For my latest blog I caught up with Emily Davis, Social Media Manager at Ted Baker. Read on to find out what it takes to make it in the world of social and Emily’s advice to those looking for a career in this ever-changing industry!
Please describe your job: What do you do?
In a sentence, I oversee all things social media at Ted Baker. My remit is broad, and the day-to-day varies enormously. Generally, I oversee my team of social execs and their projects (we have four execs in total on the team as well as an intern), manage planning and strategies for upcoming campaigns, cast an eye over the content that we’re posting and producing for social, as well as making sure that I’m to date with the latest updates coming from the key platforms and trends in the industry.
Communication with key stakeholders across the business is also an important part of what I do, and Ted Baker has international teams based in Asia and the US who I am also in regular contact with. It’s an exciting role in a really key area of the business, so it’s a fantastic place to be.
Whereabouts do you sit within the organisation? Who do you report to?
At the moment I report into the Digital Commerce director, and as a team we sit within the Brand Communications team.
What kind of skills do you need to be effective in your role?
Many! Knowledge of and interest in social media is obviously important. This isn’t a traditional 9-to-5 where you switch off at the end of the day, so you need to be passionate. Aside from that, I have a good grounding in copy editing and writing having done a degree in English and History, which I use on a day to day basis to sign off all of the copy before posts go live on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, the Blog. I have built up a thorough understanding of creative content from my time working in social media, from seeing what works and what doesn’t across different platforms.
Having an analytical head on your shoulders is key – pulling together and analysing reports is the only way to make sure that our campaigns and content are performing in the way that we need them to. I also manage budgets, so being able to keep track of a spreadsheet is important. Finally, the soft skills: being organised, but also being able to think on your feet (social media is a fast paced industry, where decisions need to be made there and then), as well as being a good communicator and a natural problem-solver.
Tell us about a typical working day…
I’ll aim to get into the office between 8am and 8.30am to get a head start on the day. I’ll check any emails that have come in overnight as well as having a look at how the channels are performing. Then, depending on the day, I’ll have team meetings and 121s with my team where we’ll talk about ongoing projects, plans for the social channels for the next couple of weeks (Instagram and Facebook being the priorities, followed by Twitter, Pinterest and the Blog) and anything else that has come up that week. I’ll also have catch ups with other teams throughout the week, including the product buying and design teams, PR, marketing, digital marketing, customer services, CRM and web content.
At lunch, I try to get away from my desk to have a bit of a refresh – we have a canteen in the office, and we’re also close to King’s Cross and to Camden if you fancy something different. In the afternoons, I’ll often be checking our social plans, signing off creative and copy, checking out influencers, working on my own projects and checking in with external partners and agencies, as well as trying to keep on top of my email inbox. Occasionally I’ll need to head out of the office for a meeting with one of our partners or one of the social media platforms, or to go to a shoot or an event in store. It’s usually pretty non-stop at Ted, so I try to leave the office by around 6pm (but that doesn’t always happen!).
What do you love about your job? What sucks?
I love how busy and dynamic it is, and how there’s always a new innovation on the horizon. Social media is growing in importance in most organisations, so if you’re in a role like mine (and at a company like Ted Baker) you have the opportunity to really be at the forefront of the way that brands and organisations communicate with their customers. The only downside (if you can call it that) is that you need to be on your game every day – there’s no room to rest on your laurels.
What kind of goals do you have? What are the most useful metrics and KPIs for measuring success?
We have a few different goals which we measure within the social media team; these feed into the broader goals that Ted Baker has a business. We look at follower growth, engagement rate, reach, traffic and conversion – tailoring the priority metric for a channel or activity according to our objectives.
What are your favourite tools to help you to get the job done?
We use Sprinklr and Olapic at Ted Baker to help us manage reporting, scheduling, listening and UGC (user generated content), and our paid social team use Smartly to manage ads. We use Trello to help with project management, and google docs for sharing our calendars and plans. Our customer services team use Zendesk to help them manage customer queries which come in via social. However, the right tools mean nothing without the right people – I’m lucky to have a really strong team.
How did you become a Social Media Manager, and where might you go from here?
My first role out of university was a role in social media – I started out as an intern and worked my way up. At the moment, the sky’s the limit – there are lots of opportunities for development at Ted Baker.
What new technology / platforms are you most excited about (if any)?
At the moment I’m really interested in instant messaging and the opportunities that this can hold for the way that brands communicate with their customers. We love Instagram Stories and recently created our own Ted Baker GIFs (search Ted Baker on Giphy to find them).
We are also on the lookout for what the next step in influencer / brand advocate marketing is, and are always innovating the way that we shoot and create our content to make it as engaging on social as possible. We have good relationships with all of the key social media platforms which helps us to stay one step ahead.
Do you have any advice for people who want to work in marketing for a fashion brand?
Absolutely – first of all, people always appreciate an individual who is enthusiastic, proactive and has a genuine interest in the area that they’re looking to go into as a career. I would recommend you keep up to date with the industry by reading trade news and keeping an eye on what your favourite brands are up to. Secondly, try to get as much work experience as possible to bolster your CV.
LinkedIn is a great way to network online and get in touch with people who may be able to help you get experience in the field that you’re looking to go into. There are some great short courses that you could look at as well, if you don’t have marketing specific experience in your degree or schooling. If you do get an interview with a company, be prepared. Visit a store (if they have a brick and mortar presence), check out their website and their social media. Good luck!
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