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Tactics, Ethics, and Future Trends in Social Media Marketing

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Tactics, Ethics, and Future Trends in Social Media Marketing

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Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
Beginner level

Recommended experience

1 week to complete
at 10 hours a week
Flexible schedule
Learn at your own pace

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
Beginner level

Recommended experience

1 week to complete
at 10 hours a week
Flexible schedule
Learn at your own pace

What you'll learn

  • Apply tactical strategies across influencer marketing, paid, owned, and earned media

  • Evaluate ethical considerations and reputation management in social media campaigns

  • Design effective brand content, visual communication, and engagement strategies

Details to know

Shareable certificate

Add to your LinkedIn profile

Recently updated!

June 2026

Assessments

17 assignments

Taught in English

Build your subject-matter expertise

This course is part of the The Sage Handbook of Social Media Marketing Specialization
When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.
  • Learn new concepts from industry experts
  • Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
  • Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
  • Earn a shareable career certificate

There are 17 modules in this course

This course focuses on the tactical and ethical execution of social media marketing, emphasizing practical strategies that drive measurable outcomes. Learners explore influencer marketing, content creation, and brand advocacy within modern digital platforms.

Participants gain hands-on knowledge in managing paid, owned, and earned media, leveraging memes, emojis, and visual communication. Strategies for customer engagement, complaint handling, and organizational exit are examined to optimize marketing performance. The course blends theory with real-world applications, highlighting ethical considerations and reputation management. Learners engage with examples and interactive exercises that reinforce practical skills and decision-making. This course benefits marketing professionals, social media managers, and students seeking applied knowledge of tactical execution and ethical best practices. No prior experience is required. This course is part three 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 Β©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.

This module explores the roles and personas of social media influencers, examining how they build credibility and impact consumer decision-making. Learners will discover frameworks for categorizing influencers and strategies for leveraging their influence in marketing communication. The module also introduces theoretical perspectives to guide effective influencer-based campaigns.

What's included

1 video4 readings1 assignment

1 videoβ€’Total 1 minute
  • Overviewβ€’1 minute
4 readingsβ€’Total 22 minutes
  • Introductionβ€’5 minutes
  • Building Influenceβ€’5 minutes
  • Credibilityβ€’8 minutes
  • Moving Forward into Practice and Theoretical Frameworkβ€’4 minutes
1 assignmentβ€’Total 16 minutes
  • Influencer Dynamics in Marketingβ€’16 minutes

This module examines the dynamic landscape of social media marketing by exploring the distinctions and interplay between paid, owned, and earned media. Learners will gain insights into platform strategies, user engagement, and the impact of advertising, influencer marketing, and consumer-generated content. By the end, participants will be equipped to assess and leverage different media types to achieve marketing objectives.

What's included

1 video6 readings1 assignment

1 videoβ€’Total 1 minute
  • Overviewβ€’1 minute
6 readingsβ€’Total 34 minutes
  • Introductionβ€’7 minutes
  • Social Media Marketing: Paid, Owned, and Earned Mediaβ€’3 minutes
  • Paid Media: Advertisingβ€’4 minutes
  • Paid Media: Influencer Marketingβ€’7 minutes
  • Owned Media: Social Media Accounts Owned by Firmsβ€’5 minutes
  • Earned Media: Consumer-generated Contentβ€’8 minutes
1 assignmentβ€’Total 16 minutes
  • Social Media Marketing Fundamentalsβ€’16 minutes

This module examines the various types of brand-related content found on social media, focusing on the roles of senders and the nature of messages. Learners will analyze how companies use storytelling and other strategies to promote brands, as well as assess the opportunities and challenges associated with different content types.

What's included

1 video4 readings1 assignment

1 videoβ€’Total 1 minute
  • Overviewβ€’1 minute
4 readingsβ€’Total 27 minutes
  • Introductionβ€’9 minutes
  • An Overview Over the Different Brand-related Content Types on Social Mediaβ€’6 minutes
  • Nurtured Contentβ€’5 minutes
  • Opportunities and Challenges of Brand-Related Contentβ€’7 minutes
1 assignmentβ€’Total 16 minutes
  • Brand Content on Social Mediaβ€’16 minutes

This module explores the emergence and characteristics of virtual influencers, examining their narrative techniques, marketing potential, and the evolution of digital star systems. Learners will analyze real-world examples, assess the advantages and challenges of using virtual influencers in advertising, and consider opportunities for research and practice in this rapidly evolving field.

What's included

1 video7 readings1 assignment

1 videoβ€’Total 1 minute
  • Overviewβ€’1 minute
7 readingsβ€’Total 36 minutes
  • Introductionβ€’6 minutes
  • Advantages and Disadvantages of Influencersβ€’5 minutes
  • First-Person Storytelling and the Fictional Diaryβ€’5 minutes
  • Star Systemsβ€’6 minutes
  • Noonoouriβ€’5 minutes
  • Opportunities for Research and Practiceβ€’3 minutes
  • Virtual Influencers as a Platform for Advertisingβ€’6 minutes
1 assignmentβ€’Total 16 minutes
  • Exploring Virtual Influencers and Their Role in Digital Mediaβ€’16 minutes

This module explores the growing significance of visual content in social media marketing, examining both company-driven and consumer-driven visual strategies. Learners will discover best practices for platforms like Instagram, develop visual literacy skills, and learn methods for analyzing visual communication in digital contexts.

What's included

1 video7 readings1 assignment

1 videoβ€’Total 1 minute
  • Overviewβ€’1 minute
7 readingsβ€’Total 36 minutes
  • Introductionβ€’6 minutes
  • Online Visual Marketing Strategies: Company Perspectiveβ€’4 minutes
  • Best Practice on Instagramβ€’5 minutes
  • Consumer-driven Visual Conversations in Social Mediaβ€’4 minutes
  • Social Media Visual Literacyβ€’6 minutes
  • Understanding Online Visual Content: Method of Visual Analysisβ€’6 minutes
  • Step 4: Polytextual Thematic Analysis in the Consumer Cultural Spaceβ€’5 minutes
1 assignmentβ€’Total 16 minutes
  • Visual Communication in Social Media Marketingβ€’16 minutes

This module examines the phenomenon of internet memes, exploring their definitions, classifications, and cultural significance across various social media platforms. Learners will analyze how memes are strategically used by organizations and consider the evolving role of memes in digital communication. By the end, participants will gain insights into the creative and interactive nature of memes in online environments.

What's included

1 video5 readings1 assignment

1 videoβ€’Total 1 minute
  • Overviewβ€’1 minute
5 readingsβ€’Total 34 minutes
  • Introductionβ€’9 minutes
  • Types of Memes: "The Belchers are My Type of Family!"β€’9 minutes
  • Memes on Different Platforms: "I have a Question, Before Instagram who were you?"β€’6 minutes
  • Strategic Application of Memes: "One Doesn't Simply Justify Memes as a Content Plan!"β€’6 minutes
  • Future of Memes: "Rejects Using Memes… Ruins Your Social Media Presence!"β€’4 minutes
1 assignmentβ€’Total 16 minutes
  • Exploring the Role of Memes in Digital Cultureβ€’16 minutes

This module explores the evolution and significance of emojis in digital communication, examining their historical roots, cultural interpretations, and psychological impact. Learners will gain insights into how emojis bridge non-verbal cues in computer-mediated interactions and the challenges posed by cultural diversity.

What's included

1 video5 readings1 assignment

1 videoβ€’Total 1 minute
  • Overviewβ€’1 minute
5 readingsβ€’Total 33 minutes
  • Introductionβ€’3 minutes
  • Historical Contextβ€’6 minutes
  • The Origins of Computer-Mediated Signsβ€’8 minutes
  • Psychological Effects of Emojisβ€’5 minutes
  • Diversityβ€’11 minutes
1 assignmentβ€’Total 16 minutes
  • The Language of Emojisβ€’16 minutes

This module explores how employee engagement and motivation influence brand perception and organizational reputation, especially through the use of social media. Learners will examine theoretical models like UTAUT to understand technology adoption and discover strategies for fostering positive employee advocacy online. Practical insights into organizational citizenship behavior and its impact on brand advocacy are also discussed.

What's included

1 video4 readings1 assignment

1 videoβ€’Total 1 minute
  • Overviewβ€’1 minute
4 readingsβ€’Total 26 minutes
  • Introductionβ€’4 minutes
  • Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technologyβ€’3 minutes
  • Organisations, Employee Engagement and Advocacyβ€’5 minutes
  • Employee Motivationβ€’14 minutes
1 assignmentβ€’Total 16 minutes
  • Employee Advocacy and Online Reputation Managementβ€’16 minutes

This module explores how companies engage with customers on social media by monitoring, analyzing, and responding to user-generated content. Learners will examine research on customer complaints, firm response strategies, and methods for empirically investigating these interactions to improve relationship-building and brand outcomes.

What's included

1 video7 readings1 assignment

1 videoβ€’Total 1 minute
  • Overviewβ€’1 minute
7 readingsβ€’Total 33 minutes
  • Introductionβ€’4 minutes
  • Research on Customer–Firm Interactions in Social Mediaβ€’6 minutes
  • Complaintsβ€’6 minutes
  • Discussionβ€’4 minutes
  • An Approach to Empirically Investigating Firm–Customer Interactions in Social Mediaβ€’4 minutes
  • Proposed Approach to Analyzing the Dataβ€’5 minutes
  • Detailed Company Response Analysisβ€’4 minutes
1 assignmentβ€’Total 16 minutes
  • Strategies for Engaging with Customers on Social Mediaβ€’16 minutes

This module explores how social media has transformed customer complaint behavior, service failure identification, and recovery strategies. Learners will examine key theories, the impact of online complaints on brand reputation, and effective approaches for managing and recovering from service failures in a digital context.

What's included

1 video4 readings1 assignment

1 videoβ€’Total 1 minute
  • Overviewβ€’1 minute
4 readingsβ€’Total 26 minutes
  • Introductionβ€’5 minutes
  • The Antecedents of Customer Complaining Behaviour via Social Mediaβ€’8 minutes
  • Effective Complaints Managementβ€’5 minutes
  • The Importance of Service Recoveryβ€’8 minutes
1 assignmentβ€’Total 16 minutes
  • Navigating Service Failure and Recovery in the Digital Ageβ€’16 minutes

This module explores how organizations adapt and implement exit strategies from social media platforms, focusing on the impact of disengagement on brand communities and communication practices. Learners will examine case studies, analyze posting behaviors, and consider the implications of shifting digital engagement. The module also highlights current research limitations and areas for future investigation.

What's included

1 video6 readings1 assignment

1 videoβ€’Total 1 minute
  • Overviewβ€’1 minute
6 readingsβ€’Total 30 minutes
  • Introductionβ€’4 minutes
  • State of the Artβ€’6 minutes
  • Research Designβ€’5 minutes
  • Post Intervalβ€’5 minutes
  • Exit Strategies on the Social Network Facebookβ€’5 minutes
  • Limitations and Future Researchβ€’5 minutes
1 assignmentβ€’Total 16 minutes
  • Navigating Organizational Exit Strategies on Social Mediaβ€’16 minutes

This module guides learners through the complexities of social media metrics, distinguishing between vanity and meaningful measures of performance. You will explore scholarly debates on ROI, learn to select relevant metrics and tools, and apply integrated frameworks like AMEC to real-world case studies. By the end, you'll be equipped to make informed decisions about social media measurement strategies.

What's included

1 video8 readings1 assignment

1 videoβ€’Total 1 minute
  • Overviewβ€’1 minute
8 readingsβ€’Total 38 minutes
  • Introductionβ€’8 minutes
  • Scholarly Debates Surrounding the Measurement of Social Media ROIβ€’5 minutes
  • Vanity Metricsβ€’5 minutes
  • Case Study: Premium Pools and Gardens Pty Ltdβ€’4 minutes
  • An Integrated Approach to Social Media Measurementβ€’4 minutes
  • Stage Two: Implementationβ€’4 minutes
  • Steps to Defining the Most Relevant Metrics to Measure and Analysis Tool Selectionβ€’4 minutes
  • Data Analysis Tool Selectionβ€’4 minutes
1 assignmentβ€’Total 16 minutes
  • Evaluating Social Media Performanceβ€’16 minutes

This module introduces the principles and practical steps of A/B testing in digital marketing, focusing on how to design, implement, and interpret controlled experiments on social media platforms. Learners will explore the scientific method behind split testing, understand its strengths and limitations, and gain skills to analyze real-world marketing data for informed decision-making.

What's included

1 video6 readings1 assignment

1 videoβ€’Total 1 minute
  • Overviewβ€’1 minute
6 readingsβ€’Total 29 minutes
  • Introductionβ€’5 minutes
  • Why A/B Testing?β€’4 minutes
  • Criticisms of A/B Testingβ€’4 minutes
  • Process of A/B Testingβ€’5 minutes
  • Step 4: Create Control and Treatment Groupsβ€’4 minutes
  • Step 6: Analyze the Results, and Reject or Do Not Reject the Null Hypothesisβ€’7 minutes
1 assignmentβ€’Total 16 minutes
  • A/B Testing in Social Mediaβ€’16 minutes

This module explores the evolution of reputation systems from historical marketplaces to modern digital platforms, highlighting their role in building trust and shaping economic and social interactions. Learners will examine how online ratings, reviews, and social credit systems influence behavior and decision-making in today's interconnected world.

What's included

1 video7 readings1 assignment

1 videoβ€’Total 1 minute
  • Overviewβ€’1 minute
7 readingsβ€’Total 42 minutes
  • Introductionβ€’7 minutes
  • A Historical Look at Reputation Systemsβ€’5 minutes
  • The Pursuit of Reputation and Impression Managementβ€’4 minutes
  • Pursuit of Reputation in the Digital Ageβ€’6 minutes
  • The Role of Ratings and Reviews in the Formation of Online Reputationβ€’6 minutes
  • Impact of Reputation Systems: Current and Future Considerationsβ€’6 minutes
  • The Chinese Social Credit System: Integration of Reputation Dataβ€’8 minutes
1 assignmentβ€’Total 16 minutes
  • The Reputation Economy and Its Impactβ€’16 minutes

This module explores the ethical challenges and questionable practices associated with social media influencers, including issues of authenticity, emotional labour, and the complexities of influencer management. Learners will gain insights into the historical context, current practices, and future research directions in influencer marketing ethics.

What's included

1 video5 readings1 assignment

1 videoβ€’Total 1 minute
  • Overviewβ€’1 minute
5 readingsβ€’Total 28 minutes
  • Introductionβ€’6 minutes
  • Unethical Behaviour (Online and Offline) of Social Media Influencersβ€’5 minutes
  • Fake Authenticityβ€’6 minutes
  • Emotional Labourβ€’5 minutes
  • Ethical Leadership Trainingβ€’6 minutes
1 assignmentβ€’Total 16 minutes
  • Ethics and Responsibilities in Influencer Cultureβ€’16 minutes

This module explores the strategies and ethical considerations involved in influencer marketing on social media platforms. Learners will examine disclosure requirements, compensation practices, and the roles of agencies in managing influencer campaigns. By the end, you will understand the impact of influencer marketing on consumer behavior and brand relationships.

What's included

1 video6 readings1 assignment

1 videoβ€’Total 1 minute
  • Overviewβ€’1 minute
6 readingsβ€’Total 32 minutes
  • Introductionβ€’5 minutes
  • Influencer Marketingβ€’5 minutes
  • Advertising Disclosureβ€’8 minutes
  • Recruiting Influencersβ€’5 minutes
  • Compensationβ€’5 minutes
  • Conclusionβ€’4 minutes
1 assignmentβ€’Total 16 minutes
  • Ethics of Social Media Influencer Marketingβ€’16 minutes

This module explores the causes and consequences of incivility within online brand communities, examining both passive and active management strategies from marketing and IT perspectives. Learners will gain insights into how different approaches impact user well-being and brand reputation, and consider practical implications for community management.

What's included

1 video5 readings1 assignment

1 videoβ€’Total 1 minute
  • Overviewβ€’1 minute
5 readingsβ€’Total 33 minutes
  • Introductionβ€’12 minutes
  • Defense Against the Dark Sideβ€’4 minutes
  • Marketing Perspectivesβ€’4 minutes
  • IT Management Perspectivesβ€’5 minutes
  • Practical Implicationsβ€’8 minutes
1 assignmentβ€’Total 16 minutes
  • Managing Incivility in Online Brand Communitiesβ€’16 minutes

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Instructor

Sage Publications
37 Coursesβ€’491 learners

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To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.

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