Universitat Internacional de Catalunya

Online Community Management

Online Community Management
3
16203
1
First semester
OB
Main language of instruction: English

Other languages of instruction: Catalan, Spanish

Teaching staff


Dr. PERELLÓ SOBREPERE, Marc - mperello@uic.es

Students can arrange a tutorial or contact the professor via email at mperello@uic.es

Introduction

Contemporary communication takes place within a digital ecosystem where audiences no longer simply receive content, but also participate, share and build communities around brands, media, institutions and shared interests.

This course introduces students to digital communication and online community management, covering areas such as audience analysis, digital identity, content strategy, storytelling, social platforms, engagement, online reputation and performance measurement.

Pre-course requirements

No. 

Objectives

  1. Understand how the emergence of the Internet has transformed marketing, communication, business, and culture.

  2. Identify and master the main tools of Marketing in this digital context.

  3. Understand the new ways of producing and disseminating content through digital tools.

  4. Develop a personal branding strategy.

  5. Apply knowledge of innovative practices in digital marketing focused on specific and measurable objectives.

  6. Develop digital marketing and communication action plans.

  7. Master the most relevant content management tools.

Competences/Learning outcomes of the degree programme

  • 06 CG - The ability to read, analyze and synthesize
  • 08 CG - The ability to reflect and memorize.
  • 09 CG - The ability to innovate
  • 10 CG - Knowledge and mastery of bibliographic repertoires
  • 16 CE - The ability to make judgments and well-argued critical assessments
  • 23 CE - The ability to contextualize and critically analyze mass media products
  • 24 CE - The ability to contextualize and critically analyze contemporary legal and political institutions
  • 25 CE - Ability to contextualize and critically analyze macroeconomic aspects
  • 38 CE - Knowledge and mastery of concepts, data, statistics and economic graphs
  • 54 CE - The ability to analyze and understand audiences

Learning outcomes of the subject

  1. Understand how the digital ecosystem and social media platforms operate.

  2. Identify the main formats, channels and languages of digital communication.

  3. Plan and manage content for social media profiles.

  4. Develop basic strategies to build, activate and manage digital communities.

  5. Use basic metrics and tools to evaluate and improve content and community performance.

Syllabus

  • Topic 1. The Digital Ecosystem: From Audiences to Communities
  • Topic 2. Digital Audiences: Segmentation, Behaviours and Personas
  • Topic 3. Digital Identity: Values, Purpose and Tone of Voice
  • Topic 4. Content Strategy: Objectives, Content Pillars and Planning
  • Topic 5. Storytelling and Digital Narratives
  • Topic 6. Social Media, Platforms and Digital Formats
  • Topic 7. The Stadium of Validation: Influence and Behaviour in Digital Communities
  • Topic 8. Engagement and Online Community Management
  • Topic 9. Digital Reputation and Online Crisis Management
  • Topic 10. Analytics, Metrics and Social Listening

Teaching and learning activities

In person



  • Lectures — students are encouraged to take notes to assimilate key concepts, ask questions and prepare for class discussions and activities.
  • Practical activities — application of course content through exercises, case analysis and activities related to digital communication and online communities.
  • Class participation — participation in discussions and activities, active listening and constructive feedback to classmates and the professor are encouraged and valued.

Evaluation systems and criteria

In person



1. Class Participation — 10%

Active participation in class discussions, exercises and activities will be assessed, together with active listening, preparation for class and constructive feedback provided to classmates.

2. Group Assignment — UIC Promotional Video — 40%

Working in groups of 2 or 3, students will create a 1-minute promotional video in vertical format, designed for platforms such as TikTok, Instagram Reels or similar, with the aim of promoting UIC to a specific audience.

Students must define the target audience, key message and creative approach, applying the digital communication and storytelling principles covered in class. Assessment will consider the creative concept, narrative structure, suitability for the audience and format, quality of execution and ability to capture attention and generate interest.

The video must be uploaded to the virtual campus and presented in class, where students will explain and defend their creative and strategic decisions.

3. Individual Assignment — Digital Communication and Community Strategy — 50%

Each student will develop a digital communication and community management plan for a real company or organisation, integrating the concepts covered throughout the course.

The project should include, among other elements:

  • analysis of the organisation and its current digital presence;

  • definition and analysis of the target audience;

  • communication objectives;

  • identity, values and tone of voice;

  • selection of platforms and channels;

  • content strategy and content pillars;

  • proposed editorial calendar;

  • visual examples, mock-ups or content prototypes;

  • actions to encourage participation and manage the community;

  • metrics and indicators to evaluate performance.

The project must be developed directly in presentation format —PowerPoint, Canva or any other format suitable for presenting to an audience— and must be uploaded to the virtual campus and defended orally in class.

The oral presentation will carry significant weight in the assessment. Students will be expected to present and defend their proposal clearly, professionally and persuasively, as if they were presenting it to the organisation’s decision-makers.

Important

  • To pass the course, students must obtain a minimum final grade of 5 out of 10.

  • Assessment will be based on class participation and activities, as well as the individual and group assignments established throughout the course.

  • Students who fail the first assessment period will be required to complete a final reassessment assignment, which will account for 100% of the grade in the second assessment period.

  • Students who do not pass the second assessment period will be required to retake the course.

Bibliography and resources

Alphabetical Order

  1. Berger, J. (2013). Contagious: Why Things Catch On. Simon & Schuster.

  2. Chayka, K. (2024). Filterworld: How Algorithms Flattened Culture. Doubleday.

  3. Gillespie, T. (2018). Custodians of the Internet: Platforms, Content Moderation, and the Hidden Decisions That Shape Social Media. Yale University Press.

  4. Hund, E. (2023). The Influencer Industry: The Quest for Authenticity on Social Media. Princeton University Press.

  5. Jenkins, H., Ford, S., & Green, J. (2013). Spreadable Media: Creating Value and Meaning in a Networked Culture. New York University Press.

  6. Perelló-Sobrepere, M. (2026). ¿Me lo compro? La realidad del consumo, la influencia social y el papel de las marcas. Libros de Cabecera.

  7. Perelló-Sobrepere, M. (2026). The stadium of validation: A framework for understanding modern consumer decision making in the age of social media and algorithms. Journal of Digital & Social Media Marketing, 14(2).

  8. Shirky, C. (2008). Here Comes Everybody: The Power of Organizing Without Organizations. Penguin Press.

  9. Thompson, D. (2017). Hit Makers: The Science of Popularity in an Age of Distraction. Penguin Press.

  10. van Dijck, J., Poell, T., & de Waal, M. (2018). The Platform Society: Public Values in a Connective World. Oxford University Press.

Additional academic articles, case studies and digital resources will be provided throughout the course.

Print version