Social media tools and web technologies are increasingly being used by business as a serious communication and analytical tool for organisations. Establishing a presence on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter or Linkedin has become a reality for many organisations. However, just having a presence on these popular sites is not enough. Developing an integrated on-line Social Media strategy that can generate business provides a new set of challenges for many businesses. Such a strategy must be strategically planned and results carefully measured. The students on the BSc (Hons) Degree in Social Media and Web Technologies will develop strategies for social media policy and use digital tools to create and use social media websites to grow and track online communities. They will develop web technology skills to integrate social media marketing with offline marketing and will use analytical tools to measure performance from Social Media sites and how to turn your “likes” and “tweets” into long-term customers. The students will also study business elements and the legal risks associated with social media and web technologies. This skill set is invaluable for employers who require competent, technically enabled graduates who can create and track their presence on social media sites. Entrepreneurial skills will also be developed and fostered in students to enable them to become self-employed.

Government reports on employability and skills shortages have all identified the social media and web technology market as an ever-expanding growth sector and one that requires highly-skilled, responsive and technologically adept graduates. A much broader and more diverse role has emerged in industry for graduates with the knowledge and skills to look deep behind an organisation’s website to understand, for example, how content affects a website’s performance; how testing, changing and optimising that content in real-time can be the difference between a business struggling to be visible online and a business which can dominate its online space. Below is a sample of the specific key positions that industry demands. What is clear is that a blend of skills from the disciplines of data analytics, web development and marketing is in strong demand: * Business Analyst * Business Reporting Analyst * Data Analyst * Online Web Analyst * Sales & Market Intelligence Manager * Search Quality Associate * SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) Specialist * Web Content Manager * Marketing Web Developer These job opportunities are identified from .com start-ups, the traditional SME sector, public sector, global social giants and other sectors. Furthermore, demand is not industry specific. Job title and opportunities continue to evolve in this every-expanding job market which our new BSc (Hons) in Social Media with Web Technologies aims to target.