We've been working behind the scenes to bring you our fully funded Social Media Academy for 2024 and are delighted to announce its official launch today!

Join us for a day of interactive training at our second Social Media Academy for VCSE groups & organisations in the county. You’ll leave with valuable insights, practical tips and bags of inspiration to enhance your social content, campaigns and strategies.

Event Information

• Date: 3 October 2024
• Time: 9:30 am to 4 pm
• Venue: Gloucester Brewery, Warehouse 4, West Quay, Gloucester Docks, GL1 2LG
• Book Now: We're now taking waitlist applications for this event. To add yourself to our waitlist, please complete the following form: Waitlist Application

Terms & Conditions of Booking:Please read our Terms & Conditions of Booking before reserving a space or adding yourself to the waitlist for this event: Terms & Conditions of Booking 

A light lunch and tea/coffee/soft drinks will be provided on arrival.

Programme for the day

Session 1: AI Revolution in Social Media: Navigating the Future of Digital Engagement

This session will explore the transformative impact of AI on social media strategies for VCSE organisations. During the session, Bren Baker will cover: Current AI trends reshaping social media landscapes; practical AI tools for enhancing your social media presence; and ethical considerations and best practices. Bren will also facilitate interactive demonstrations and audience participation, as well as a question & answer session to address specific AI challenges within your group/organisation.

Bren Baker, Director of Mediadog Digital, brings 25 years of expertise in graphic and website design to the world of AI. With a keen interest and deep understanding of AI technologies, Bren has been actively integrating AI into his daily workflow since first discovering ChatGPT when it launched.Recognised as a sought-after speaker, Bren has delivered insightful talks on AI applications, captivating audiences from the VCSE sector and charities. His ability to blend extensive design experience with AI proficiency makes him a unique resource for organisations looking to harness the power of AI in their digital strategies.  Bren's commitment to continuous learning keeps him at the forefront of AI advancements, ensuring he remains well-versed in the latest industry developments. His practical knowledge and fresh perspective on the intersection of creativity and technology make him an invaluable asset in the field of AI.

Session 2: How To Create Scroll-Stopping Social Media Graphics with Canva

This session will guide you through the popular (and free) graphic design platform. During the session, Danny Matthews will: show you how to create scroll-topping images in Canva; reveal some social media secrets to help your content get more attention; and demonstrate how using Canva can power up your social media marketing.

Danny Matthews is a branding expert with a big vision to solve the worlds biggest problems with creative design and brand strategy. Among his accolades he has been featured in the Huffington Post, BBC Radio, the FSB’s First Voice and has shared a stage with Facebook and Google. 

Session 3: SEO For Non-Profits: 5 SEO Tips to Amplify Your Google Presence

Having a strong online presence is crucial for non-profits seeking to expand their reach and impact. Join Kira Khoroshilova for a workshop that will provide you with the essential tools and strategies to enhance your organisation’s visibility on Google. Kira will start by covering the fundamentals of SEO, tailored specifically for non-profits, ensuring you understand the online challenges and opportunities in your sector. 

Kira Khoroshilova is an SEO specialist with a background in web development. Kira has worked with hundreds of global industry leaders to elevate their organic visibility and bolster sales. Her specialisations encompass website architecture optimisation, international SEO strategies, and small business SEO solutions. 

Session 4: Dive straight in: The LinkedIn Landscape

Join Daniel Jenkins to get insight into the latest LinkedIn updates and what you absolutely need to start doing right away. You’ll learn top tips from real life case studies to maximise LinkedIn’s potential; understand how to ‘make friends and influence people’ using honest, authentic tactics on LinkedIn; and find out how other organisations create brand ambassadors and empower the wider team to use LinkedIn to its full effect. You’ll also leave with a five-step action plan to begin implementing improved LinkedIn usage in your organisation.

Daniel Jenkins is an expert marketer, and regularly speaks across the UK and to international audiences on a wide range of subject matter.Influencing audiences through brand planning, strategy, integrated media, social, creative and data, Wagada Digital’s team of expert digital specialists create compelling, high performing campaigns, exceeding expectations and generating tangible results.

Session 5: Effective Blog Writing for the VCSE Sector

During this interactive session, Keeley Newman-Goodall will cover: how to Identify Blog Topics; how to research and identify relevant and engaging topics for blog posts that resonate with your audience; the basic elements of SEO; email marketing integration and social media utilisation. Keeley will also help you to understand the template structure needed to write effective and compelling blog posts, ensuring clarity and engagement. 

Keeley Newman-Goodall is a seasoned digital marketing expert with a decade of experience. As the captain of her own agency, she's dedicated to helping businesses and organisations navigate the digital world. Through training, strategy, and hands-on marketing, Keeley believes in the power of small efforts to create significant online waves. She will help you turn your digital presence from a droplet into a thriving ocean of opportunities.

Session 6: Videos for social - making themost of what you can do yourselves

This session will cover practical and theoretical aspects of social video content for your organisation. Giving hints and tips on topics around audience, planning, creativity, content ideas, content champions + more. Craig Hellen will also provide a practical  demonstration using phones and affordable extras to film.

Craig Hellen runs Bexmedia, a video production and animation company based just outside Gloucester. He has run Bexmedia over the last 15 years and has built the company with a team that works with a variety of local, national and international brands to bring their brands and products to life in video and animation.

Get in touch

If you have any enquiries about this course, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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