conversation into action
o Seeding content
o Responding to conversations
o Creating social momentum
o Crisis management
o Direct consumer input
o Beta/Testing
- Discuss third assignment: Development of a hypothetical social media campaign


Week 4
Objective: Understand the processes and practices for developing and implementing a social media program for a company

Class 7: Setting up a social media program
- Best practices
o Organizational structures
o Social media discipline vs. shared responsibility
- Process and flow of social media
o Starting
o Ongoing
- Legal implications

Class 8: Discussion and prep for final exam

Class 9: Final Exam