Creating and executing a social-media strategy has become a must in the meeting and event planning process. For those learning the ropes, two new resources were announced in early June: a free white paper, produced by TBA Global, and an online certificate course through The International School of Hospitality.

The new course, organized in 10 hour-long sessions, looks at social media as a tool for marketing and public relations, using hospitality industry examples to demonstrate best practices. While not strictly aimed at meetings professionals, the course, called Social Media in Business Applications, was developed by long-time meetings and hospitality industry educator Patti Shock, CPCE. Shock is responsible for the TISOH Twitter site, which amassed more than 12,000 followers in less than four months.

The course, which costs $450, includes on its syllabus Twitter Basics, How to Effectively Use Facebook, Blogs for Beginners, Plaxo and Wikis, Web Utilities, and more.

Also new is “The Event Marketers Guide to Social Media,” a whitepaper from TBA Global on the role of social media in driving attendance and engagement at events. According to the white paper, “Event marketers must plan and execute campaigns with an eye on both experiential and social media marketing. … What’s the use of a great event if it doesn’t get people talking? Social media is how people communicate and share those experiences today.”

The paper outlines a seven-step process for integrating social media with a live event and provides social-media checklists for before, during, and after an event. The paper is free but registration is required before downloading.