IMC 560: New Media & Digital Communication.

The objectives of this course are to provide students with an understanding of how the Internet and other electronic mediums relate to both integrated marketing and the marketing strategy process, provide students with the skills to build web pages and content, to help students further understand the impact of the digital age on the marketplace and industry, and to teach students best practices in designing web pages from a usability perspective such that marketing messages are easily communicated and engaged. This course also includes an overview of online media planning, social media strategies, the role of content management systems, web analytics and search engine optimization.

topics.

Week 1: Online

  • The debate: Is mainstream media dead?
  • Dealing with rapid change in the work place, in the digital age.

Reading Assignment

  • Complete Who Moved My Cheese?
  • Six Pixels of Separation: Chapters 1 – 3
  • Podcast “Good Riddance Mainstream Media?” –NPR: Read the article and hear the debate here.

Week 2: Class in Walsh 104

  • Developing strategic content and messaging for digital communications.
  • Optimizing online efforts—from Search Engine Optimization to Search Engine Marketing—strategies and tactics for “getting found” online (strategic copywriting, metadata, alt tags, etc.)
  • Content management (Dreamweaver vs. CMS)

Reading Assignment

  • Six Pixels of Separation: Chapters 4 – 7
  • Case Studies:

“Seven things you should know about e-publishing. The benefits and challenges of implementing an e-solution.” -Zmags
Podcast “Letting go of the words. Writing Web content that works.”
-Ginny Redish: Listen to the interview here.

Week 3: Class in Walsh 104

  • Planning and layout for digital communications.
  • Wire frames and the importance of visual simplicity in final designs.
  • User experience: Designing sites that are customer-centric.

Reading Assignment

  • Six Pixels of Separation: Chapters 8 – 11
  • “Boost your marketing ROI with experimental design.” -Harvard Business School
  • “UPC, from wire frames to development.” -Synacor.

Week 4: Online

  • Newly emerged media platforms.
  • Using mobile technology, video, podcasts, and social media to generate viral campaigns.


Reading Assignment
  • Six Pixels of Separation: Chapters 12 – 14
  • Case Studies:
  • “Year Zero Project.” -37signal.com
  • “The DOs and DON’Ts of Social Media.” -Vocus
  • “Corporate blogging and email marketing. Why they work together.” -Compendium

Week 5: Class in Walsh 104

FINAL PRESENTATIONS. Projects to be posted on Moodle by Thursday.