CCB304 Social Media Strategy

Unit Outline: Semester 1 2025, Kelvin Grove, Internal

Overview

This unit develops a critical understanding of, and applied skills in, best practice social media management within professional communication contexts. You will engage with the principles, tools and techniques of professional social media practice, social media presence and the development, implementation and analysis of digital communication strategies. It also provides opportunities to apply them in the ever-evolving social media landscape. This is an advanced unit that builds on individual and teamwork approaches to learning and teaching developed in introductory and intermediate units.  

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:

1. Critically evaluate how organisations use social media.
2. Collaboratively design, plan, manage and evaluate a social media strategy for a business or not-for-profit organisation.
3. Demonstrate understanding of how to create and curate social media content on different platforms.
4. Demonstrate understanding of how to effectively engage social media audiences.

Content

Learning Approaches

Your learning in this unit will involve participation in lectures, tutorials and self-study. Lectures and tutorials will provide you with the opportunity to collaborate with your peers and to apply theoretical concepts to real world issues. During the unit, some teaching activities will include key industry guest speakers. Opportunities to receive regular formative feedback will be provided through learning interactions during teaching activities and as comments in assessment tasks.You will be expected to complete any prescribed self-study, including readings out of class, and in preparation for subsequent classes.

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

Feedback in this unit is provided to you in the following ways: 

• a range of formative exercises will be discussed during teaching activities 
• comments on summative assessment work in addition to criteria sheets 
• generic comments back to the cohort via QUT Canvas 
• feedback from peers. 

Assessment

Overview

There are three assessment tasks for this unit. These assessments are opportunities for you to demonstrate your skills and knowledge regarding the task of designing, managing, and evaluating a social media strategy.

Unit Grading Scheme

7- point scale

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Social Media Strategy Analysis

You will apply your knowledge of strategic social media management fundamentals to assess and evaluate the client’s current marketing strategy and social media activity.

This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.

Assessment: Social Media Campaign

In groups, you will develop a social media strategy and propose an effective social media campaign for the client. The proposed strategy and campaign need to be in accordance with the client’s vision and business goals.

This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.

Assessment: Critical engagement and professional dialogue

This task requires you to demonstrate your developing critical communication skills and capacity for professional dialogue through a series of formal peer group exercises within your tutorial sessions.

Exercises will relate to unit content, readings and key concepts and expectations for how you contribute will be clearly outlined in the assessment criteria sheet

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a commitment to undertaking academic work and assessment in a manner that is ethical, fair, honest, respectful and accountable.

The Academic Integrity Policy sets out the range of conduct that can be a failure to maintain the standards of academic integrity. This includes, cheating in exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. It also includes providing fraudulent or altered documentation in support of an academic concession application, for example an assignment extension or a deferred exam.

You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.

Breaching QUT’s Academic Integrity Policy or engaging in conduct that may defeat or compromise the purpose of assessment can lead to a finding of student misconduct (Code of Conduct – Student) and result in the imposition of penalties under the Management of Student Misconduct Policy, ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.

Requirements to Study

Requirements

All students are requested to visit and review the Health and Safety information on the HiQ web pages.

You will be advised if a unit requires additional mandatory health and safety inductions.  

Resources

Resource Materials

Recommended text(s)

Southerland, K. E. (2024). Strategic Social Media Management: Theory and Practice. 2nd edition. Palgrave Macmillan

Other

To enable your full participation in units that utilise virtual learning environments, for example participating in online activities and engaging with online learning materials, you will need access to a reliable computer with an internet connection, webcam, headset and microphone, as well as a learning environment where you are able to fully participate undisturbed when required. 

Risk Assessment Statement

For risks associated with using campus buildings or QUT facilities, refer to the HiQ Health and Safety information.

You are advised to take regular rest breaks when engaging in prolonged computer-based work and ensure that your workstation is set up for optimal comfort to prevent strain or injury.

Please be advised that this unit may include the presentation and scholarly analysis of material and subject matters that may be considered confronting, such as certain representations of race, class, gender and violence. QUT counselling support is available should you feel the need to avail yourself of these services.

Course Learning Outcomes

KC40 Bachelor of Communication

1. Demonstrate capacity to understand and critique the historical, cultural, technological, and regulatory implications of digital media, entertainment, communication, and news industries.
   Relates to: ULO1, ULO4, Social Media Strategy Analysis, Social Media Campaign, Critical engagement and professional dialogue
2. Demonstrate capacity to engage with and apply specialised knowledge of one or more areas of digital media, entertainment, communication, and news industries, including the relationship between disciplinary theory, research methodologies, and professional practice.
   Relates to: ULO1, ULO2, ULO3, Social Media Strategy Analysis, Social Media Campaign, Critical engagement and professional dialogue
3. Demonstrate capacity to engage with and apply diverse ways of knowing the world in local and global contexts, including Indigenous Knowledge and Perspectives.
   Relates to: ULO2, ULO4, Social Media Strategy Analysis, Social Media Campaign, Critical engagement and professional dialogue
4. Demonstrate effective communication skills with the ability to adapt strategies across different media and professional settings and for diverse audiences.
   Relates to: ULO2, ULO3, ULO4, Social Media Strategy Analysis, Social Media Campaign, Critical engagement and professional dialogue
5. Critically analyse, evaluate and synthesise complex forms of information and evidence to inform decision-making, problem solving and argumentation.
   Relates to: ULO1, ULO2, ULO4, Social Media Strategy Analysis, Social Media Campaign, Critical engagement and professional dialogue
6. Critically interrogate the economic and cultural power of digital media, communication, entertainment, and news to make ethical, sustainable, and inclusive contributions to diverse workplaces, communities, and audiences.
   Relates to: ULO4, Social Media Strategy Analysis, Social Media Campaign, Critical engagement and professional dialogue
7. Demonstrate critical digital literacy skills across diverse platforms and technologies, including familiarity with analytic tools to effectively and responsibly interpret data in the media, communication, and news industries.
   Relates to: ULO1, ULO3, Social Media Strategy Analysis, Social Media Campaign, Critical engagement and professional dialogue
8. Create authentic and professional-quality communication outputs that reflect an application of academic content, critical thinking skills, and social awareness.
   Relates to: ULO1, ULO2, ULO3, ULO4, Social Media Strategy Analysis, Social Media Campaign, Critical engagement and professional dialogue
9. Identify, develop, and sustain effective and responsible leadership strategies and teamwork skills that generate value for yourself and others.
   Relates to: ULO2, Social Media Campaign, Critical engagement and professional dialogue
10. Identify, develop, and sustain effective professional networks in the media and communication industries.
    Relates to: ULO2, Social Media Campaign, Critical engagement and professional dialogue