2875 - Foundations in Digital Communications Strategy & Social Media in the Age of AI

Course Description

Since AI systems began mediating how online audiences discover information, leading organizations are integrating PR tactics into their marketing and communications strategies. With AI-powered search now prioritizing authoritative content that demonstrates real world expertise over keyword-optimized content, PR's core strength, of building credibility, thought leadership, and trust through compelling narratives, has become essential to discoverability and brand authority.

This course teaches learners how to develop a digital communications strategy for the age of "zero-click search" and "zero-click social," where audiences consume content without necessarily visiting websites. Through hands-on projects, learners will create a multimedia blog optimized for Google's E-E-A-T framework (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness), use generative AI tools as strategic consultants for audience analysis and goal-setting, and apply Gini Dietrich’s PESO Model® to distribute their content across paid, earned, shared, and owned channels. Learners will finish by measuring performance across these channels to identify what resonates, and why, building skills that can be adapted as platforms and algorithms change.

By course end, learners will understand how AI-driven discovery has reinforced the strategic importance of PR and will be equipped to build digital communications programs that establish lasting authority with both human audiences and AI systems.

Learning Outcomes

• Take a strategic and ethical approach to digital communications management
• Integrate multimodal generative AI tools into your content planning and creation
• Create a multimedia blog optimized for Google's E-E-A-T framework (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness)
• Apply advances in AI to search and generative engine optimization (SEO and GEO)
• Apply effective community management practices to navigate legal, ethical, and privacy issues
• Measure, evaluate and adjust your communications strategies and tactics
• Build relationships, communities, and cultures of trust.

This course may be applied towards the SCS Certificate(s) in

• Digital Strategy & Communications Management : Required Courses, Require Courses Option 2, Require Courses Option 3
• Marketing : Elective, electives option 1
• Marketing - Advanced : Main Courses
• Strategic Public Relations : Required Courses