Caster Communications, a consumer tech PR and social media firm, has launched the first online course from Caster Academy. Academy is an online training and content arm of Caster, dedicated to providing educational courses, tools, and resources on social media and public relations for AV dealers, home technology professionals, small tech companies, and boot-strapped startups that are struggling to manage their own in-house programs.
Caster Academy’s inaugural course, “Social Media Basics: Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn for Business” offers a go-at-your-own-pace online platform for business owners and integrators who have little to no social media knowledge or want to advance to the next level in promoting their business.
The online courses are created and supported by Caster’s in-house team, drawing on more than 20 years of experience serving clients in the residential and commercial technology markets. Caster has been teaching live courses for at industry events including CEDIA and InfoComm for years, and over that time has amassed numerous questions and feedback from these small business owners who are seeking for simple solutions to do their own in-house PR and social programs.
Academy’s first course provides beginner basics for Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook and delves into how to start profiles, navigate each platform, and build an engaged community of potential partners, customers, and allies. Caster Academy’s Master Class on DIY PR and Social Media is coming soon and will offer an end-to-end course on cultivating a successful PR and social program including topics such as award entries, events, pitching, case studies, Facebook advertising, and deeper engagement on Twitter and LinkedIn. Other online resources will also be available as starter guides for social media and public relations outreach programs, and new courses for different levels of advancement will continue to be added to the Academy portal.
“After seeing the puzzled looks and disillusionment from installers, coupled with the barrage of follow-up questions we receive, it’s clear there is demand for education on these topics,” said Caster president Kimberly Lancaster. “We wanted a way to provide a service to those who can’t afford a full agency but need the knowledge, along with some hands-on backup and support to manage their own programs internally. Caster Academy gives small business owners and AV installers the tools to start building their brand on their own.”
