Social Media Marketing Executive
(4 months) Module 2
A focused block combining Social Media Marketing (Chartered Institute of Marketing Level 4 Award) and Social Media Campaigns Project Management. Learn to design, deliver and evaluate social activity that supports real business goals — and evidence it robustly at work.
Optional assessment: You may sit the Chartered Institute of Marketing exam for Social Media Marketing to gain the Award certificate. If you choose not to, your apprenticeship qualification is unaffected, but you will not receive the Chartered Institute of Marketing Award.
Social Media Marketing Executive
(4 months) Module 2
A focused block combining Social Media Marketing (Chartered Institute of Marketing Level 4 Award) and Social Media Campaigns Project Management. Learn to design, deliver and evaluate social activity that supports real business goals — and evidence it robustly at work.
Optional assessment: You may sit the Chartered Institute of Marketing exam for Social Media Marketing to gain the Award certificate. If you choose not to, your apprenticeship qualification is unaffected, but you will not receive the Chartered Institute of Marketing Award.
For employees (potential learners)
Turn your social skills into business results
Across four months, you will plan live social activity, build editorial calendars, craft platform-fit content, and measure performance with confidence. You will learn how audiences behave on different platforms, how algorithms and formats shape reach, and how to use listening, community management and influencers responsibly. You will also practise stakeholder coordination, budget tracking and simple risk controls, so campaigns land on time and to standard.
Outcome: a work-based portfolio that includes plans, assets, dashboards and reflections — directly aligned to the standard’s knowledge, skills and behaviours.
For employers
Better briefs, cleaner delivery, clearer reporting
This module translates social theory into daily practice: clear objectives, precise audience and channel selection, sharp content operations, and actionable reporting. Expect reduced rework, faster approvals, stronger compliance, and social activity that demonstrably supports acquisition, retention and reputation.
Result: measurable gains in engagement and conversion, improved cost-per-result, and a confident practitioner who understands both the brand and the numbers.
Chartered Institute of Marketing · Level 4 Award
Social Media Marketing
Develop the knowledge and practical skills to implement effective social media activity across platforms and journeys.
What you’ll cover
- Why social matters: the growing importance of social to organisations and customers; aligning social objectives to business outcomes.
- Platforms and formats: strengths and limitations of major platforms; content types and best-practice formats; the role of user-generated content and influencers; community management and moderation.
- Listening and insight: social listening, audits and competitor benchmarking; turning data into audience and content insight.
- Planning and content operations: objectives, audiences and messaging; calendars, workflows and approvals; working with agencies and creators.
- Paid, owned and earned: when to use paid social, setting up campaigns, targeting options, and integrating with organic activity.
- Measurement and optimisation: choosing meaningful metrics; building dashboards; experimentation and test-and-learn; reporting for stakeholders.
- Responsible practice: data protection, consent, accessibility, inclusivity and ethical standards in social activity.
How this maps to the apprenticeship
- Marketing concepts and theories: apply the extended marketing mix and segmentation when planning social activity; align brand positioning and reputation.
- Business understanding and commercial awareness: connect platform choices and content to wider objectives and customer decision-making.
- Market research: use valid digital sources, social listening and qualitative/quantitative methods to inform plans.
- Products and channels: understand product/service portfolios and how digital and offline channels work together.
- Campaign skills: coordinate channels, plan to SMART objectives, and manage production and distribution of assets.
- Interpersonal and communication skills: write briefs and copy, present clearly, and collaborate across teams and suppliers.
- Service delivery and budget management: apply project/time management and monitor spend using appropriate systems.
- Evaluation and analysis; systems and processes: select appropriate data sources, analyse performance, and use analytics and customer relationship tools effectively.
- Professional behaviours: act with agility and flexibility, think creatively, learn from mistakes, and demonstrate professionalism, empathy and ethical practice.
Executive practice
Social Media Campaigns Project Management
Turn plans into delivery with clear roles, schedules and controls, using pragmatic project-management techniques suited to fast-moving social channels.
What you’ll cover
- Write concise briefs aligned to business goals, customer insight and brand standards.
- Build realistic schedules and editorial calendars; coordinate internal teams and external creators or agencies.
- Run approvals and quality gates; manage changes; capture and mitigate risks (e.g., reputational, regulatory, platform policy).
- Set budgets and monitor spend; ensure assets, licensing and disclosures meet compliance requirements.
- Create simple, visual progress and performance dashboards to inform decision-making.
How this maps to the apprenticeship
- Project and time management: deliver projects and events effectively, dividing time between reporting, planning and delivery.
- Stakeholder management: liaise with colleagues, clients and suppliers to deliver outcomes; maintain strong internal and external relationships.
- Budget monitoring: track costs within scope using appropriate systems and controls.
- Evaluation and continuous improvement: review performance, capture lessons and improve next time.
- Professional behaviours: reliability, customer focus, empathy and ethical conduct throughout delivery.
Curriculum outline · 4 months
Teaching, practice & assessment
- Month 1: social landscape, platforms and audiences; listening and audit; purpose and objectives; brief writing.
- Month 2: editorial planning, content creation and workflows; creator management; compliance and accessibility.
- Month 3: paid social set-up, targeting and optimisation; integration with organic; community management and moderation.
- Month 4: performance measurement and dashboards; presenting insights; improvement plans and reflection on behaviours.
Assessment approach: Work-based portfolio including a social campaign project pack (brief, objectives, calendar, asset list, budget and risk log), live posts or mock-ups, performance dashboard and a reflective account. The Chartered Institute of Marketing exam for Social Media Marketing is optional. Opting out does not affect the apprenticeship outcome, but it means the Chartered Institute of Marketing Award certificate will not be issued.
Employer value
What your organisation gains
- Sharper strategy into execution: clear links from objectives to audiences, channels, content and metrics.
- Operational excellence: smoother workflows and approvals; fewer reworks; better supplier and creator management.
- Data-driven learning: practical use of analytics and testing to improve conversion, retention and lifetime value.
- Governance and compliance: confident handling of data, disclosures, accessibility and ethical standards.
Ready to take the next step?
Download the programme catalogue or book an information session with an adviser.