Social Media Manager with Adobe Illustrator CC

In this course, you will learn the most important terms, measures and AI applications in social media management as well as how to use Adobe Illustrator to edit, evaluate and present content professionally.
  • Certificates: Certificate "Social Media Manager"
  • Additional Certificates: Certificate "Image editing with Adobe Photoshop CC"
    Certificate "Graphic Design"
    Certified Social Media Manager" certificate
    Certified Content Marketing Manager" certificate
    Certificate "Design with Adobe Illustrator CC"
  • Examination: Praxisbezogene Projektarbeiten mit Abschlusspräsentationen
    Certified Social Media Manager:in
    Certified Content Marketing Manager:in
  • Teaching Times: Full-time
    Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:35 p.m. (in weeks with public holidays from 8:30 a.m. to 5:10 p.m.)
  • Language of Instruction: German
  • Duration: 20 Weeks

Graphic design

Design software, AI and modern design workflows (approx. 2 days)

Adobe Creative Cloud: Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign at a glance

Affinity Suite: Photo, Designer and Publisher at a glance

Creative Cloud Libraries, Adobe Fonts, Adobe Color and Adobe Stock

AI in the design process: Firefly, generative tools, prompting

Opportunities, limits and areas of application of AI


Basics of graphic design (approx. 2 days)

Art vs. design

Design disciplines, design principles and design process

Design thinking and idea development

Design laws of perception

Visual flow and arrangement

Figure-ground relationship


Shape and color (approx. 2 days)

Point, line, surface and shape

Format and proportions

Color theory and color effects

Contrasts, harmonies and color concepts

Color in the context of brand, effect and legibility


Images (approx. 3 days)

Image quality and image formats

Pixel and vector graphics

Visual language, visual impact and visual storytelling

Research, brainstorming and mood boards

Images in corporate communication

Basics of image editing and AI-supported image development

Image rights/rights of use


Typography and layout (approx. 3 days)

Font classification and font selection

Reading typography, detailed typography

Typographic hierarchies

Workflow in layout design

Type area and design grid

Developing and evaluating layout concepts

Overview of file output (print, digital)


Corporate and brand design (approx. 1 day)

Corporate design vs. corporate identity

Logo design, signet and word/image mark

Color, form and typography systems in brand identity

Style guides and consistent design systems


Accessibility (approx. 1 day)

Basics of accessible design

Design criteria for accessible communication (e.g. legibility, contrast, color selection)


Digital media and cross-media (approx. 1 day)

Basics of digital publishing and responsive design

File formats for web, app and social media

AI-supported content adaptation for various channels

AI-based layout optimization for mobile designs


Project work (approx. 5 days)

To consolidate the content learned

Presentation of the project results

Social media management expertise with AI

Social media in the company (approx. 2 days)

Role of social media in corporate communications (internal/external)

Opportunities/risks, guidelines, dos and don'ts

Job profiles, roles and interfaces (marketing, PR, HR, legal, support)

Processes and approval workflows (governance)

 


Social media strategy (approx. 3 days)

Development of a social media strategy

Strategy building blocks: Three-phase model and (SMART) goals

Target groups/personas, positioning

As-is analysis/audit/resources

Selecting channels and defining channel roles

Content methods (editorial plan, topic clusters, content pillars)

AI-supported research and planning: keyword/hashtag, trend analysis, hook variants, tonality/brand voice, prompt library

Success measurement/measure analysis

 


Social media channels (approx. 5 days)

Strategic importance and possibilities of social networks

Basic algorithm logic, user structure, format mix

Facebook/Instagram/WhatsApp channels incl. Meta Business Suite (planning/publishing)

TikTok (short video logic, UGC/creator, trends vs. brand)

YouTube (shorts/longform, search logic)

LinkedIn/Xing (B2B, employer branding, social recruiting)

Pinterest (trends)

Overview: Twitch, Threads and X (status, classification and use case)


Social Media Management (approx. 2 days)

AI in social media: Tool map, use cases, limits, quality assurance (human-in-the-loop)

AI in communities: response suggestions, topic clustering, sentiment

Social media tools (planning, production, publishing, moderation)

Community management (netiquette, crisis management/shitstorm)


Paid social and campaign management (approx. 3 days)

Planning social media marketing measures,

Define campaign goals (awareness/traffic/leads/conversions) and creative logic

Target group/targeting basics

Budgeting and test design (A/B)

Social commerce

Influencer/creator marketing

Optimization and learnings


Online law for social media (approx. 2 days)

Recognizing legal pitfalls

Copyright, rights of use, licenses

Data protection (GDPR) and tracking (cookies/consent)

Right to a name, trademark law

Liability for own and third-party content

Labelling obligations (including advertising/influencers)

EU frameworks at a glance: DSA and EU AI Act

Classifying AI content legally/ethically (labeling, misleading, rights)


Project work, certification preparation and certification examination (approx. 3 days)

Content marketing expertise

Basics of journalistic work (approx. 4 days)

Editorial work, editing

Journalistic research techniques, online research

Journalistic standards

Structures and working methods of editorial offices and online editorial offices

Text workshop/writing exercises

Types of text (news, reports, features, portraits, commentaries, reviews)


Artificial intelligence (AI) in the work process

Presentation of specific AI technologies

and possible applications in the professional environment


Basics of content marketing (approx. 7 days)

Developing and documenting strategies

Planning projects

Defining goals and determining metrics

Determine target groups according to psychosocial and demographic aspects

Apply customer journeys and related models for strategic planning

The right mix of different content

Omnichannel experience through different touchpoints

Storytelling in content marketing: simple and complex story structures for different channels


Increase reach (approx. 3 days)

Effective distribution of content

Different types of corporate blogs

Brief introduction to WordPress:

Planning and running a blog

SEO optimized content

Email marketing

Measuring the effectiveness of measures


Legal (approx. 2 days)

Recognizing legal pitfalls

Internet law

Liability for own and third-party content

Copyright law


Project work, certification preparation and certification examination (approx. 4 days)

Image editing with Adobe Photoshop CC

Basics of Operation (approx. 1 day)

Important keyboard shortcuts

Creative Cloud and Adobe Bridge

Efficient image search and image databases

Cloud collaboration and Adobe Express integration


AI in Photoshop (approx. 1 day)

Generative AI from Adobe

Legal Aspects: Copyright, Image Sources, Attribution Requirements

Opportunities and limitations of AI in creative workflows

Generative Fill, Generative Expand, Neural Filters, AI selection and cropping techniques

AI-powered workflows in practice


Key Techniques (approx. 1 day)

Rulers and guide lines

Changing the workspace, rotating the image

Scaling, filling, transforming

Smart objects, shape grids

Content-Aware Scale and AI-powered transformations


Working with Layers (approx. 2 days)

Stack order, panel overview

Layer compositions

Opacity and blending modes, layer styles

Blend, adjustment, and fill layers

Team collaboration with Creative Cloud Libraries


Selection Methods (approx. 1 day)

AI-based selection techniques (Adobe Sensei)

Object Selection Tool

Quick Selection and Subject Selection tools

Selection Brush tool

Pen tool 

Automated cropping using generative AI


Masks and transitions (approx. 2 days)

Automated mask generation

Mask contents

Blending motifs with gradient masks

Clip masks, vector masks, channel masks

Generative Fill for object expansion

Use of AI for complex composites


Colors and Color Corrections (approx. 1 day)

Color settings and color spaces

Histogram, Color Picker tool

Adobe Color and CC Library

Recoloring via Fill Layer (CD/CI Colors)

Automated adjustment with AI

Create color palettes from images and develop AI-powered color schemes


Retouching and Corrections (approx. 1 day)

Beauty retouching

Lens aberrations

Body styling

Neural filters, AI-assisted retouching

AI-powered skin and portrait enhancements, including a realism check


Filters and Effects (approx. 1 day)

Non-destructive editing with smart filters

Image Looks and Creative Filters

Image sharpness and blurring

Using AI Style Transfer


Introduction to Adobe Camera Raw (approx. 1 day)

White balance, RAW color corrections

Automatic perspective correction

Linking RAW and Photoshop

AI-powered RAW optimizations


Scripting and Automation (approx. 1 day)

Image processor

Contact sheet

Merge into HDR Pro

Actions and batch processing

Create Droplet

AI-powered automations and plugin usage


Animation and web banners (approx. 2 days)

Frame animation (GIF)

Video clips with audio

Web banners

Export optimized for social media and responsive ads


Prepress, cross-media publishing (approx. 1 day)

Image compression

Print output and color proof

AI-powered preflight checks and sustainable publishing strategies


Project work (approx. 5 days)

To consolidate the content learned

Presentation of the project results

Design with Adobe Illustrator CC

Basics of Vector Graphics and AI-Assisted Work (approx. 1 day)

Differences between raster images and vector graphics

Anatomy of a path

Resolution, scalability, and file formats

Overview of the current Illustrator interface

Introduction to AI-powered features (e.g., Generative Recoloring, Text-to-Vector Graphics)

Overview of Adobe Firefly and the integration of generative AI features into Illustrator


Setup and Navigation (approx. 1 day)

The Right Color Space (RGB, CMYK, Web)

Color Management Basics

Customizing presets

Custom Toolbar and Workspaces

Artboards (including for responsive layouts)

Rulers, guides, and grids

Zoom and View

Information panel and history

Creative Cloud Libraries and cloud-based workflows


Drawing Objects (approx. 2 days)

Transforming, Aligning, Pathfinder

Organizing objects hierarchically

Working in groups

Organizing objects into layers

Modifying appearance properties

Shape tool and masks

Width and Blend tools

Graphic styles and symbols

3D and material effects (current features)

Using AI-powered tools for rapid development of shape variations and layout ideas


Images (approx. 1 day)

Link, embed, and crop pixel images

Organize image material efficiently

Vectorize pixel images (Image Trace)

AI-powered vectorization and recoloring 

Mockup features for presentations


Paths and Free Forms (approx. 2 days)

Creating, modifying, and combining shapes

Editing grid and anchor points

Editing, connecting, and simplifying paths

Intuitively deforming objects

Working precisely with the Pen Tool

Developing creative shape variations using AI-powered features


Brushes (approx. 1 day)

Brush tips and brush types

Creating Your Own Brushes

Using libraries

Developing style variations and creative effects with the help of modern features


Color Schemes and Patterns (approx. 2 days)

Colors for areas and outlines

Color Swatches panel, color swatch libraries

Using Adobe Color

Color assistance, harmonies, and conversion

Global colors, spot colors

Gradients and freehand gradients

Transparency panel

Recoloring images

Pattern options

Basics of accessible color design


Text Design (approx. 1 day)

Touch-Type text tool

Area and path text

Filter fonts and assign fonts

Using Adobe Fonts

Variable fonts

Converting Text to Paths

Typography for print and web

Developing layout variations with AI-powered features


Charts (approx. 1 day)

Settings and data entry

Import from Excel

Chart designs

Coloring and editing charts

Creating modern infographics

Development of alternative layout and color variations


Illustrator for Web Design and UI/UX (approx. 3 days)

Color Modes and Color Management for the Web

Preparing Artboards for Responsive Design

Working with a grid system

Components, variants, and design system basics

Page Design – From Wireframe to Mockup

Designing Web-Optimized Vector Graphics

Creating and optimizing SVG icons and illustrations for digital products

SVG export

Designing UI components: icons, buttons, forms, and checkboxes

Efficient variant development using the latest Illustrator features


Data Export and Sharing (approx. 1 day)

Saving vector graphics correctly

Print preparation and PDF output

Color profiles and PDF standards

Export for responsive web design

SVG optimization

Best practices for SVG files on the web (performance, scalability, accessibility)

Exporting CSS properties

Transfer to the printer or developer


Project work (approx. 4 days)

To consolidate the content learned

Presentation of the project results



Changes are possible, the course content is updated regularly.

Basic knowledge of Microsoft Windows and Office as well as initial practical experience in social networks (e.g. in the form of your own Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok or Facebook account) are required.

After completing the course, you will have mastered the professional use of Adobe Photoshop for modern image editing and will also have basic design knowledge and knowledge of visual communication in order to implement design, advertising and presentations appropriately. You will be familiar with the terms and measures of social media management and content marketing and will be able to assess content professionally and legally, present it with a wide reach, create campaigns and plan and design blog posts.

You are also familiar with the most important functions in Illustrator and can create and edit vector graphics. You will be able to optimize graphics for print and web.

People with a degree or training in marketing, media, journalism, business administration or humanities and linguistics or comparable professional experience.

The field of social media marketing has grown considerably in recent years and marketing specialists with specialist knowledge in this area are in high demand. Possible areas of employment include advertising and internet agencies as well as communication and marketing departments of industrial and commercial companies in all sectors of the economy.

Didactic concept

Your lecturers are highly qualified both professionally and didactically and will teach you from the first to the last day (no self-study system).

You will learn in effective small groups. The courses usually consist of 6 to 25 participants. The general lessons are supplemented by numerous practical exercises in all course modules. The practice phase is an important part of the course, as it is during this time that you process what you have just learned and gain confidence and routine in its application. The final section of the course involves a project, a case study or a final exam.

 

Virtual classroom alfaview®

Lessons take place using modern alfaview® video technology - either from the comfort of your own home or at our premises at Bildungszentrum. The entire course can see each other face-to-face via alfaview®, communicate with each other in lip-sync voice quality and work on joint projects. Of course, you can also see and talk to your connected trainers live at any time and you will be taught by your lecturers in real time for the entire duration of the course. The lessons are not e-learning, but real live face-to-face lessons via video technology.

 

The courses at alfatraining are funded by Agentur für Arbeit and are certified in accordance with the AZAV approval regulation. When submitting a Bildungsgutscheinor Aktivierungs- und Vermittlungsgutschein, the entire course costs are usually covered by your funding body.
Funding is also possible via Europäischen Sozialfonds (ESF), Deutsche Rentenversicherung (DRV) or regional funding programs. As a regular soldier, you have the option of attending further training courses via Berufsförderungsdienst (BFD). Companies can also have their employees qualified via funding from Agentur für Arbeit (Qualifizierungschancengesetz).

We will gladly advise you free of charge.

0800 3456-500 Mon. - Fri. from 8 am to 5 pm
free of charge from all German networks.

Contact

We will gladly advise you free of charge. 0800 3456-500 Mon. - Fri. from 8 am to 5 pm free of charge from all German networks.