Objectives To enable participants to be able to choose the right social media channel for their accommodation business and understand how to use social media effectively. To provide participants with the understanding of how they can use social media in their business to reach new and existing customers. 

Outcomes

 All participants will

• Understand the different types of social media channels available

• Know how and why people use social media in their day to day lives and how they use it to source accommodation and tourism products and services 

• Be able to identify the most important social media channel for their business and be able to use the main tools and features available 

Outline This module will include:

• What is social media and how people are using it in their day to day lives.  An understanding of how social media influences the purchasing decisions. 

• An understanding of how their customers use social media to research their accommodation needs

• An understanding of how word of mount works on social media and why it is important for tourism businesses & accommodation providers

• The difference between the main social channels – Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

• The difference between personal and business accounts/pages 

• What is engagement on each platform e.g. what is a like on Facebook and what does it mean to a business? 

• Demographics of people using each channel and how they fit into participants’ business marketing strategy. 

• A beginner’s guide to Facebook, Twitter and Instagram – setting up and using the main features and tools on each channel

• Starters guide to social media advertising – how to boost a Facebook post and promote an Instagram image 

• Designing great images with user-friendly tools and apps like Canva and Wordswag 

• Case studies of tourism and accommodation businesses using social media effectively 

• Q&A throughout 

Prerequisite and Participant Preparation

The cost is €50 for the full day training and places need to be booked before Friday 22^nd February. First Come, First Served basis via Local Enterprise Office Kilkenny Online Booking System

All participants will have access to a PC on the day. All participants should bring existing social media account access details with them. New accounts can be set up on the day.

 A smartphone will be required for the Instagram practical elements.  

Hand-outs  - each participant will receive an electronic copy of the presentation with details of all sites and tools covered throughout the workshop and other useful templates that will assist them with managing their digital marketing effectively.