Public Relations and Social Media, 15.0 hp

Public Relations & Social Media Reputations - good and bad - are strongly influenced by social media and today's PR communicator must understand the complex forces which shape online image. In this course we prepare the students for the communication skills they need to operate in the fast-changing digital arena. The main focus will be on how reputation and relationships are created through social networks including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.From the start pointing that "A brand is what Google says it is," the course provides the students with the understanding needed to engage effectively and ethically with online communities. Social media brings great opportunities for building relationships, but it is vital that communicators also understand the challenges they bring. Using a wide range of practical examples, the course enables students to build the sophisticated toolkit of strategic and tactical tools required in a world where lives are increasingly lived online.