Social Media Strategy

Learn to create a practical and effective social media strategy. Develop social media objectives, advanced target market profiles, engagement maps and several content development frameworks. This approach is effective regardless of the channels used.

Subject (for registration): Computers-Specialty Programs

Search Engine Marketing (SEM)

Using primary search (employing the latest SEO techniques) and paid search (using Google AdWords), learn proven best practices on running a complete search engine campaign.

Subject (for registration): Computers-Internet/Web Design

Content Marketing Strategy

Promote brand awareness and build loyal communities by creating compelling content, sharing powerful stories and engaging in meaningful conversations. Develop a strategic content marketing strategy and create effective content for various channels, including print and web, blogs, online seminars and videos, infographics, and e-mail.

Subject (for registration): Marketing

Digital Marketing Measurement

Learn to locate, manipulate and analyze data using popular social media channels — such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter — to enable effective, targeted and cost-effective digital marketing  aligned with broader business goals.

Gain practical experience using Google Analytics to objectively measure the performance of online marketing efforts, including important indicators such as awareness, attention, reach and influence.

It is recommended that students taking this course have a basic understanding of social media.

Subject (for registration): Computers-Speciality Programs

Advertising on Social Media

Learn how to promote your organization and its products or services by developing, launching and monitoring paid advertising on  social media networks, including LinkedIn, Snapchat and Reddit. Gain an understanding of planning and budgeting, accessing advertising exchanges, designing and writing campaigns, and analyzing your marketing return on investment. While not required, students are encouraged to apply course concepts to their own or their organization's social media accounts.

Subject (for registration): Computers-Speciality Programs

Word-of-Mouth Marketing (WOMM)

Companies that garner positive word of mouth have a competitive advantage over those that don't. Marketing strength lies with customers who choose to share engaging content with friends, family and even strangers. Through case studies, examine powerful brands and companies that have grown via word of mouth.

Subject (for registration): Marketing

Social Media Strategies and Crisis Communication

Delve into social media strategies and determine how to utilize them as professionals. Social media used for business and organizations by public relations and communication management professionals is significantly different than personal use. Social media can also inflame online and offline issues into crisis situations. This course reviews social media strategies for public relations and communication management as well as providing direction and guidance on preparing for and navigating through crisis communications situations.

Subject (for registration): Basic Public Relations

Brand Strategy

Developing and marketing a brand is increasingly complex. Explore key strategies and steps for defining, building and managing a strong brand. Using case studies and practical real-world exercises, examine characteristics of great brands, and learn to develop and execute a brand strategy.

Subject (for registration): Marketing

The job market for social and digital media marketing professionals is dynamic and rapidly growing.  According to the American Marketing Association, the future outlook is positive. 

There is a wide range of digital media marketing jobs, from entry level, mid-career and senior management roles. Positions include digital marketing specialist, social media coordinator, marketing assistant, content developer, brand manager and marketing manager.

To view digital marketing-related job postings currently available in Canada, please visit Indeed.ca.*

*The job opportunities posted on the above website are provided solely for the student's information. Mount Royal does not endorse, screen or evaluate these opportunities and has no control over the accuracy of the postings or the quality or safety of the opportunities advertised. It is the student's responsibility to investigate these opportunities to ensure that they are appropriate and meet the student's expectations.

Robert Schmidt B.Sc., MBA

Robert Schmidt loves to stand out. He's like Mr. Incredible meets Mr. Spock meets Mr. Dressup. Visionary, analytical and ultra-creative; without the tights, the ears or the tickle-trunk.

With a B.Sc. in Molecular Biology and Genetics (University of Calgary), years of study on buyer psychology and an executive MBA (Haskayne School of Business) focused on innovation, Robert combines the analytical rigour of science with the openness of psychology and the practicality of business.

He is a marketing and strategy professional whose experience has taken him to the executive suites and political boardrooms of organizations based in Canada, the United States, Southeast Asia and South America. His client list includes billion-dollar corporations as well many start-up and mid-sized companies.

Robert's work has been profiled in journals and in academic settings and he has addressed diverse corporate and entrepreneurial audiences at Mount Royal University, the Haskayne School of Business, Edwards School of Business and numerous business organizations.

He positions his own marketing communications firm, reBox Creative Inc., to stand out well beyond their crowded market space.

Kat Macaulay

As an early adopter of social media, Kat is a pioneer of the new rules of marketing and public relations. She was named an entrepreneur to watch by Inc. Magazine, and her work has been featured in publications nationally and internationally.

Kat is known for making difficult topics easier to understand and more entertaining. She's worked with some of the world's largest brands and counselled dozens of senior leaders, helping them navigate and leverage social media in ways that matter.

She is the creator and host of the Facebook Live show "Social Media Questions with Kat" where she responds to social media and digital marketing questions from marketers, business owners and entrepreneurs.

Kat holds a degree in History and Political Science from Mount Allison University, as well as an Advanced Diploma in Public Relations from NSCC. But her social media education began in 2005 when she accepted an invitation to Facebook and continues today.

When Kat isn't busy teaching, she's planning her retirement to Cape Breton.

You can find Kat at takcam.com and on Facebook.

Dalyce Semko Suanez BA (Hons), MBA

Dalyce Semko Suanez has more than 10 years of experience in international communications. After completing her BA Honours degree at the University of Saskatchewan, Dalyce went on to obtain an MBA at Schiller International University in Heidelberg, Germany, and Madrid, Spain.

Kicking off her professional career in Paris, France, Dalyce was the Northern Europe Team Manager at Open2Europe, a multinational media relations agency. In 2006, Dalyce relocated to Canada and founded the North American operations of the group, Open2America.

She leads teams of international communication professionals and specializes in localizing European and Chinese companies for the North American market. Her diverse client base includes private companies in the high-tech, solar, tourism and design industries. Dalyce has also worked in the public sector, bringing visibility to international delegations and government groups.

Dalyce is a true teacher at heart and enjoys sharing her knowledge with her students.

Karen Richards

As the Word of Mouth Marketing Strategist at Mount Royal University, Karen combines marketing, grassroots community initiatives, a love of brand, technology and social media to ensure she, and the university, are always ahead of the curve. Karen's passion is embracing and creatively implementing word of mouth marketing principles to meet business goals while cultivating a loyal community in person and online that help spread the good word about MRU.

Karen holds a Bachelor degree in Psychology from the University of Calgary, and is an active member of the international Word of Mouth Marketing Association, presenter and workshop facilitator, and is personally very active in the Calgary community using social media to create unique events and connect people with businesses, charities and each other.

David Howse

David administered the world's largest Facebook Group for marketers (Marketing 2.0) in 2007.

Originating in Lethbridge, Alberta, he established David Howse Marketing, a one-man operation that grew its client base by gaining the trust of local businesses. In 2015, his company merged with Salmon Dev Studios Inc. a specialized IT company, to form Matterhorn Business Solutions Inc.

David manages and executes marketing strategies for several prominent Calgary businesses in a range of sectors. Clients include Borger Group of Companies, Waterford Station Land Development and Q Haute Cuisine. For more details, visit davidhowse.com.

David has a marketing diploma from College of the North Atlantic and a management degree from the University of Lethbridge.

Gwendolyn Richards

Gwendolyn Richards is a Calgary-based freelance writer, social media enthusiast and the author of Pucker: A Cookbook for Citrus Lovers who also teaches journalism at Mount Royal University. 

A long-time journalist who spent many years covering news for the Calgary Herald, Gwendolyn was an early adopter of social media, recognizing the myriad benefits of digital communication tools, including the ability to engage with an audience, drive conversation and build brands.  

She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts, specializing in Writing, from the University of Victoria and earned her Master of Journalism at UBC.  

Her journalism work has appeared in publications across the country, including Avenue Magazine, Culinaire, WestJet Magazine and the Globe and Mail. She also writes for a variety of Calgary- and B.C.-based organizations, focusing on corporate communications and marketing, including social media posts.