A Student’s Perspective on Stukent’s Social Media Simternship

As noted in my previous blog entries, I have been enrolled in a Principles of Social Media course this semester. Throughout the course, students read the textbook “Stukent’s Essentials of Social Media Marketing” and completed the bundled simulation. 

The simulation functioned as a virtual internship experience in which students assumed the role of social media manager for Buhi Supply Co., a fictional e-commerce company specializing in high-end bags. At the beginning of the simulation, students were provided with detailed information about the company’s target audiences, product offering, and a company overview, which included a brand guide and social media kit.

Image from Stukent

During the first three rounds of the simulation, the students are tasked with creating organic social media posts. Each round represented a one-week period, during which students were given a budget allocated for content production. Performance was evaluated at the end of each round based on two primary metrics: impressions and revenue. Additionally, students were required to select optimal posting times and days, as outlined in the “Social Media Audit.” The platforms utilized included Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, X, Pinterest and YouTube. Students were also responsible for responding to customer emails and reviewing updates from their supervisor at the start of each round. These initial rounds allowed students to build familiarity and confidence with the simulation platform, and feedback was provided after each round to support improvement.

The next three rounds (Rounds 4–6) shifted focus to paid social media content. While the earlier rounds emphasized mastering platform-specific content and increasing brand awareness, these rounds concentrated on paid advertising strategies to drive traffic, conversions, and revenue. The weekly budget increased significantly and was required to be divided between content production and promotional spending. For each post created, students had to target specific customer personas from a predefined audience list. 

In rounds 7-9, students collaborated with social media influencers. In these rounds, students were assigned specific products to promote and were responsible for selecting the most appropriate target audience. Using an “Influencer Guide,” students evaluated third-party creators and selected influencers who best aligned with the brand and would effectively reach the intended market. 

In the final three rounds, students were expected to integrate all previously learned strategies. This included managing a combination of organic content, paid advertisements, and influencer partnerships simultaneously. Upon completion of the simulation, students received a certificate and guidance on how to leverage the experience in job interviews. 

After completing the virtual internship experience, I feel more knowledgeable about creating an effective social media campaign. Concurrently, I applied these skills while creating content for the Dicke College of Business Administration’s social media accounts. Some of my significant takeaways include tailoring content to specific platforms, utilizing optimal posting times and days, and effectively leveraging content-based hashtags. 

Reflecting on the experience, I believe it would have been beneficial to receive more detailed feedback after each round or to have access to a virtual assistant for additional guidance.