570102 Engaging Audiences

Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.

Subject handbook information prior to 2024 is available in the Archives.

Description

This subject explores the variety of audiences in today's digital landscape. It identifies sources of data and how to gather insights to measure and evaluate digital engagement to drive marketing outcomes. Students learn how to obtain and analyse insights to drive engagement from different audiences.

Subject learning objectives (SLOs)

Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)

This subject engages with the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs), which are tailored to the Graduate Attributes set for all graduates of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences:

• Evaluate relevance and contribution of advanced digital marketing techniques to analyse business issues and apply critical thinking and creativity to integrate the solutions in decision making (1.1)
• Communicate ideas, decisions and strategies clearly and apply interpersonal skills that are sensitive to diverse people, cultures and contexts (2.1)
• Critically evaluate relevance of advanced digital marketing techniques for contemporary business issues and apply critical thinking to integrate creative solutions in decision making (4.1)

Teaching and learning strategies

This subject is taught fully online. Each week is self-paced through the learning management system. Students are expected to complete a range of different learning activities throughout each week. Activities provide opportunities to learn, apply and discuss the knowledge gained in a practical manner. Feedback is provided from both peers and teaching staff throughout the activities. Students are encouraged to actively provide feedback and interact with staff and other students. Online synchronous sessions are held three times during the session to allow students to interact, ask questions, and receive clarification and feedback on assessments.

Content (topics)

This subject equips students with skills and knowledge to understand audiences in digital communication and marketing. Students learn the key concepts, frameworks and methods that help them understand audiences’ engagement behaviours. Students examine the processes of audience engagement through social media content analysis and interviews. Students learn how to use insights to devise audience engagement recommendations for their organisation.

Assessment

Assessment task 1: Audit of organisation’s social media engagement

Assessment task 2: Analysis for public/stakeholders’ social media engagement

Assessment task 3: Social media engagement recommendations

Required texts

Readings for this subject are available online.

References

Bise, R. S., Barge, J. K., Dougherty, D. S, Lucas, K., & Tracy, S. J. (2014). A round-table discussion of “Big” data in qualitative organisational communication research. Management Communication Quarterly, 28, 625-649.

Dhanesh, G. S. (2017). Putting engagement in its Proper place: State of the field, definition and model of engagement in public relations. Public Relations Review, 43(5), 925-933.

Hargie, O., & Tourish, D. (2009). Auditing organizational communication: A handbook of research, theory and practice. Taylor & Francis Group.

Hjorth, L., Horst, H., Galloway, A., & Bell, G. (2016). The Routledge companion to digital ethnography. Routledge.

Johnston, K. & Taylor, M. (2018). Engagement as communication: Pathways, possibilities and future directions. In K. Johnston & M. Taylor (Eds.), Handbook of communication engagement (pp. 1-16). Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell.

Macnamara, J. (2005). Media content analysis: Its uses, benefits and best practice methodology. Asia Pacific Public Relations Journal, 6, 1, 1-34.

Majid, S., Lopez, C., Megicks, P., & Lim, W. M. (2019). Developing effective social media messages: Insights from an exploratory study of industry experts. Psychology & Marketing, 36(6), 551-564.

Malthouse, E. C., & Calder, B. J. (2018). From advertising to engagement. In The Handbook of Communication Engagement). . In K. Johnston & M. Taylor (Eds.), Handbook of communication engagement (pp. 411-420). Wiley-Blackwell

Michaelson, D., & Stacks, D. W.. (2014). A professional and practitioner's guide to public relations research, measurement, and evaluation. Business Expert Press.

Neuendorf, K. A. (2017). The content analysis guidebook. Sage Publications.

Pandey, N., Nayal, P., & Rathore, A. S. (2020). Digital marketing for B2B organizations: Structured literature review and future research directions. Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing.

Romenti, S,. Valentini, C., Murtalrelli, G., & Meggiorin, K. (2016). Measuring online dialogic conversations' quality: a scale development. Journal of Communication Management, 20(4), 328-346.

Smith, B. G. & Taylor, M. (2017). Empowering engagement: Understanding social media user sense of influence. International Journal of Strategic Communication, 11, 148-164.

Stacks, D. W. (2017). Primer of public relations research. The Guilford Press.