Social Media Impact

Overview

This 90-minute lesson, designed for 11 students aged 14-16, explores how social media influences the promotion and operation of esports organisations. It aligns with the National Curriculum for England’s Computing programme and the Business Studies elements of the curriculum, specifically developing digital literacy, understanding business contexts, and effective communication in the digital age.

National Curriculum Links

• Computing (KS4): "Understand the ways data is collected, stored, and shared" and "The role of technology in helping organisations operate in a digital world."
• Business Studies (KS4): "Understand how businesses communicate with customers, advertise and promote their services," and "The role of digital media in business."
• English (KS4): "Develop critical thinking and evaluative skills through research and analysis."

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Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

1. Identify and describe the features, target audiences, and structures of key social media platforms used by esports organisations (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Reddit, YouTube).
2. Analyse how esports organisations use social media to support their business aims, including branding, promotion, communication, and customer service.
3. Evaluate the importance of tailored social media features—such as advertising, SEO integration, analytics, and audience targeting—in meeting organisational needs.

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Resources

• Laptops/tablets with internet access
• Printed handouts summarising features of each social media platform
• Projector and whiteboard
• Example social media profiles from esports organisations (printed screenshots or live websites)
• Analytics summary printouts (prepared by teacher)
• Student worksheets for tasks

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Lesson Structure

1. Starter: Social Media Showdown (10 minutes)

• Activity: Quickfire naming game
• Teacher displays logos of popular social media websites (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Reddit, YouTube).
• Students must name the platform and shout out one key feature.
• Purpose: Activate prior knowledge and introduce focus platforms.
• Assessment: Observational formative check for understanding of platforms.

2. Introduction: Esports and Social Media (10 minutes)

• Teacher-led presentation using slides:
  • How esports organisations rely on digital platforms.
  • Explanation of evolving features of social media sites.
  • Brief overview of target audience differences among platforms.
• Highlight importance of social media in:
  • Creating brand identity
  • Promoting products/services
  • Communicating with customers
  • Customer service and issue resolution
• Link explicitly to National Curriculum computing and business ICT objectives.

3. Task 1: Platform Profiling (20 minutes)

• Objective: Understand features, structure, and audience of social media websites.
• Split into small groups of 2-3.
• Each group receives a printout summarising one social media platform.
• Groups analyse platform’s:
  • Features and tools
  • Typical target audience (age, gender, interests)
  • Strengths for esports promotion (e.g., visual content on Instagram, community engagement on Reddit).
• Groups prepare a 2-minute presentation on their findings.

4. Task 2: Esports Organisations Case Study Review (25 minutes)

• Objective: Analyse real-world social media use in esports.
• Teacher provides examples of esports organisations (e.g., Fnatic, Team Liquid, G2 Esports) via screenshots or live websites.
• Students in pairs analyse:
  • Which platforms the organisation uses and why?
  • How the organisation creates its brand/image.
  • Types of promotional content posted.
  • How customer service and communication is managed (e.g., response to queries).
• Use guided worksheet with specific questions.
• Groups share one key insight with the class.

5. Task 3: Features Tailored to Organisational Needs (20 minutes)

• Objective: Understand importance of tailored social media features.
• Teacher explains with examples:
  • Advertising options (targeted ads, sponsored posts).
  • SEO relationships (use of keywords, hashtags).
  • Analytics tools (Facebook Insights, Twitter Analytics).
  • Profile optimisation strategies.
  • Mobile integration benefits.
• Students complete a matching activity:
  • Match features with their benefits and use cases for esports.
• Class discussion: Why tailoring social media profiles to audience and business goals matters.
• Extension discussion: What might happen if esports organisations don't tailor their social media strategy?

6. Plenary: Reflect and Evaluate (5 minutes)

• Each student writes on a Post-It note:
  • One new thing learned about social media and esports promotion.
  • One question they still have.
• Teacher collects notes, reads selected items aloud.
• Quick discussion addressing common questions.

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Assessment and Feedback

• Formative assessment through group presentations and class discussions.
• Worksheets reviewed during lesson for comprehension.
• Observation checklist for participation in tasks.
• Feedback given directly by teacher after presentations highlighting successful analysis and areas for deeper understanding.

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Differentiation

• Provide scaffolded worksheets with sentence starters for lower ability learners.
• Challenge higher ability learners to suggest new social media features that could benefit esports promotions.
• Pair less confident students with peers for collaborative tasks.

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Extension Ideas

• Homework: Research and create a social media marketing plan for a hypothetical new esports team, including platform choice, types of content, and audience engagement strategies.
• Invite a guest speaker from an esports organisation digital marketing team (virtual or in-person) for Q&A.

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Overall Impact

This lesson develops students' ability to critically evaluate digital communication in a modern business context, encourages collaborative learning, and enhances digital literacy. It directly supports curriculum aims in computing, business, and English by integrating knowledge with practical, real-world examples, ensuring students are equipped to understand and use social media in professional environments.