Social Media Assignment

Description

Social Media Assignment

20 points

Working individually, students are required to research and analyze a company or brand’s use of social media. In approximately 1000 words (not including references) students will craft a polished business report that demonstrates their ability to understand the use of social media for the following purposes.

Raise awareness
Influence desire
Encourage trial
Facilitate purchase
Create loyalty

You will sign up for one of the companies or brands on the list of Forbes’ 40 Most Valuable Sport Brands
(Links to an external site.)
.

Students must analyze the brand or business’ use of the social media by examining their presence on 2-4 of the following social media platforms:

Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Pinterest
YouTube
Tumblr
Mobile App

The best reports will be factual and analytical. There is no room for personal feelings or emotional response. Think of this report as the type of report created by a social media consultancy firm before a first meeting with a client. The goal is to assess where the client is in terms of their social media use while providing a sense of what the firm would/could do for them if they were to hire it. Students should draw on the expertise found in Ashley & Tuten (2015)
and Bruce & Solomon (2013)
in their analysis (found in the Social Media – Horizontal Revolution Module and linked above). The report should include the following sections (TIP: Follow the sections below as an outline and write your report with the specific sections!)

Introduction: Introduce the company and what it is that they do and why social media is important to their business; HINT: Look at the industry they operate within as well as norms/standards for social media use in that industry; Be succinct. No filler. (1/2-1 page)
Overall summary of social media use and purpose: Briefly summarize the company’s history with social media and current use of social media along with the overall strategic focus from one or several of the above purposes; Can you identify who manages social media for the business (marketing department, outside social media advertising firm etc.)? Are they using the different tools like Twitter, Instagram Pinterest etc. in ways that are unique or duplicative (of other companies or competitors or even of other platforms—in other words are they saying the same uninspired things over and over again across platforms or are they a unique voice that adapts to the platform/medium?) How are they leverage each tool for best effect/impression? A chart that presents numbers of followers and frequency of posts is a good start for this section but you must also analyze their efforts overall. . (1/2-1 page)
Use of platforms: List how each tool is used (i.e. Raise awareness, Influence desire, Encourage trial, Facilitate purchase, Create loyalty); provide examples; infer the primary purpose from those listed above; If they are not on a specific platform examine earned/fan media there as well as try to deduce why they are absent from this channel (2- 3 pages total).
Assessment and recommendations: Assess overall social media use. Make at least three recommendations based upon your assessment and research; HINT: Consider a Social Media SWOT analysis that looks at strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats associated with the firm’s use of social media which might points towards recommendations. (1-2 pages)
References: Demonstrate that you used appropriate materials with which to base your paper upon. (1/2 page)

This assignment is worth 20 percent of the course grade.

Papers that receive 17-20 points are classified as excellent and will be free of typos and grammatical errors and contain all elements listed above. They will be thoroughly researched and use credible industry and academic resources and have a full set of references (5 minimum.) Recommendations and assessment will be insightful and creative.

Papers graded 14-16 points are good. Typos and grammatical errors are minimal and all elements of above are included. They are researched and have some references. Recommendations and assessment are present and analysis is sound.

Papers 13 points or below reflect less than good work. Typos and grammatical errors are frequent. Elements above are missing. There is little evidence of research. Recommendations and assessment are not based upon analysis.