Course objectives

This course provides students with a comprehensive understanding of the principles and practices of creating, managing, and distributing digital content. It covers the strategic and practical aspects of content production, from ideation and planning to optimisation, performance analysis, and ethical considerations. Students will develop skills in using a range of digital tools and platforms to execute a professional content strategy.

Learning outcomes

Upon successful completion of this module, students will be able to:

• Develop and execute a strategic content plan aligned with brand or organisational goals.
• Create engaging and effective content tailored to diverse digital platforms (e.g., blogs, social media, video).
• Utilise content management systems (CMS) and digital tools to organise, publish, and optimise content.
• Analyse and interpret content performance data to inform strategic decision-making.
• Apply ethical, legal, and professional standards to content creation and distribution.
• Collaborate effectively in teams to plan, produce, and manage content projects

Course content

• Foundations of Content Strategy & Planning
• The role of content in the digital landscape (SEO, brand building, lead generation).
• Targeting audience: user personas, audience research, and the customer journey.
• The content lifecycle: ideation, creation, publication, promotion, and analysis. Tools and best practices. Auditing existing content and identifying gaps.
• Content Creation:  Writing for the web, scannability, tone of voice, and structure.
• Blogging best practices. Content syndication and repurposing.
• SEO fundamentals: keywords, meta descriptions, and on-page optimisation.
• Principles of visual communication:   Creating effective graphics and infographics
• Introduction to video content: types (e.g., short-form, tutorials), storyboarding, and basic production principles.
• Content Management Systems & Publishing: WordPress, Squarespace, Shopify, and enterprise solutions.
• Optimising content for different platforms (social media, email newsletters, etc.).
• Principles of a successful content launch.
• Performance Analysis & Optimisation: The Role of Analytics, Key Performance Indicators for content (reach, engagement, conversions).
• Web analytics tools: Understanding key metrics.
• Using Data to Drive Decisions.   Analysing user behaviour and content funnels.     A/B testing and    content optimisation strategies based on performance data.
• The Ethical & Legal Landscape of Content:     Copyright, fair use, and plagiarism.     Data privacy and its impact on content.     Disclosure of sponsored content and influencer marketing guidelines.
• The role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in content creation.  Ethical considerations of AI-generated content.
• Emerging trends: podcasting, live streaming, virtual reality (VR), and personalised content.