Course Title: Use digital media for public relations
Part B: Course Detail
Teaching Period: Term1 2023
Course Code: MKTG8046
Course Title: Use digital media for public relations
School: 525T Business & Enterprise
Campus: City Campus
Program: C5400 - Diploma of Business (Public Relations)
Course Contact: Nick Reynolds
Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 0791
Course Contact Email: nick.reynolds@rmit.edu.au
Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff
Joe Matthews
joseph.matthews@rmit.edu.au
Nominal Hours: 60
Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.
Pre-requisites and Co-requisites
None
Course Description
This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to use digital media in public relations activity to engage globally. It includes establishing and maintaining a social networking presence using digital media tools and applications and arranging for the training of other personnel in the use of media.
National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria
National Element Code & Title: |
VU22807 Use digital media for public relations |
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Element: |
1. Analyse appropriate digital media for public relations activities |
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Performance Criteria: |
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Element: |
2. Implement appropriate media for public relations activities |
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Performance Criteria: |
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Element: |
3. Review and evaluate digital media practices |
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Performance Criteria: |
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Learning Outcomes
- On completion of this course students will be able to use digital media tools and applications for various public relations activities.
Details of Learning Activities
This course will be delivered via weekly lectures, tutorials and workshops. Some personal learning time is also required.
Classes are conducted in-person, on-campus, however some online learning may be required.
Teaching Schedule
| Week 1 | 6 February | Marketing fundamentals | AT1 |
| Week 2 | 13 February | Digital trends and strategy | AT1 |
| Week 3 | 20 February | Target audience / Persona / Stakeholders | AT1 |
| Week 4 | 27 February | Digital marketing tools | AT1 |
| Week 5 | 6 March | Campaign Plan | AT1 |
| Week 6 | 13 March | Legal and regulations | AT1 |
| Week 7 | 20 March | AT1 Workshop | AT1 Due (Sunday) |
| Week 8 | 27 March | Sitemap | AT2 |
| Week 9 | 3 April |
Mid Semester Break Website creation |
AT2 |
| Week 10 | 17 April | Website creation | AT2 |
| Week 11 | 24 April | SEO - Key words | AT2 |
| Week 12 | 1 May | Social and EDM layouts | AT2 |
| Week 13 | 8 May | Social and EDM layouts | AT2 |
| Week 14 | 15 May | Site Audit - WHS Checklist | AT2 |
| Week 15 | 22 May | Site Audit - WHS Checklist | AT2 Due (Sunday) |
| Week 16 | 29 May |
Learning Resources
Prescribed Texts
References
Other Resources
Overview of Assessment
Assessment Methods
A range of assessment methods will be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following assessment methods will be used specifically to assess competency in using digital media for PR:
- Project work
- Written reports supported by practical assignments or tasks for individual assessment
- Observation of workplace practice supported by personal interviews
- Practical display with personal interview, presentations or documentation
- Case studies.
You will be assessed on the criteria below:
Evidence required
- knowledge of contemporary digital media, tools and application in a public relations environment
- analysis of media solutions for a public relations environment
- set up of a networking presence and upload of appropriate information
- cultural sensitivity in digital media use communicating media use issues with relevant personal.
Required Skills
Language and literacy skills to:
- Language and literacy skills to:
- read, interpret and communicate legislation, regulations, policies, procedures and guidelines relating to the use of media
- communicate impartially and diplomatically with diverse stakeholders
- convey technical information to non-technical personnel
- interpersonal skills to:
- consult and provide advice
- conduct business in a cross-culturally sensitive manner
- technical skills to:
- use digital media networking sites to upload images and files.
Required Knowledge
- basic technical terminology in relation to social networking and digital media applications and tools
- features and functions of digital media applications
- import and export software functions
- linking documents
- digital media applications and procedures for connecting to social networking sites
- use of input and output devices
- use of RSS feeds to connect a social network
- business ethics
- legislation and ethics that impact upon media use
- consequences of non-compliance with media use legislation and ethics.
You are advised that you are likely to be asked to personally demonstrate your assessment work to your teacher to ensure that the relevant competency standards are being met.
Feedback
Feedback will be provided throughout the semester in class and/or online discussions. You are encouraged to ask and answer questions during class time and online sessions so that you can obtain feedback on your understanding of the concepts and issues being discussed. Finally, you can email or arrange an appointment with your teacher to gain more feedback on your progress.
You should take note of all feedback received and use this information to improve your learning outcomes and final performance in the course.
Assessment Tasks
There are two assessment tasks for this unit of study
Assessment Task 1: PR Digital campaign needs analysis (due week 7)
Assessment Task 2: PR Digital campaign implementation (due week 15)
Assessment Task 1: Digital campaign needs analysis
This assessment evaluates your ability to analyse the digital requirements for a PR campaign that crosses two cultures. You will be required to provide recommendations for digital channel communications which will form the basis of implementation which will be completed in assessment 2.
This project task is one of two required of you to complete satisfactorily to be deemed competent for this unit. For both assessments you are to assume the role of PR consultant for a business product/service launch or event of your choice. Your task is to develop and implement a multimedia multicultural PR campaign in the digital space
Some thought starters for the product/concept vehicle are:
- Launching skincare range
- Developing and maintaining the organisation's identity via corporate advertising, presenting the company's name and reputation into several potential markets
- Development and launch a new brand identity/ logo etc.
- Awareness against domestic violence
You are to decide upon a communications approach for a number of cultural audiences. Completing this assessment allows you to demonstrate your skills and knowledge in assessing the requirements of a digital PR campaign having regard for the legal and regulatory environment, the impacts of key stakeholders as well as cultural nuances that need to be taken into consideration.
Note: You are not to select an existing company unless they have expressed permission to do so.
Assessment Instructions
What
This assessment will be produced in report format with a heading/title page, table of contents and references at the end of the document.
To complete this assessment task, you will need to:
- Select a vehicle/ focus for your digital PR campaign
- establish objectives for your campaign
- research the digital PR environment for your selected PR vehicle including the relevance and importance of the legal and regulatory environment, protocols, codes of conduct for specific digital platforms and identify the risks of non-compliance
- research two cultures comparing their similarities and differences, specifically as they are impacted by your PR focus area as well as their communications preferences and habits.
- undertake a segmentation analysis for your selected PR campaign focus area
- Understand key stakeholders and their impact on the campaign’s success
- Determine the appropriate digital communication channels for the 2 cultural audiences for your PR campaign based on the research conducted
- Prepare a campaign project plan
You will be required to:
- Select a digital PR campaign focus area, you are guided by but not restricted to the list provided above. Ensure that it is not for an existing company/cause unless you have expressed permission to do so.
- Write a short (2 paragraph introduction to the company/product/cause etc.) you have selected
- Write a short (2 paragraph) explanation of the project challenge, i.e. what is the campaign designed to do. You also need to identify the two cultures that you have selected as the recipients of your digital PR communications and why you selected these
This sets the scene for the analysis and recommendations to follow.
- Conduct background research and analysis
- Research the legislation, regulation, protocols/codes of conduct for the following areas:
- Data collection and usage
- Data Privacy
- Copyright
- Spam
- RSS feeds
- Protocols or Codes of conduct for 2 of the following social media channels:
- Snapchat
This information needs to be summarised with a discussion on the implications/sanctions for non- compliance on organisational policy and business ethics (e.g. consent, traceability, illicit activity etc.)
- Research, compare the behaviours, habits etc of the two cultures that you have selected specifically as they relate to your proposed campaign.
- Provide a summary paragraph of 3 potential risks associated with your campaign. This can come from either the legal/regulatory requirements or the cross-cultural nature of the campaign.Research and analyse the target audiences for your digital PR campaign.
- Research the potential consumer audience for your campaign and prepare a segmentation analysis.
- This needs to be presented in graph format with a discussion on why you elected to segment the market the way you did.
- Select one of the market segments as the focus for your digital PR campaign. Write a paragraph explaining why your selected that segment.
- Prepare 2 personas that represent your selected segment. You need to include a persona from each of the cultures that you have nominated earlier in the document.
For each persona you must include:
behaviour/purchase habits with the product/brand/concept that you have selected for your campaign
- demographic information such as age, gender etc.
- likes and interests
- communications tolerances and sensitivities
- digital media consumption habits
- a stylised or actual image of the persona
- Identify and research 3 potential industry audiences for your campaign. These can be specific journalists, bloggers, social media influencers or corporate organisations.
Discuss each of the 3 briefly and explain why they are relevant to your campaign
- Prepare a set of goals and SMART objectives for your campaign. You need to include one broad goal statement and 4 SMART objectives that are specific to the digital channels you intend to select. This should be no more than half a page.
- Using the templates provided, students must identify 8 stakeholders for your campaign. These can come from the client organisation, government, industry representatives/bodies, cultural groups relevant to your campaign, website designers, copywriters, etc.
- Using the summary template provided, you must:
- Identify six (6) digital channels that will be utilised in achieving their campaign objectives
- Describe the key functions and features (including import/export software functions) for two (2) of these channels/applications
Note, these digital channels:
- are in addition to a campaign microsite required for assessment 3.
- need to include a minimum of 4 for the consumer audience and 2 to reach the industry audience.
- can include, any of the social media channels discussed in class, e.g. blogs, forums or reviews, email, e-newspapers, podcasts, videos etc.
- Using the templates provided you will complete a project plan identifying the key action areas and timeframes for completion.
Assessment Task 2: Digital campaign implementation
This assessment is in 2 parts and is designed to evaluate student’s ability to implement, communicate and measure the digital requirements for a PR campaign that crosses cultural boundaries.
This project task is two of two required of you to complete satisfactorily to be deemed competent for this unit. For both assessments you are to assume the role of PR consultant for a business product/service launch or event of your choice. Your task is to develop and implement a multimedia multicultural PR campaign in the digital space
Note: You are not to select an existing company unless they have expressed permission to do so.
Assessment Instructions
What:
This assessment will be undertaken in 2 parts. Part 1
You are to develop and implement their recommended strategic approach from the previous assessment, Needs Analysis Report. This approach must include a website, a selection of social media channels, an email newsletter, a digital press release and a blog. Content must clearly address either the media as a target audience or the consumers representing both cultures identified in assessment 1.
To complete this assessment task, you will need to:
Part 1
- Prepare a basic website/microsite that will act as a home base for the campaign communications elements
- website must include a minimum of 6 pages (1 must be a blog page with 2 entries and 1 must be a contacts page for both consumers and media and 1 must be an information page).
- Create communications elements including image and text that is native to the platform they are being designed for and relevant to the intended target audience, both cultures identified. This is to include:
- Content that has clearly been search engine optimised as evidenced by the inclusion of 10 keywords or phrases relevant to the target audience/s anticipated search habits
- Email/newsletter including text and images developed and distributed through Mailchimp.
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- Social media - the development of 3 Social Media pages (in total with both target audiences covered) this also includes relevant links with an obvious interface between the website and your chosen social media platforms.
- Upload images, a video and relevant content links that are easily accessible to the intended audience
- Create a brief glossary of digital terms for use by technical and non-technical staff.
- Using the strategy table completed in assessment 1 students will discuss the measurement metrics that will be employed to assess the success of the campaign
Part 2
During class time in week 15 you will form pairs and develop and implement an audit tool designed to assess the effectiveness of the digital tools utilised as part of the campaign.
Audit diagnostic tool will include:
Criterion to assess the effectiveness of the range of digital tools utilised to ensure ease of use by intended audiences
- Criterion to assess the effectiveness of the range of media/technologies implemented
- Criterion to check that legal and regulatory requirements have been adhered to and are apparent in organisational digital policy
You will then use the audit tool to assess your partners website and content against the criteria established. You will be observed by your teacher to ensure that you are following correct Work Health and Safety Principles including ergonomics.
You will then discuss possible rectification for any non-complaint factors and how this will be incorporated into digital strategy moving forward which will include recommendations for ongoing monitoring and maintenance
Both students will hand in completed documentation as part of assessment 2
You will be required to:
- Prepare a website with:
- a minimum of 6 pages
- 1 must be a blog page with 2 entries and 1 must be a contacts page for both consumers and media and 1 must be an information page.
While there is no requirement that students use a specific website platform, they will be instructed the use of Weebly, but can use, WordPress or WIX as alternatives. Whichever platform students select, they will need to publish their website on the internet, they will also need therefore to incorporate domain hosting which is free with all the platforms identified.
- Create and/or upload communications elements including image and text that are native to the platform they are being designed for and relevant to the intended target audience, both cultures identified.
This is to include:
- content that has clearly been search engine optimised as evidenced by the inclusion of 10 keywords or phrases relevant to the target audience/s anticipated search habits
- email/newsletter including text and images developed and distributed through Mailchimp.
- social media - the development of 3 Social Media pages (in total with both target audiences covered) which also includes relevant links and the use of RSS feeds, with an obvious interface between the website and their chosen social media platforms.
- Using the strategy table completed in assessment 1 students will discuss the measurement metrics that will be employed to assess the success of the campaign
- As part of campaign content, source and upload suitable images, videos, audio files, PDFs and text files, as well as relevant content links, that are easily accessible to the intended audience.
- Create a brief glossary of 8 digital terms for use by technical and non-technical staff. This needs to be included on the website.
- Using the strategy table completed in assessment 1 students will discuss the measurement metrics that will be employed to assess the success of the campaign
- Using the templates provided, develop and implement an audit diagnostic vehicle designed to assess the effectiveness of the digital tools utilised as part of the campaign.
Audit diagnostic tool will include 4 items from each of the following:
- Criterion to assess the effectiveness of the range of digital tools utilised to ensure ease of use by intended audiences including the determination of any cultural insensitivities
- Criterion to assess the effectiveness of the range of media/technologies implemented
- Criterion to check that legal and regulatory requirements have been adhered to and are apparent in organisational digital policies and procedures
- Use the audit tool to assess a website and content against the criteria established. This should include testing digital media applications using various input and output devices. E.g. videos – speakers, downloadable content - printers, images - screen display, navigation and search - mouse and keyboard etc.
- Discuss and document possible rectification for any non-complaint factors and how this will be incorporated into digital strategy moving forward which will include recommendations for ongoing monitoring and maintenance and refinement of media.
- During the audit process, students will be observed by their teacher to ensure that they are following correct Work Health and Safety Principles including ergonomics.
Where
Some class time will be allocated to work on this assessment, particularly part 2 which will be conducted during class time during week 15. It is expected that you will perform most of your work on the assessment outside of class.
Assessment Matrix
Assessment Task 1: PR Digital campaign needs analysis (due week 7)
Assessment Task 2: PR Digital campaign implementation (due week 15)
Course Overview: Access Course Overview