Project-Based Learning in Social Media Marketing Course

Social Media Marketing Course Outcome:

Learners will be able to design, implement, and manage a comprehensive Social Media Marketing (SMM) course, culminating in the launch of a real-world social media marketing campaign for a business or personal brand.

Module 1: Introduction to Social Media Marketing (SMM)

Learning Objectives:

• Define Social Media Marketing and its importance.
• Identify the major social media platforms.
• Understand key SMM metrics (engagement, impressions, reach).

Lesson Plan:

1. Real World Example: Explore a case study on how a small business used Instagram to increase sales by 40%.
2. Activity: Analyze 3 different social media platforms and compare their uses for marketing.
3. Discussion Question: Why do you think social media marketing is critical for modern businesses?
4. Expansion: Research an emerging social media platform and its potential marketing opportunities.

Module 2: Building a Social Media Strategy

Learning Objectives:

• Create a social media marketing plan.
• Set SMART goals for your campaign.
• Identify your target audience and their behaviors.

Lesson Plan:

1. Real World Example: Review how a local coffee shop defined its target audience and developed a 3-month social media plan.
2. Activity: Create a social media goal using the SMART framework (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound).
3. Discussion Question: How do different audiences interact with social media content, and how can this affect your marketing approach?
4. Expansion: Find another business in your niche and assess its social media marketing strategy.

Module 3: Content Creation and Curation

Learning Objectives:

• Develop a content calendar.
• Create engaging social media posts (text, image, video).
• Understand content curation and its role in SMM.

Lesson Plan:

1. Real World Example: Examine how a beauty brand creates a monthly content calendar to maintain consistent engagement with its followers.
2. Activity: Design a content calendar for the next 4 weeks, including a mix of original and curated content.
3. Discussion Question: What types of content generate the most engagement, and why?
4. Expansion: Experiment with different content formats (infographics, videos, stories) and evaluate their performance.

Module 4: Engagement and Community Building

Learning Objectives:

• Implement strategies to boost engagement (comments, likes, shares).
• Build a community around your brand.
• Handle social media feedback and interactions effectively.

Lesson Plan:

1. Real World Example: Look at how an influencer cultivated a loyal community through interactive stories, Q&A sessions, and giveaways.
2. Activity: Design a social media post that encourages engagement, such as a poll or a question for followers.
3. Discussion Question: What techniques can you use to foster community and loyalty through social media?
4. Expansion: Host a live event on social media and observe how live interaction boosts engagement.

Module 5: Paid Social Media Advertising

Learning Objectives:

• Understand different types of paid ads on social platforms.
• Set a budget and allocate resources effectively.
• Track and analyze ad performance.

Lesson Plan:

1. Real World Example: Analyze a company that used Facebook Ads to reach a highly targeted audience and increased conversions by 30%.
2. Activity: Design a basic paid social media ad campaign, setting a budget and choosing targeting options.
3. Discussion Question: How can paid ads complement your organic social media efforts?
4. Expansion: Explore advanced targeting options, such as lookalike audiences and retargeting.

Module 6: Measuring Success and Adjusting Strategy

Learning Objectives:

• Analyze social media metrics (CTR, engagement rate, conversion rate).
• Adjust your strategy based on data.
• Report on the success of your social media campaign.

Lesson Plan:

1. Real World Example: Study how a fitness brand analyzed its campaign’s performance and made adjustments to improve its ROI.
2. Activity: Review the performance of a mock social media campaign and suggest adjustments based on the data.
3. Discussion Question: Why is it important to regularly review and adjust your social media strategy?
4. Expansion: Use an analytics tool to track the performance of one of your own social media posts.

Final Project Plan: Launch a Real-World Social Media Campaign

Components:

1. Social Media Strategy: Present your campaign’s target audience, goals, and content plan.
2. Content Calendar: A 4-week calendar with a mix of original and curated content.
3. Engagement Strategy: Explain how you’ll engage your audience and foster community growth.
4. Paid Ad Campaign: Design a basic paid social media ad, including budget and targeting.
5. Analytics Report: After launching the campaign, present a report that tracks key metrics and suggests future improvements.