BYOD

I have a “Bring Your Own Device” policy for this class. I encourage you to bring your laptop or mobile device to class as we will occasionally use them for in-class assignments. Technology can and should enhance the learning environment, thus I trust that you will only use it responsibly in my class.

Social Media Strategies Spring 2016

UNIVERSITY OF

NORTH TEXAS DEPT. OF MEDIA ARTS

Tues. & Thurs. 2:00 – 3:20 / RTFP 180F

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

This course will give future media and communications professionals the tools and experiences to successfully utilize collaborative and social media for strategic endeavors. The class considers the various strengths, limitations, ethics, uses, and effects of various collaborative and social media tools. Students will work individually and in teams to create, analyze, and evaluate collaborative and social media tools and strategies. The course incorporates digital media theories with practical applications.

At the end of this course, students will: Know how to effectively communicate specific messages via social media

Be able to connect with readers and viewers in different ways

Know how to publish real-time updates and community engagement

Know how to collaborate on research, content, and analysis

Be able to use a variety of tools for communication and engagement

Be able to evaluate the ethics, privacy, and intellectual property policies of social media companies

1. NetSmart: How to Thrive Online by Howard Rheingold (required) 2. Contagious: Why Things Catch On by Jonah Berger (required) 3. Other readings are available on Blackboard 4. Everybody Writes: Your Go-to Guide to Creating Ridiculously Good Content by Ann Handley

(recommended)

REQUIRED & RECOMMENDED TEXTS

This course requires a lot of group work and participation. Please be mindful of your other obligations and responsibilities so that you can pull your weight in the group. Tips for working together: 1) be respectful of each other’s time & ideas, 2) communicate effectively, 3) work together as a team, and 4) meet your deadlines.

Participation

This class is structured in a seminar

format, meaning I expect you to

contribute your thoughts, insights,

questions, and perspectives on the

topics, readings, films, shows, and

music. You need to come to class

prepared - this means you have already

completed the readings/screenings for

the day. I expect you to contribute to

the discussions at least once a week

(more is encouraged). I keep records of

RTVF 3360

EXAM - 150 POINTS (individual)

CASE STUDY – 150 POINTS (individual)

LEAD CLASS DISCUSSION (group) –75 POINTS

TWITTER – 25 POINTS (individual)

o #RTVFSMS

PEER ANALSIS & INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTION

(individual) – 100 POINTS

SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN (group) – 500 POINTS

o DESIGN A STRATEGY – 100 POINTS

o CAMPAIGN UPDATES – 25 POINTS EACH (x2)

o METRICS – 50 POINTS

o IN-CLASS PITCH – 75 POINTS

o CAMPAIGN – 125 POINTS

o ANALYSIS – 100 POINTS

TOTAL 1000 POINTS

A = 900-1000 B = 800-899 C=700-799

D = 600-699 F = fewer than 600

Plagiarism, don’t do it. If I catch you plagiarizing or cheating on any part of any assignment – this includes websites, videos, music, papers, blogs, images, presentations, exams, etc. – I will report you to the Office of Academic Integrity and you will receive an automatic “0” on the assignment with no opportunity to make it up. A zero on an assignment could mean you fail the course, just don’t do it, it’s really not worth it. If this is not your first infraction, you will automatically fail the course. For a full definition of academic dishonesty and the repercussions, read the UNT policy here: https://policy.unt.edu/sites/default/files/untpolicy/pdf/7-Student_Affairs-Academic_Integrity.pdf.

ASSIGNMENTS

Late assignments will lose one full letter grade for each day it’s late. Assignments will not be

accepted after 3 days; it’s an automatic zero. ATTENDANCE

I do not distinguish between “excused” and “unexcused”

absences. Everyone is granted one “free” absence during the semester, no questions asked.

Each additional absence (including consultations) will result in a loss of 10 points

from your grade. Additionally, you will lose points for

arriving late or leaving early. If you experience extenuating circumstances (e.g. illness, death in family, etc.) during

the semester talk to me ASAP.

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

Extra Credit: Occasionally I will offer extra credit opportunities to the entire class; the extra assignments are always optional. No extra credit opportunities will be offered on an individual basis, so do not ask. If you are struggling with the course materials come see me for additional guidance and resources.

Religious holy days sometimes conflict with class and examination schedules. If you will miss a work assignment or other project due to the observance of a religious holy day you will be given an opportunity to complete the work missed within a reasonable time after the absence. If you are going to miss an assignment, please let me know at the beginning of the semester.

WEEK 12: EXAM & WORK DAY **4/5: EXAM 4/7: In-class work day WEEK 13: BRANDING, ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY, & SOCIAL MEDIA 4/12: “We’re all connected” – Hanna, Rohm, & Crittenden (GLD6) **4/14: “Why TV needs SM”, Mikho; “Has SM changed TV?” Hunt WEEK 14: SOCIAL MEDIA & JOBS 4/19: Mandatory consultation w/ Dr. V 4/21: “Writing for LinkedIn”, Handley; “SM make or break job”, Quast WEEK 15: WRAP-UP 4/26: Chapter 6 (pp. 246-254), Rheingold **4/28: Out-of-class work day **WEEK 16: PRESENTATIONS 5/3: In-Class presentations 5/5: In-Class presentations WEEK 17: FINALS WEEK – Everything is due by 3:30 p.m. May 12

WEEKLY SCHEDULE

WEEK 1: INTRO & LITERACIES 1/19: no readings 1/21: Introduction, Rheingold WEEK 2: PARTICIPATORY CULTURE 1/26: Chapter 3 (pp.111-133), Rheingold 1/28: Chapter 4 (pp.211-224), Rheingold WEEK 3: SOCIAL NETWORKS 2/2: “Social Network Sites as Networked Publics”, boyd (GLD1) 2/4: Chapter 4 (pp. 147-172), Rheingold – (Guest Speaker - Austin Crow, MANNA Worldwide) WEEK 4: WHY THINGS CATCH ON, PT. 1 **2/9: Introduction, Berger (GLD2) 2/11: Mandatory consultation w/ Dr. V WEEK 5: SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGNS **2/16: What’s your social media strategy?” Wilson et al.; “10 Steps”, Gunelius 2/18: “Story Rules”, Handley WEEK 6: WHY THINGS CATCH ON, PT. 2 2/23: Chapter 1, Berger (GLD3) 2/25: Chapter 3, Berger (Guest Speaker – La Shae Leonard - YMCA) WEEK 7: PLATFORMS, TOOLS, & RESOURCES 3/1: Chapter 6, Berger (GLD4) **3/3: No reading WEEK 8: WRITING FOR SOCIAL MEDIA 3/8: “Things Marketers Write” (pp.181-201), Handley 3/10: Mandatory consultation w/ Dr. V WEEK 9: METRICS & MEASUREMENT 3/15: “Measure SM”, Cifuentes “SM Measurement”, Murdough 3/17: In-class work day WEEK 10: REMIX CULTURE 3/22: No reading **3/24: “REMIX”, Lessig (GLD5)

IMPORTANT DATES 2/9: Campaign Proposal Due (group) 2/16: Case Study Due (individual) 3/3: Campaign Design Strategy Due (group) 3/24: Campaign Update Due (group) 4/5: Exam (individual) 4/14: Campaign Update Due (group) 4/28: Metrics & Measurements Due (group) 5/3: In-Class Presentations 5/5: In-Class Presentations 5/12: Final Campaign, Analysis, & Evals due by 3:30 TBD: Group Led Discussion (GLD)

ODA Notification: The University of North Texas makes reasonable academic accommodation for students with disabilities. Students seeking accommodation must first register with the Office of Disability Accommodation (ODA) to verify their eligibility. If a disability is verified, the ODA will provide you with an accommodation letter to be delivered to faculty to begin a private discussion regarding your specific needs in a course. You may request accommodations at any time, however, ODA notices of accommodation should be provided as early as possible in the semester to avoid any delay in implementation. Note that students must obtain a new letter of accommodation for every semester and must meet with each faculty member prior to implementation in each class. For additional information see the Office of Disability Accommodation website at http://www.unt.edu/oda. You may also contact them by phone at 940.565.4323.

WEEK 11: PLAYBOR & PROFIT 3/29: “Social Media & Copyright Law”, Manishin 3/31: Chapter 3 (pp.134-140), Rheingold

BIBLIOGRAPHY OF REQUIRED READINGS

SUBHEAD. SUBHEAD. SUBHEAD.

Berger, J. (2013). Contagious: Why things catch on. New York: Simon & Schuster. boyd, d. (2010). Social network sites as networked publics: Affordances, dynamics, and implications. In Networked Self:

Identity, Community, and Culture on Social Network Sites (ed. Zizi Papacharissi), pp. 39-58. Cifuentes, N. (2012). How to measure social media – and show results. ClickZ. Available:

http://www.clickz.com/clickz/column/2134500/measure-social-media-results-suite. Gunelius, S. (2010). 10 steps to kickoff a social media campaign. Business Insider. http://www.businessinsider.com/10-

steps-to-getting-started-in-social-media-marketing-2010-11. Handley, A. (2014). Everybody Writes: Your go-to guide to creating ridiculously good content. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. Hanna, R., Rohm, A., Crittenden, V.L. (2011). We’re all connected: the power of the social media ecosystem. Business

Horizons, 54(3), pp. 265-273. Hunt, T. (2014). Has Social Media Changed Television? Social Media Explorer. Available:

http://www.socialmediaexplorer.com/social-media-marketing/has-social-media-changed-television/. Lessig, L. (2012). REMIX: How creativity is being strangled by the law. In The Social Media Reader (ed. Michael

Mandiberg), pp. 156-159. Mikho, M. (2012). Why social media needs TV and TV needs social media. Advertising Age. Available:

http://adage.com/article/digitalnext/social-media-tv-tv-social/237759/. Manishin, G. (2013). Social media and copyright law in conflict. Disruptive Competition Project. Available:

http://www.project-disco.org/intellectual-property/080913-social-media-and-copyright-law-in-conflict/ Murdough, C. (2009). Social media measurement: it’s not impossible. Journal of Interactive Advertising, 10(1). Quast, L. (2012). How your social media profile could make or break your next job opportunity. Forbes. Available:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/lisaquast/2012/04/23/your-social-media-profile-could-make-or-break-your-next-job-opportunity/.

Rheingold, H. (2012). NetSmart: How to Thrive Online. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press. Wilson, J., Guinan, P.J., Parise, S., and Weinberg, B. (2011). What’s your social media strategy? Harvard Business Review.

Available: http://hbr.org/2011/07/whats-your-social-media-strategy/ar/1.