As part of the City of Edinburgh Council’s Culture and Wellbeing Capacity Building Programme, I’m running a series of four free online workshops on digital presence for artists, creative practitioners and arts organisations based in or involved in productions/events/activities in Edinburgh, Scotland, UK.
- Tue 10th Jan, 17:30 – 19:30 Digital Content Overview: Marketing and Strategies to Build Your Audience
- Tue 17th Jan, 17:30 – 19:30 Tips and Tools to Nurture Your Audience and Manage Your Social Media
- Tue 24th Jan, 17:30 – 19:30 DIY A Free or Low-Cost Website: What, Why and How
- Tue 31st Jan, 17:30 – 19:30 Start and Grow a Mailing List: Email Marketing Options and MailChimp Training
Access:
Each workshop is two hours long and includes a 10-minute comfort break midway, plus a Q&A, interactive exercises, audio descriptions of visuals, and screen reader-friendly handouts. The sessions will be recorded and tailored to attendees.
I’ve requested captions. You can also add your access requirements during registration.
More info on each workshop below…
Wait – I thought you were a writer?
If we’ve connected more recently, in the past five years or so, you may not know that I actually have over 15 years’ experience as a digital marketing specialist, helping creative business owners with their digital presence (websites, social media, blogging, SEO), plus traditional marketing.
After gaining a degree in textiles from Dundee University, while building my first business (an ecommerce and events platform for Scottish designer-makers), I discovered I enjoyed copywriting and marketing. That business was called Velvet Boutique and it was shortlisted national awards and led to collaborations with Scottish Enterprise Textiles, The Lighthouse, London Fashion Forum and the Six Cities Design Festival. During that time and since closing that business, I’ve worked mainly with creative business owners, including designers, an SEO specialist, a theatre company, and a dance college. I still work When I first joined Scottish BPOC Writers Network I supported on digital project management systems, digital content and marketing, plus fundraising. Now, as Co-Director, I work across writer development, access, communications, advocacy and several partnerships with literary organisations.
Digital Content Overview: Marketing and Strategies to Build Your Audience
Tue 10th Jan, 17:30 – 19:30
Marketing doesn’t need to feel icky or unnatural! The business-side of your creative practice is important to finding and connecting with customers, clients and collaborators. In this session, we’ll cover:
- A bird’s eye view of your creative (business) communications
- Digital content and marketing overview, including:
- Your digital presence
- Ideal customers/collaborators/fans
- Audience touchstones
- Audience expectations
- Website basics
- SEO (search engine optimisation) lowdown
- Digital Accessibility
- Free and low-cost digital content and marketing apps
We will be taking deeper dives in three subsequent sessions:
- Tips and Tools to Nurture Your Audience and Manage Your Social Media
- DIY A Free or Low-Cost Website: What, Why and How
- Start and Grow a Mailing List: Email Marketing Options and MailChimp Training
Tips and Tools to Nurture Your Audience and Manage Your Social Media
Tue 17th Jan, 17:30 – 19:30
Start developing ways to nurture and grow your audience and find out how manage your social media without it draining away all your time. Not sure where to start or what to concentrate on, or how to transition your personal accounts to represent your professional creative endeavours? Just want to up your social media game? This workshop will guide you through:
Nurturing your audience:
- Audience touchstones to nurture
- Where to find and develop your audience
- How to captivate your audience
Managing your social media:
- How to make social media work for you
- What to post, when and where to post
- How to make your posts more accessible to disabled people
- Setting boundaries – trolls, DMs, your private vs public space
- Free and low-cost apps + systems to make managing your social media accounts easier
DIY A Free or Low-Cost Website: What, Why and How
Tue 24th Jan, 17:30 – 19:30
If you don’t yet have a website or you want to update your website, this session is for you. If you’re planning on hiring someone to design and build your website, this workshop will help you become more web-savvy. You’ll learn:
- Apps, tools and tips to design a stylish website (Squarespace, WordPress, Wix, Google Website Builder…)
- How to write a standout About page
- Formatting and content tips to encourage visitors to hang around
- How to make your website more accessible to disabled people
- What SEO is and how to help the right people find your website
- To blog or not to blog
- Plus: a website hotseat for up to 3 attendees – suggestions to improve your website
Start and Grow a Mailing List: Email Marketing Options and MailChimp Training
Tue 31st Jan, 17:30 – 19:30
Building an email list of subscribers is a great way to grow your audience and connect more deeply with fans, followers and potential customers. This workshop will cover:
- Why a mailing list can help nurture your audience
- How – free and low-cost apps and tools you can use
- Newsletters vs email marketing and what (on earth) to include!
- Opting in: GDPR, data and privacy
- Gathering points: where to find subscribers + subscriber incentives
- Easeful email marketing: creating an autoresponder and setting a schedule that works for you
- Q&A
