innovate / social media strategy & content creation

TLDR
For public sector communications teams who want to improve the quality, consistency and impact of their social media presence. Combines expert review of your channels with hands-on creative work to strengthen content ideas, messaging and formats, building practical tools and templates that lift day-to-day output.

Social media is a visible extension of how public service organisations communicate their work, campaigns and priorities. It sits alongside wider communications activity but operates at a faster pace, with different content formats and audience expectations and interactions. Content is produced regularly, across multiple channels, while aligning with organisational voice, priorities and standards.

This team-based programme focuses on strengthening creative capability and output. An experienced practitioner reviews your existing social media presence and immediate operating environment, identifying opportunities to sharpen messaging and content approach. Working on real campaigns and materials, the team develops content ideas, platform formats and repeatable templates that can be used immediately. The outcome is a more confident, creative and consistent social media presence, delivered within the boundaries public sector teams operate in.

  • By the end of the programme, participants will be able to:

    • Create more engaging, audience-focused social media content

    • Develop clear messaging structures aligned to organisational priorities

    • Plan and organise content across platforms more effectively

    • Use platform formats such as reels, stories and carousels confidently

    • Define tone of voice that balances professionalism with personality

    • Interpret posting boundaries within brand and governance frameworks

    • A stronger and more consistent social media presence

    • Clearer content ideas linked to organisational work

    • Practical templates and content frameworks ready to use

    • Greater confidence creating platform-specific content

    • Improved team alignment on tone, style and messaging

    • Increased awareness of reputational considerations in public channels

  • Pre-workshop questionnaire

    Participants complete a short questionnaire covering current platforms, confidence levels, content challenges, approval processes and campaign priorities. This establishes competency levels and shapes delivery focus and practical exercises.

    Pre-course social media review

    Louise reviews your organisation’s social media channels, recent content and operating environment in advance of the workshop. This informs delivery focus, examples used and practical exercises on the day.

    Full-day core workshop (in-person or virtual)

    Hands-on working using participants’ real campaigns, channels and materials.

    Follow-up support (optional)

    Additional sessions can be incorporated where deeper platform work or campaign development is required.

  • 09:30 - Introduction
    Welcome, objectives and framing the role of social media within public service communications.

    09:45 - Expectations & Current State Review
    Review existing channels, workflows, strengths and content patterns.

    10:00 - Social Media Trends & Platform Direction
    What is working across platforms, format shifts and evolving audience expectations.
    Adapting trends within public service environments.

    10:45 - Messaging & Content Foundations
    Translating organisational priorities into accessible, engaging content.
    Defining what effective social media looks like in your context.

    11:15 - Break

    11:30 - Audience & Community Insight
    Understanding who you are speaking to and how they engage.
    Shaping content around audience needs and behaviours.

    12:00 - Content Pillars Workshop
    Developing core content themes that balance organisational messaging with audience relevance.
    Planning proactive and reactive content.

    12:45 - Lunch

    13:30 - Tone of Voice & Content Style
    Defining social media voice within organisational parameters.
    Balancing clarity, personality and professionalism.

    14:00 - Platform-Specific Content Creation
    Hands-on creation using participants’ own campaign materials:

    Short-form video
    Stories
    Carousels

    Participants create live content during the session.

    15:15 - Break

    15:30 - Planning, Scheduling & Content Systems
    Building sustainable content calendars.
    Batch creation and campaign alignment.

    16:00 - Boundaries & Reputation Considerations
    Interpreting brand guidelines and confidentiality constraints.
    Understanding what should not be communicated publicly and how to respond if content is challenged.

    16:30 - Close

Teamshaper's Innovate training module