Ohio Northern University will offer a full day social media workshop on April 30 in the Dicke Forum on the ONU campus.

If search engine optimization and pay-per-click advertising are fuzzy concepts, the workshop will bring these and other social media topics into clearer focus.

Scheduled from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., the workshop will open with a keynote address, “Using Social Media to Predict the Future,” by Bill Balderaz, president of Futurety, Columbus, Ohio, and founder of Fathom Healthcare. 

Balderaz began working in the search engine optimization, pay-per-click advertising and social media world in 1998, prior to the launch of Google. He has spoken at more than 150 conferences and events, including those sponsored by the Public Relations Society of America, the American Marketing Association and Search Engine Strategies. Bill holds a bachelor’s degree in public relations from Bowling Green State University, an MBA from Franklin University and is an ordained minister. He serves on the board of two nonprofit organizations, Chapel Hill House and Lifting Hopes, both of which focus on helping children and families battling cancer.

The keynote address will be followed by four sessions which will emphasize professional development and networking with interactive conversations led by public relations professionals.

Session 1, Research, will focus on social media and search engine optimization and using social media communication with influencers and the media.

Session 2, Plans and Policies, will look at determining the best social media plans for your band and how to use social media in event planning.

Session 3, Communication and Campaigns, will deal with knowing your audience and setting yourself up for success.

Session 4, Evaluation, will look at social media as a customer service platform and how to measure your return on investment.

Facilitating the sessions will be Amy Hood, digital media coordinator at Curiosity 360 Advertising; Lori Priest, senior marketing communication manager at Exact Macola; Colleen O’Morrow, marketing and sales specialist at MediaSource; Madison Bender, social media team manager with thunder::tech; Julie Theado, social media manager at Columbus Metropolitan Library; Jaclyn Reynolds, director of communications at COSI; Zach Gerber, social media strategist at Geben Communication; and Alisa Agozzino, associate professor of public relations at Ohio Northern University.

Cost of the daylong workshop, including lunch, is $150 for professionals ($130 for early registration by April 22) and $34 for current students.

The event is hosted by the Ohio Northern University Chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA).

To learn more, or to register, to http://www.onu.edu/arts_sciences/communication_and_media_studies/social_media_workshop or contact Alisa Agozzino at [email protected].