Kyle Larson Reveals I-Mix Summer Program Secrets

Aurora University Student Attends Marketing EDGE's I-Mix Program 

My guest blogger this week is Kyle Larson,   He is a senior graduating in December 2014 from Aurora University with a major in Marketing and a minor in Digital Marketing. He was fortunate enough to be selected to attend Marketing Edge’s annual Summer I-Mix Program, held this year in Los Angeles, California. 

Kyle writes:  "This program was a great opportunity to learn more about marketing specifically as it related to direct marketing. The Summer I-Mix program brings students all over the country together who are currently interested in marketing and then immerses them in an interactive, hands-on experience that is nothing like what you could receive in a classroom. Each year the I-Mix program goes to another marketing company and this year we worked very closely with Guthy-Renker, the owners of Proactive, Wen hair products and Meaningful Beauty by Cindy Crawford to name a few.  Although many of the students were from larger Universities across the country, I felt as though I was well-prepared by Aurora and was able to meet the challenges of the program and more than hold my own.

Kyle Larson, Far Right, Third Row, Attends Marketing EDGE's Summer I-Mix Program

Guthy-Renker has passionate staff, involves students 

The company has done a phenomenal job when it comes to direct marketing and have an incredible staff that is passionate about what they do and that were eager to help the I-Mix students learn more about the field and the different components that go into it.  During these presentations we were offered opportunities to ask questions and gain perspective on how a direct marketing company works. This was a great opportunity that you can only get outside of the classroom and allowed for some great networking opportunities as well as insight. 
 

Students worked in teams on project; presented professionally

this program we were all assigned to groups of 5 to work on an actual marketing plan for Guthy-Renker for their X-Out product (a version of proactive for teenagers and young adults). This was a great project that allowed us to put to test everything that we had been learning throughout the week and then work with our fellow team to come up with the best plan. We also presented our work in front of a panel of 3 judges two of which were actually from Guthy-Renker. This gave an excellent opportunity to practice presenting and getting more comfortable doing so in front of marketing professionals. 

We also did some other great exercises one of which was a resume workshop where we got some great insight into what interviewees and job recruiters are looking for in applicants and how to make yourself look the best that you can on a piece of paper. We also worked with an improv team, which was a great way to loosen up and get creative ideas flowing better. It was also a fun way to get to know everyone better.  I developed friendships with other students from across the country.

Funding was provided which made program affordable

The program was affordable and Marketing Edge helps with the cost of transportation as well as hotel and food. I also received a scholarship from my local AMA student chapter which helped defray costs.  We stayed in a Courtyard Marriott right outside of Los Angeles in Culver City. It was a beautiful hotel with all the accommodations you would look for or expect. Generally you receive a roommate but due to uneven numbers I had my own room, complete with couch and mini kitchen and king size bed!  We also got to see a little bit of the surrounding area. One of the nights we went to Santa Monica Pier, where we ate dinner and got wristbands to ride the rides. We were able to walk on the beach and see a little bit of California. We also had our evenings free so we were able to go explore and see the different part of Los Angeles.  I would recommend this program to anyone interested in a career in direct and digital marketing."

Three Key Findings from Recent Research in Social Media Marketing

This spring at the +Marketing Management Association Conference March 26-28 at the Palmer House Hilton,  The conference featured several sessions on social media marketing.  Researchers looked at a social media networks and social media marketing's influence on brand equity, compared usage of social media sites by large brands and explored how particular brands appeal to their female customers on social media. This post explores the highlights from each presentation.

Attitude toward Social Networking Pages are Related to Brand Equity

The first presentation at the Friday 9:30 am session was titled, “Exploring the Impact of Social Networking Sites on Brand Equity.  The presentation was made  by researchers +Tiffany Machado Blanchflower and Kittchai Watchravesringkan from the University of North Carolina-Greensboro.  Not surprisingly, using the hierarchy of effects models and studying brand relationships across firms on Facebook, the researchers demonstrated that (just as attitude toward the brand influences brand equity) attitude toward the brand page in social media also influences brand equity.  The aspects of brand equity affected in particular are brand awareness, perceptions of quality and brand loyalty.

Customers on social media also like to be entertained which is also  related to a positive attitude toward both the social networking site and the brand page.  New forms of media can provide both information and entertainment. The positive consumer attitudes that result from this activity can have a long term effect on brand equity.  As indicated from the research, brand pages really help reinforce brand relationships but may not be the best place to build a brand relationship. In addition, while new forms of media can influence attitudes toward a brand and long term value, once brand equity is lost it can be difficult to maintain.

Social Media' Marketing's Relationship to Brand Equity

Coke vs. Pepsi:  Who Wins on Social Media?

Another set of researchers, Ainswoth Bailey and Colleen Slattery from the University of Toledo, compared the usage of both Coke and Pepsi in terms of social media sites.  These are both high involvement brands that have younger consumers in their target market.  Baileyand Slattery found that Pepsi lags behind Coke in social media usage.

 A comparative analysis of Coke and Pepsi's social media usage as  part of its communications strategy showed Coke is doing a better job of engaging and getting customers to their social media sites.  Coca-Cola is brand people have rallied around.  The brand is more communal.  Pepsi might be another type of brand that is perhaps more disengaged.

For example, Coca-Cola reached out to consumers who started a brand page on Facebook and incorporated that page into their social media strategy, in a clear signal that the consumer is in charge of brand conversations.  Not only is Coca Cola known for its community of fans pushing messages, but Coke wants to have a strong content marketing strategy based on brand stories that are 'liquid and linked' together.  I teach in my social media class that Coca-Cola  wants to have stories that can be shared easily and that have a lasting impact.  The stories are liquid because they are constantly changing and linked because they are related to brand strategy.

This research showed that although Pepsi is supposed to be targeting the youth market, the firm is not using social media to its advantage in the beverage market.  For other products, such as Doritos, social media has been quite effective for the company.   Perhaps this result indicates just how strong the fan base must be to energize a social media campaign.  You can't force 'buzz.'

'Instamarketing' Toward Women and the Impulse Buy  

Another researcher, Areej Hassan from Minnesota State University-Mankato, studied  'instamarketing', comparing the usage of Instagram in marketing in brands targeted toward women up to 49 years of age such as  Zara, and  Forever, 21.  She analyzed persuasive messages in Instagram from brands targeted to younger women versus brand with a larger audience.  Messages in brands that targeted these women tended to be more emotional and persuasive than other brands.   The research found that companies that target women use a different social media approach than the general population.  These messages to women tend to target specific purchases, encouraging impulse purchases and also use celebrities in the images.  Women seem to want to engage more than men on social media and may be more prone to impulse buys.

What we can Take-Away

In summary, the key take-aways from these talks were:
1) Social media usage can enhance brand equity and build customer relationships but is not necessarily suited to building brand awareness.
2) Customers drive social media efforts, as evidenced by Coke vs. Pepsi.
3) In social media, women appear to respond to emotional appeals targeted at impulse purchases.

We have a lot of research to conduct in social media but these three presentations made an excellent start in helping practitioners understand what can be effective on these platforms.

By Debra Zahay-Blatz.
You can find Debra on Google+ and Twitter as well as LinkedIn.

Three Tips for Finding the Ideal Digital Marketing Internship

Digital Marketing Internships Can Lead to Full Time Employment

In a prior  blog post I wrote about how companies can hire an intern for Digital Marketing.  Equally important as a topic is how to find a good Digital Marketing Internship.  Internships can be critical to future employment in the digital field. Many students take full time employment with their internship company as the intern-to-hire model takes hold.  At +Aurora University we require an internship for the Marketing Major. Here are the top three tips that I can give based on years of watching students and coaching them to develop their internship plans and successfully parlay internships into jobs.:

BuiltInChicago is One Site Listing Digital Marketing Jobs/Internships

1) Start early: Internships that provide the type of experience you want might require some extra looking.  I would start in the Spring for the Following Fall and the Fall for the Spring/Summer.  At AU we require an internship and there is also paperwork that needs to be filed.

2) Fish Where the Fish Are:  Most students in past years have taken internships in search, social media, email and website/design usability. I also notice employers wanting some facility with excel or other familiarity with a program to help analyze data such as SPSS or Google Analytics. Look at the job descriptions of several internships and make sure you develop popular skills before you apply.

3) Take Advantage of Resources: Your local University will have a job/career site.  Many of us in the area has noticed Indeed.com has a lot of jobs in the digital area.  BuiltInChicago.org highlights jobs for tech companies in Chicago.  According to their list of Top 100 Digital Companies in Chicago, there are 1500 plus digital companies in the area,  employing 40,000 plus people. The web site regularly posts marketing positions.  Fill out your profile completely in LinkedIn to receive relevant job postings.  Stay active on social media to keep up-to-date on local job trends.

These are just a few hints for finding a meaningful internship in the digital area.  Of course, most jobs are not posted and found by networking.  You should contact your professor and those working in the area to see if they can point you in the right direction.

By Debra Zahay-Blatz.
You can find Debra on Google+ and Twitter as well as LinkedIn.

Five Steps to Hiring a Great Summer Intern

How to hire the perfect intern

I am a Professor of Marketing at +Aurora University  teaching in our Digital Marketing Minor and all of our Marketing students must have an internship to graduate.  I get a lot of requests from people in industry looking to hire interns this time of year.  Of course, we want to match our students to a great internship and the companies want to have a good experience too. Therefore, I am offering these simple tips for hiring a great summer intern.

Steps to Success

1)  Start early.  Unlike Grammar and High School, most University terms end in late April, early May.  I receive many requests in June for someone to hire 'for the summer,' by which time most of our students are gone and have summer employment.  The most sought-after students looking for summer internships will be gone by Spring Break, which is typically sometime in March.  For a Fall Internship, start looking now.  For January or Summer, start in the Fall.

2) Understand the academic schedule.  Make sure you understand the academic schedule at the Universities you are interested in hiring from and, again, get started early enough.  For internships for academic credit, students will want something for the Fall, Spring or Summer.  Most students won't want to start a new job toward the end of the semester if you want them to start in March and the paperwork won't be able to get done properly.    Think of start times as starting in August/September, January or May/June. You may have to adjust your expectations of start date to find the best intern, even though you may have a pressing project.

3) Be clear in your description/objectives.   Spend time on your job description and objectives of the position.  Don't just send an email saying "I want to hire an intern; can you send some over?"  Most students want to know what skills are required to perform the job and what skills will be develped, what the hours are, rate of pay, location, if there is any flexibility for telecommuting, etc.

4) Don't rely on professors to be job screeners for you. Professors are teaching classes and are close to the students but they don't know your company and what might be the best fit.  Professors won't also know EVERY student at the University, just those in their classes.

At most places, Equal Opportunity extends to recruiting and internships and jobs must be posted to all students.  At Aurora University, we have a listserv that reaches 200 plus graduates and current students.  Like most Universities, we also have a careers job site where internships and full-time jobs can be listed. Students apply online and all students at the University have access.

5) Pay your interns.  While it is true your job might provide a 'great experience' for someone, there are other companies willing to pay their interns.  These firms recognize that the intern is providing a valuable experience.  Most students today face high costs of education and rely on their work outside of the classroom to get them through the University experience.  Many students will have several offers and will most likely gravitate toward paid experiences.

If you follow this simple advice I am sure you will find the 'perfect' intern for your firm!  Good luck and thanks for providing this valuable experience to our students.

By Debra Zahay-Blatz.
You can find Debra on Google+ and Twitter as well as LinkedIn.

5 Steps to Living a Recommendable Life

Is Your Life Recommendable?

Emily Bader, EVP +Zócalo Group presented the keynote address focused on social media marketing and personal branding at the 14^th annual Okner Symposium Friday, February 21 at Loyola University, Chicago, IL.  The event is targeted for students interested in direct and digital marketing and sponsored by the Educational Foundation of the Chicago Association of Direct Marketing, CADMEF and a generous gift from Seymour "Sy" Okner and his family.  Fourteen students from the Dunham School of Business  +Aurora University attended the event, accompanied by Marketing Professor Dr. +Debra Zahay-Blatz. 

14th Annual Okner Symposium, Loyola University Chicago, February 21, 2014

A social media marketing expert, Ms. Bader focused on personal branding and Word of Mouth marketing.  Since Ms. Bader focuses on social media marketing, which depends on recommendations, she suggested that students apply social media concepts to their personal brands.  Her suggestion was   "Live a recommendable life"  to succeed personally and professionally. She encouraged students to think of themselves as a brand and to work to create an authentic online image.  

Ms Bader said that in study after study consumers indicate they rely on recommendations in decision making.  In the most recent study by Nielson, 92% of respondents reported a positive recommendation from friend or family member was the biggest influence on their purchase decision.  The influence of personal recommendations is much higher than other forms of media. Therefore, students need to create a recommendable life, realizing that recommendations from others will play a big role in their professional growth.

Living a Recommendable Life

Ms. Bader's five steps to successfully living a recommendable life include:  

1) Develop a clear and purposeful story.   How do you want to be recommended?  What are the reasons to recommend you?   What do you want to have people to remember and notice? Are you creative, prompt, hard-working, innovative, resourceful?

2) Live your brand.  Be yourself and don't try to be what you are not.  Dialogue with people about creativity or whatever is your passion; create and share content on topics related to your personal brand. Surround yourself with ideas relating to your interests.

3) Be human, transparent and make your own mistakes. 

4) Stay engaging and interesting.  Use the 90/10, rule.   Ninety percent of content you share be engaging to your consumers.  Engaging content is perceived as more interesting content.

5) Regularly evaluate your persona/brand as it evolves and stay true to your core. Create a quarterly report for yourself. Evaluate how you are you being perceived and how your skills are helping your organization.

Ms. Bader encouraged students to "go and create and share your goals."  She said that you are in charge of how people perceive you online.  Live a recommendable life and make sure that people know it by your unique online branding strategy.

By Debra Zahay-Blatz.
You can find Debra on Google+ and Twitter as well as LinkedIn.

Four Foundations of the Digital Marketing Mix

Meeting the Challenge of Digital Marketing

Last year I reported a recent study that said only eight percent of brands thought their marketing team was strong across all digital channels. If the vast majority of companies don't think company marketing department is up to the challenge of digital marketing, I wanted to try to help simplify what can be seen as a complicated process. We traditionally think of the marketing mix as product, price, promotion and place.   I think it is useful to consider the Four Foundations of Digital Marketing Mix.  These Four Foundations are:  Web site design/usability, Email, Search and Social Marketing.  These Four Foundations are areas where the company wants to focus in developing a digital competency.  These important digital communications channels  are listed in the figure below.

Four Foundations of the Digital Marketing Mix

The Four Foundations Work Together

The reason that these channels are the foundations of digital marketing is that they work together to produce results.  Of course, before beginning any digital marketing campaign, managers should carefully consider the overall strategy of the organization and the brand positioning strategy, i.e., the target market, the products offered, the product category and the point of differentiation.  Without a strong strategic background, all marketing efforts lack focus and are less effective.

Assuming the strategy is in place, the subsequent marketing campaigns that are run on digital platforms should work together.  For example, the web site should be optimized for organic search in terms of the title tag and appropriate keywords and point the user to sites for social interaction.  In turn, search and social media should work together also.  One way to do this is to monitor social media channels to understand how to optimize paid and organic search.  Email campaigns should also be integrated with social media.  Use email to send out social media updates.  Once people are interacting with your firm on social media, collect email addresses for social communication.  Include social media connection information on emails.

Effective Marketers Use All Four Channels

The most effective marketers look at all four channels of the Digital Marketing Mix and see how they can work together in an integrated fashion to produce results.  I have used Dreamfields Pasta in our textbook Roberts and Zahay and my class sessions here at +Aurora University as a good example of this type of integrated digital campaign across channels.  The company has a high price point, a unique point of dffierence and a strong grasp of digital channel communication.  Here is a video describing how this one company clearly understands its unique differentiating point and leverages it across the foundation channels of the Digital Marketing Mix.  By understanding its customers and which channels they use, the company created a highly effective cross-channel campaign.

By Debra Zahay-Blatz.
You can find Debra on Google+ and Twitter as well as LinkedIn.

Where Can You Find Resources for Website Conversion?

Conversion Concept Came from Direct Marketing

This upcoming week in Internet Marketing class at +Aurora University,  we are discussing direct marketing foundations of the internet.  One of the key aspects of direct marketing that has been invaluable in Internet Marketing is the concept of conversion.  +Brian Massey and I gave a talk at the Chicago Conversion Conference last summer that outlined some of the concepts of website optimization that came from direct marketing.  For example, the concepts of A/B testing and measuring the results of direct marketing campaigns are critical to establishing a successful web site.

New Toolbox Site Launched by SiteTuners 

My professional colleague at SiteTuners, +Tim Ash, CEO and the author of the book Landing Page Optimization,  has launched the Conversion Ninja Toolbox to help marketing professionals improve their conversion rate on the web. The tool is free and includes a directory of resources  for many aspects of website conversion.

Some of the resources available for web marketers include:

• Creation tools for wire-framing, content development, landing page development and more.
• Diagnostic tools to  identify the biggest areas for improvement of website performance and usability.
• Engagement tools  to take efforts to the next level with tools for abandonment recovery, personalization and interaction.
• Testing and Improvement tools for large enterprises as well as no-cost tools for smaller sites.

Site Includes Experts and Other Resources

The site also includes a list of experts and other resources for conversion optimization such as books and conferences.  The site also allows users to rate and review tools.  Conversion optimization can make a big difference to firms looking to maximize their web site performance.  I found the list of tools to be comprehensive and plan to use this resource kit when teaching website design and usability later in the Spring.  Thanks, Tim for the great resources.

By Debra Zahay-Blatz.
You can find Debra on Google+ and Twitter as well as LinkedIn.

The Power of Creativity Revealed

AU Students Visit Two Creative Companies

Today I am reporting the highlights of our two corporate visits on Friday, November 8th with the Aurora University Marketing students.  We had an interesting day and learned more about the creative side of marketing.  We went to +AnswersMedia, a video production company that features a high-tech facility and Red Frog Events, an event marketing firm with a unique corporate culture. We spent about an hour and a half at each firm and the students learned about these possible careers in marketing.  The firms definitely are examples of choice for those wishing to explore some of the more creative aspects of a marketing career.

AU Students and Dr VanderSchee on the "Green Screen"

Answers Media:  Creativity and Technology at Work

At Answers Media our host was Account Executive Katie Power.  We had a tour of the studios and the control room.  The company has one of the few facilities in town that can broadcast live video. We got a chance to stand in front the green screen and see ourselves with a different background on the monitor.

The technology enables the company to work for large agencies, public relations firms, associations and other companies to provide video production services for commercials, music videos and television programs.  The company features two kitchens for use in cooking shows and also provides integrated marketing services.  AnswersMedia redesigned the LavaLamp website and also created some video advertising for them with an integrated look and feel.

Answers Media has also done work for larger brands such as Doritos and Toyota.  Clients have to be on a short time frame and the company often has to work quickly.  There are internships available on the creative and account sides of the firm, but definitely more on the creative side.  The company even employs a medical animator for working with pharmaceutical companies.

Red Frog Events:  Creativity in the Workplace

In the afternoon, we visited +Red Frog Events, where we were hosted by Hannah and Lizzie.  We had a complete tour of the company, including the tree houses, swings and puzzle room. The workplace theme is "Camp Red Frog."

AU Students and Drs. Vander Schee and Zahay-Blatz at "Camp Red Frog."

Red Frog Invents "Active Event" Industry

The company produces unique weekend events and hires many interns as "Tadpoles" to help with these special events that have become the firm's signature. The firm looks for people who want to use their creativity and passion in the workplace and laugh along the way. Company Founder, Joe Ryan, tries to create outdoor, weekend events with a creative twist, such as the Great Urban Race, Rirefly Music Festival and Warrior Dash.  The company virtually created the 'active event' industry. Tadpoles work hard but enjoy the company perks such as free lunches workout facilities and unlimited vacation days.   Theme days such as Jersey Thursday and Pajama Day break up the work week and help compensate for long hours on the job when working events.

Competition for Jobs is Intense

Red Frog is listed on Inc. Magazine's "Fastest Growing Companies List" and is consistently listed as one of the best places to work, particularly for the Millennial Generation.  Those who seek to work at Red Frog must go through a long interview process and commit to live the Red Frog principles, such as live with passion, anticipate challenges, be an ideal teammate, embrace change and do exceptional work.  Students can also volunteer at events to get an idea of what it would be like to work for the firm.

The company is always looking for new interns and those seeking a fun and fast-paced environment should consider this firm. Those who make it past "Tadpole" status become "Frogs" and receive full-time positions. Impressively,  the company seeks to donate $25 million from its events to +St. Jude Children's Research Hospital for a proton therapy research center, through partnership with their events.

By Debra Zahay-Blatz.
You can find Debra on Google+ and Twitter as well as LinkedIn.

Don't Miss Out on These Social Networking Sites!

I am teaching social media marketing this semester at +Aurora University  and in my day class we have just finished talking about the major social media platforms, Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn, Pinterest/Instagram.  We focused in the first half of class on using these platforms for social networking professionally and improving our personal brand image.  Other forms of professional social networking are often overlooked. I wanted to describe three social networking sties that are helpful professionally in this blog post.  The post will. focus on BuiltIn Chicago, Slideshare and Meetup.

Share Slides, Learn More

Each of these three social networking tools is designed to help people develop their particular interests. +SlideShare Inc provides is a social sharing site designed for sharing content in a user-friendly manner.  I use Slideshare.net to post presentations I have given so that i can get the word out about what I am doing to a broader audience.  I also use Slideshare when I want to find out about something new.  One of my friends said you can learn brain surgery from the site!  This statement is almost true, as there are presentations on nearly every subject posted.  Slideshare also suggests new presentations based on what I post, so I get a lot of recommendations for CRM and customer information management.

Follow Startups in Chicago, Find Jobs

BuiltIn Chicago is a local social sharing site that allows you to connect with people in your industry.  The focus is primarily on start-up and technology companies, so I get an opportunity to see what is happening in our area.  They also have live "launch" events periodically to foster in-person sharing.  The site also has an active job board and an emphasis on blogging.  In fact, I found several entry level jobs and internships on the site in our area of digital marketing.

Develop Your Interests, Network Locally

The final site I want to focus on in this post is Meetup.com.  Meetup is a great way to find people in a particular professional field but also has groups to help develop your professional interests.  I am a member of everything from bicycling groups to groups that focus on 'big data' technology.  I also am a member of the local American Marketing Association group.  Many people in Chicago use Meetup to connect. In fact, BuiltIn Chicago also posts events on Meetup.  Through email updates I learn what is going on with my groups.  I like the local focus as there are events in the Fox Valley I can attend and not just downtown Chicago.

I would strongly recommend adding these social networking tools to your 'toolkit,' whether you are a student, recent grad or have been working a long time.  If you are interested in learning more about a subject, networking with those in the area, finding a job or internship or just keeping up, you should try out these three websites:  Slideshare, Meetup and BuiltInChicago.

By Debra Zahay-Blatz.
You can find Debra on Google+ and Twitter as well as LinkedIn.

Easy Google Analytics and Other Ideas That Work for Teaching Social Media in the Classroom

At the recent MMA (Marketing Management Association)  Conference +Todd Kelsey  and I described how to integrate Google Analytics into blogger to teach analytics without programming to undergraduates.  Our slideshare shows these simple steps and also emphasizes the importance of establishing Google Authorship and how to do by entering those sites to which you contribute in a Google+ profile and registering the associated gmail address.  I certainly wish someone had told me about Google Authorship when I was starting out in my professional career (in fact, I wish the option were available).  It is a great way to get established as an expert in a particular area and authorship will last an entire career.

Teaching Analytics through G+ and Blogger from Debra Zahay-Blatz

It was interesting to see the approaches others have taken to teaching social media, especially to this generation of students.

Dr. Paul Kotz from St. Mary's University in Minnesota shared his research in reaching out to Millennial students, those from ages 11-31, born in 1982-2002.  I noticed, as Paul did, that these students like structure and deadlines.  So instead of having a social media plan that is due all at once, I have a different deliverable every week that the students should be working on to effectively deliver the plan at the end of the stated time.

Dr. +Jenna Drenten from John Carroll University shared what she is doing with Pinterest in the classroom.  The students used a private board in Pinterest to share their ideas about a marketing competition in which they participated.  Since it was a national competition,  the groups did not want others to see their results.  I did not realize that Pinterest allowed at least up to three private boards, so that might be a good way to share classroom information in the future.  I have taught Pinterest in class and, like the presenter, found that the men in the class are more reluctant to use the tool.  They perceive the tool as more for women and don’t ‘get’ the interface as readily as the women in the class. 

Professors +Alisa Agozzino  and  Kathie Fleck, Ohio Northern University, talked about their social media marketing minor which includes the history of social media, personal branding, strategies and a campaign management class.  Their program, which was in conjunction with the communications school, so this curriculum looks like a good choice for them.  

In our program,at Aurora University, the social media class is where the students have an introduction to social media analytics.  They develop both a personal social media campaign for themselves and one for a corporation or NGO.  Our Digital Marketing students also Internet marketing where they will  run an AdWords campaign with the option of a corporate social media campaign.  Personal branding is covered in depth in our social media class and IMC, Social Media and Internet all cover strategic concepts and history of the medium.

By Debra Zahay-Blatz.
You can find Debra on Google+ and Twitter as well as LinkedIn.