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Content Creation · MS elective · 3 credit hours · 16 sessions

Social Media Management & Community Building

An audience consumes; a community contributes. This course focuses on the human side of social media: “Community Management.” Distinct from general marketing, this curriculum explores how to build loyal “Tribes” on platforms like Discord, Reddit, and Facebook Groups. Students will learn moderation techniques, gamification, and how to turn passive customers into active brand advocates.

§ 01 By the end you can
  1. Differentiate between "Audience Building" (Broad) and "Community Building" (Deep)
  2. Master community platforms: Discord, Reddit, Slack, and Facebook Groups
  3. Develop "Moderation Guidelines" to handle toxicity and trolls
  4. Implement "Gamification" and loyalty programs to reward super-users
  5. Execute strategies for User Generated Content (UGC) campaigns
§ 02 Sixteen sessions

The whole semester.

  1. 01Audience vs. Community: The 1,000 True Fans Theory
  2. 02Psychology of Belonging & Identity
  3. 03Platform Deep Dive: Discord & Slack
  4. 04Platform Deep Dive: Reddit & Facebook Groups
  5. 05Setting the Rules: Guidelines & Safety
  6. 06The Role of the Community Manager
  7. 07Onboarding New Members: The Welcome Mat
  8. 08 · MidtermMidterm Examination
  9. 09Moderation: Dealing with Trolls & Conflict
  10. 10Crisis Management within Communities
  11. 11User Generated Content (UGC) Strategy
  12. 12Gamification: Badges, Roles, & Rewards
  13. 13Offline Community: Meetups & Events
  14. 14Brand Advocacy & Ambassador Programs
  15. 15Measuring Community Health: Churn vs. Retention
  16. 16Final Project: The Community Launch Plan

Midterm around session 8. Final project briefed at session 8 or 9 and developed in stages until the juries.

§ 03 Final project

Final Project: The Community Launch Plan

How it’s judged

Recommended reading
  1. Buzzing Communities: How to Build Bigger, Better, and More Active Online Communities by Richard Millington
  2. The Art of Community by Jono Bacon
  3. Tribes by Seth Godin
  4. Get Together: How to Build a Community with Your People by Bailey Richardson
  5. People Powered by Jono Bacon
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