Wright State University–Lake Campus is partnering with NOW Marketing Group to offer a Social Media Cohort for Small Businesses aimed at helping area business owners and entrepreneurs better navigate an increasingly complicated digital landscape.

Cassandra Osterholt, Coordinator for Workforce Development and the Business Enterprise Center at Wright State Lake Campus, discussed the program Monday on WCSM's Spectrum alongside Jessika Suter of NOW Marketing Group.

Osterholt said the Lake Campus works with the Small Business Development Center in Lima to bring resources and programming to local small-business owners and entrepreneurs. The new cohort grew out of a desire to provide more social-media training and help businesses overcome barriers created by constantly changing platforms and technology.

Suter said the program will focus on the fundamentals businesses can use regardless of which social-media platform is popular at the moment. Topics will include properly setting up business accounts, developing content, building relationships with customers, short-form video, best practices and using new tools such as artificial intelligence.

Suter described the goal as helping businesses take traditional "word of mouth" and expand it into "world of mouth" by using social media to create stronger relationships and conversations.

The program begins with a virtual kickoff on October 7. That session will be recorded and will provide participants with workbooks and an opportunity to begin auditing their current social-media presence.

Three in-person sessions will then be held January 13, January 20 and January 27. Participants will be able to apply what they learn to their own businesses and ask questions as they work through the program.

During the first in-person session, Suter said participants will focus on getting their social-media foundation set up correctly, including business profiles, account ownership and reviewing their current online presence.

The cohort is designed for a wide range of participants, including new entrepreneurs, established small businesses, creators, side hustles and companies looking to better train employees who manage social media.

Registration is $100 per person, and businesses may register multiple employees.

More information and registration are available through the Current Course Offerings section of the Wright State University–Lake Campus Business Enterprise Center website.