Social Media Marketing: A Commentary on Teaching and Learning in a Dynamic Field

Abstract

Social media marketing constantly evolves, and teaching in this dynamic discipline can be challenging. This commentary provides a brief overview of the emergence and evolution of social media marketing in the curriculum. We address emerging best practices in teaching, such as educators cultivating industry relationships and using certifications in the curriculum. We discuss the emerging trend of using stackable certificates. We conclude with a brief review of the emphasis the marketing education journals have placed on integrating technology. We posit that with the newest technology, students need to be taught how to use due to the benefits but understand the potential risks associated with these new technologies, such as artificial intelligence.

Social media marketing as a specialized course is relatively new to many marketing programs. In 2010, not one of the top 10 undergraduate marketing programs in the United States listed a social media marketing course (Wymbs, 2011). However, evidence suggested that marketing educators were beginning to recognize the need to integrate social media into the marketing curriculum. In response to increasing market demand, publishers began focusing on textbooks dedicated to social media marketing. In addition, authors of integrated marketing communications textbooks began to include social media as a tool for advertising and promotion.

Social media integration into the marketing curriculum also began appearing in the marketing education literature, albeit focused more specifically on what were relatively new tools at the time. In 2011, the Journal of Marketing Education published a special issue, “Teaching About Marketing and Teaching Marketing With Innovative Technology,” edited by Neil Granitz and Leyland Pitt. The special issue included research on social media platforms such as Twitter (Lowe & Laffey, 2011; Rinaldo et al., 2011) and YouTube (Payne et al., 2011). The authors of these articles described the classes from which their student samples were drawn as non-digital marketing courses. Needless to say, teaching social media marketing was challenging in these early days.

Teaching Social Media Marketing

In 2015, Muñoz and Wood surveyed educators who taught social media marketing and found that only 45% had any practical experience in social media marketing. Unfortunately, despite the apparent uptick in demand for social media classes, many marketing departments lacked resources to support faculty members trying to gain industry knowledge and technical training to teach social media content. In a survey of digital marketing educators, only 22% were provided adequate funding for attending practitioner conferences or obtaining technical training despite only 48% having industry experience (Zahay et al., 2019). When asked what the biggest challenge was in teaching social media, the top three challenges cited were: (a) the time and effort required to keep up with changes (78%), (b) lack of timely quality resources (22%), and (c) student knowledge, skill, and attitude (21%; Muñoz & Wood, 2015). Crittenden and Crittenden (2016) reported that forces of institutional isomorphic change were pressuring business schools to include technology in the curriculum, yet widespread adoption was lagging.

Over the years, as social media has grown into a global cultural phenomenon, educators have used specific platforms as teaching tools in their classrooms. There is a significant body of research focused on teaching individual platforms such as Facebook (e.g., Bal et al., 2015; Muñoz & Towner, 2010; Northey et al., 2015), Instagram (e.g., Kemp et al., 2019), LinkedIn (e.g., McCorkle & McCorkle, 2012; Peterson & Dover, 2014), Pinterest (e.g., Cronin, 2013), Twitter (e.g., Abney et al., 2019; Rinaldo et al., 2013; West et al., 2015), and YouTube (e.g., Cowley, 2020; Edmiston, 2016; Payne et al., 2011), with a few examples requiring students to integrate multiple platforms for a client (e.g., Mishra & Mishra, 2020; Rohm et al., 2021) or personal branding (e.g., McCorkle & Payan, 2017). Twitter as a course communication tool was the topic of the first platform-specific social media education articles (e.g., Lowe & Laffey, 2011; Rinaldo et al., 2011). Based on the literature, it is clear that educators have evolved numerous variations of social media for course communication or exercises. Strategically, in this current issue of the Journal of Marketing Education, Laurie et al. (2023) illustrate a case study method that assists students via the POEM (paid, owned, and earned media) framework in understanding social media marketing’s role within advertising and public relations.

In just a few years, the educational literature reflected that marketing educators had embraced teaching social media strategy. In 2015, Brocato et al. collected and analyzed social media course syllabi from 90 universities across the United States to determine how educators designed social media courses. The authors found that 87% of the syllabi required students to create a social media plan. While educators have long accepted that students benefit from creating client plans (Mishra & Mishra, 2020; Zahay et al., 2022), getting feedback from industry representatives on the effectiveness of social media plans is essential for preparing students for their careers. Rohm et al. (2021) tested this approach by having industry representatives attend student presentations of their client’s social media plans. As shown by Beachum and Krallman (2023) in this issue of the Journal of Marketing Education, both industry hiring managers and students believe client plans are essential in the teaching and learning process.

Integrating Certifications Effectively

One approach to teaching some of the technical platform skills and best practices within the industry is to use industry certifications in a social media course. The Journal of Marketing Education and Marketing Education Review have published articles that synthesize technology integration, including certificate education (e.g., Cowley et al., 2021; Laverie et al., 2020; Spiller & Tuten, 2019) and detailed assessments of digital certifications (Spiller & Tuten, 2019). In their research, Cowley et al. (2021) found that most digital marketers believe certifications assist students in their job search because the certifications are perceived as valuable by industry recruiters.

Stackable Certificate Education

A recent trend in higher education is stackable certificates focusing on career learning outcomes in on-demand fields (DeSotel, 2022). Universities are delivering certificates utilizing two approaches: (a) structuring the degree plan to include classes that, when taken, lead to a “certificate” on the student’s transcript, and (b) partnering with companies that provide certificates that can be integrated into the classroom (e.g., HubSpot or Coursera). One example of the second approach is found within The University of Texas system, which has recently partnered with Coursera to offer certificates that all current students and professors can access at no cost (Coffey, 2023). Coursera’s sales and marketing certificate offerings include three areas: Social Media Marketing offered by Meta, Digital Marketer offered by Google, and Sales Development Representative offered by Salesforce (Coffey, 2023). Social media marketing learners also have options outside of universities. An internet search for social media marketing courses yields several well-known business brands (e.g., Meta, Google, HubSpot, Hootsuite, and Coursera) offering social media marketing courses (Chris, 2023).

Cultivating Relationships for Teaching and Research

Certifications, online industry websites, newsletters, and blogs (e.g., Brandwatch, Hootsuite, HubSpot, and Sprout Social) are excellent resources that educators can use to stay current. In addition, educators can look for local professional groups focused on digital and social media marketing. By attending local meetings, marketing educators can facilitate industry partnerships. Fostering professional relationships can provide benefits such as feedback on course content, internships, full-time employment opportunities for graduates, and guest speakers (e.g., Beachum & Krallman, 2023; Rohm et al., 2021).

Evolving Technology

In 2011, Wymbs called for a new digital marketing major. Later that year, Harrigan and Hulbert (2011) identified the “new Marketing DNA,” which included technology and digital platforms like social media. Today’s challenges include the ever-changing environment with emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (e.g., ChatGPT) and blockchain (Ferrell & Ferrell, 2020). Fortunately, marketing educators are actively researching these topics. For example, the Journal of Marketing Education has a forthcoming special issue on artificial intelligence and the future of marketing education, and educators such as Menon and Mady (2022) have provided examples of integrating blockchain into the classroom.

What We Have Learned From Social Media Marketing Education Research and Where We Are Headed

The Journal of Marketing Education has been a leading advocate of research in teaching and learning social media marketing. In 2015, Crittenden and Crittenden served as co-editors for two special issues: “Digital and Social Media Marketing in Business Education: Implications for the Marketing Curriculum” and “Digital and Social Media Marketing in Business Education: Implications for Student Engagement.” In 2019, Crittenden and Peterson served as co-editors for two special issues, “Digital Disruption: The Transdisciplinary Future of Marketing Education” and “Keeping the Marketing Curriculum Current in an Era of Digital Disruption.” The issues included articles in the digital disruption that focused on social media or social media within the more comprehensive area of digital marketing. The Marketing Education Review has also contributed to this topical area, particularly its annual teaching innovations issue, which provides classroom-ready assignments. In addition, the Journal of Advertising Education has published articles offering diverse perspectives on teaching social media. Those interested in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) should review this educational research when designing a classroom and/or research project focused on social media marketing education. In a recent editorial for the Journal of Marketing Education, Crittenden (2023) provided a review and guidance on SoTL research and emphasized that knowing the literature on a topic is essential to contributing to the literature.

In just over a decade, a body of research on social media marketing has emerged; however, there are still gaps. With new platforms appearing and evolving seemingly daily, it is imperative that marketing educators stay at the forefront of teaching and learning for all things digital marketing related. In addition to learning how to use tools and platforms, students in the marketing classroom need to understand the potential risks associated with such use. These risks include, for example, lack of transparency, accuracy of the technology, biased outputs, intellectual property and copyright, cybersecurity and fraud, and sustainability (Gartner, 2023). Each topic has a place in the classroom and our SoTL in marketing education. The hope is that marketing educational scholars will continue to focus on rigorous research on all things digitally related.