Course offers hands-on marketing experience

The students completed a social media audit to better understand their client's brand and competitors, then created three and a half weeks of content. At the end of the semester, they presented marketing plans that will allow their clients to keep brand consistency in the future.

Olivia Valente, a senior from Dahlonega, Georgia, pursuing a degree in marketing with a digital marketing concentration and a minor in studio art, was part of the group creating social media content for Farmhouse Coffee. It was another valuable experience alongside her social media work with an internship at an automobile glass company and for her sorority, Delta Phi Epsilon.

Valente appreciated the chance to create a consistent brand voice and work in a group.

"If you're interested in anything in the realm of social media or digital marketing, this is a great way to get your foot in the door and see if you like it," Valente said. "This has made me want to do it more."

Cate Cole, a senior from Dahlonega, Georgia, who is also pursuing a degree in marketing with a digital marketing concentration and a minor in graphic design, was also part of the Farmhouse group. Cole was able to compare the differences between Farmhouse and her internship at a nonprofit, where she also creates social media content.

She encourages others to take advantage of this course that gives them hands-on experience.

"It can't hurt to try it, even if you don't want to be a social media manager," Cole said. "It forces you to learn so much about everything in digital marketing."

Farmhouse Coffee owner Stephen Martin said the assistance from students reinvigorated his company's social media presence. Farmhouse has locations in Braselton, Cleveland, Demorest, and Gainesville. He appreciated sharing about Farmhouse's values to guide the students' process. In turn, they crafted messaging that increased customer engagement on social media, reminding Martin of the value of actively responding to those comments.

"It's been a great experience," Martin said. "They're taking their creativity and merging it with our brand."

Jenna Wood, a senior from Buford, Georgia, pursuing a degree in marketing with a concentration in digital marketing, said learning how to navigate client feedback and create a mutually beneficial solution was valuable. The class satisfied her need for creativity.

"It's really rewarding. You get to learn a lot about yourself and the industry, as well," Wood said. "It's a good way to put yourself out there. This class has solidified that I want to do social media for a career."

Muñoz was grateful that students embraced the opportunity.

"It's so important to have these applied experiences," Muñoz said. "The best way to understand social media is working with clients."