Social Media: How Media Got Social from edX

What's inside

Learning objectives

Map significant milestones in the emergence of social media
Differentiate between 'web 2.0' and participatory culture
Understand the differences in the way users and social media companies utilise and think about social media

Extrapolate current social trends online and map possible directions in social media.
By completing this course, you should be able to:

Map significant milestones in the emergence of social media
Differentiate between 'web 2.0' and participatory culture
Understand the differences in the way users and social media companies utilise and think about social media
Extrapolate current social trends online and map possible directions in social media.
By completing this course, you should be able to:

Syllabus

The internet's first 'killer app': email

Newsgroups and BBS Bulletin Boards

The emergence of online communities

Aliases, avatars and pseudonyms: identity experimentation.

Blogs: the democratisation of publication

Wikis: participatory culture, collective intelligence and the emergence of the Wikipedia

'Web 2.0' and the selling of social media

The emergence of social presence: you are your web presence.

Facebook: how people became profiles

Twitter: how 140 characters became the new politics

Google's YouTube: social meets video, and the challenges of building communities on ever-expanding platforms

The 'real name' web: the push to make online and offline identities the same.

Snapchat and Instagram: mobile, visual and the communication that deletes-by-default

Locative media: how places are augmented by a social layer

Wearables: FitBits and trackers as social media

Owning big data: are users a source of big data, and how might that be used?

Module 1: Social Media before the WebExamines social tools, protocols and ways of communicating that developed in the first two decades of the internet, and the surprising dominance of social communication using networks that were initially designed for very different purposes.

Module2: Web 2.0 and Participatory CultureExamines the explosion of networked interaction after the emergence of the World Wide Web in the 1990s, through to the most well-known early examples of social media: blogs and wikis.

Module3: Social PlatformsExamines the way that the dominant social media platforms took centre stage, and how these spaces made social media a normal part of everyday life and changed political communication.

Module4: Social Goes Everywhere: The Mobile WebExamines the way social media changes when phones and tablets let users be online at every moment, in every place and space, and how devices, not just people, start to send social signals.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Explores social media's rise and impact, providing a comprehensive overview

Examines various social media platforms, highlighting their role in shaping communication and society

Led by instructors with expertise in the field, ensuring high-quality content

Covers the history and evolution of social media, providing historical context

Analyzes the impact of mobile devices and wearables on social media usage, reflecting current trends

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Social Media: How Media Got Social with these activities:

Organize Course Materials

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Improve your retention and understanding by organizing notes, assignments, quizzes, and exams in a structured manner.

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Review and categorize course materials
Create a filing system for easy retrieval
Highlight key concepts and summarize notes

Explore the Evolution of Social Media Platforms

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Deepen your understanding of the historical progression of social media by researching and following tutorials that trace its evolution from early online communities to contemporary platforms.

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Identify key milestones in the development of social media
Analyze the impact of technological advancements on social media

Join a Social Media Discussion Group

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Expand your perspectives and engage in meaningful discussions with peers by joining an online forum or discussion group dedicated to social media.

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Identify and join relevant discussion groups
Actively participate in discussions and share insights
Collaborate on projects or case studies

Five other activities

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Review 'The Social Media Bible'

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Enhance your comprehension of social media principles and strategies by delving into 'The Social Media Bible,' a comprehensive guide that provides valuable insights into the industry.

View The Social Media Bible on Amazon

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Attend a Social Media Marketing Workshop

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Enhance your practical skills and knowledge by attending a workshop that provides hands-on experience in social media marketing strategies and best practices.

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Create a Social Media Campaign Proposal

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Apply your learning by developing a comprehensive social media campaign proposal that outlines strategies, target audience, content plans, and evaluation metrics.

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Define campaign objectives and target audience
Develop content ideas and a posting schedule
Identify potential influencers and partnerships
Create a budget and timeline for the campaign
Outline evaluation metrics and reporting strategies

Practice Social Media Content Creation

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Improve your ability to create engaging and effective social media content by participating in exercises and challenges that focus on different content formats and strategies.

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Create social media posts for different platforms
Develop content calendars and schedules
Analyze social media metrics and optimize content

Contribute to Social Media Open Source Projects

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Enhance your technical skills and understanding of social media platforms by contributing to open source projects related to social media development.

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Identify open source projects related to social media
Review project documentation and codebase
Contribute code, documentation, or bug fixes

Career center

Learners who complete Social Media: How Media Got Social will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Social Media Manager

Social Media Managers develop and execute social media strategies for businesses and organizations. As a Social Media Manager, you will need to have a deep understanding of social media platforms and how to use them to reach target audiences. This course will help you understand the history of social media and how it has evolved over time. You will also learn about the different types of social media platforms and how to use them effectively to achieve your goals.

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Community Manager

Community Managers build and manage online communities for businesses and organizations. As a Community Manager, you will need to have a deep understanding of social media and how to use it to engage with customers and build relationships. This course will help you understand the history of social media and how it has evolved over time. You will also learn about the different types of social media platforms and how to use them effectively to build and manage online communities.

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Social Media Analyst

Social Media Analysts collect and analyze data from social media platforms to help businesses and organizations understand their audience and measure the effectiveness of their social media campaigns. As a Social Media Analyst, you will need to have a strong understanding of social media and how to use it to collect and analyze data. This course will help you understand the history of social media and how it has evolved over time. You will also learn about the different types of social media platforms and how to use them effectively to collect and analyze data.

See salaries and explore the career path for Social Media Analyst

Content Creator

Content Creators develop and create content for businesses and organizations. As a Content Creator, you will need to have a strong understanding of social media and how to use it to create engaging content that will reach your target audience. This course will help you understand the history of social media and how it has evolved over time. You will also learn about the different types of social media platforms and how to use them effectively to create and share content.

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Digital Marketing Specialist

Digital Marketing Specialists develop and execute digital marketing campaigns for businesses and organizations. As a Digital Marketing Specialist, you will need to have a strong understanding of digital marketing channels, including social media, search engine optimization (SEO), and email marketing. This course will help you understand the history of social media and how it has evolved over time. You will also learn about the different types of social media platforms and how to use them effectively to achieve your goals.

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UX Designer

UX Designers design the user experience for websites and mobile apps. As a UX Designer, you will need to have a deep understanding of how users interact with technology. This course will help you understand the history of social media and how it has evolved over time. You will also learn about the different types of social media platforms and how users interact with them.

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Technical Writer

Technical Writers create documentation for software and other technical products. As a Technical Writer, you will need to have a strong understanding of technical concepts and how to explain them clearly to users. This course will help you understand the history of social media and how it has evolved over time. You will also learn about the different types of social media platforms and how they work.

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Journalist

Journalists write and report on news and current events. As a Journalist, you will need to have a strong understanding of current events and how to write and report on them clearly and concisely. This course will help you understand the history of social media and how it has evolved over time. You will also learn about the different types of social media platforms and how they are used to share news and information.

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Public Relations Specialist

Public Relations Specialists manage the public image of businesses and organizations. As a Public Relations Specialist, you will need to have a strong understanding of media relations and how to build and maintain positive relationships with the media. This course will help you understand the history of social media and how it has evolved over time. You will also learn about the different types of social media platforms and how they are used to build and maintain relationships with the media.

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Web Developer

Web Developers develop and maintain websites. As a Web Developer, you will need to have a strong understanding of web development technologies and how to use them to create websites that are user-friendly and effective. This course will help you understand the history of social media and how it has evolved over time. You will also learn about the different types of social media platforms and how they are built.

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Business Analyst

Business Analysts analyze business processes and make recommendations for improvement. As a Business Analyst, you will need to have a strong understanding of business analysis techniques and how to use them to improve business processes. This course will help you understand the history of social media and how it has evolved over time. You will also learn about the different types of social media platforms and how they are used to improve business processes.

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Data Analyst

Data Analysts collect, analyze, and interpret data to help businesses and organizations make informed decisions. As a Data Analyst, you will need to have a strong understanding of data analysis techniques and how to use them to solve business problems. This course will help you understand the history of social media and how it has evolved over time. You will also learn about the different types of social media platforms and how they are used to collect and analyze data.

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Project Manager

Project Managers plan, execute, and close projects. As a Project Manager, you will need to have a strong understanding of project management techniques and how to use them to manage projects successfully. This course will help you understand the history of social media and how it has evolved over time. You will also learn about the different types of social media platforms and how they are used to manage projects.

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Salesforce Administrator

Salesforce Administrators manage and maintain Salesforce software for businesses and organizations. As a Salesforce Administrator, you will need to have a strong understanding of Salesforce and how to use it to manage customer relationships. This course will help you understand the history of social media and how it has evolved over time. You will also learn about the different types of social media platforms and how they are used to manage customer relationships.

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Software Engineer

Software Engineers design, develop, and maintain software applications. As a Software Engineer, you will need to have a strong understanding of software engineering principles and how to use them to develop software applications. This course will help you understand the history of social media and how it has evolved over time. You will also learn about the different types of social media platforms and how they are built.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Engineer