May 4: Social Media Critique Presentations

May 4 Assignments

Students will begin presenting their final final projects — a social media critique of a brand or news organization of their choice. Half the class will present today, and half the class will present on May 11. (The order of presentations will be selected ahead of time.)

Due: Final Project: Social Media Critique.

Apr. 27: Content Curation/ Twitter Lists/ Social Media Task 7 — Twitter Lists

Apr. 27 Readings and Assignments

Please read the following articles and be prepared to discuss them in class. Here are some questions to think about while you’re reading.

Discussion questions to think about: What is content curation? How can curated content be used as an effective journalistic tool?  How can curated content be used as a tool in public relations and marketing? How do Twitter lists work as a curation tool?

Mashable.com:

Why Curation is Important to the Future of Journalism (Mashable)

Hootsuite:

A Beginner’s Guide to Content Curation (Hootesuite)

Hubspot:

10 Content Curation Tools Every Marketer Needs (Hubspot)

Social Media Task 7: Twitter Lists

For this assignment, you will continue to build a social media network on your class Twitter by creating at least four Twitter lists. It is due on May 11.

Explanation:

Follow at least 30 new accounts on Twitter broken up as follows: either 10 SHU orgs or clubs, 10 news media orgs, 10 PR orgs, or 10 social media-related accounts. You should already be following your fellow classmates, and @Bollshu.

Explanation:

To be clear, the 30 new accounts you follow should be three of the following categories:

—  At least 10 Seton Hall accounts than you’re not already following, including Seton Hall student media accounts — WSOU and The Setonian. This must be the main account, not the account of an individual student

— At least 10 non-Seton Hall news organizations. TV stations’ news divisions or news shows, wire services, newspapers, magazines, or online news sites. They can also be individual journalists’ professional accounts.

— At least 10 Twitter accounts related to public relations, advertising, or marketing companies. If you need inspiration, a Google search will turn up several “PR/advertising/marketing accounts that students should follow” types of lists.

— At least 10 Twitter accounts related to social media, and/or digital media. It’s fine if a few of these are individual journalists or PR professionals (especially if they are journalists or PR pros who are social media “stars”), but several of them should be the accounts of organizations, bloggers, or individuals who write about the social media and digital media industries. 

You can also go to search.twitter.com and search for journalism, PR, social media and digital media. When you find a post that looks interesting, click on the profile of the person who posted it. If other posts from that person seem interesting, you can follow that person. You can also see who that person is following and decide if you want to follow any of them if they have something to do with journalism, PR, social media and digital journalism.

All of this helps to get people to follow you. Often when you follow someone, that person will follow you back. The best way to build a network is by posting good content and promoting people who you follow. The more good you put out there, the more you will usually receive.

Get Started:

— Create three public Twitter Lists using the 30 news accounts that you followed. Be sure to ame each list. Example: Seton Hall orgs, or PR orgs.

— Create a fourth public Twitter list of our class, and add me and all of your classmates to that list.

— In total, you will have four Twitter lists: three lists of news accounts, and one list of your classmates and me.

— If you get stuck, there are tons of articles online that provide instructions for creating Twitter lists. Here are two:

Wired: How to set up Twitter lists

Twitter Help

Grading: This assignment is worth a total of 20 points. Each Twitter List is worth 5 points. You will be graded on how the content and diversity of your lists.

Due: Social Media Task 7: Twitter Lists: May 11, 5:00 p.m.

Apr. 13: Media Pitching and Social Media Press Releases/ Social Media Task 6 — Social Media Press Release

Apr. 13 Readings and Assignments

Here are the readings for your blog post due on Apr. 13. This is your final blog post for the semester. Please be prepared to discuss the readings in class. Don’t forget to tweet about your post. Your blog post should be 200-500 words and should not be a summary of the readings. It should be your take on the readings. Please be sure to optimize your copy for search.

Students will finish playing their podcasts for the class today.

PR News Online:

Traditional Press Release — Out — Online News Releases are IN

Inc.com:

How to Write a Social Media Press Release

Blog Post discussion questions to consider: How have press releases changed in recent years? What are effective strategies for reaching and pitching journalists?  How do social media press releases differ from traditional releases?  What are some mistakes to avoid when writing a social media release?

Due: Blog Post 10

Due: Tweet 10

Social Media Task 7: Writing a Social Media Press Release

This assignment is due on Apr. 27. Please post your release on your blog before class on Apr. 27. Be sure to include a disclaimer on the release saying it is a class project and not a real press release.

Description:  You will apply the skills you have learned and the tools you have used this semester to craft a Social Media Press Release.

(1) Explanation:  Part 1 —  Research events that are going on at Seton Hall or South Orange on FB, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, or shu.edu for the subject of your social media press release. Select one that is worth publicizing. You are the organization’s public relations representative. The news should be recent (within the past few days or coming up in the next few weeks.) The news may be an event, announcement, anniversary, opening, or other milestone, campaign, product launch, etc.

Due to the pandemic, you are not required to go out and find something to write your press release about, or to attend in person. I recommend you pick an event on SHU.edu.

Part 2:  Write a social media release publicizing the news.

(2) Length: The body of the release should be at least 400 words. The release should also include: Contact information, a headline and possibly a secondary headline; a lead/summary; body; bullet-point facts; multimedia links; keywords.

It should also include at least one image (either original photos that you shot or images downloaded from the organization’s website or social media accounts) and/or a link to a YouTube video. Take advantage of the range of features of the social media release.

(3) Information: Do some research to write the release. Make sure all the information is accurate. You can interview someone to get quotes, or you can quote yourself as the public relations representative for the client. Do not write the release in the first person (I, ours, we) — use the third person.

(4) Style and Format: Portray your client in a favorable light, but don’t exaggerate. Assume you’re writing for a general audience that might not be very familiar with your client. Make the headline informative and “tweetable,” and search engine optimized. Use keywords in the headline and body.

Keep paragraphs short and succinct. Pay attention to spelling, grammar, punctuation and AP style.

Post your release to your blog and tweet about it. (Be sure to identify it as a class project since it will go out to the public and you’re not really the PR representative for the client.)

Grading: This assignment is worth 20 points. Your grade is based on how well you followed the 5 requirements above. Each requirement is worth 4 points.

Due: Social Media Task 6: Apr. 27, 5:00 p.m.

Apr. 6: Photo and Video Sharing/ Instagram vs. Snapchat vs. TikTok

Apr. 6 Readings and Assignments

Please read the following and be prepared to discuss the readings and your blog post in class, and please tweet about your blog post. Your blog post should be 200-500 words and should not be a summary of the readings. It should be your take on the readings. Don’t forget to optimize your copy.

Students will also play their podcasts for the class today.

Blog Post discussion questions to think about: What makes Instagram unique?  What makes Snapchat and TikTok unique?  What benefits do social media platforms like Instagram offer to photojournalists? To brands? How can photo and video sharing social media platforms be used as tools in journalism and/or public relations?

Please watch the following YouTube video by Neil Patel:

 Instagram vs. Snapchat

And read the following:

Dailystory.com:

Instagram vs. Snapchat vs. TikTok

Newstalkcb:

Rihanna hits Snapchat where it hurts

Due: Blog Post 9

Due: Tweet 9

Assigned Apr. 13: Final Project/ Social Media Critique

This is your final project for the class. It is due on May 4.

Description: Working in teams of two, critique a brand, company, or news outlet’s social media presence.

Explanation: Select a national or international brand, company, or news outlet and critique its social media presence. Compare and contrast its presence on at least three social media platforms. Critique the brand or outlet and its social media strategy and make specific recommendations for improvement. Length: minimum of 6 pages, maximum of 8 pages; double-spaced.

  • Identify your brand, company, or news outlet. Submit via email the name of the company you have chosen along with your teammate no later than Apr. 20. I will need to approve the brand or company you have chosen. Please email your project idea to bollinger.shu@gmail.com. The sooner your topic gets approved, the sooner you can begin your project.
  • Decide whether you will critique the brand, company, or news outlet through the lens of a specific demographic, or in general. I recommend you choose a specific demographic. (Does this brand, company, or news outlet appeal to college students?  To young adults? To women who want careers in business? To consumers between the ages of 35-50? To conservatives? To liberals?)
  • Requirements:
  • (1) Research your brand, company, or news outlet. Identify the social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, Pinterest, Linkedin, YouTube, etc…)  the brand or news outlet has chosen to embrace as part of its strategy. Of the platforms the company uses, select three to focus on for your paper. Also identify the platforms that are not used or are underutilized by the company.
  • Write your paper following the instructions below. (You will lose points if you don’t follow them.)
  • (2) Introduction – about one page. Describe your company, why you selected it, and in general how the brand or the company presents itself on social media overall.
  • (3) Compare and Contrast Social Media Platforms — about two pages. Identify the social media platforms you have chosen. Describe each. How does the brand or company use them? What seems to be the overall purpose? (Customer feedback, marketing, promotion, etc…)
  • (4) Include above how the use of these platforms appeals to either your selected demographic, or to the public in general? Include screenshots of photos as examples.
  • (5) Suggest areas for improvement — about two pages. Now that you have provided a comprehensive review of the company’s platforms, take some time to make recommendations for ways in which their social media performances could be improved. How does the brand or company relate to your own demographic? What have you not seen that would appeal to you? What seems to be the target audience for the company? Are they missing a key way that they could be relating to more consumers, clients, or members of the public?
  • (6) In your suggestions for improvement, include at least two specific social media platforms that could be added to the company’s strategy.
  • (7) Also include at least two specific tactics that could be used on these platforms and explain them (live video, live tweeting, Twitter Live, Instagram Stories, Snapchat  Stories, Twitter Lists, Crowdsourcing, etc…)
  • (8) Conclusion – about one page. Provide your overall summation of what you found and recommended. How will the brand or company benefit from your advice? What new outcomes can be expected? How might the changes allow the brand or company to grow?

Class Presentations: You will present your Social Media Critique to the class on May 4 and 11. (The order of presentations will be selected ahead of time.)

Grading: Your final project is worth 40 points, broken down as follows: Each of the 8 requirements listed above is worth 5 points. I will grade your final project based how well you completed each of the 8 requirements.

Due: May 4, 5:00 p.m.

Mar. 30: Online Privacy/ Do We Have Privacy Online? / Making and Distributing Podcasts/ Social Media Task 5 — Podcasting

Mar. 30 Readings and Assignments

Here are readings we will discuss in class on Mar. 30. Please optimize your blog post for search, and please tweet about your post before class begins. Your post should be 200-500 words and should not be a summary of the readings. It should be your take on the readings.

ProPublica: What Data Brokers Know About You?

Facebook: Data Policy

Questions to Consider: Does the First Amendment protect online speech? Should we be regulating online speech? Do we need online privacy regulations? Why or why not? What is the EU law GDPR, and do we need online privacy relations like it in the US?

The Podcast Host.com:

The Top Podcast Directories to Widen Your Podcast Distribution

Social Media Task 5: Podcasts

This is your assignment for Social Media Task 5: Podcasting. It is due on Apr. 20. Have fun with it!

Description: Assume we are creating a class podcast about using social media for journalism and PR. You will work in teams of two and create an episode for the podcast using Soundtrap, during which you will talk about one or more subjects that have stood out to you in this class. You can do it as a question and answer session, or you can each talk about something different and comment on each other’s part. But it should be conversational.

Explanation: Write a short story for a podcast about something that has stood out to you in this class so far. You can use Voice Memo on your phone (Voice Recorder for Samsung) to record yourself telling the story, or you can record directly on Soundtrap together. If you use Voice Memo, you will email it to yourself and import it to Soundtrap to create your podcast episode. Your episode should contain a minimum of two tracks – one of you and your partner telling the story, and a second with appropriate music and/or sound effects for your podcast. However, if you each record your parts separately, then you must have a minimum of three tracks — two talking and one music. Your podcast can contain more than two or three tracks if you’d like — you get to decide.

Length: Minimum 7 minutes, maximum 9 minutes.

Please post a link to your podcast on your blog when finished, and please tweet about it.

Things to Remember:

  • Listeners will be drawn into your story by the way it will be described on Apple Podcasts, or other outlets, so make sure it can be described in an interesting way.
  • Don’t let your audience get bored listening to your podcast.
  • When in doubt, keep the podcast short.
  • Remember, you are writing for the ear, so write the way people speak.
  • Don’t sound like you’re reading a script.
  • Use short sentences, even partial sentences – the same way people speak.
  • Keep it conversational, as if you’re speaking directly to someone.

Due: Apr. 20, 5:00 p.m.

Mar. 23: Algorithms; Online Silos

Mar. 23 Readings and Assignments

Here are the readings we will discuss in class on Mar. 23. Please optimize your blog post for search using the checklist posted on Blackboard, and please tweet about your post before class begins. Your blog post should be 200-500 words. It should not summarize the readings — it should be your take on the readings.

Students will present Twitter Profiles.

Forge and Smith.com How do Social Media Algorithms Affect You?

Blog Post discussion questions to consider:  What are social media algorithms? Is there a way to get around the algorithm so you can see everything you want to on social media? What are online silos and how can you avoid getting trapped in one?

Due: Blog Post 7

Due: Tweet 7

Due: Social Media Task 3: Twitter Profiles. (Please see instructions and video under Mar. 16.)

Mar. 16: Microblogging — Twitter/ Social Media Task 3 — Twitter Profile / Social Media Task 4 — Live Tweeting

Mar. 16 Readings and Assignments

Here are the readings we will be discussing in class on Mar. 16. Please write your blog post offering your opinion and analysis on one or two of the readings. The post should be 200 to 500 words and should contain artwork. Please optimize your copy for SEO using the checklist under Mar. 9 on this blog, and please tweet about your post.

Forbes.com:

Twitter for Public Relations: Fact and Fantasy

Briggs, Chapter 2 – Become a Pro on Twitter, pages 75-81, pages 79-85; Chapter 4 — Going Mobile, pages 123-128, pages 130-136.

News Media Alliance.org:

Using Twitter to Your Advantage as a Journalist

The Columbia Journalism Review:

Twitter Isn’t the Voice of the People, and Media Shouldn’t Pretend It Is

The Buttry Diary:

10 Ways Twitter is Valuable to Journalists

The Columbia Journalism Review:

Should Journalists be using Twitter

Blog Post discussion questions:  How can Twitter help both journalists and public relations professionals?  Do all journalists need a presence on Twitter? What are some innovative ways to attract followers and build an audience? What are some creative ways that brands today are using Twitter? Why is your professional Twitter profile important?

Due: Blog Post 6

Due: Tweet 6

Social Media Task 3: Twitter Profile

Social Media Task 3: Twitter Profile; due Mar. 23. Here’s a video about how to write your Twitter profile. We will also watch it in class on Mar. 16. Remember to include a header image, a profile pic, and something interesting about yourself that will make people want to follow you. Be sure to include “clickable” information. You should also have a link to your blog in your profile.

Due: Mar. 23, 5 p.m.

Twitter profile video

Social Media Task 4: Live Tweeting

Assignment Overview:

This Live Tweeting assignment is due on Mar. 30, so you have two weeks to complete it. You must tell me in class or via email by Mar. 23 what event you will be live tweeting.

Description: This challenge requires you to live tweet an event to your followers.

Explanation: Find an event that is suitable for live-tweeting. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, you may choose a televised or live-streamed event. Lectures, speeches, sporting events, awards show, competitive reality shows, and public forums work particularly well. Routine meetings, workshops, and performances do not work very well. Check the SHU calendar on the website to find upcoming events streaming on campus. You might also choose an event that is not related to school that takes place either in South Orange, or your hometown, or anywhere else. 

You may NOT live-tweet a scripted comedy, drama series, or movie.

Use the Twitter account you created for class to live-tweet. Make sure to follow the advice for live-tweeting discussed in class, including the following:

— Select an appropriate hashtag and use it in every tweet. Also use our class hashtag — #social3422.

— Send out at least one tweet before the event to announce that you will be live-tweeting that event.

— There is no set number of tweets (but 4 or 5 is definitely too few.) Generally, the longer the event, the more tweets. Post enough tweets to give people a clear sense of the event and its highlights. The tweets serve as a narrative of the event. Don’t omit important information. Tweets should be spread out throughout the event.

— Write in the third person. (Do not use the words I/me/my.) Include your observation, not your personal opinion. The focus must be on the live event, not on you. Show, don’t tell.

— Each tweet should “stand alone” as best as possible. Tweets should make sense to people who aren’t attending the event. You are their eyes and ears. If people “had to be there” to understand your tweets, then the live-tweeting wasn’t helpful.

— Accuracy is crucial. Do not make any factual errors. If you do, fix them by sending out a new tweet.

— Use appropriate attribution, including Twitter handles where appropriate.

— Use correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar.

— Include at least one photo and/or video, but more than one is even better.  Photos can appear in your original tweet announcing that you will be live-tweeting the event, and/or during the event.

Submitting the assignment:  When you are finished live-tweeting the event, send me a DM on Twitter with the name of the event, the time it started, and the hashtag you used in your tweets. The DM must be sent prior to the beginning of class on Mar. 30.

Grading: This assignment is worth 20 points. It will be broken down as follows:

Readability/organization (5 points): Is the stream of live tweets informative and easy to understand? Are the tweets organized well to create a strong narrative? Is attribution used appropriately to make it clear who is being quoted or paraphrased?

Reporting (5 points): Is the stream of tweets complete and accurate? Does it reflect good news judgement? Is every tweet relevant?

Tone and presentation (5 points): Is the tone of the tweets professional and engaging? Are hashtags used appropriately and consistently? Was there at least one tweet in advance announcing that you would be live tweeting? Is there at least one photo?

Mechanics (5 points): Do the tweets use correct spelling, grammar and punctuation?

Due: Mar. 30, 5:00 p.m.

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