On 11 December, a practical training “Cleverly Visible: AI and Social Media Solutions in Ida-Viru Marketing” took place at Meresuu SPA Hotel, bringing together tourism, creative and cultural entrepreneurs from Narva-Jõesuu and the surrounding area.
The training was conducted by Aleksandra Leštšuk, a marketing specialist at the Ida-Viru Entrepreneurship Centre (IVEK), and focused on the basics of digital marketing, branding, the use of artificial intelligence to support content creation and social media strategies in the context of Ida-Viru County. The first part of the training covered the logic of digital marketing and the most common mistakes that entrepreneurs often make when planning marketing spend.
“One of the biggest challenges for entrepreneurs in Ida-Viru County is that many of their websites no longer meet modern expectations. The structure of the website is often outdated, information is difficult to find or is presented in only one language. This directly limits the visibility of the business and affects whether the visitor can find the service in Google search or map applications. Nowadays, a well-functioning, multilingual and user-friendly homepage is as important as the service itself,” explained trainer Aleksandra Leštšuk, adding that “Ida-Viru County, and Narva-Jõesuu in particular, has huge potential if local Narva-Jõesuu businesses start to network. When one business shares a service or event with another, both win. All in all, the whole region wins, because visibility is multiplied.”
In the second half of the day, participants received practical tips on how to create a strong brand for their company, which AI-based tools to use when creating texts and visuals, and which social media practices work best in Ida-Viru County. The training emphasised a strategic approach – how to define your target audience, choose relevant marketing channels and design messages that appeal to the local audience and bring visitors from other regions.
Participants in the training said that the practical exercises and the opportunity to analyse their company’s marketing activities with the trainer were the most valuable. They also appreciated the overview of free digital tools and AI solutions that help to simplify marketing work.
At the end of the training, Aleksandra Leštšuk invited entrepreneurs to participate in the IETC mentoring programme, which offers individual support for developing digital marketing and implementing marketing plans. In addition, entrepreneurs can take advantage of free digital marketing advice aimed at supporting small businesses’ visibility, brand development and competitiveness.
Arvo Juhkov
Sa Narva-Jõesuu Port Development Manager
arvo.juhkov@narva-joesuu.ee
The training was organised in the framework of the project “Development of the waterways network and tourism business in the Ida-Viru region”. The project is financed by the European Union Cohesion Policy funds through the measure “Attractive regional business and living environment” and the support measure for the implementation of regional development strategies.
