The fundamentals of social media and digital marketing will be covered in two workshops that will kick off a series of eight being run over the coming months.

The first two workshops – Social Media Marketing 101 and Digital Marketing Essentials – will both be held on Friday 15 November in Ararat and are open to businesses who want to start or improve their digital presence. Business owners can attend any number of the workshops for a one-off payment of $55.

Ararat Rural City Council CEO Dr Tim Harrison said the workshops are being held in partnership with the Australian Small Business Advisory Services (ASBAS) Digital Solutions Program, which provides low-cost, high-quality, digital advisory services for small businesses across Victoria.

Dr Harrison said the first two workshops are perfect for those who want to create an online presence but aren’t sure where to start, or are nervous about taking the leap.

“Social media and digital marketing really are musts for any business in this day and age, but it can be daunting for those who haven’t started or who are new to it,” he said.

“The workshops aim to give participants the confidence to start out by arming them with practical advice, tips, tools and tricks that will make it much easier.”

The social media marketing workshop will cover topics such as why social media is important for small business, choosing the platforms that will work best for you, creating content, and using scheduling tools.

The digital marketing workshop will give participants the tools and advice needed to create and execute an effective digital marketing strategy, covering the difference between online marketing channels such as Google AdWords, website banners and emails. It will also help participants build an effective digital marketing strategy and teach them how to optimise their advertising campaigns.

The Social Media Marketing 101 workshop will be held on November 15 from 10.30am to 1.30pm, and the Digital Marketing Essentials workshop on the same day from 2pm to 5pm at the Alexandra Oval Community Centre, 1 Waratah Avenue, Ararat. Participants pay a one-off fee of $55 and can attend as many workshops in the series as they like.

Bookings are essential. To book for the Social Media workshop, click here – https://bit.ly/2pL3Vaw and to book for the Digital Marketing Essentials workshop, click here – https://bit.ly/33UhJhR