How to create low-budget digital marketing strategies for your venture or project

Overview

This 2-hour session will equip you with practical, cost-effective marketing strategies that deliver real results without breaking the bank.

You’ll learn the basics of developing a social media strategy and creating content using free and low-cost tools. You'll also learn techniques for growing your community and turning social media engagement into email subscribers and sales.

Who it’s for

This session is open to all UCL students, staff, and alumni who graduated from UCL within the past 2 years.

You don't need any business experience or a startup idea to attend.

UCL doctoral students will receive one DocSkills training point via InkPath and the Doctoral School for completing this session.

What to expect

By the end of the session, you’ll have the outline of your own social media marketing strategy.

It will cover:

• organic social media strategy development, and how to choose platforms based on customer behaviour and audience targeting using free demographic tools
• free marketing tools (Canva, Planable, native analytics, Flodesk) and how to create automated lead nurturing strategies
• community-building techniques for organic growth, content creation strategies that encourage word-of-mouth referrals, and methods to convert social media engagement into email subscribers and sales.

What you’ll learn

The session will cover the following topics:

• How to build a simple organic social media strategy (platforms, audience, content pillars)
• How to choose between Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn and X based on where your customers actually spend time
• Step-by-step process for defining your target audience using free demographic tools and competitor analysis
• Framework for creating 3 to 5 content pillars that position you as an expert in your field
• Specific free tools: Canva for design, Planable for scheduling, native platform analytics for tracking and Flodesk for email
• How to set up automated workflows that nurture leads from social media to first purchase
• How to use community-building techniques that generate organic growth and word-of-mouth referrals
• How to create shareable content that encourages customers to tag friends and spread word-of-mouth
• Techniques for turning social media interactions into email subscribers and actual sales

About the tutor

Sophie Miller is a leading marketing community expert and content creator who has built a global following of over 600,000 across platforms. As the founder of Pretty Little Marketer, she specialises in making social media simple while placing community at the heart of marketing strategies.

Sophie's community-focused approach has earned her partnerships with major brands including Adobe, Meta and YouTube, along with speaking engagements for organisations like Semrush, ASOS and L'Oreal.

Accessibility

If you have any accessibility requirements or requests, please let us know in the signup form.

Photography

Filming and photography occasionally take place at our workshops and events. We use these photos and recordings to help promote future events through our website and social media channels. You can always choose not to be included in any photos or videos.

Date and times

Wednesday, 13 May, 4pm to 6pm.

Book your place

Read our privacy notice to understand how UCL Innovation & Enterprise will deal with your personal data.

UCL Innovation & Enterprise reserves the right to make changes to the programme, location and/or speakers without prior notice. Such alterations are occasionally necessary due to circumstances beyond our control.

Location

UCL BaseKX, 103c Camley Street, London, N1C 4PF