NPA Social Media Content Creation and Branding (Subject to Approval)

About this course

Course Overview

This SCQF Level 5 NPA on social media content creation and branding aims to provide learners with the essential knowledge and practical skills required to establish, grow, and manage a social media presence within a professional capacity. The course will explore key concepts such as personal branding, content creation, audience engagement, platform optimisation, and ethical considerations in the use of social media and Artificial Influencing. By the end of the course, learners will be equipped with the tools to effectively create, manage, and evaluate social media content to achieve personal or professional goals.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, learners will be able to:

1. Identify and apply principles of personal branding and niche development.
2. Develop a social media strategy tailored to a specific platform and target audience.
3. Create engaging, high-quality content using various media types (text, image, video, and audio).
4. Use social media tools and analytics to track performance and make data-driven improvements.
5. Demonstrate understanding of ethical responsibilities, including advertising guidelines; intellectual property rights; appropriate use of Artificial intelligence.
6. Plan and execute campaigns to increase engagement, grow an audience, and foster community.

Course content

Introduction to Social Media

• Overview of popular platforms (Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Twitter, etc.)
• Current trends in social media and branding
• Case studies of successful social media campaigns

Personal Branding and Niche Identification

• Understanding personal branding
• Identifying and selecting a niche
• Building a unique value proposition (UVP)
• Branding consistency across platforms

Content Creation and Storytelling

• Types of social media content (text, images, videos, live streams, etc.)
• Content planning and editorial calendars
• Copywriting and storytelling techniques
• Using editing tools for photo, video, and graphic design

Platform-Specific Strategies

• Navigating popular platforms (Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, LinkedIn, etc.)
• Algorithm awareness and platform optimization
• Posting frequency, timing, and content types per platform
• Utilizing platform-specific features (e.g., TikTok trends, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts)

Engagement and Community Building

• Audience analysis and persona development
• Strategies for engagement (comments, likes, shares, and direct messages)
• The role of authenticity, relatability, and transparency
• Building a loyal online community and dealing with negativity/trolls

Analytics and Performance Tracking

• Key performance indicators (KPIs) for social media
• Tools for analytics (Google Analytics, platform-native insights)
• Analysing data to inform strategy
• Creating reports and using insights to optimise content

Ethics, Advertising, and Compliance

• Ethical responsibilities of social media campaigners
• Guidelines for paid promotions and affiliate marketing
• Intellectual property, copyright, and privacy considerations
• Regulatory and legal obligations (e.g., FTC guidelines)

Entry requirements

Applicants must demonstrate they are working at SCQF Level 4 and ready to work at SCQF Level 5. Applicants may asked to attend an interview.

Course progression

• NQ Art and Design
• NQ Applied Computing - Level 6
• NQ Digital Design and Game Development

Application Timeline and Information

Applications will open on this webpage on Monday 17 February 2025 and close on Friday 14 March 2025.

Please note we receive more applications than we have places for. We are aiming to let all applicants know whether they have a place by Friday 2 May 2025. Once you have applied, you can review the status of your application via the Applicant Portal.

Courses will start week commencing Monday 2 June in their timetabled slots.