Final Assessment

Social Media and Business

To: Dr. Arthur Khaw By: James Steele

ENG-201 Technical Writing

25 February 2012

Dear Dr. Khaw: Attached is Social Media and Business: Final Assessment, 2012 as required to complete this course. The subject of this report varies slightly from my initial report, however with an internal move in my company I am now working in the Social Media field as well as technical support. This information has been gathered from multiple sources and articles online. From information I obtained while researching for this report, my decision to accept this position will give me invaluable experience in a fast growing career field. Sincerely, James Steele

ABSTRACT This report examines the fast growing and fast paced social media industry. Social media has evolved over the years from simple bulletin board system (BBS) and internet relay chat (IRC) to todays Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and more. The report lists typical jobs and their descriptions in this field and some general qualifications that are required by employers. It provides samples of posted jobs currently available for people seeking a job in the social media field.

TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION History of Social Media Social Media in the Future CAREER OPTIONS IN SOCIAL MEDIA Job Market Demand and Salary Recommended Education and Experience Typical Jobs of the Industry Social Media Intern Social Media Specialist Social Media Manager Vice President, Social Media CONCLUSION WORKS CITED APPENDICIES Appendix A (Comcast) Appendix B (Home Depot)

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INTRODUCTION History of Social Media Social media is not a new concept. It has been around in many forms since the beginning of the internet. The first bulletin board system (BBS) was designed and launched in 1978, allowing users to share information and post announcements. Then we fast forward to 1997, when the internet reached a milestone with one million websites and blogging became a popular hobby. The very next year Google began with a search engine. Friendster was launched in 2002, and marked the beginning of modern social media as we know it today. MySpace was launched in 2003 as a clone of Friendster, as well as the early version of Facebook and LinkedIn. Twitter started in 2006, and in 2008 Facebook surpassed MySpace in the number of unique visitors (Chapman). Comcast started its own twitter account in 2008, @ComcastCares, to offer customer support through twitter (Reisner). Today there are over 500 million registered accounts on twitter (Dugan) and over 845 million active monthly and 483 million active daily Facebook users (Facebook). Social Media and the Future The applications of social media are limitless. More users join the top social media outlets every day. It is projected that Twitter alone will reach 1 billion accounts in another year and a half with the current growth rates (Dugan). Worldwide, 82% of internet users have used social networks, and spend more time on social media websites than any other internet activity, averaging 1 of every 5 minutes on the internet, over 6 billion hours per month (Its a Social World).

Graph Copyright 2011 morpheo-project.org

CAREER OPTIONS IN SOCIAL MEDIA

Job Market Demand and Salary Most social media positions fall under Public Relations. There were approximately 275,200 public relations specialists in 2008. This number is expected to grow to 341,300 by 2018, a 24% increase in the number of available jobs. There is a high level of competition for entry-level jobs in public relations, with the number of qualified applicants exceeding the number of available jobs. The salary range for these positions range from under $30,000 to over $97,000 per year (bls.gov) Recommended Education and Experience A majority of entry-level jobs in social media require a 4 year degree in the public relations, communications, or journalism fields. Most companies also require between 2 and 4 years of experience with social media or a related field.

Typical Jobs in the Industry Social Media Intern An internship will typically require less experience, and may or may not have an education requirement. This will allow you to get your foot in the door and give you the opportunity that is required for better jobs in this field. These opportunities can be part time, full time or temporary, and can be paid or unpaid. During an internship you can expect to do jobs around the office such as sorting mail, taking calls, and other duties as assigned (Comcast Jobs) Social Media Specialist Some duties of a social media specialist is to erite and edit corporate press releases, media kit materials, procure and develop unique content to support PR and social media efforts and initiatives (Home Depot). Social Media Manager A social media manager is the next step up the ladder. The typical duties of a social media manager include conceptualizing, creating, executing, managing, measuring and evaluating social media programs (UCLA). Vice President, Social Media Some companies also have positions as high as vice president in the social media field. They are usually in charge of more than just the social media department, usually including all methods of internet communication including the website (Fidelity).

CONCLUSION At this time there are jobs open in social media that spans across several different types of business. This is a rapidly growing field, with the potential to advance up the corporate ladder. There is a lot of competition in this field, however if you have the drive to succeed and like a high paced, very public work environment, this could be the career field for you.

WORKS CITED Facebook Newsroom Fact Sheet. December 2011. Facebook. Web. 24 Feb. 2012. Public Relations Specialists. May 2008. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. Web. 24 Feb. 2012. Chapman, Cameron. History and Evolution of Social Media. 2010. Webdesigner Depot. Web. 24 Feb. 2012. Dugan, Lauren. Twitter to Surpass 500 Million Registered Users on Wednesday. 21 Feb. 2012. Mediabistro. Web. 24 Feb. 2012. Reisner, Rebecca. Comcasts Twitter Man. 13 Jan. 2009. Bloomburg Businessweek. Web. 24 Feb. 2012. Social Media Marketing Intern. February 2012. Comcast Jobs. Web. 24 Feb. 2012. Social Media Controller. January 2012. The Emirates Group Careers Centre. 24 Feb. 2012. Program Promotion Manager I. February 2012. University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). 24 Feb. 2012. VP, Social Media and Digital Services. February 2012. Fidelity. 24 Feb. 2012. Social Media Specialist External Affairs. February 2012. Home Depot. 24 Feb 2012. Its a Social World: Top 10 Need-to-Knows About Social Networking and Where Its Headed. 21 Dec. 2011. comScore Inc. 24 Feb. 2012. Motti, Vivian. Context Information for Social Applications. 09 January 2012. Morefeo-Project.org. Web. 24 Feb. 2012.

APPENDICIES Appendix A Social Media Marketing Intern Tasks: - Opens, sorts, and distributes mail. - Processes routine items and records. - Answers phones and takes messages or provides information. - Operates various office equipment. - Assists with projects to ensure deadlines are met. - Regular, consistent and punctual attendance. Must be able to work nights and weekends, variable schedule(s) and overtime as necessary. - Other duties and responsibilities as assigned. Intern Job Description: Marketing Communications is seeking a Social Media Marketing Intern. As a Social Media Marketing Intern for Marketing Communications, you will be an integral part of the team responsible for driving traffic, building brand awareness, affinity & retention of Comcast's customer-focused products, tools, and campaigns. In this role, you will measure and report a tangible ROI across all campaigns. You will also help to activate social media channels to drive awareness and views of TV/Movie content available on Comcast's properties. And you will execute on tactics for promotions and campaigns that support business objectives. We're looking for a candidate who is excited to play a key in the future of social media for Comcast Marketing Communications and a true self-starter who can work effectively across many groups within the company. And has a passion for TV and emerging trends. DUTIES: - Develop and deliver reports that express marketing value for social media programs and our brand - Post videos to YouTube channel and utilize metadata to optimize rankings - Analyze and interpret data from FB, TWT API, Youtube, FourSquare, Google Analytics, other to drive future marketing strategies - Guide team on best practices for how to optimize on-line campaigns - Work closely with other team members to seek information and clarification - ensuring work product meets expectations and goals - Stay abreast of latest trends in the industry with constant research - Day-to-day management of the branded social channels to measure and provide analysis for - XFINITY Facebook page, XFINITY Latino FB Page, XFINITY4College FB Page, @xfinity_TV twitter account, XFINITY YouTube channel, and soon to be launched Google+

- Coordination of social media marketing campaigns with various departments - Other responsibilities include support of special projects Marketing Communications Department description: Help to ensure consistency of Comcast's messages to key audiences. Executes new communications and value-added strategies, as well as continuing to focus on and identify key internal and external opportunities to leverage new communications programs and initiatives. Skills Requirements: - High School or Equivalent - Generally requires 0-2 years related experience

Appendix B SOCIAL MEDIA SPECIALIST EXTERNAL AFFAIRS POSITION PURPOSE The External Communications and Social Media Specialist will be responsible for supporting a Senior Manager in driving strategic collaboration, tactical execution and measurement of PR and social media efforts. Objectives include, supporting merchandising and marketing priorities, growing engagement, as well as driving traffic and awareness. MAJOR TASKS, RESPONSIBILITIES AND KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES -Write and edit corporate press releases, media kit materials, issue briefs, and other communications materials -Procure and develop unique content to support PR and social media efforts and initiatives -Track, analyze, optimize and report on PR and social media programs to increase ROI -Explore and evaluate emerging social media opportunities and tools for use in meeting business goals and objectives; share knowledge with key stakeholders in the organization -Conduct proactive media outreach and strategic story development -Respond to reactive media inquires -Manage all regional company spokespeople (Homers) -Works closely with Information Technology to drive content development for Marketing and Service content across all digital channels. -Monitor effective benchmarks for measuring the impact of social media programs, analyze, review and report on effectiveness if campaigns and effort to maximize results. -Monitor trends in social media tools and applications. NATURE AND SCOPE -

Reports to Sr. Manager External Communications and Social Media MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS -Must be eighteen years of age or older. -Must pass the Drug Test. -Must pass Background Check. EDUCATION REQUIRED The knowledge, skills and abilities typically acquired through the completion of a bachelor's degree program or equivalent degree in a field of study related to the job. YEARS OF RELEVANT WORK EXPERIENCE - 3-5 PHYSICAL JOB REQUIREMENTS Most of the time is spent sitting in a comfortable position and there is frequent opportunity to move about. On rare occasions there may be a need to move or lift light articles. ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATIONS 1-2 Social Media experience with a strong focus on Web 2.0 Technologies KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES AND COMPETENCIES -Strong communication skills both verbal and written -Savvy and knowledgeable of social media trends and innovations. Depth of knowledge with social media, viral and online word-of-mouth best practices -Solid understanding of PR, social media and digital metrics -Ability to build close relationships with the press to improve effectiveness of pitching activities