Features & insight
Features and insight
Expert analysis, reporting and long reads on the platforms, people and strategies shaping social media.
The Content You're Not Posting Is the Content That's Costing You
Most of us in this industry could write a whole strategy deck on the importance of showing up consistently online, and yet somehow our own content is the thing that keeps getting pushed to tomorrow. It's begs the question as to why content paralysis isn't really about ideas or time, it's about the mindset we bring to creating, and what shifts when you finally stop waiting for the perfect moment to post.
How To Prove Social Media ROI (Without Turning Into A Full‑Time Analyst)
Proving social media ROI does not mean you need to become a data scientist or spend your life buried in spreadsheets. It means you need a clear, repeatable way to connect what you do on social to the decisions your stakeholders are trying to make, using numbers they recognise and language they already use elsewhere in the business.
Boundaries For Social Media Roles: What Good Looks Like At Each Level
Most social media roles are sold as "own the socials", which sounds tidy on a job description but, in reality, often translates into being on call, being in every inbox, being in every meeting and feeling like you have to say yes to anything that might, even loosely, touch a platform. The gap between the neat line in the JD and the mess of the day to day is where a lot of people in social start to feel tired, stressed and worried about how long they can actually keep doing this work.
Social Media Career Opportunities: How To Use The Career Ladder To Plan Your Next Move
When people talk about "social media career opportunities", they often picture a very small set of roles. Coordinator. Manager. Maybe head of social if the company is feeling bold. The reality in 2026 is much broader than that, but from the inside it can still feel like you are on one long, chaotic rung called "doing everything for socials".
Talk About Your Social Media Role So People Take it Seriously
Most people still think social media means posting and replying. You know it is planning, insight, brand, customers, crisis, and reporting. The problem is that the language people most often use to describe social work hides that reality. This piece is about giving you language that reflects the actual weight of your role so colleagues, hiring managers and leaders can see the real scope of what you do.
The Unwritten Rules Of Social Media Career Progression
Social media careers get confusing around the three to five year mark. Your craft is strong, but progression feels vague and other people seem to know "how it works" in a way you do not. In this article, Lucy Hall shares the unwritten rules of social media career progression, from politics and visibility to sideways moves and getting closer to money and decision making, using the Social Media Career Ladder as a guide.
No, Social Media Managers Are Not Automatically The Next CMOs
Social media managers touch almost every part of the marketing funnel, but that does not mean they are automatically the next CMOs. In this article, Lucy Hall uses the Social Media Career Ladder to unpack the real gap between practitioner and leadership, the extra skills needed to move beyond "running social" and why organisations must change how they think about social careers if they want senior talent to stay.
Creating Excitement, Momentum and UGC: How We Design Experiences People Want To Share
Events do not start when people arrive or end when they leave. In this article, Lucy Hall pulls back the curtain on how SocialDay designs Social Media Fest as an experience, not just a conference, using a simple "before, during, after" framework to create excitement, momentum and UGC that turns everyday attendees into storytellers.
The Complete Legal Setup for Influencers: A Practical Guide
Influencing is a business, so you need a basic legal setup. This checklist covers the essentials: the right entity, core contracts, IP protection, disclosures, taxes, and the risks creators get sued for.
AI Will Not Steal Your Social Media Job. But These Skills Will Decide Who Thrives
An in depth guide for social media marketers worried about AI and their careers. It plugs into the Social Media Career Ladder framework and shows how AI changes the skills needed at each level, from entry to head of social. Skills are grouped into three buckets craft, commercial and meta and the article explains which tasks AI can support and which always need human judgment. Ideal for in house, agency and freelance social pros who want to stay relevant and move up without burning out.
The Influencer Contract Checklist: Avoid Red Flags In Brand Agreements
A "standard" influencer contract can still hide terms that shift risk onto you. Here's a quick checklist of the clauses that matter most: scope, approvals, usage rights, payment, and more. So, you don't sign away time, money, or control.
From CV Graveyard to Creator Playground: LinkedIn's Identity Shift
LinkedIn didn't suddenly become "cool", work itself changed, and the platform evolved with it. As careers became less linear and more visible, professionals started sharing real experiences: pivots, growth, doubt, and lessons in motion. That human layer transformed LinkedIn from a digital CV into a space for professional identity, voice, and influence.
Why LinkedIn Articles Just Got More Important
LinkedIn Articles are quietly becoming one of the most powerful ways to build credibility. They help your ideas travel further, grow a loyal subscriber base, and shape how AI systems understand who you are and what you stand for. In 2026, reputation is built through clear thinking, consistently shared.
The Social Media Career Ladder (Part 2): How You Actually Move Up
The first version of the Social Media Career Ladder laid out the rungs: entry level, exec/manager, senior, head of social and beyond. This follow‑up is about what really gets you from one rung to the next, the skills, behaviours and mindset shifts that don't fit neatly in a job description.
What can social media glean from the treatonomics phenomenon?
Kantar's new research into the rise of "treatonomics" captures something important: people are trading big, distant milestones for small, immediate pleasures. At the same time, social media has transformed from somewhere to connect, gather news and shop, into an entertainment ecosystem where people go to escape, laugh, and feel seen. This piece explores the symbiotic relationship between these two phenomenons and shares top tips for how brands can leverage this consumer mindset on social.