Students will audit the digital footprint and content strategy of an Atlanta-area non profit organization (NP) and advise on possible improvements or new directions. The work of the audit team will be based on thorough research on the NP’s website, social media accounts, network analysis, and appearance in other media. The assignment will conclude with a 3000-word client-facing Content Strategy Report addressed to the NP.
Roles: Every team member is a writer on the project. One student will serve as project manager (PM). Other students will pick up roles that fit their expertise and/or interest area. These roles are intended to be flexible for each team. This list of roles is not exhaustive, and if a team decides to further define or differentiate roles, they should feel free to do so and inform me about the change. No role is mandatory or required for each team; they are only useful for assigning and completing the work of the project.
- Editor
- Designer
- Researcher
- Website analysis
- Social media/network analysis
- Narrative analysis
- Visual analysis
WordPress report structure: The structure of your report should be designed with the unique circumstances of your NP in mind; for example, you may decide to concentrate a large section of your report towards social media usage or storytelling depending on the analysis of your team and the needs of the NP. However, each report should include:
- An introduction page to the NP and its digital footprint
- 200-400 words; 2 paragraphs
- 1 header image
- Includes links to the remaining project components
- Three specific action pages, each providing a clear guidance statement, analysis, context, concrete action steps, and a rationale
- 500-700 words per page
- At least 3 images per section (1 header and at least 2 visual evidence examples, see below)
- At least 8 pieces of evidence (quotes, screenshots, academic or journalistic research, design examples, peer org content, etc.)
- What should be changed, in term of digital strategy?
- Why should that change be enacted?
- A conclusion page concentrating on the who, how, and when components of implementation
- 400-600 words
- 1 header image
- Who in the org will be best suited for this work?
- How can this work best be accomplished (considering current resources)?
- When can the strategy be realistically implemented (ie. provide a timeline)?
Teams should decide who will edit and publish the work and what permissions if any, need to be granted.
Meetings: At least four project meetings will be held between Weeks Eight and Twelve. Any student missing one of those meetings needs to schedule a 15 minute meeting with their PM or me to review the scope of the assignment and their own participation. Teams need to hold at least two more team meetings before the final project is complete.
The Content Strategy Report is due (with a link to the introduction page) in the appropriate thread on #activities in Discord during Week Twelve.
Presentations on the report will be scheduled during Week Thirteen.
