Understanding Business Communication and Social Media (Online)

Course Times & Enrolment

This course is currently unavailable.

Course Summary

The course is aimed at students interested in understanding how technology has changed business communication and how social media platforms provide firms with the opportunity to target their messages to different stakeholders. Students will be introduced to some of the key concepts of business communication as applied to digital marketing campaigns. In addition, the course will provide an overview of the methods employed to measure the effectiveness of business communication in social media.

Course Details

Pre-requisites for enrolment

None

Special Information

In order to participate in this online course, students will need access to a computer with a speaker or headphones and an internet connection.

Content of Course

The course is organised into three parts. In the first part, students will learn about the foundations of business communication in social media, including concepts such as stakeholder theory, dialogic theory, and the components of a digital marketing campaign. The second part will focus on social media as a global phenomenon and look at different culturally specific examples, such as Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Twitter. It will also consider how different social media platforms complement each other, and students will learn how to analyse the engagement achieved with marketing campaigns on these platforms. The final part will look at wider issues such as return on investment as well as ethical and regulatory considerations.

Teaching method(s)

The course will be taught through a combination of lectures and tutor-led discussions. In each session, the tutor will introduce key concepts, and students will then be provided with opportunities to deepen their understanding through questions and examples. Practical exercises will allow participants to reflect on the characteristics of the different social media platforms and how these can be used to achieve companies’ goals while delivering a return on investment. Students will be encouraged to participate and interact with their peers, while reading and other resources will provide opportunities for further engagement with the topics covered in class. It is not a requirement for students to have a social media account on any platform. The tutor will be able to provide generic examples.

Learning outcomes

On completion of this course, students will be able to:

Demonstrate a basic knowledge of the functionalities of different social media platforms.
Critically analyse the key elements of a digital marketing campaign.
Identify the digital position of a business and how to improve their visibility online.

Sources

Core Readings

Recommended:

Appel, G., Grewal, L., Hadi, R., & Stephen, A. T., 2020. The Future of Social Media in Marketing. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 48(1), 79-95. [Open Access Journal Article] Available at https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11747-019-00695-1
Stokes, R., 2018. eMarketing: The Essential Guide to Marketing in a Digital World. 6th Ed. Cape Town, South Africa: Red & Yellow. [Open Access eBook] Available at https://open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/textbooks/14

Queries

If you have questions regarding the course or enrolment, please contact COL Reception at Paterson's Land by email COL@ed.ac.uk or by phone 0131 650 4400.

Student support

If you have a disability, learning difficulty or health condition which may affect your studies, please let us know by ticking the 'specific support needs' box on your course application form. This will allow us to make appropriate adjustments in advance and in accordance with your rights under the Equality Act 2010. For more information please visit the Student Support section of our website.