Assigned Apr. 2: Social Media Critique

This assignment is due on Apr. 23.

Description:  Working in teams of two, critique a brand, company, or news outlet’s media presence.

Explanation:  Select a national or international brand, company, or news outlet and critique its social media presence.  Compare and contrast its presence on at least three social media platforms.  Critique the brand or outlet and its social media strategy and make specific recommendations for improvement.

1. Identify your brand, company or news outlet.  Submit the name of the company you have chosen to me via email before our class on Apr. 9.  I will need to approve the brand or company you have chosen.
2. Decide whether you will critique the brand, company, or news outlet through the lens of a specific demographic, or in general.  I recommend you choose a specific demographic.  (Does this brand, company, or news outlet appeal to college students?  To young adults?  To women who want careers in business?  To consumers between the ages of 35-50?  To conservatives?  To liberals?)
3. Research your brand, company, or news outlet.  Identify the social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, Pinterest, Linkedin, YouTube, etc…)  the brand or news outlet has chosen to embrace as part of its strategy.  Of the platforms the company uses, select three to focus on for your paper.  Also identify the platforms that are not used or are underutilized by the company.
4. Write your paper following the instructions below.  (You will lose points if you don’t follow them.)
5. Introduction – No more than one page.  Describe your company, why you selected it, and in general how the brand or the company presents itself on social media overall.
6. Compare and Contrast Social Media Platforms — about two pages.  Identify the social media platforms you have chosen.  Describe each.  How does the brand or company use them?  What seems to be the overall purpose?  (Customer feedback, marketing, promotion, etc…)  How do these channels appeal to your selected demographic or the public in general?  Include screenshots of photos as examples.
7. Suggest areas for improvement — about two pages.  Now that you have provided a comprehensive review of the company’s platforms, take some time to make recommendations for ways in which their social media performances could be improved.  How does the brand or company relate to your own demographic?  What have you not seen that would appeal to you?  What seems to be the target audience for the company?  Are they missing a key way that they could be relating to more consumers, clients, or members of the public?
8. In your suggestions for improvement, include at least two specific social media platforms that could be added to the company’s strategy.
9. Also include at least two specific tactics that could be used on these platforms and explain them (live video, live tweeting, Twitter Live, Instagram Stories, Snapchat  Stories, Twitter Lists, Crowdsourcing, etc…)
10. Conclusion – no more than one page.  Provide your overall summation of what you found and recommended.  How will the brand or company benefit from your advice?  What new outcomes can be expected?  How might the changes allow the brand or company to grow?

Class Presentations:  You will present your Social Media Critique to the class on Apr. 23 and 30.

Grading:  Your final project is worth 50 points, broken down as follows:  Each of the 10 items above is worth 5 points.