YouTube is now the world's second largest search engine and the new TV platform for millennials. If Facebook were a country, it would be larger in population than India and China combined. News breaks today not on CNN but rather on Instagram and X, where real-time user generated content exposes the next big story. Emerging music artists, celebrities, and athletes increasingly reach their fans through TikTok and other platforms that make it easy to share and entertain two minutes at a time. Technology has created a seismic shift in the way media is consumed, and by extension the way marketers reach and engage consumers. The shift of advertising dollars away from traditional media to online platforms requires students learning marketing to be well-versed in digital marketing.

The Digital Marketing and Social Media Academy will explore these shifts – providing students with a structured perspective on how social and digital media have impacted culture and commerce. Our course is designed to give high school students both the strategic framework and tactical approach to develop and execute goal-oriented digital marketing and advertising campaigns that enhance brands, create a buzz, and motivate desired consumer behavior. Students will learn strategies for how to use platforms such as Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, X, mobile apps, email, and more. Students will also learn about the various tools and software used to track and optimize campaign performance.

Lecture topics include:

· Social media and networks

· User experience (UX) design

· User generated content

· Search engine optimization (SEO)

· Mobile marketing

· Web analytics / Measurement

This 3-week academy will provide a solid foundation in the key concepts around social media and its impact on popular culture, digital strategy, and digital marketing campaigns. Students will have the opportunity to examine these topics firsthand through reading, case studies, industry speakers, and hands-on projects.

Note: course description subject to change.