UCLA X425 Course Blog

By UCLA X425 Student Michael Uemura

Watch for Penguin and Panda? A Survival Guide for the SEO Jungle

Michael Uemura

Trekking the SEO landscape can feel like being lost in a jungle. There is so much going on, so much competition, and so many unexpected things popping up. Survival in this harsh territory requires certain skills and knowledge in order to thrive. Clark Benson is a thriver in the SEO world; he is founder and CEO of Ranker.com, a website that hosts ranking lists on everything from the tastiest gluten free crackers to the most attractive celebrities, all based on votes by its users. Clark came to our class with tips on how to compete effectively in the world of SEO. Continue reading →

By UCLA X425 Student Kirby Verceles

Kirby Verceles

Savvy marketers understand the importance of maximizing their presence on the Internet, and they’re increasingly turning to social media to help with search engine optimization (SEO). Clark Benson is founder and CEO of Ranker.com, a website designed for crowd-sourced rankings of everything from the tastiest gluten free crackers to the most attractive celebrities. Benson brought his experience as a serial entrepreneur to chat with our social media class about the ins and outs of SEO. Continue reading →

By UCLA X425 Student Denice Savant

Denice Savant

SEO: Science, Art or both? 

Statistics tell us that people searching the web generally do not look past the first page of search results. This behavior presents opportunities for the savvy SEO professional who understands how to create great content, generate inbound links and leverage social media. At the same time, it presents a problem for what I would call early SEO rogues, who have in the past manipulated the system at the cost of content and integrity. Continue reading →

By UCLA X425 Student Jennifer Nguyen

Jennifer Nguyen

A one-two punch: Chris Lam and Dan Portnoy knockout Social Content PR in Week 3

Content PR is what drives a brand’s strategy. It’s a tactic used to complete a strategy and get a brand seen, heard, and engaged by customers. What is social content? It’s the items posted on social media sites for customers, and sometimes even BY customers. It’s content like videos, infographics or Facebook posts that fans can respond to or share — it’s anything that gives customers an incentive to get involved and feel a part of the brand community. Continue reading →

By UCLA X425 Student Kaci Bacher

Kaci Bacher

Once upon a time, there was a man named Dan Portnoy who was and is to this day a “Head Honcho.”  I’m not really sure I can fully recall all of the details of his professional background (no offense but I think this drives my point).  You see, like most Americans, I am dealing with a case of information overload coupled with a slight case of ADD.  What I DO recall about Mr. Portnoy is that he is a really great STORY TELLER. Continue reading →

By UCLA X425 Student Elissa Oblath-J

Elissa Oblath-J

Fast-talking, wisdom-nugget-dropping social and mobile marketing guru Serena Ehrlich made us all smarter on April 23rd. Her first suggestion? Get a personalized necklace with your Twitter handle.

Continue reading →

By UCLA X425 Student Scott Matulis

Scott Matulis

According to Serena, she is six-feet two-inches tall. Her chest, or actually just above it, is right where people look.

Here are a few quotes from her lecture: Continue reading →

By UCLA X425 Student Christopher Roberts

Christopher Roberts

One, two, three, GO! From 0 to 100 mph in less than three seconds, this is how I would describe my encounter with Serena Ehrlich. It’s not often I can say that someone’s reputation precedes them, but in this case the warnings were right on. Continue reading →

By UCLA X425 Student Brad Delva

Brad Delava

“Understanding Social Media Tools with Serena Ehrlich”

Guest speaker Serena Ehrlich came to the classroom with incredible energy and captivated the class with her social media expertise until well after the 10PM end time. Continue reading →

By UCLA X425 Student Bonnie Brown

Bonnie Brown

If the internet is a track being traversed by the most intricately connected train imaginable, consider Matt Meeks the deft engineer of the social media express. All aboard to bypass internet tumbleweed and reach the real destination, which Meeks has announced loud and clear, “the people are the platform.” Continue reading →

By UCLA X425 Student Samantha Hernandez

Samantha Hernandez

Our Week 1 guest speaker was Matt Meeks, Vice President/Director of Prophesee for Initiative, a global media-planning agency. Matt began our conversation by introducing himself and providing his career background. A few highlights include studying public relations in college, working in marketing for several years before starting his own agency in 2007, and a stint with Warner Bros. Entertainment Group just prior to his current job. After introducing himself and his background, Matt spoke to us about a variety of topics. Continue reading →

Today is a profoundly exciting time to work in the communications field. Technology is empowering anyone with Internet access to connect and be heard. It’s a brave new world filled with opportunity, as well as peril.

This course is designed to bring experienced and aspiring communications professionals up-to-speed on the latest strategies, tools and tactics for social media success. While social media involves many disciplines and business functions (from IT and marketing to customer service), we will focus exclusively on what it means for people working in PR and related fields.

We have some amazing guest speakers planned. Each is a respected authority in his or her area of expertise… so be prepared to ask lots of questions.

I look forward to seeing you each Tuesday evening between April 3rd and May 8th (and of course more frequently online!).

Erik Deutsch
@ErikDeutsch