ECC to hold free session on new social media courses

The ECC Continuing Education Department will host a free information session on social media marketing Thursday, Jan. 23, at 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin. The session will be from 6-7 p.m. in Building E, Room 100.01.

ECC will offer social media marketing classes on the following topics: Social Media Marketing and Interactive Content, Social Media for Business, Social Media Management and Social Media Presentation Workshop.

“Today’s businesses realize that social media marketing is essential to the promotion of products and services,” says Jorge Philips, director of continuing education. “To meet this demand, ECC is pleased to offer four short-term noncredit courses starting this spring.”

Below is a description of each social media course:

Social Media Marketing and Interactive Content: Engage your target audience by exploring the foundations of traditional and online marketing. You will be introduced to the scope of social media, the proper application of social platforms, the marketing strategies for interactive content, the content creation techniques that generate engagement, and the benefits of blogging. Learn how to develop a social media and content marketing campaign, to develop a keyword strategy, to create and manage an editorial calendar, and to design and launch a WordPress blog.

Social Media for Business: Get acquainted with the techniques businesses use to establish an identity, gain exposure and build relationships using social media. You will be introduced to the importance of user demographics and expectations, the influence of rules and algorithms, and the significance of content engagement. Students learn to setup and maintain professional profiles on key social platforms (which include Facebook, Linkedln, Twitter, Google+, and Pinterest), how to capitalize on vital platform features and opportunities, how to employ content to earn engagement and gain exposure, and how to use social advertising to attract interest.

Social Media Management: Employ solid management skills and analytical procedures for an integrated marketing campaign. Learn the strategic use of email campaigns, the demand and versatility of mobile marketing, the indelible effects of online reputations and the critical role of analytics. You will learn to amplify social marketing through integration, manage an online reputation with proactive monitoring, and improve campaign results by evaluation analytics provided by tools specific to each social platform or online property.

Social Media Presentation Workshop: This is the capstone of the Social Media Marketing Program with an emphasis on putting your skills into practice. You will create an effective campaign through social media including the planning, preparation, and implementation for an actual business. By incorporating the most relevant social media strategies introduced during the series, you will complete a campaign blueprint and develop the social and online properties essential to the campaign. All previous social media courses must be successfully completed prior to this course.

For more information or to register for the free information session, contact Katrina Chan-Larsen at (847) 214-7923 or ">kchan-larsen@elgin.edu