SBDC-Hilo Offering Social Media Webinar Series in Hilo in November

The Small Business Development Center of East Hawai‘i is offering three virtual social media classes this month, teaching skills that have become more valuable during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The classes, which will be held on the first three Thursdays in November from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., are $10 each, or $25 total for those who sign up for all three classes.

Each of the class topics was developed based on feedback from an SBDC survey of local business owners. The workshops cover a wide range of social media topics, including how to create a social media plan, tips on writing posts, how to make a social media planning calendar, and Facebook Advertising.

The first class, held on Nov. 5, is titled “How to Gain Traction for Business on Social Media.” Participants will learn how to create an overall social media strategy geared toward their unique audience. Using real-life case studies, participants will also learn techniques that will help grow their business and increase sales.

The second class in the series, “How Do I Keep Up with Social Media?” will be held on Nov. 12.

This class is tailored for small business owners struggling to find enough time in the day to post to social media. Attendees will learn proven techniques to determine the best content to post, how often to post, and tips and tricks that will save hours of time a week scheduling posts to business social media channels.

“Beginner Facebook Ads in Our Changing Economy” will take place Thursday, Nov. 19. An intro-level class, this workshop covers the basic types of Facebook advertising, including how to promote a business page, boosting a post, and driving traffic to a business website. Attendees will learn how to target audience segments, set Facebook advertising campaign goals, and how to develop compelling copy and visuals. Workshop participants should already have a business account on Facebook prior to class.

The classes will be taught by award-winning social media instructor Denise Laitinen, owner of DLC Hawai‘i Media. A seasoned social media trainer, public speaker, and writer, Laitinen has taught several dozen social media classes across the state at the university level and for corporate clients.

“Participants leave the classes with actionable steps they can use to streamline their online presence and use social media effectively and efficiently,” Laitinen said. “This is particularly critical to small businesses in the age of COVID. Small businesses are the backbone of our island economy, and I’m looking forward to helping other small business owners and see them succeed on social media.”

Register online at www.hisbdc.org. For more information, call the Small Business Development Center at (808) 933-0776.

The Hawai‘i Small Business Development Center is a program of the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the US Small Business Administration.