Reflections

My Experience with Dr. Brewer's Social Media Marketing Course

I needed another elective for my marketing major, and Social Media Marketing was appealing to me not only because it was being instructed by Dr. Brewer or that it was offered online (I am taking a full load of classes this semester for the first time while also working full-time - so an online option was a big plus!), but also because of the content of the course. If I am considering pursuing a career in marketing in 2018 and beyond, I felt it was a good idea to take a course in Social Media.

One of the more relevant things I learned is how the different SMM tools work. I am actually quite interested in obtaining the Hootsuite certification so I may place it on my resume, and I think it was a great idea to include the certification as a component of this course. I also enjoyed learning about ideal days and times to post across various platforms. I have been paying closer attention and considering the days and times I post, in hopes of strategically increasing engagement. I have also been thinking more in terms of marketing my 'personal brand' when posting on SM by going back through my Facebook feed and reflecting on the types of articles, memes, etc. I have posted.

Overall, I have enjoyed this course. The workload and deadlines were reasonable, and the textbook was a fascinating read. I purchased the modified version of the book before I learned that the full version either cost the same or was quite similarly priced. I would have gladly purchased the full version and kept the text as a reference. I still plan to hold onto the modified text, especially as I begin exploring this potential new chapter in my career.

The only area in which I would recommend altering the course, is by considering making the blog post requirements more structured instead of allowing us to post anything we desire. Don't get me wrong - I have enjoyed being unleashed so I can say I *must* blog because it is a course assignment. I miss having the time I used to be able to dedicate to my personal blog. But here's the thing: I am almost 35, and I would categorize the blog assignments as quite 'easy'. If I am able to easily handle this, I feel confident that most students could handle posting something more challenging. Since we do not have a course project, a more challenging blog assignment should be manageable.

Also, while I enjoyed the convenience of an online version of this class, I missed Dr. Brewer's lectures this semester. This is my third course with Dr. Brewer, and I would like to request that future classes (with students who have possibly not had the chance to experience her lectures) get to view them for SMM, even if the course is online. I would consider creating videos of her lectures and letting the summary slides supplement the lecture, much how Dr. Brewer does with her classroom-style courses. Those are my only recommendations.

And of course I would recommend this course to a friend (and I already have!). The course is fascinating and there's great information contained within the text, regardless of whether you're a marketing major or not. Nearly everyone participates on social media, and there are things to be learned about marketing your personal brand as much as managing a company's brand. It is a meaningful and worthwhile elective, and I am glad it was available to me.