Essential social media skills

Social media is a critical part of most reader acquisition strategies, but any sense of stability is gone. The platforms are changing how they operate faster than ever before, and new platforms are emerging — like TikTok — that change the landscape and challenge the existing players.

This course, taught by lecturer Adam Tinworth who has been training highly successful social media editors who now work at everywhere from the Metro to The Telegraph, from the New Statesman to Fox News, will equip you with the skills you need to hone your current social media strategy, evaluate new platforms, and adapt to the changes in the platforms as they hit.

Course Description

This five-session online course will provide you with both an understanding of the psychological and technical dynamics of social media, but also tips and techniques to make the most of existing platforms tactically, while developing strategies that will deliver results into the future.

As with all Journalism.co.uk courses, the training will focus on the latest tools and techniques with an emphasis on practical, hands-on learning. Sessions will be recorded and made available to participants for later review.

What will the course cover

  • Understand the psychology of social media
  • How algorithms work
  • Tactics that work - and ones to avoid
  • The role of images and video in social media
  • How to evaluate new and existing platforms as part of your social media mix
  • How to develop following on platforms
  • How to use analytics to revise and refine your strategy

Getting there

This online course will take place over five, 90 minute sessions each Tuesday starting 29 April from 13:00 - 14:30 GMT.


About Adam Tinworth

A journalist for 30 years, Adam now works as a consultant and trainer in digital journalism, audience growth, social media and content strategy.

His clients have ranged from large, global outlets such as The Financial Times, The Straits Times and The Telegraph to smaller publishers and businesses.

Adam is also a lecturer in the UK’s leading journalism department at City, University of London and has written about digital content, social media and publishing for more than 20 years at One Man & His Blog.

Find him on Twitter @adders.