Leveraging Social Media for Impactful Personal Branding and Community Engagement

Course overview

This immersive 5-day course is designed to equip participants with the knowledge and skills necessary to build a compelling personal brand and leverage social media platforms to motivate and engage communities. Through a combination of theoretical insights and hands-on activities, participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of personal branding strategies, content creation techniques, and social media optimization tactics.

The course will delve into the importance of personal branding in the digital age, exploring various social media platforms and their demographics. Participants will learn how to identify their niche and target audience, as well as analyze successful case studies to understand effective branding approaches.

Emphasis will be placed on developing skills in visual storytelling, copywriting, and content planning, enabling participants to create engaging and impactful content. Hands-on workshops will provide opportunities for participants to practice content creation, receive peer feedback, and refine their skills.

Additionally, the course will cover strategies for optimizing social media profiles, understanding algorithms, and maximizing organic reach across various platforms. Participants will gain insights into leveraging social media to motivate and engage communities, fostering a sense of belonging and inspiring participation in activities and initiatives.

To enhance the learning experience, the course will incorporate a cultural visit guided in English, allowing participants to explore local heritage and draw inspiration for their personal branding and content creation efforts.

Tentative schedule:

Day 1: Foundations of personal branding in the digital age

Icebreakers and networking activities
Introduction to the course and participants
Overview of the course methodology and expectations
Introduction to personal branding: Definition, importance, and relevance in the digital age
Overview of different social media platforms and their demographics
Identifying niche and target audience for personal branding
Case studies of successful personal brands: Analyzing their strategies and approaches

Day 2: Crafting compelling content for personal brands

Principles of effective content creation: Visual storytelling, copywriting, and content planning
Introduction to content creation tools and resources
Hands-on workshop: Participants create sample content for their personal brand, incorporating storytelling techniques
Peer review and feedback on content creation exercises

Day 3: Integrating cultural elements into personal branding

Cultural visit (e.g. museum, heritage site) guided in English
Pre-visit: Relevant background, cultural and social media presence information
Post-visit: Incorporating cultural elements into personal branding and content creation
Reflection activities and discussion on ways how to present content in an engaging and motivating way to the end users

Day 4: Optimizing social media presence and engagement

Strategies for optimizing social media profiles for maximum impact and engagement
Understanding algorithms and maximizing organic reach on different social media platforms
Leveraging social media to motivate and engage communities
Hands-on exercises: Optimizing social media profiles and implementing engagement-boosting tactics

Day 5: Building and inspiring communities through social media

Building a sense of community and belonging through social media
Inspiring participation in activities and initiatives using social media
Group presentations: Participants showcase their personal branding strategies and community engagement plans
Course evaluation and feedback
Certification ceremony

The classes typically run from 9 in the morning to 2 in the afternoon, with the afternoon and evening reserved for self-reflection and individual study. However, the course schedule may be adjusted to accommodate the preferences of the participants and the availability of instructors or external learning locations. Participants will receive the finalized schedule well in advance, allowing ample time for preparation and planning.

Learning outcomes:

The participants will be able to:

Analyze the importance of personal branding in the digital age and its relevance to various social media platforms.
Identify their niche and target audience for personal branding.
Evaluate successful personal brand case studies and apply effective branding strategies to their own personal brands.
Create engaging content by applying principles of visual storytelling, copywriting, and content planning.
Utilize content creation tools and resources effectively.
Optimize social media profiles to maximize impact and engagement.
Interpret algorithms and implement strategies to enhance organic reach across various social media platforms.
Leverage social media platforms to motivate and engage communities.
Build a sense of community and belonging through social media.
Inspire participation in activities and initiatives using social media strategies.
Integrate cultural elements and inspiration from local heritage into personal branding and content creation efforts.

Course fee:

400 euro per participant (covered entirely by the Erasmus grant)

Course fee includes:

At least 25 hours of course content;
Course materials;
Certificate of participation;
Europass, on request;
Learning / Mobility Agreement;
Visits to local institutions, if available;
Personalized support;
Free high-speed WIFI internet at the POU Čakovec premises;
Refreshments;
Administration costs;
Dissemination materials.

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