Sage Publications

Research Methods and Insights in Social Media Marketing

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Sage Publications

Research Methods and Insights in Social Media Marketing

Sage Instructors

Instructor: Sage Instructors

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

Recommended experience

7 hours to complete
Flexible schedule
Learn at your own pace
Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
Beginner level

Recommended experience

7 hours to complete
Flexible schedule
Learn at your own pace

What you'll learn

  • Analyze social media data using big data and sentiment analysis techniques

  • Evaluate global platform trends and virality in online networks

  • Apply research methods to inform data-driven social media strategies

Details to know

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Recently updated!

June 2026

Assessments

8 assignments

Taught in English

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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.
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  • Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
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There are 8 modules in this course

This module introduces the foundational concepts and processes of social media research using big data, highlighting key analytics techniques such as content and network analysis. Learners will explore the technical and ethical challenges unique to social network site (SNS) research and gain an understanding of the enabling technologies that drive large-scale social data analysis.

What's included

1 video5 readings1 assignment

This module examines the concept of digital dialogue within social media and marketing, exploring its theoretical foundations, methodological challenges, and practical implications for research. Learners will gain insight into how dialogue shapes consumer-brand interactions and discover analytical approaches for studying digital conversations. The module also introduces step-by-step methods for identifying and analyzing dialogic exchanges in online environments.

What's included

1 video8 readings1 assignment

This module introduces key techniques for collecting and analyzing emotion and sentiment data in digital environments. Learners will explore various data collection methods, understand the challenges of sentiment analysis, and review popular automated tools used in management research. By the end, participants will be equipped to critically assess and apply emotion analysis approaches in real-world contexts.

What's included

1 video7 readings1 assignment

This module explores how ideas, behaviors, and content spread through online networks, drawing on historical and contemporary examples of social contagion and virality. Learners will investigate the psychological, social, and algorithmic factors that drive viral phenomena and examine strategies used to maximize content reach. The module also considers the evolving impact of social media on information dissemination and societal trends.

What's included

1 video6 readings1 assignment

This module introduces the fundamentals of eye tracking as a tool for analyzing visual attention and cognitive processing in social media contexts. Learners will explore theoretical frameworks, key measurement techniques, and visualization methods, as well as emerging research directions in this rapidly evolving field.

What's included

1 video6 readings1 assignment

This module explores global patterns of social media usage, the defining features of major platforms, and the geopolitical factors shaping their adoption across different regions. Learners will gain insights into the classification of social media platforms and the challenges of conducting social media analytics in a global context.

What's included

1 video8 readings1 assignment

This module explores the rapid evolution of China's digital economy, focusing on the rise of e-commerce and m-commerce platforms such as Taobao, Tmall, and WeChat. Learners will examine the cultural, technological, and economic factors that have shaped China's unique digital retail landscape and consider the implications for global marketers. Key topics include the commercialization of Singles' Day, the mobile payments revolution, and the emergence of super apps.

What's included

1 video7 readings1 assignment

This module explores how social media data can be leveraged to inform and enhance digital placemaking strategies. Learners will discover key concepts such as place attachment and social cohesion, and gain hands-on experience with tools like CrowdTangle, Twitter Academic Track, and NodeXL for analyzing and visualizing social media data in community contexts.

What's included

1 video5 readings1 assignment

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Instructor

Sage Instructors
Sage Publications
28 Courses175 learners

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