In this intensive two-day masterclass you'll learn how to use social media as an effective tool for business – with expert insight  a roster of expert speakers. 

The course is aimed at small businesses looking to optimise their social presences and who are looking for ways to expand their business using social media; larger businesses and/or brands who may be more established but find social media a minefield, and are still unconvinced by its value )'why wouldn't we just buy some billboards if we had the money?'); or anyone looking to build a product or service who is interested in how social media could help do this effectively, and is bemused by the variety of platforms on offer. Should you be on all of them? Or just a few? Or none? 

Attendees will leave with an understanding of how they can best use the right social media tools appropriate for their business, the basic principles of community management and how to measure your return on investment in social. 

You'll take away course materials on the dos and donts of effective social media content for brands and businesses, how to use Facebook ads effectively, and how to develop a content strategy for your business. 
 

COURSE STRUCTURE
The course is designed to help you with: 

- Choosing the right social media tools appropriate for your business

- The basic principles of community management

- The dos and dont's of effective social media content for brands and businesses - why should people care about my business? And once they do, how can we keep them engaged? 

- An introduction to strategic thinking in social 

- An understanding of how to measure your ROI in social - what does success look like?

- Using Facebook ads 

Some basic understanding of social media will be assumed, including: 

- Facebook brand pages 

- basic familiarity/awareness of major blogging platforms such as Wordpress and Tumblr

- Basic understanding of Twitter

- Basic understanding of some of the ways brands have embraced social media, and how the classic purchase funnel has is becoming obsolete - it's now much more of a 2-way process that evolves over simply 'broadcasting' and hoping people will buy your product

- basic principles of community management, though not essential 

DETAILS
Dates: Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 March 2013
Times: 10am-5pm
Venue: The Guardian, 90 York Way, London N1 9GU
Price: £400 (inclusive of VAT, booking fees, lunch and refreshments)
Maximum class size: 20