Wednesday 11th & 18th November 2026 @ 9:30am-12:30pm (2x Morning sessions)
Overview
Social media is one of the most powerful tools in a communicator’s kit – but only if you’re using it with intention.
This course is for PR and communications professionals who want to stop posting and hoping, and start working with a strategy that actually delivers. Grounded in Te Ao Māori values of connection, community, and authentic storytelling, participants will learn how to audit their current social presence, identify what’s working and what isn’t, and build a content approach that aligns with their organisation’s goals. AI tools are introduced as practical time-savers – not replacements for creativity, but accelerators of it. Participants leave with a clear, actionable content plan and the confidence to execute it. Ideal for communications professionals managing social media as part of a broader role, who want to work smarter, not harder.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
- Audit their current social media presence across key channels
- Identify their highest-impact content types and optimal posting rhythm
- Develop a simple, sustainable content strategy aligned to organisational goals
- Use AI tools to speed up content creation without losing authenticity
- Apply Te Ao Māori storytelling principles to build genuine community and connection online
Your presenter is..
Shawn Thomas is a marketing lecturer and educator with a track record across content, paid media, and brand building. He works in marketing and communications at MAST Academy and teaches digital marketing at NZIE (now known as the Digital Marketing School, covering content creation and paid advertising. He has grown a personal audience of more than 130,000 followers across Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, turning content strategy into real-world results, and he brings that hands-on experience straight into the classroom.
