Short course
Content that Counts and Mastering Marketing Metrics (online)
Course status:
Applications being accepted
Location:
Online
Dates and time:
20/10/2026 - 23/10/202611:00 - 12:30
Study format:
Short intensive
Fees:
£560.00
This course is for business owners, marketers, and early-career professionals who want to build a stronger understanding of content marketing and how to use it more effectively in practice.
Today every business is expected to produce content that informs as well as entertains. Using the latest research and case studies, you will learn why content marketing has become such an important part of business communication. You will consider the different types of content that are available, content creation approaches, and why some businesses favour one content type over another. The course also explores publishing channels, content planning, and how to make realistic decisions about frequency and resources.
Alongside your colleagues, you will reflect on the challenges and opportunities that AI poses to marketers, from content creation, ethics, data, and future developments. You will also learn about the skills needed to produce effective content, whether in-house or via contractors.
The course also explores why metrics matter, the difference between vanity metrics and meaningful indicators, and how to use data to support organisational goals and continuous improvement. You will work with SMART objectives, learn to define appropriate KPIs, and identify the critical success factors and external conditions that may influence results. The course also considers how current AI tools can support the use of metrics when applied with sound principles. By the end of the course, you will have a clearer understanding of how to plan and create content marketing strategies in a way that is practical, measurable and aligned with organisational priorities.
Book this course
The registration deadline for this course is 1pm UK time on 16 October 2026, or when the course is fully booked – whichever occurs first. You can sign up for course news for updates on future courses.
Course aims
This course is ideal for any marketer, small business owner or entrepreneur. It is relevant across multiple sectors where products and services are being sold, the charitable sector and also the public sector.
The course is most likely to be helpful to people who are looking to start content campaigns and measure them. Participants may have created content previously but have not had a clear process and structure. They may also be looking to upscale their content creation process and make it more systematic.
Programme details
Module 1: The Content Marketing Interplay
- The business case for content marketing
- Case studies about who is using it, why, and how
- Managing expectations, the power of consistency, and frequency
- The Content Marketing audit
- Understanding the Content Marketing Interplay: content, channels, technology, skills, and resources
- Content marketing exercise
Module 2: AI in Content Marketing
- How AI can support and enhance content marketing
- Ensuring that AI content is accurate, on-brand, and not plagiaristic
- AI Tools and processes to support content creation
- The skills required to work effectively with AI
- Ethical and privacy considerations to stay compliant
- AI content marketing activity
Module 3: Why marketing metrics matter and how we can use them
- The role of marketing in supporting organisational goals and how metrics are the lifeblood
- Meaningful marketing metrics – what is ‘nice to know’ and what is ‘need to know’
- Metrics across the customer journey and what happens ‘after the funnel’
- Assess reporting pain points, where lack of measurement has limited decision-making and how this can be remedied
- Team exercise assessing usage of marketing metrics
Module 4: SMART objectives, KPIs and always-on AI metrics
- The role of SMART objectives (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound)
- Definition of KPIs, how they are effectively fed by meaningful metrics and support objectives
- Applying the marketing metrics cycle to continually optimise performance
- How AI can enhance your metric acquisition, analysis and utilisation
- AI business scenario activity
IT requirements
This course is delivered online using Microsoft Teams. You will be required to follow and implement the instructions we send you to fully access Microsoft Teams on the University of Oxford’s secure IT network.
To participate you must be familiar with using a computer for purposes such as sending email and searching the Internet. You will also need regular access to the Internet and a computer meeting our recommended minimum computer specification.
It is advised to use headphones with working speakers and microphone.
Sam Birkett
Sam Birkett is a higher education and innovation marketing consultant with over 20 years’ experience across universities, professional services and edtech. He is also an interactive team-building director and amateur actor, bringing strong facilitation and presentation skills to his work.
He previously led open-enrolment marketing at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, supporting a portfolio of 20+ executive programmes and contributing to significant improvements in global rankings and enrolment. Drawing on deep expertise in audience insight and proposition design, Sam now advises institutions such as LSE, the University of Oxford and UCL on end-to-end growth strategies spanning persona and value proposition development, LinkedIn lead generation and conversion, content strategy and multimedia campaign production.
His practice is grounded in practical delivery, building measurable target-segment journeys and aligning teams around evidence-based messaging.
Joe Pélissier
Joe Pélissier is a branding and communications consultant who designs award winning training programmes across multiple formats. He began his career at Video Arts, the innovative training film company founded by John Cleese. Since 2007, in addition to writing web content, he has advised and trained teams on their written and spoken digital communication skills. His international client base includes the European Council, Commission and Parliament, Sony PlayStation, England Rugby, Nespresso, Louis Vuitton and Gucci.
Joe is also a mentor to founders, entrepreneurs and directors looking for an external perspective on their marketing, branding and communication strategies. He speaks French and Italian.
To be eligible for a certificate of attendance, you will need to attend the whole course. Participants who meet this criterion will be emailed a link and instructions for accessing their University of Oxford digital certificate after the course ends.
The certificate will show your name, the course title, and the dates of the course you attended. You will be able to download your certificate and share it on social media if you choose to do so.
Fees
| Description | Costs |
|---|---|
| Standard course fee | £560.00 |
Payment
Fees include electronic copies of course materials.
All courses are VAT exempt.
Register immediately online
Click the ‘Book now’ button on this webpage. Payment by credit or debit card is required.
Request an invoice
If you require an invoice for your company or organisation, please email us at business@conted.ox.ac.uk to request an online enrolment form. Payment is then accepted online, by credit/debit card, or by bank transfer.
Recommended reading
Joe Pulizzi, Epic Content Marketing
Ann Handle, Everybody Writes (Wiley)
Ross Simmonds, Create Once, Distribute Forever
Robert Cialdini, Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion
Chaffey, D., Smith, P., Digital Marketing Excellence (Routledge, latest edition).
Patel, N., Hustle: The Power to Charge Your Life with Money, Meaning, and Momentum (Rodale, 2016).
Dholakiya, P., “How to Measure Marketing ROI”, Crazy Egg blog (latest online article)
Module code: O26C054N5Y
Please apply by clicking the ‘Book Now’ button below.
If you would like to discuss your application or any part of the application process before applying, please email us at business@conted.ox.ac.uk.