Social Media Community Management: Implications for the Business Communication Curriculum Barbara J. D’Angelo, Ph.D. Arizona State University Association for Business Communication Annual Convention October 2010
Dec 25, 2015
Social Media Community Management: Implications for the Business Communication CurriculumBarbara J. D’Angelo, Ph.D.Arizona State University
Association for Business Communication Annual ConventionOctober 2010
The Prevalence of Social Media (SM)•91% of Inc. 500 companies used at least 1
SM tool in 2009 (Barnes & Mattson, 2009)▫increase from 79% in 2008▫48% used SM to recruit and evaluate
cnadidates•79% of Global 100 companies use SM
(Burson-Marsteller, 2010)•24% of small businesses use SM (Social
Media, 2010)▫increase from 12%
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SM in the Business Comm Classroom•What skills do students need to use SM in
the workplace?•How do we adapt our classrooms?
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SM Community Managers Ads Analyzed•28 ads representing
▫28 different companies for- and non-profit small, mid and large
▫geographically diverse (U.S. only)▫positions requiring less than 2 yrs
experience•Job responsibilities and functions•Skills and abilities required and/or
expected
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Job Functions: ManagementFunction # of ads
Strategic planning 18
Internal collaboration 17
Integration with brand/mission
11
External collaboration 9
Training 6
Supervision 2
Qualification # of ads
Organizational 10
SM Understanding/knowledge
11
Detail-oriented 9
Meet deadlines 9
Self-motivating/independent
8
Multi-tasking 7
Leadership 5
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Job Functions: Research & AnalysisFunction # of ads
Metrics/SEO (reporting/accountability)
15
Research content (external)
7
External conversation about brand/service
5
Own product/service 2
Competition 1
Qualification # of ads
Research 9
Analytical (analysis, critical thinking, problem solving)
7
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Job Functions: Content DevelopmentFunction # of ads
Write/post content 14
Edit content 9
Write external content
8
Maintain consistency
8
Create media 3
Qualification # of ads
Written communication
22
SM specific tool knowledge
16
Oral communication 15
Subject knowledge 9
Synthesize information 2
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Job Functions: Community ManagementFunction # of ads
Engage/participate user discussions
13
Respond to users 10
Recruit/retain users 7
Coordinate/plan/hold events
7
Develop/monitor/enforce guidelines
2
Qualification # of ads
Team work/collaborative
14
SM passion 7
Listening 1
Event planning 1
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Job Functions: TechnicalFunction # of
ads
Administer software (backend)
3
Manage user interface 2
Administer user accounts
1
Qualification # of ads
Computer/program-specific skills (Excel, Word)
12
HTML/CSS 5
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2008 Survey of 505 Instructors (Russ 2009)Topics covered most
Topics covered least
• good news/bad news messages
• formatting• grammar and sentence
structure• public speaking
(presentations, visual aids)• persuasion• ethics• e-mail• resumes/cover letters
• communication theory• negotiation• mediated communication
(other than email)
Assignments most required
• correspondence• reports/papers• presentations• quizzes/exams
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Implications for bus comm pedagogy•More communication theory?
▫SM as tools to communicate and interact•Shift genres taught (traditional or
mediated)?•Adapt research methods taught?
▫traditional academic vs. analytics/metrics▫analysis, statistics
•More emphasis on project management?▫planning▫organization▫coordination
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Implications for bus. comm. pedagogy•More emphasis on collaboration?
▫more group projects and teamwork▫more facilitation
•More(?) collaboration with marketing?▫branding (and ethos)▫business communication can’t do it all▫or is there already too much emphasis on
marketing?•How to balance between fundamental
communication and SM?
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Review of past-present-future
“As teachers of business communication, we must learn how to teach in this changing communication environment, in which the basic communication process and underlying communication process remain constant but individuals are communicating via cell phones videoconferences, and so on, rather thann…and in addition to…via letters, memos, and face-to-face meetings.”
Du-Babcock, 2006
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