Research Methods and Insights in Social Media Marketing

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Provider

Coursera
Pricing

Paid Course
Languages

English
Certificate

Certificate Available
Effort

8 weeks, 1 hour a week
Sessions

Self-Paced
Level

Beginner
Subtitles

English

Found in

Overview

This course equips learners with advanced research skills for social media marketing, emphasizing analytical strategies that inform professional marketing decisions. Participants explore big data analytics, sentiment analysis, and the dynamics of virality across global platforms. Learners develop practical proficiency in analyzing digital dialogues, emotions, and platform-specific trends. Eye-tracking methods, social shopping in China, and digital placemaking provide applied insights for evidence-based marketing strategies. The course uniquely blends theory with real-world applications, allowing participants to translate research findings into actionable insights. Interactive exercises and quizzes reinforce learning and enhance analytical capabilities. This course benefits marketing professionals, researchers, and students seeking to strengthen social media research expertise. No prior experience is required, though familiarity with social media concepts is helpful. This course is part two of a three-course Specialization designed to provide a comprehensive learning pathway in this subject area. While it delivers standalone value and practical skills, learners seeking a more integrated and in-depth progression may benefit from completing the full Specialization. This Specialization is based on the book, The Sage Handbook of Social Media Marketing, by Annmarie Hanlon and Tracy L. Tuten. Copyright ©2022 by Sage Publications Limited. All rights reserved, including rights for text and data mining and training of artificial technologies or similar technologies. Published by Sage Publications Limited, London. Used by arrangement with Sage Publications Limited.

Syllabus

Social Media Research Using Big Data – Types, Techniques, and Technologies

This module introduces the foundational concepts and processes of social media research using big data, highlighting key analytics techniques such as content and network analysis. Learners will explore the technical and ethical challenges unique to social network site (SNS) research and gain an understanding of the enabling technologies that drive large-scale social data analysis.

Analysing Digital Dialogue: Implications for Research and Practice

This module examines the concept of digital dialogue within social media and marketing, exploring its theoretical foundations, methodological challenges, and practical implications for research. Learners will gain insight into how dialogue shapes consumer-brand interactions and discover analytical approaches for studying digital conversations. The module also introduces step-by-step methods for identifying and analyzing dialogic exchanges in online environments.

Approaches to Emotion and Sentiment Analysis

This module introduces key techniques for collecting and analyzing emotion and sentiment data in digital environments. Learners will explore various data collection methods, understand the challenges of sentiment analysis, and review popular automated tools used in management research. By the end, participants will be equipped to critically assess and apply emotion analysis approaches in real-world contexts.

Social Contagion and Virality in Online Networks

This module explores how ideas, behaviors, and content spread through online networks, drawing on historical and contemporary examples of social contagion and virality. Learners will investigate the psychological, social, and algorithmic factors that drive viral phenomena and examine strategies used to maximize content reach. The module also considers the evolving impact of social media on information dissemination and societal trends.

Eye Tracking as a Research Method for Social Media

This module introduces the fundamentals of eye tracking as a tool for analyzing visual attention and cognitive processing in social media contexts. Learners will explore theoretical frameworks, key measurement techniques, and visualization methods, as well as emerging research directions in this rapidly evolving field.

Geopolitical Overview of Social Media Platforms: From Beijing to Berlin

This module explores global patterns of social media usage, the defining features of major platforms, and the geopolitical factors shaping their adoption across different regions. Learners will gain insights into the classification of social media platforms and the challenges of conducting social media analytics in a global context.

The Social Shopping Movement in China: From TaoBao to WeChat

This module explores the rapid evolution of China's digital economy, focusing on the rise of e-commerce and m-commerce platforms such as Taobao, Tmall, and WeChat. Learners will examine the cultural, technological, and economic factors that have shaped China's unique digital retail landscape and consider the implications for global marketers. Key topics include the commercialization of Singles' Day, the mobile payments revolution, and the emergence of super apps.

Social Media Data in Digital Placemaking

This module explores how social media data can be leveraged to inform and enhance digital placemaking strategies. Learners will discover key concepts such as place attachment and social cohesion, and gain hands-on experience with tools like CrowdTangle, Twitter Academic Track, and NodeXL for analyzing and visualizing social media data in community contexts.